Exceeding College Measurements

I want to share with you some of the reasons why our students do so well when applying to colleges.

Some of the things that separate Clariden from other schools and aids our seniors in their college opportunities are the following:

• Clariden does not class rank. As some of you may know, the State of Texas guarantees that the top 6 or 8% (% dependent upon the university) of the graduating class has a guaranteed spot within a Texas public institution. If you fall outside of the top 6 or 8% of the graduating class, it is more difficult to get accepted. Getting into the top 6 to 8% is incredibly competitive. Being that Clariden does not class rank, our students’ applications remain in the pool.
• Graduating from a private school automatically gives students a check in the diversity box. Colleges typically recruit for diversity so they want their incoming student body to not all come from public institutions. They want students from both public and private institutions, international students, out-of-state students, students who participated in extracurricular learning experiences (the more unique and reputable the better), and, of course, students with a solid academic record.
• Clariden offers a large range of opportunities for our students to build an impressive and unique college resume. Unlike public institutions, Clariden makes it a priority that all students have an equal opportunity to compete in STEM competitions such as the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC), the United States Super STEM Competition, Robotics competitions, Odyssey of the Mind, as well as participate in programs and competitions with an emphasis in the Arts.
• Clariden offers many opportunities for students to demonstrate and participate in leadership roles and programs such as Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, National Honor Society, and SMU’s Youth Summit (to name a few).
• Clariden students also build their college resumes by having the opportunity to actively be a part of theatre, music and the arts. Participation is not for a select few, as all students are given opportunities to participate.
• Clariden’s academics are rigorous. Clariden students graduate with credits that exceed the Texas Distinguished Plan. Clariden students’ scores for the ACT and SAT are above the State and National averages.
• Clariden students are required to take a college readiness class their junior and senior year. This allows us to guide our students on selecting colleges and actively aiding them through the entire college admissions process.

Sallie Wells, Head of School