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High School College and Career Counseling
High School College and Career Counseling
Our HS College and Career counseling has been designed with all students in mind. Our goal is to assist all families and students in post high school planning. The majority of students will apply directly to four year institutions, but some students might choose to take a GAP year, go straight to work or start at community college. We are able to provide individualized attention to students through their time at TEA to prepare for life after high school, whatever their chosen path.
Our small but mighty school has big things to celebrate!
In addition to celebrating a College Program that helps our graduates find colleges and universities that meet their individual needs, we are very proud to share that we have acceptances to every school in the University of California system! With students also attending schools across the country including Stanford, Georgetown, Northeastern, and The Berklee College of Music, it is safe to say that the experiences we provide our students are truly helping them stand out in their college applications.
Setting our Students Apart
Snapshot of real-world problem solving over four years of high school at TEA
With an average of over 100 days/nights in the field over four years, our graduates are comfortable with change, uncertainty and traveling the world. Through dozens of stewardship and service-learning projects, our graduates understand how to do good for others and the environment. With over 300 hours spent working alongside industry experts from organizations like NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NOAA, California Department of Juvenile Justice, Universal Studios, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and the Bureau of Land Management, our students have learned how to combat important issues in the world that are happening now. This world map previews a small selection of the real world problems and field study highlights experienced by students from the class of 2026.
Nevada Residents Who Attend TEA Can Receive California In State Tuition
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Yes, you read that right. Under California State Law AB 540, certain non-resident students who have attended high school in California and receive a high school diploma can be exempt from payment of non-resident tuition at any public university. This includes all University of California schools and all California State colleges. View the applicable University of California admissions page here, which includes contact at each university should you like to inquire directly.
We can confirm that this exemption is available to graduates from our high school program with several graduates who resided in Nevada are receiving California in-state tuition! If any families in Incline Village, Reno, or any other out of state towns are interested in discussing this more, please contact us here. We will connect you with our College Admissions counselor if you would like to ask additional questions.
2017 - 2023 College Acceptances / Bold listings represent enrollments
Academy of Art University
Arizona State University
Babson College
Bard College
Baylor University
Belmont University
Berklee College of Music
Boston University
California Polytechnic, Humboldt
California Polytechnic, Pomona
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnics, San Luis Obispo (Honors)
California State University, Channel Islands
California State University, Chico
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Maritime
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Pomona
California State University, San Francisco
California State University, San Jose
California State University, San Marcos
California State University, Sonoma
Case Western University
Chapman University
Colby College
Columbia College Chicago
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
Concordia University (Montreal)
Eckerd College
Edinburgh Napier University (Scotland)
Elon University
Emerson College
Eugene Lange College of Liberal Arts at the New School
Fort Lewis College
Georgetown University
Gonzaga University
Hawai’i Pacific University
Holy Names University
Hult International Business School
Ithaca College
John Cabot University (Italy)
Lewis and Clark College
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University Chicago
Marquette University
Marymount Manhattan College
Michigan State University
Montana State University
Montana Technological University
New York University
Northeastern University
Northern Arizona University
Oberlin College
Oregon Institute of Technology
Oregon State University
Oregon State University, Honors
Parsons School of Design at the New School
Pennsylvania State University
Pepperdine University
Pitzer College
Portland State University
Principia College
Quest College (Canada)
Reed College
Regis University
Saint Mary’s College of California
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Jose State University
Santa Clara University
Scripps College
Seattle Pacific University
Sierra Nevada University
Simmons University
Simon Fraser University (Canada)
Skidmore College
South Dakota School of Mines
Southern Methodist University
Stanford University
Texas Christian University
The University of Alabama
The University of Montana
Tulane University
Truckee Meadows Community College
University of Arizona
University of British Columbia (Canada)
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Merced
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
University of Colorado, Denver
University of Denver
University of Hawaii, Manoa
University of Idaho
University of Kansas
University of Miami
University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Oregon
University of Oregon (Honors)
University of Pittsburgh
University of Portland
University of Puget Sound
University of Redlands
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Washington, Seattle
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Utah State University
Washington State University
Wesleyan University
Western Colorado University
Western Washington University
Whittier College
Whitworth College
Willamette University
Overview of our 4-Year College and Career Planning Process
Ninth and Tenth Grade Planning
- Combined parent night for grade 9/10 (Fall)
- Meet 2-3 times a year via CREW to explore general topics such as: extracurricular activities (commitment, leadership etc), what is testing? (SAT/ACT), intro to Method Test Prep, career exploration via YouScience,
- Upgraded topics for 10th include a deeper dive into academic opportunities (community college, AP Exams), special summer programs, and even attending virtual college fairs to learn more.
- Individual meetings for families to discuss further planning as needed
Eleventh Grade Planning
- Parent night (Fall)
- Meet 2-3 times via CREW in the Fall to cover topics such as testing strategy (when to take etc), diving deeper into activities, summer programs, other academic opportunities (community college, AP exams), college list building, visiting colleges (virtual or otherwise) etc.
- Individual meetings/checks in with each Junior in early 2nd semester to start planning
- Junior Year College “bootcamp”, usually May. Topics include: college list, financial aid, what’s in an application, essay/supplements/PIQ (writing!), planning dates/deadlines, using summer wisely, recommendation letters, update on college admissions landscape
- For students not applying to college; research their next step- GAP year, employment and/or community college programs
Senior Year Applications
- Parent night (Fall)
Senior Year College Intensives (non graded), roughly September through December - Focus on applications, writing review/editing, balanced college list, financial aid/scholarships, understanding deadlines (EA/ED/RD). One to one attention and group work
- For students not applying to college we focus on helping them to identify the path that is right for them and take the necessary steps (i.e., resumes, interviews) to achieve their goals
Methods of Instruction and Communication
- Group CREW lessons
- One to one student/parent meetings/check ins
- Parent Square updates, directly to parents
- Updates on grades 9-11 CREW and College Counseling google classrooms
College and Career Programs We Utilize
Financial Aid / College Funding
Meet the College & Career Counselor
In July of 2015, Katy Watts joined Tahoe Expedition Academy to prepare the current class for graduation in June 2017. Since then, she has had the pleasure of guiding and helping every graduate with post-high school options, including direct entry to college/university, a GAP year, community college, and entering the workforce.
With over 23 years of experience in high school academic and college counseling, Katy Watts has witnessed drastic changes in the college application landscape. At TEA, she can directly apply her experience from various high schools and as an application evaluator for multiple UC campuses to help students stay current on the latest changes and requirements. Without the need to focus on a very narrow and strict AP curriculum, she can help students develop holistically and focus more on the "what else" that is so essential to college admissions. TEA has provided a very unique environment to navigate with students, and it has been exciting to see the growth and post-high school success of its alumni.
