Category: College - New Summit Academy Costa Rica

Spring 2019 NSA Graduation

5/24/2019

New Summit Academy celebrated a very special graduation day this spring, as we proudly sent eight young men into the world, prepared for success.

This graduating class served as leaders and role models for our students, and every student graduated with honors – a feat never before seen at NSA!

These students have been hard at work this past quarter, writing and polishing their transition plans, working side-by-side with their families to come to agreements on their plans, and meeting with the Transition Team and administrative staff to complete a final review. The grads then took one final trip together, celebrating their accomplishments at the summit of Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica.

Some of our recent graduates will return to finish high school, while our senior graduates will be attending Juniata College, The University of Denver, Lehigh University, and the University of Oregon.

Congratulations to these amazing young men; we look forward to their many successes!

Successful College Application Season at NSA

4/15/2019

Our talented seniors at New Summit Academy have received all of their college decisions this month, and most have made the exciting decisions of where to enroll.

This process began last May, when students and families began developing comprehensive lists of characteristics that they believed would lead to continued student success.

Using these characteristics, individualized lists of schools were developed for each student, and the intensive process of honing these lists began.

Alongside this process, students worked on resumes, essays, requesting letters of recommendation and – sometimes at the last minute! – submitting applications that highlighted their strengths and their growth processes over the last year.

New Summit Academy is proud to share some of our College Application stats for the fall of 2019!

Seniors accepted to college: 100%
Acceptance rate of all colleges applied to: 79%
Total Merit Aid Offered: $970,000.00
Acceptances into Colleges that Change Lives: 5

The impressive list of schools – as unique as our students – where our seniors have enrolled or intend to enroll:

Loyola University Chicago, Lynn University, Juniata College, Christopher Newport University, Quest University, University of Oregon, University of Denver, and Lehigh University

Thanks to all of our supportive families and consultants whose participation helped to make this such a successful season!

College Admissions Update

2/11/2019

Later this month and into March, our seniors at NSA will be receiving mail and emails with exhilarating news about college acceptances and merit scholarships.

Already, in early February, the excitement is growing as decisions come in almost daily. So far this month, we have had students accepted to some incredible schools, including:

Juniata College
Quest University
Portland State University
University of the Pacific
Hofstra University
University of Virginia Wise
Western Washington University

From the schools that have responded to date, we have an acceptance rate of 84% and, even though we have only heard from about 50% of schools applied to, our talented senior class has already racked up $460,000 in merit scholarships. Congratulations NSA seniors!

A New Year’s Reflection at New Summit Academy

1/1/2019

NSA's staff and students are all excited to begin another spectacular year and want to share a reflection of some of 2018's highlights:

8 Global Citizenship workshops, investigating student-chosen topics related to Social Justice, Diversity, Ecological Stewardship, Conflict Resolution, and more.

4 Homestay Picnics, thanking our dedicated and caring Atenas hosts for taking our students into their homes and making them a part of their families.

28 successful Aventuras, including Integrated, Recreational and International Aventuras to Peru and South Africa!

Hundreds of hours of community service at Hogar de Vida, with Osa Conservation, and in the community of Atenas.

New clubs driven by student interests including a Fishing Club and a Birdwatching Club.

Nearly 100 college acceptances, including outstanding schools like Tulane, Marquette, Trinity, Loyola of Chicago, Whittier, Juniata, and Eckerd College.

Over 1.1 million dollars in college scholarships offered thus far!

20 successful graduates of high school and/or the New Summit Academy Program, ready to take on the world with new skills and confidence!

Thanks to all members of our NSA family for your support as we look forward to an incredible 2019... Happy New Year!

First College Acceptances Coming In!

12/18/2018

NSA’s seniors have been hard at work on applications, essays, and resumes, and are beginning to see results.

Students who submitted applications in the early rounds have received some of their decisions, and have been accepted to some great schools, including Goucher, Loyola of Chicago, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Portland, and Christopher Newport University.

These schools have so far offered more than $115,000.00 in merit scholarships to these talented seniors!

College Application Update

9/13/2018

NSA’s seniors are hard at work in the college search and application process. In the past month, students have worked with our College Guidance Coordinator and their families to identify the characteristics in a learning environment that will lead to their continued success.

Those characteristics have generated an initial list of schools that students are investigating, as they also work to complete applications, brainstorm and write essays, and develop resumes. Stay tuned for future updates in this exciting process!

