Waverly is a college prepara­tory school; the curricu­lum is specif­i­cally intended to prepare students for higher educa­tion. The Waverly School encour­ages students to do their best acad­e­mic work, mindful of college expec­ta­tions, while having balanced, full lives. While taking an appro­pri­ately chal­leng­ing course load is impor­tant, reading for plea­sure, explor­ing volun­teer oppor­tu­ni­ties, engag­ing in social and polit­i­cal action, playing sports, or spend­ing time with friends and family are essen­tial activ­i­ties for adoles­cents to develop a sense of who they are. Waverly students are admit­ted to a wide range of excel­lent colleges and univer­si­ties, as demon­strated here: 2023 College Admis­sions (PDF). Waverly’s objec­tive is to ensure that students develop the skills to succeed in college and to live mean­ing­ful lives as adults. 

Students and fami­lies receive college coun­sel­ing through­out their high school expe­ri­ence. When students regis­ter for classes, they work closely with the assis­tant head of school and the college coun­selor to ensure that they take courses that are inter­est­ing, chal­leng­ing, and manage­able. The school admin­is­ters the PSAT test in 10th and 11th grade. Further, there are infor­ma­tion nights offered by the college coun­selor, guiding students and fami­lies in the appro­pri­ate steps to explore, visit, and ulti­mately narrow down a list of poten­tial colleges and univer­si­ties. In 11th grade, students meet weekly with the college coun­selor to explore the appli­ca­tion and finan­cial aid processes and develop their college lists. In the first semes­ter of 12th grade, students meet with the college coun­selor regu­larly as they manage the various appli­ca­tions. Once students are admit­ted, the college coun­selor offers guid­ance in making final decisions.