College Counseling
Four Years of Guidance. The College Counseling Program begins as soon as a student enters Wolcott College Prep. It is comprehensive, engaging, personal, and directed toward the individual priorities of each student and family. The Director of College Counseling has extensive knowledge and personal experience with colleges and universities and is guided by the ethical practices of college admissions.
It’s about Knowing Students’ Strengths and Interests
We work closely with each student and their family to guide them on their college search. Our goals are to:
- Establish a strong academic foundation through 4-year course planning
- Foster involvement in leadership opportunities, extra-curricular activities, and community service that build upon student strengths and interests
- Understand options for standardized testing and secure appropriate accommodations for standardized testing
- Engage with college admissions representatives
- Provide guidance in identifying colleges that meet student priorities, academic, and personal goals
- Support students throughout the college application process
- Prepare students to present articulately and confidently for formal and informal college interviews
- Appropriately advocate for students with the college admissions committees
- Guidance on securing and understanding accommodations at college
- Offer resources regarding financial aid and scholarships
- Prepare students for transition to college and offer continued support in college
- 100% of students admitted to multiple colleges and universities
Throughout the year, we sponsor speakers and practical workshops to explore, demystify, and prepare students and families for the college selection and application process, navigating financial aid, and life beyond Wolcott.
- College Knowledge: Everything You Need to Know About the College Application Process
- Understanding Financial Aid & the FAFSA
- Gearing Up for Senior Year
- The Essay Guy
- Behind the Curtain of College Admissions: Details, Data, and Decisions
- College Support Services for Students with Learning Differences
- An Insider’s Guide to College Success
- Leaving the Familiar: Transitioning to College
Wolcott College Prep
CEEB code 141-376
Wolcott College Preparatory High School
Marisa German, MA
Head of School
mgerman@wolcottschool.org
312.610.4900
Marybeth Kravets, MA
Director of College Counseling
mkravets@wolcottschool.org
312.610.4923
Wolcott College Prep
524 N Wolcott Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312.610.4900 | Fax: 312.610.4950
wolcottcollegeprep.org
Wolcott College Preparatory High School, founded in 2013, is Chicago’s premier independent college-preparatory high school for talented students who learn differently, seek academic rigor, engage in extraordinary experiences across multiple disciplines, and participate in the culture and volunteerism that Chicago has to offer. Wolcott College Prep graduated its first cohort of students on June 2, 2016.
Wolcott School had an official name change to Wolcott College Preparatory High School in 2020.
2025–2026 Enrollment as of August 20, 2025:
Seniors (Class of 2026): 30 • Total Student Body: 134
Campus is located at 524 North Wolcott Avenue in Chicago, near Grand and Damen, and is easily accessible to city and suburban students, and faculty. The 30,000 square foot vintage property has undergone complete renovation. A 17,587 square foot Arts & Athletics Center is located on the campus at 1950 West Hubbard Street.
Faculty: Wolcott College Prep employs 43 administrators and faculty; 70% hold a master’s degree or above.
