Experience Education
College Counseling & Student Success
Bush's College Counseling and Student Success (CCSS) Office guides students through a four-year journey of self-reflection and identity building. The first two years of high school are foundational years when students are best served by being curious, learning to self-advocate, and engaging with their peers, teachers, and mentors. Our office encourages students to take risks and explore new opportunities while continuing to cultivate their interests. The role of the Coordinator of College Counseling & Student Success is specifically designed to support students and parents/guardians through these first two years. In this role, the Coordinator helps students select courses, find summer opportunities, and understand what success means to them. Programming on topics such as financial aid, athletics, and international study is also available to students and families in Ninth and Tenth Grade.
Exploring options beyond Bush begins in earnest in Eleventh Grade. The CCSS team is uniquely student-facing and highly collaborative. Through individualized student and family meetings, Bush juniors will come to a deeper understanding of not only the college application process but more importantly, themselves. In conjunction with the Internship Program, students also have the opportunity to think about life beyond Bush in a broader context. Signature events such as Case Studies, mock interviews, college essay writing workshops, college visits, and themed lunches are highlights of junior year.
After completing the CCSS summer checklist, seniors return to Bush positioned to solidify their plans for the future. Individualized support is a key theme throughout senior fall. Through one-on-one meetings, college visits, and ongoing workshops, students strategize how, when, and where to apply. This four-year journey culminates with students confidently choosing a post-Bush path that represents a personal, academic, and financial fit. Finally, the opportunity to complete a Senior Project that positively impacts a community allows seniors to build on existing skills and passions as they prepare to leave Bush.
The combination of the strength of Bush's program and the personalized and holistic approach of the College Counseling and Student Success Office enables Bush students to fully understand and carefully consider the breadth of amazing options available to them post-graduation.
To learn more about the Bush process contact Coordinator of College Counseling & Student Success, Renea Harris at renea.harris@bush.edu.
The Bush School’s College Counseling and Student Success Office
We believe in supporting students as they blaze a trail through a reflective, joyful, and human journey to next steps that will bring out their best and prepare them for a lifetime of learning and fulfillment. Through introspection and critical analysis of the ever-changing world, in addition to exploration and reflection on their values, skills, and passions, students are empowered to confidently choose their next community.
Meet the Team
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Rachel Ladd
Program Manager, Upper School and College Counseling and Student Success(206) 326-7618Bio
College Reps
Welcome, College Reps! We are so excited to welcome you to The Bush School campus where each year we welcome more than 150 representatives from colleges and universities in the U.S. and beyond. Our students look forward to spending time with you, getting to learn more about you and your schools, and sharing a little bit about themselves and what makes the Bush K-12 community so distinct and special.
Below you can find helpful information on your visit to Seattle and the Bush campus. Please note that our visit calendar is available on Scoir and we allot thirty minutes for each college visit slot. If you cannot find a time that matches your schedule, please contact Renea Harris, Coordinator of College Counseling and Student Success, and we will do our best to accommodate your visit.
We are delighted to have you meet our community!
Helpful Information
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Getting to Bush
The College Counseling Office is located in The Bush School's Gracemont Alumni Hall. Please follow our instructions on parking below and dropped pin here to find our reserved parking spots on Hillside Drive East, the street below the Upper School campus facing Lake Washington. -
Parking at Bush
The College Counseling Office has reserved parking spots behind the Upper School on Hillside Drive East. You can park by the sign that reads ‘COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE PARKING ONLY' directly to the left of the staircase leading up to the Upper School campus. As mentioned above, please visit our dropped pin here to see the exact location of our parking spot, which is brand new for admissions representatives.
Click here to view the 2024-2025 Bush Parking Map -
On-Campus Directions
Once parked, you will walk up the stairs and head to the front of the brick building on the right, called Gracemont Alumni Hall. Check in with Upper School Administrative Assistant Sharon Turner Mulvihill at the front desk and then come up to the second floor to find us!For folks who have visited us before, please note that the parking location is no longer the garage. Please note: Check-in is now in the Upper School, not at the Main Office. -
Additional High School/CBO Visit Suggestions
We are grateful to all colleges and universities who are able to visit with us here at The Bush School while in the Seattle area. We recognize that we are fortunate to host you and so wanted to recommend neighboring public schools and local CBOs to consider visiting if your travels bring you to Bush: Cleveland STEM High School, College Possible Washington (CBO formerly known as College Access Now or CAN), Franklin High School, Garfield High School, Nova High School, Rainier Beach High School, Rainier Scholars - Seattle (CBO), Rainier Scholars - Tacoma (CBO), Seattle World School (Seattle Public Schools’ culturally and linguistically diverse school for newcomer middle and high school students. It is one of only a few schools in the country designed as a preliminary entry point for refugee and immigrant youth). -
Neighborhood Nibbles
We are so excited to welcome you to not only The Bush School but our Madison Valley location in the central heart of Seattle.Below, please find a few spots to grab a coffee or food if you have time before or after your visit to campus:- Belle Epicurean: Owned by two former Bush School parents and graduates of Le Cordon Bleu, Belle Epicurean is right around the corner from campus and a great spot for anything from a morning breakfast sandwich or coffee to a delicious baguette sandwich, salad, or soup!
- Cafe Flora: “Our motives are simple: to establish a friendly, community-based vegetarian restaurant that could stand as a model business in tending to the health of the planet while introducing superb non-meat dishes that utilize local, organic and sustainable produce.” So many delicious things to taste at this absolutely lovely spot!
- Pagliacci’s Pizza: Grab a quick slice in between school visits, and most likely run into some Bush students if you’re stopping by Pag’s anytime between 12:45 - 1:30 pm.
- Hi-Spot Cafe: Breakfast, coffee, and lunch in a quintessential Seattle craftsman! Eat in to catch up on email or take lunch to go.
- Madrona Molly Moon’s: Ice cream and college visits…they go well together…
- Madrona Cupcake Royale: You know what else goes well with college visits? Cupcakes. Really, this is a proven fact. Barack Obama’s favorite flavor is the salted caramel.
- Naam: Excellent Thai food, great to grab and go or dine in.
- Metier Brewing Central District Taproom: An off-shoot of the first black-owned brewery in the Seattle area and…all the bites are from our very own Harold Fields, parent of a Bush Class of 2023 alum.
- Rocket Taco: Tacos are the answer. It doesn't matter what the question was. Located in nearby trendy Capitol Hill, this fun and delicious restaurant is owned by Bush alumnus Steve Rosen ’84.
- Tacos Chukis: Delicious, quick, full of flavor…we could eat here every day!
- Communion: “Our mission is to foster community through the cultivation of fresh food and fine cooking. We hope to provide closeness that attends a sense of belonging. We invite you to share in an experience of fellowship, homage, and Black culinary exploration.”
Connect With Us@BushCollegeCounseling
The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 735 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.
3400 East Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98112 (206) 322-7978
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status.