Beaver students graduate prepared to thrive at top universities—and in the world beyond.
The Beaver curriculum is college preparatory, and all graduates go on to attend four-year colleges.
At Beaver, College Counseling is all about “the match.” Our highly experienced counselors keep students focused on identifying colleges that will challenge them, feed their intellectual passions, and prepare them to meet their future goals. The success of this approach is reflected in the fact that Beaver students are accepted by, and matriculate to, a broad range of selective colleges and universities across the U.S. and abroad.
The College Lists
5-year Matriculation List
We’re so proud of all our graduates! Click here to see where Beaver graduates went to college over the past five years.
Class of 2024 Accept List
The 86 seniors in the Class of 2024 are attending schools in 23 states (and Washington D.C.). Click here to see where they are going.
Additional Resources
Naviance Family Connection is a valuable resource for juniors and seniors. In junior year students receive instructions on how to log in and use the site. Their families may log in, too.
Naviance may be used to help build a list of colleges that matches a student’s individual profile, and its database stores acceptance statistics on prior Beaver students so that students may better understand their likelihood of admission to a range of schools. Beaver college counselors train students on how to interpret the Naviance data and on how best to use this resource as one means of building a balanced college list. Naviance also offers the Method online test preparation service to help students practice for the SAT and ACT tests.
Thank you so much for planning a visit to the Beaver campus. Please note, this year we are accepting virtual visits and in-person visits at different times this year. RepVisits will be updated with any changes.
To schedule your visit, please use RepVisits. You can email Associate Registrar Brittany Healey at registrar@bcdschool.org with any questions. We mainly book visits throughout September, October, and early November.
We look forward to hosting you!
The school provides students with appropriate support and preparation for any test recommended by the school or typically required by colleges. Increasingly, colleges are re-examining their standardized testing policies, and many colleges no longer require particular test scores from applicants; a list of these colleges can be found on the website of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, www.FairTest.org. As policies may change, students should research the specific testing requirements of colleges to which they might be applying.
Register online for tests
Test Preparation & Support
There are a number of affordable online options for students to prepare themselves to take the SAT, ACT or practice PSAT tests. The College Board and ACT websites both offer online courses and (free) practice tests. In addition, juniors and seniors have access to the Method online SAT and ACT prep through Beaver’s Naviance college resource site.
We partner with Summit Educational Group to offer small group SAT and ACT prep classes in winter to spring of junior year
In addition, Beaver provides a continuously updated list of standardized test-prep providers at a range of price points and locations (including online).
College Board Tests (PSAT, SAT & AP)
Four major types of tests for high school students are administered by the College Board: the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test); the SAT Reasoning Test; the SAT Subject Tests; and Advanced Placement Examinations.
Beaver sophomore and juniors have the opportunity to take a practice PSAT. Sophomores take the test to familiarize themselves with the test format. Juniors use scores to construct initial college plans and to anticipate work on SAT or ACT preparation. Results of these tests are not sent to colleges.
The SAT Reasoning Test is typically taken in the spring of junior year and also in the fall of senior year. Most colleges require applicants to submit scores from either this test or the ACT test (see below).
The College Board offers SAT Online Prep & Practice Tests on its website.
ACT Test
The ACT program is an increasingly popular alternative or supplement to the College Board testing program and now claims to be the “most widely accepted college entrance exam” in America.
The PLAN test is given in the sophomore year and follows the same testing format as the EXPLORE test. Results are used to help individual students develop leaning goals as well as to facilitate early-stage college counseling. Like the EXPLORE, the PLAN also provides a projected score range for students’ ACT testing.
The ACT test is typically taken in the spring of junior year and/or in the fall of senior year. Students must register to take the ACT off-campus. In addition to the same test areas used in the EXPLORE and PLAN (English, reading, mathematics, and science), there is also an optional Writing test that juniors and seniors are recommended to take. Most colleges require scores from either this test or some combination of SAT tests for admission, although many colleges accept ACT test scores in lieu of SAT Subject Test scores.
The ACT offers ACT Online Prep & Practice Tests on its website.
College Counseling Team
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Debi Ellman
Associate Director of College Counseling, Upper School English - 617-738-2788
- Email Debi Ellman
- Read Bio
Debi Ellman
Since 1985 I have been part of the Beaver community, working in a variety of administrative capacities as well as teaching English and co-curricular courses. My calling as a teacher comes from my interest in kids, in helping them develop their critical minds and creative spirits. I’ve always been drawn to the arts. I spent a sabbatical studying poetry and portrait drawing and have recently developed an interest in rug-hooking, an old folk art tradition. Although my primary focus at Beaver is college counseling, I have valued the opportunity to teach fiction writing, a senior English elective that focuses on developing students’ artistic sensibilities and technical skills. In both my role as counselor and teacher, my work has been about helping students discover their stories and the power of their imaginations. Maybe it is my California roots that push me to dream.
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Juan Figueroa
College Counselor - Email Juan Figueroa
- Read Bio
Juan Figueroa
I believe that teaching is about building relationships and motivating students to achieve at their highest potential. Beaver is a place where I will be able to grow as an educator because of its dedication to progressive education. I look forward to small class sizes—an integral part of a powerful education. I am also very excited to work with a motivated staff and administration that has one goal in mind—to educate each student. My experience in the Boston Public Schools has taught me that the most important way to truly empower students is through building positive relationships and allowing students to see the possibilities that lie beyond the school walls.
Outside the classroom, I am the boys’ head basketball coach. I started coaching basketball during my sophomore year in college at my alma mater Boston Latin School. At that point, I grew to love coaching so much that basketball has since been apart of my life. I am entering my 21st season coaching basketball. My coaching career began at Boston Latin School followed by Emerson College where I was an assistant coach for five years. Then in 1999 I became the head boys’ basketball coach at the John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science in Boston. The last ten years at the O’Bryant gave me the opportunity to use basketball to guide young men in becoming champions in the game of life. I look forward to bringing this experience to Beaver. Aside from teaching and coaching, I enjoy spending time with my wife and my two beautiful children ages 3 and 5 months.
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Cara Hanig
Director of College Counseling - 617-738-2762
- Email Cara Hanig