Accreditation/Associations: Independent School Association of Central States (ISACS), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools (LMAIS), Illinois State Board of Education-Recognition (ISBE), Illinois High School Association (IHSA), National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Wolcott College Prep Highlights
- Class of 2025 awarded over $11.6 million dollars in scholarships
- Illinois State Board of Education’s Multilingual Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy and/or Commendation Toward Biliteracy program
- National Science Foundation Grant Faculty member selected for the Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program sponsored by the Illinois Principals Association
- Faculty members serving on National Science Teaching Association High School Committee and the Shedd Aquarium Teacher Advisor Council
- Faculty member recognitions: 2025 CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD) Educator of the Year; 24-25 Adobe Creative Educator Innovator Community; 23-24 Individual Artist Support grant from the Illinois Arts Council and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; 23-24 Educator ArtLab Residency Program at the Kansas City Art Institute; 23-24 Teacher in Residence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Faculty presenters: 24-25 National Council of Teacher of English Conference; 23-24 International Learning Disability Association Conference
- In partnership with the University of Chicago to research The Hidden Underrepresented Group: Bringing AP Computer Science Principles to Students with Learning Differences
- Bionic Wolves Robotics — Team selected to speak at 2023 National Championship FIRST conference in Houston; Team featured in Galactic Builders, YouTube series produced by Lucasfilm; Faculty member served as MC at FIRST Robotics Competition Einstein Finals
- US Department of Education Green Ribbon School; 2023 Project Green Schools Outdoor Classroom Challenge Finalists; Project Green Schools 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award presented to founding faculty member
- 2024-2025 IHSA Lakeshore Athletic League Conference Champions — Girls Cross Country and Girls Track & Field; 2024-2025 IHSA Sectional Qualifiers — Cross Country (Boys and Girls Teams)
- Marybeth Kravets, Director of College Counseling, Past President of NACAC and IACAC
Transcript Information, Graduation Requirements & Performance Data
Wolcott College Prep reports unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale, including honors courses, and calculates GPA each semester. The grading system includes all courses taken with the exception of those taken Pass/Fail.
Highest level of courses offered. Enrollment is based on prerequisites and recommendations.
Classes meet 4 days each week for 50 minutes.
Two semesters. Official grades reported in late January and mid June.
Not calculated by Wolcott College Prep.
Academic grades of students transferring into Wolcott College Prep are listed as Pass or Fail and earned credit is reported on the Wolcott College Prep transcript. Transfer grades are not included in the GPA.
Approved students may earn both high school and college credit for successfully completing college level courses when enrolled at a college or university. Grades and credit earned are reported on the Wolcott College Prep transcript.
Not included on transcripts or released to post-secondary institutions.
Not shared by Wolcott College Prep.
12th-grade students may request an exemption from Physical Education to enroll in an additional academic course. The course must align with the student’s academic goals and can be accommodated within the existing course schedule. Overall course load must remain at eight courses in order to waive Physical Education. Waivers must be evaluated and approved by administration.
Unweighted GPA Distribution — Class of 2026 (30 Students)
Grading Scale
| Grade | Percentage | G.P.A. |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93-100 | 4.00 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.66 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.33 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.00 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.66 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.33 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.00 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.66 |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.33 |
| D | 63-66 | 1.00 |
| D- | 60-62 | 0.66 |
| F | 59-below | 0.00 |
Transcript Abbreviations
- I Incomplete
- P/F Pass/Fail
- DC Dual Credit
- *R Replacement
- W Withdraw
- WP Withdraw Passing
*Students may repeat a course where the original grade is C– or below. Only the higher of the two grades will be counted toward the GPA. Both courses will appear on the transcript. The lower grade will be replaced with the non-credit symbol “R”.
Graduation Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 51 credits to meet graduation requirements. One credit is earned for each semester of study.
| English | 8 credits |
| Mathematics | 8 credits |
| Science | 6 credits |
| Social Studies | 7 credits |
| World Language | 4 credits |
| PE & Health and Wellness | 8 credits |
| Learning Strategies | 8 credits |
| Electives (in any discipline) | 2 credits |
| Total Credits | 51 credits |
All course curriculum is at the college preparatory level or honors level.
Honors Courses
- English II (H)
- Advanced English III (H)
- Advanced English IV (H)
- Algebra II (H)
- Geometry (H)
- Pre-Calculus (H)
- Calculus I (H)
- Calculus II (H)
- Chemistry (H)
- Advanced Biology (H)
- Advanced Chemistry (H)
- Advanced Physics (H)
- U.S. History (H)
- Economics (H)
- Advanced Spanish V (H)
Classes of 2016–2025 Matriculation
299 graduates over ten cohorts.