Interview with an Alumnus

6/14/2018

New Summit Academy is fortunate to have many of our students return to “give back” to the program and to serve as interns and valuable mentors for our current students. This summer, we proudly welcomed a 2016 graduate, Zach, who has joined our team during a college break. Zach, who is double majoring in Physics and the Classics, was generous enough to share some of his experiences with us

What was your transition like after NSA?
After graduating in December I had nothing to do and no one to do it with. When I went home my friends were all in the middle of their freshman years at college.

I was still living with my parents until I would go to university in Washington the next August. I had to actively create obligations for myself. It didn't help that my first week was spent recovering from a wisdom teeth extraction, which gave me a great excuse to sit in front of my computer all day like the days of old. It was different of course, than before attending New Summit. I was spending time with my family, sleeping regularly, remaining healthy.

After Christmas I printed off about forty resumes and walked around town, giving them to any business that would take one. I received offers from a few places, and I ended up working at a
frozen yogurt shop. I also took Intro to Ethics at my local community college.

What was your biggest challenge in your transition?
In December and January, when I was slipping toward pointlessness, I did roughly what I had planned in my transition quarter. I was sensible. In May after my class ended, 19 hours a week standing behind a register weighing cups of yogurt wasn't enough to stave off that hollow feeling of existential drifting. I, somewhat impulsively, decided to go adventuring. I used some of the money I had earned to buy a plane ticket to Ketchikan, Alaska and found a job on a fishing boat until August.

What advice would you give to current NSA students?
In general I advise making a specific and achievable plan that advances whatever short or long term goals you have while bringing you some degree of happiness. That being said, I also advise testing yourself. Test your will, your resiliency. You will then be better able to plan for yourself having an honest self-assessment of your character.

What are your strongest memories of your time at NSA?
The Aventuras are doubtlessly the most memorable part of my stay at New Summit. I often think back nostalgically to those beaches, kayaks, trails, and especially to the company. I am grateful to have had those experiences. Sweat-saturated clothing, sore feet, burned skin, a knot in my back, blisters on my hands, sand in my shoes and pack, tired arms, tired legs all tested my patience.

I chose to maintain a positive attitude (most of the time), reminding myself that these burdens are temporary and that I have the strength to persist. I learned to take complete ownership of my life. Everything I do, whether I succeed or fail, is a product of the effort I apply.

Final Results from NSA’s College Application Season

5/1/2018

May 1st is here! This day marks the deadline for our seniors to have made their final selection and enrolled in the college or university of their choice.

This process began months and months ago with students detailing the characteristics of a learning environment that would best fit their needs, and has resulted in these impressive stats:

--- 100% of students who participated in the full college guidance process have been accepted and enrolled

--- 65% of schools applied to offered admission

---- Seven acceptances from the “Colleges That Change Lives”

---- College or University enrollment for Fall 2018 includes: Eckerd, Loyola Marymount, Queen Mary of London, Montana State, Allegheny, St. Edward’s, UT Austin School of Engineering, CU Boulder, Juniata, Flagler, NC State, Denver, and Tulane’s Honors Program

---- A total of $1,191,000.00 in merit scholarships offered!

Congratulations to our seniors; we are proud of you and look forward to great things!

College Acceptances & Scholarships Rolling In

3/2/2018

The excitement is palpable as our seniors receive almost daily decisions about their college applications.

Recent acceptances have included:

Queen Mary University of London, Belmont University, the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Engineering, Trinity University, Tulane University, the University of Denver, Marquette University, Loyola of Chicago, and Duquesne University.

To this date, our seniors have been offered a combined total of over $890,000.00 in merit scholarships. Congratulations, Seniors!

Spring Graduates Prepare for Transition

2/27/2018

Months ago, NSA’s spring graduates began the extensive process of preparing for their transition back to life in the U.S. – be it a return to high school or enrollment in college in the fall.

Our Transition Program, led by a dedicated team, guides students and their families in “getting real” with what the coming months will hold, while helping students develop concrete skills and support structures for continued success.

Elements of the Transition Program include:

- A comprehensive Transition Plan created by students, their families and their team, which details expectations, goals and steps, and needed support that receives weekly feedback

- A series of Life Skills Workshops chosen by the students that may include Safe Travel, Finances and Budgeting, Sex and Dating, Car Maintenance, or Independent Living Skills

- A Transition Family Workshop on-campus engaging students and families in four days of therapeutic and transition work

- Opportunities to develop and put to the test greater responsibilities and freedoms in our off-campus Transition House

The Transition Program is one of many key efforts at NSA that help prepare students for continued success in their next steps, and we appreciate the energy and support of our graduates, their families, and the Transition Team.

This website was made by a collaborative effort between two students (SK and JA) and NSA staff.
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