Brownell Talbot College Counseling

The class of 2026 is heading out into the world and we could not be more proud 🎓✨ Alumni, are any of this year’s Raiders heading to your alma mater or campus?

Drop your school below and let’s welcome them to the family!

Many thanks to this year's "Adulting 101" special guests! Our seniors benefitted from the expertise and perspective of our visiting experts:

"Navigating the Post-Graduation Transition" with BT Alums (Cameron Maxwell, Fruzsina Roka, Katie Picard, Brett Fisher, Lia Li and AJ Puskar)

"Navigating the Academic Transition and Connecting with Professors" with Dr. Amy Wendling, Creighton University

"Dorm Room Cooking" with Mrs. Meg Harms

"Managing Finances as a College Student" with Charley Pugsley ‘20 and Tommy Pugsley ‘21

"Self Defense Basics" with Premier Martial Arts Omaha

Thank you everyone for sharing your time and talents with BT's class of 2026!

It's the last day of upper school for the Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School seniors! The class of 2026 is the largest class to graduate in our school's 163 year history.

Our 49 seniors were admitted to 157 unique colleges across 39 states, Washington DC, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada. They earned an impressive $16+ million in scholarship offers to further their education.

This fall, our graduates will pursue diverse pathways: joining the local workforce in Omaha, fighting wildfires with the Bureau of Land Management, or matriculating at one of 39 unique colleges or universities across 16 states, Washington DC and Canada.

Your faculty and fellow students look forward to celebrating our seniors and all their achievements at honors day, baccalaureate and commencement next week! 💙💛

Last Wednesday BT Sophomores visited Creighton University and spoke with admissions officers and current students and took a tour of campus. The weather cooperated (never a sure thing during a Nebraska spring!), and the students had a chance to further hone their sense of what size, academic orientation, location, and culture of an institution they prefer. Our aim in taking these field trips to colleges is to give students a better sense for what institutions fit them best and what factors and values will animate their college search.

Last Wednesday BT hosted the second Career Speaker panel for College Counseling 10. Ryan Khoury and Alan Epply shared their experiences in finance, the military, psychology, and cybersecurity, discussing the nuances of those career areas, how they got to where they are currently, and the challenges and opportunities in finding a career that fits both one’s professional and personal goals. Among the most important pieces of advice was that sometimes an internship or shadow opportunity that helps a student decide they might not want to pursue a particular career area, even if discouraging, can still be very valuable.

A big thank you to both Ryan and Alan for sharing their stories and expertise!

Standardized testing: Is it still relevant? 📝

Mrs. Vander Vorst recently sat down with Gage Boardman on Education Quest's Countdown2College podcast to demystify the current test-optional landscape. Tune in to learn:

-When a test score could actually move the admission needle.
-The best timeline for your testing schedule.
-How to decide if you need professional test prep.

📺 Catch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDNhwNimMI or on your favorite audio podcast platform.

Last week BT College Counseling gave a presentation for BT's 2025-2026 Parent Education Series. We gave an overview of admissions trends, the individual components of the college application, and shared three strategies for students to present a cohesive, authentic picture that persuasively connects their unique experiences with a college or university's characteristics.

The Alumni Panel is one of our favorite sessions of Adulting 101 each spring--it warms our hearts to have our Brownell Talbot School Alumni back on campus to share their experiences with us! Thanks, Cameron, Fruzsina, Katie, Brett, Lia and AJ!

A panel of recent BT graduates met with our Class of 2026 seniors to share candid insights on the transition from high school to life beyond BT.

From navigating senior spring to managing newfound independence, study routines, and dorm logistics, these alumni offered thoughtful advice, reflections, and wisdom.

Many thanks to Cameron Maxwell, '24, Fruzsina Roka, '25, Katie Picard, '25, Brett Fisher, '24, Lia Li, '24, and AJ Puskar, '25. We appreciate your participation in this important discussion.

Mrs. Vander Vorst is at Grinnell College's campus this week for a counselor advisory board visit--she was so happy to get to eat lunch today with Brownell Talbot School Alumni Bethany Haas (class of 2023) and Xiaoxiang (Bill) Du (class of 2025)! Bill is a first year Physics major pursuing an engineering track, and Bethany is a third year double major: English as well as Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies (GWSS).

Juniors this week began their deep dive into the college search process. They discussed the various reasons why one might choose to go to college. This activity is one of several we use to get students reflecting on this next step in their lives, and to provide them the knowledge and confidence to explore the exciting opportunities available.