- 4 Year College
- 2 Year College
Military < .03% • Workforce < .03%
- Private College/University
- Public College/University
- In State
- Out of State
Extracurricular Activities and Athletics
Boys IHSA Athletics: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball
Girls IHSA Athletics: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball
Co-ed Athletics: Hockey
Extracurricular Clubs and Activities: Anime Club, Asian Student Union, Basketball Club, Bee Club, Bionic Wolves, Black Student Union, Casa de Raza, Christian Collective, Culinary Club, e-Sports, Fashion Club, Feminist Club, Flag Football, Gender & Sexuality Alliance, Jewelry Making Club, Jewish Student Union, Marvel Club, National Honor Society, RC Club, Spark Sisters Robotics, Student Council, Tabletop Gaming, Trading Card Club, Vocal Club
Our Student Body 2025–2026
Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds
- 13% African American/Black
- 2% Asian
- 10% Hispanic/Latino
- 8% Two or More Races
- 67% White
Students Matriculate From
Wolcott College Prep serves students from across Chicago and the suburbs. Students have matriculated from over 170 public, private and religious affiliated independent schools over the past 12 years, including schools from 10 other states, and internationally from Singapore, Malaysia, England, and France.
Where Wolcott Students Reside
Bartlett, Chicago, Clarendon Hills, Elmhurst, Evanston, Forest Park, Hammond, Highland Park, Itasca, Kenilworth, LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Naperville, Northbrook, Lake Forest, Oak Park, Orland Park, River Forest, Riverside, Skokie, Westmont, Wheaton, Wilmette, Winnetka
Wolcott College Prep College Admissions 2016–2025
Wolcott College Prep graduates have earned admission to the following colleges and universities:
- Adelphi University
- Agnes Scott University
- Alabama A & M University
- Alabama State University
- Albion College
- Allegheny College
- American University
- Appalachian State University
- Arizona State University
- Arrupe College
- Auburn University
- Augsburg University
- Augustana College
- Aurora University
- Austin College
- Ball State University
- Bard College
- Barry University
- Bates College
- Belmont University
- Beloit College
- Bennington College
- Berry College
- Boise State University
- Boston University
- Bowling Green State University
- Bradley University
- Brandeis University
- Butler University
- California College of the Arts
- California Institute of the Arts
- California Polytechnic State University
- Calvin University
- Canisius University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Carroll University
- Carthage College
- Case Western Reserve University
- Centenary College of Louisiana
- Central State University
- Chapman University
- Chatham University
- Chicago State University
- Citadel Military College
- City Colleges of Chicago
- Clark Atlanta University
- Clark University
- Clemson University
- Cleveland University
- Cleveland Institute of Art
- Coastal Carolina University
- Coe College
- Colby College
- College for Creative Studies
- College of Charleston
- College of DuPage
- College of Lake County
- Colorado College
- Colorado School of Mines
- Colorado State College
- Columbia College Chicago
- Columbia College-Missouri
- Cornell College
- Cornell University
- Cornish College of the Arts
- Creighton University
- Culinary Institute of America
- Curry College
- Davidson College
- Dean College
- Dennison University
- DePaul University
- DePauw University
- Dickinson College
- Dillard University
- Dominican University
- Dominican University of California
- Drake University
- Drexel University
- Duquesne University
- Earlham College
- Eastern Illinois University
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Eastern Michigan University
- Eckerd College
- Edgewood College
- Edward Waters College
- Elmhurst University
- Elon University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Emerson College
- Emory and Henry College
- Fairfield University
- Fashion Institute of Technology
- Ferris State University
- Fisk University
- Florida A & M University
- Florida Southern University
- Fordham University
- Fort Valley State University
- Fox Valley Technical College
- Franklin and Marshall College
- Furman University
- George Fox University
- George Mason University
- George Washington University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Georgia State University
- Gettysburg College
- Gonzaga University
- Goshen College
- Goucher College
- Grambling State University
- Grand Valley State University
- Grinnell College
- Guilford College
- Gustavus Adolphus College
- Hampton University
- High Point University
- Hobart Williams Smith College
- Hofstra University
- Hope College
- Howard University
- Huntington University
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Illinois State University
- Illinois Wesleyan University
- Indiana State University
- Indiana University Bloomington
- Indiana University Fort Wayne
- Indiana University Indianapolis
- Indiana University South Bend
- Iowa State University
- Ithaca College
- James Madison University
- John Carroll University
- Johnson & Wales University
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Kalamazoo College
- Kennesaw State University
- Kent State University
- Kenyon College
- Knox College
- Lafayette College
- Lake Forest College
- Landmark College
- Lawrence University
- Lehigh University
- Lesley University
- Lewis & Clark College
- Lewis University
- Liberty University
- Life University
- Long Island University
- Longwood University
- Loras College
- Louisiana State University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Loyola University Chicago
