Balboa Academy high school counselors are proud members of International Association for College Admissions Counselors and American School Counselor Associations.  As active members of the school community, we help and support all students in academic achievement, personal and social development and college and career counseling to promote students’ productivity, and a positive adjustment for the future. The key to our program is to promote and enhance student’s success.

We strongly believe that through leadership, advocacy and collaboration, we can provide readiness and accessibility to rigorous educational opportunities for all our students.

Through our high school programs, we support our students in the process of developmentally appropriate strategies that include education, prevention and intervention activities which are incorporated into all aspects of our students’ lives.  It is a proactive program that includes leadership, advocacy and collaboration with all stakeholders, in the delivery of programs and activities for our students. 

 

For College Admissions reps please contact Valerie Romero at vromero@balboa.edu.pa to schedule a visit.  Our preferred visit times are from 11:36-12:17 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

College Counseling

We work with every student individually to provide exposure to many universities that visit Balboa Academy throughout the year, we proudly host over 250 universities from around the world throughout the school year.  Although we recognize that every student is different with different interests, academic needs, talents, and personalities, it is impossible to prescribe one “best” school that all students should apply to. We value and recognize the individual needs of each student and help to personalize a plan to help them select and gain acceptance to the best fit school for them.

College counselors at Balboa Academy have many years of experience and keep up to date with changes and trends in the college admissions world. They serve as resources to help all students with questions and concerns come up throughout the college application process. 

Here are some links to help with the college search process:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-searchwww.collegedata.com 

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

https://www.collegedata.com

Testing

Most colleges around the world require that students submit some form of standardized testing during the application process. We require that all of our students in 10th and 11th grade take the PSAT in October in order to help them prepare for the SAT, which is a test used for college admission in the US and in other countries as well.  Please see the links below for more information. 

Balboa Academy is also an official test center for SAT and ACT, so students are able to register and take the test in an environment where they feel comfortable.

Test Prep: https://www.khanacademy.org/ (official partner with College Board and offers free test prep.

SAT: http://www.collegeboard.org

ACT: http://www.act.org

TOEFL: http://www.ets.org

Balboa Academy counselors also provide resources for students who may need SAT prep courses at an additional cost. 

Social and Emotional Counseling

Balboa Academy counselors work closely on recognizing students diagnosed with medical, psychological, behavioral, and/or social problems, which are very likely to affect their performance at school, home and in the community. Counselors work diligently to protect the students they serve and to promote the use of positive and effective disciplinary methods.  Counselors also act as a resource person to school personnel for the implementation of effective interventions strategies that facilitate positive individual development.  We also promote mediation among students, parents and teachers.  Counselors take an active role in the initiation, promotion and leadership of providing family/parenting education in school; an extensive list of supportive personnel in the community is available to refer students when needed.