College Counseling

IWA students work one-on-one with a college counselor throughout all four years to make purposeful course selections and extracurricular decisions.

College Acceptances

Experience

IWA students are supported in the college process every step of the way.

College Representatives

Opportunity

Throughout the school year, IWA welcomes numerous college representatives to campus.

Standardized Testing

Responsibility

IWA begins preparing students for success on standardized tests as early as freshman year.

College Counselor

Students work one-on-one with a college counselor throughout all four years to make purposeful course selections and extracurricular decisions.

Additionally, our college counselor guides students to take full advantage of college resources including: Naviance, application workshops, college visits, essay writing and standardized test preparation.

College Application Information

College Guidance by Classification

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Juniors participate in college advisory sessions throughout the year. These sessions focus on the college search process and finding your fit.

College Visit Policy: Juniors are allowed two college visit days. Both juniors and seniors must use the days in the fall prior to December 1 and/or in the spring prior to May 1. Upon return to school, the student must also bring verification from the college that the student made an official visit. If proper procedure is followed, these days will be marked as a college visit in the attendance system and will not affect the exam exemptions in the second semester. Otherwise, the day(s) will count as a regular absence and will affect exam exemptions in the spring semester. Exceptions are at the discretion of the college counselor.

Junior College Readiness checklist Sophomore-Junior Parent Presentation

Junior College Planning Night

Please join us for Junior College Planning Night in September and March! This night is primarily for juniors and their parents, but all students from all grades are welcome.

This evening will go over the steps in the college application process and how students can best prepare to have the strongest possible application.

Please note that the format has changed this year: Financial Literacy night is in the fall and is a separate event from Junior College Planning Night. In the spring, we will be doing a case study of the application process. This will entail a mock review of sample student applications and participants will act as admissions officers. Through this live example, students and their families will better understand how colleges assess candidates, taking into account their academic performance, extracurricular activities, essays and recommendation letters.

If you have any questions or need any extra information, please reach out to Dr. Talia Pennington-Dorsey.

Senior Year

Throughout the year, seniors meet individually with the college counselor to finalize their application lists, fill out Apply Texas and/or Common Application, determine who will write teacher recommendations, review resumes and essays, apply for financial aid, select a college, etc.

College Visit Policy: Seniors are allowed 4 college visit days during the school year. Both juniors and seniors must use the days in the fall before December 1 and or in the spring before May 1. Upon return to school, the student must also bring verification from the college that the student made an official visit. If proper procedure is followed, these days will be marked as a college visit in the attendance system and will not affect the exam exemptions in the second semester. Otherwise, the day(s) will count as a regular absence and will affect exam exemptions in the spring semester. Exceptions are at the discretion of the College Counselor.

Senior College Readiness Checklist College Guide 2025-2026

College Visit policy

To encourage early exploration and informed decision-making, IWA allows students to take excused days for official college visits.

Freshmen: 1 day per year
Sophomores: 2 days per year
Juniors: 3 days per year
Seniors: 4 days per year

To ensure that the visit is recorded properly, students must return with official documentation from the college confirming their attendance (e.g., a signed letter from the admissions office or an official tour confirmation).

If all procedures are followed, the absence will be recorded as an excused college visit and will not impact exam exemptions during the spring semester. If documentation is not submitted or proper procedures are not followed, the absence will be recorded as a regular absence and may affect exemption eligibility.

All exceptions to this policy are at the discretion of the College Counselor.

School ProfilE 2025-2026

Resources & Opportunities

Naviance: College & Career Readiness Software

IWA uses Naviance, a comprehensive website that students can use to plan for college and career.

Naviance provides up-to-date information that is specific to our school. Naviance allows you to:

Get involved in the planning and advising process: Build a resume, complete online surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers.
Research colleges: Compare GPAs, standardized test scores and other statistics to actual historical data from our school for students who have applied and been admitted in the past.
Research careers: Research hundreds of careers and career clusters and take career assessments.

Naviance

College Representatives & Visits

It’s important to explore many different colleges and universities before making a final decision.

We encourage students to take advantage of representative visits on campus, local college fairs and campus tours as early as possible.

College Representative Visits
- Throughout the school year, Incarnate Word Academy welcomes numerous college representatives to campus. These visits provide a valuable opportunity for students to connect directly with admissions officers, learn more about a wide range of colleges and ask thoughtful questions in a low-pressure setting.
- Most visits are scheduled during Advisory, though some may take place during Flex Time. Students can view the full list of upcoming college visits by logging into Naviance or checking the IWA Community Calendar.
- We strongly encourage all students—especially juniors and seniors—to take advantage of these visits. Meeting with college reps not only helps students explore different schools but also builds confidence in speaking with adults about their academic interests and future plans.
- Lean into the opportunity. You never know which conversation could help you discover your best college fit!
College Fairs
- All IWA students and their families are invited to attend the Catholic High Schools College Fair at Strake Jesuit, typically held on the first Wednesday in October. With 250+ colleges and universities in attendance, this is an excellent opportunity to explore a wide range of schools and speak directly with admissions representatives.
- In addition, IWA will host its own Mini College Fair in mid-September during the school day. This on-campus event features 20+ colleges, providing students with a convenient way to connect with schools and start begin thinking about their college journey.
- We encourage students to attend both events to broaden their college knowledge, make meaningful connections and take the next steps toward their future!

Application Workshops

Our college counselor offers college workshops for both students and parents throughout the year.

Topics include creating a college list, visiting colleges, creating a polished resume, using Naviance and writing college essays.

College Application Workshop
- Before school starts in August, seniors come to campus for a college application workshop to begin–or even complete–applications before school starts.
FAFSA Workshop
- Throughout the school year, families are invited to attend Financial Literacy 101 sessions, as well as FAFSA and CSS Profile Clinics led by experienced financial aid experts. These events are designed to help demystify the financial aid process, answer questions and equip families with the tools needed to make informed college financing decisions.
- We strongly encourage all families—especially those with juniors and seniors—to participate in these valuable workshops. Dates and details will be shared via the IWA Community Calendar and family newsletters.

Standardized Test Preparation

Incarnate Word Academy partners with the nationally renowned test prep organization Ray Dass to support student success on College Board assessments, including the PSAT, SAT and other standardized tests.

Ray Dass modules are integrated into English and Math classes and can also be completed independently at any time, allowing students to prepare at their own pace. The program provides targeted instruction, practice questions and proven strategies to help students build confidence and improve their test scores.
This partnership reflects IWA’s commitment to equipping students with the tools they need to excel in the college admissions process.

Summer Experimental Programs Guide

The 2026 Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities Guide is now available! In it, you will find direct links to a wide range of programs, camps, and enrichment opportunities organized by major and career interest.

What to do next:

Review the guide and explore programs that align with your interests
Flag programs that you may want to apply to
Plan ahead! Many application deadlines fall between January and mid-February

Students and families seeking assistance with applications are encouraged to contact Dr. Pennington-Dorsey, Director of Counseling, to schedule an appointment.

2026 Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities Guide

College Counseling Department

Dr. Talia Pennington-Dorsey

Director of Counseling, College Counselor

B.A. Dillard University
M.S. Roosevelt University
Ed.D. University of Holy Cross