- Loyola University Maryland
- Loyola University New Orleans
- Lynn University
- Macalester College
- Maine Maritime Academy
- Manhattan University
- Manhattanville University
- Marian University
- Marist College
- Marquette University
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy
- Mercyhurst Northeast
- Miami University-Oxford
- Michigan State University
- Middlebury College
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Mills College
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Minnesota State University
- Missouri State University
- Mitchell College
- Montana State University
- Morehouse College
- Muhlenberg College
- Muskingum University
- New York University
- North Carolina A & T State University
- North Central College
- North Park College
- Northeastern Illinois University
- Northeastern University
- Northern Arizona University
- Northern Illinois University
- Northern Michigan University
- Northwestern University
- Oakland University
- Oberlin College
- Occidental College
- Ohio State University
- Ohio Wesleyan University
- Pace University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Pepperdine University
- Pitzer College
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- Point Park University
- Pratt Institute
- Princeton University
- Purdue University
- Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Quincy University
- Quinnipiac University
- Radford College
- Reed College
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Roger Williams University
- Rollins College
- Roosevelt University
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- Rutgers University—Camden
- Sacred Heart University
- Saint Edward’s University
- Saint Francis University
- Saint Louis University
- Saint Mary’s College
- Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College
- St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
- Saint Norbert College
- Saint Xavier University
- San Diego State University
- Santa Clara University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Savannah College of Art & Design
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Scripps College
- Seattle University
- Seton Hall University
- Simmons University
- Skidmore College
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- Southern Methodist University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- St. Catherine University
- St. Olaf College
- St. Ambrose University
- St. John’s College-Santa Fe
- St. John’s University-New York
- Stetson University
- Stillman College
- Suffolk University
- SUNY at Purchase College
- SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry
- Susquehanna University
- Syracuse University
- Temple University
- Tennessee State University
- Texas Christian University
- Texas Tech University
- The College of Wooster
- The Landing School
- Towson University
- Tufts University
- Tulane University
- Union College
- University College of Dublin
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Akron
- University of Alabama
- University of Arizona
- University of California-Davis
- University of California-Irvine
- University of California-San Diego
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- University of California-Santa Cruz
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Connecticut
- University of Colorado-Boulder
- University of Dayton
- University of Delaware
- University of Denver
- University of Dubuque
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Findlay
- University of Hartford
- University of Hawaii
- University of Illinois-Springfield
- University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
- University of Illinois Chicago
- University of Indianapolis
- University of Iowa
- University of Kansas
- University of Kentucky
- University of Maryland
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- University of Miami
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- University of Mississippi
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- University of Missouri-St. Louis
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas
- University of New Hampshire
- University of New Mexico
- University of North Carolina-Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Oregon
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Puget Sound
- University of Redlands
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Rochester
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of South Alabama
- University of Southern California
- University of South Carolina
- University of St. Andrews (Scotland)
- University of St. Francis
- University of the Ozarks
- University of the Pacific
- University of Tampa
- University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
- University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- University of Texas – Austin
- University of Toledo
- University of Utah
- University of Vermont
- University of Victoria
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls
- University of Wisconsin-Stout
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Utah State University
- Valparaiso University
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Villanova University
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute
- Wake Forest University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Wayne State University
- Wesleyan University
- West Virginia University
- Western Colorado University
- Western Illinois University
- Western Michigan University
- Westminster College
- Westminster College-UT
- Wheelock College
- Whitman College
- Whittier College
- Wofford College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Xavier University
- Xavier University of Louisiana
- Yeshiva University
