Counseling & Advising

Diane Freytag, Director of Counseling and Advising
email | 425-868-6191, ext. 654
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The Counseling and Advising Department provides academic and college advising, personal counseling and learning support to students and their parents. The programs and services are designed to support and promote students’ academic success and their personal and social well being.  The services are tailored to the needs of students at all grade levels.

Academic Advising

Grade Level Deans provide additional guidance in academic planning and course selection, based on each student’s interests, abilities and college aspirations.

College Counseling

Overlake's College Counselors guide students and parents through the complete process of finding, selecting and applying to a college that matches a student's interests and abilities, through a wide array of programs and meetings.

Academic planning for college begins with ninth-grade students and their parents.  College Day/Night programs provide an overview of the college admission process for all Upper School parents and students. Regular Upper School meetings focus more specifically on students’ strengths and interests, career exploration and the factors that affect college choice and admission.  Individual student and parent meetings with the college counselors increase as the student progresses through Upper School.  A College Tour held during Project Week gives students a chance to visit a wide variety of colleges and helps them to  make informed choices.

Learning Resources

Learning support is available at all grade levels. The goal is to help students overcome obstacles to learning. The learning resources specialist aids students and parents in identifying appropriate support and intervention. The specialist can help students become aware of their learning styles, and can teach methods of compensating, managing time and organization/study, self-advocacy and other related skills that promote academic success. For students with a documented learning disability, the specialist will consult with them, as well as their parents and faculty to identify appropriate instructional accommodations that are offered at school.  In addition,  services include counseling regarding special academic and/or learning issues and community referrals, if necessary.

Personal Counseling

The comprehensive counseling program at Overlake offers both in-school services and referrals for students and their families, both for academics and personal/social growth. These services include (but are not limited to):

• access to confidential one-on-one counseling
• parent education
• small group workshops
• crisis intervention
• curriculum development
• community referral resources

School counselors are proactive, but also offer preventive services. They address relevant issues affecting the school community, such as teen and parent issues, while addressing specific needs for individual well-being.