The Thacher School | College Counseling

We believe that the college application process—a major undertaking for students and their families—requires a thoughtful, personal approach.

Thacher’s College Counseling Office provides each student with the robust, methodical, and thoughtful guidance they need to make smart decisions as they build a college list, write effective application essays, decide if and where to apply early, seek financial aid, prepare for the SAT or ACT, consider current test-optional policies, and navigate the complex and highly competitive landscape of college admissions. To see the colleges/universities where Thacher students have enrolled, click here.

Our Approach

Our College Counseling team considers the needs, strengths, and opportunities for the growth of every student as they support them and serve as their advocates. With years of experience and current insights about the ever changing admission landscape, they also help students develop and fine tune an application strategy that will make the most of their credentials. With strong beliefs in the adage, “It is not about where you go but what you do when you get there, our overarching goal is to help our students walk through this milestone with calm and optimism about their own ability to make the most of all their options.

Our Process

During 9th and 10th grade, Thacher’s emphasis is on students’ successful and healthy transition to our community. Again, making the most of this opportunity and establishing their place here is the best foundation for the college search. In these two years, with the guidance of their advisors and teacher, students will map out a course of study that inspires their intellect while meeting college admission requirements. In the winter of junior year, college counselors begin meeting individually with each student to get to know them and help them create a college list that meets their interests and needs. Preliminary SAT and ACT testing takes place in the winter and spring. During the fall of senior year, students attend a weekly college class and continue to meet one-on-one with counselors as they finalize and submit their applications. For a more detailed overview of our process, click here.

Learning About Colleges Worldwide

The Covid pandemic transformed the college recruitment process in myriad ways. Travel restrictions along with the advent of Zoom, has created a hybrid approach of in-person visits to high schools along with online opportunities. This has allowed colleges to literally tap into every corner of the globe to find talented students. During these visit/meeting, students get information about the schools they’re interested in and an understanding of what each school values in its applicants. Additionally, starting in the Spring of 2021, Thacher was able to return to its partnership with Cate and southern California schools to sponsor a spring College Fair and Case Studies Workshop. This program brings about 40 college and university representatives to our campuses offering our students a unique introduction to the intricacies of the college selection process.

College Kickstart

—Gordon and Katy

“We are extremely satisfied with the college counseling process at Thacher. Beginning in 10th grade, the school’s experts guided us through each critical step, including finalization of the list, test prep, essay writing, completion of applications, and the decision to go early admission (all of which led our son to being accepted at his first choice school).”

parents from Portland, Oregon

School Profile

Click here to learn more about Thacher’s academic curriculum, grading system, test scores, and extra-curricular opportunities.

Meet the Team

List of 4 members.

Maria Morales-Kent

Director of College Counseling

Bio
Maria came to Thacher in the fall of 1997 after working in the admission offices of the University of Pennsylvania and Occidental College. She earned a BA in English from Occidental and is also a graduate of the Coro Foundation’s Fellows Program in Public Policy in Los Angeles. Before coming to Thacher, Maria also worked for Tom Bradley, Mayor of Los Angeles, as a policy analyst and advisor in education and environmental issues.

Maria has been a professional in college admission for over 30 years and has been a speaker and panelist at various conferences for the National and Western Associations of College Counselors. In her career she has served on the faculty of the Hampton Summer Institute for Admissions, a training and mentoring program for new admission officers. She has co-founded two non-profit organizations: College Marketplace, now part of the Fulfillment Fund which provides college counseling for inner city students in Los Angeles and ACCIS, the Association of College Counselors at Independent Schools, a national organization in the profession. Maria has served on the Advisory Council for the National Merit Scholarship Foundation, Colorado College and most recently the University of Chicago. Today she is also a member of Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools.

As Director of College Counseling, Maria is focused on helping students find the right fit for their personal and educational growth beyond Thacher. She also serves on our administrative team, is Thacher’s Ombudsman, and advises senior boys and Latinos Unidos.
Jill Manfredi

Administrative Assistant, College Counseling

Bio
Jill Manfredi helps keep the College Counseling Office running smoothly and coordinates the campus visits of more than 100 college admissions representatives each year. She came to Thacher with deep and varied experience, having fulfilled administrative support roles at Villanova Preparatory School and worked in the hospitality industry at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Her children, Joseph (Nordhoff ‘09) and Isabella (Villanova Preparatory School ‘12, UC Berkeley ‘18) were raised in Ojai. Jill enjoys a deep connection with the local community through sports and theater. She is a lifelong learner and is passionate about books, food and wine, and hiking the trails of the Sespe Wilderness. Jill’s favorite part of the school day is when the students pour out of their classrooms and fill the air with the sounds of excitement.
Czarina Hutchins

Associate Director of College Counseling

Bio
Czarina joins Thacher after working as a college admissions officer at Providence College and Columbia University. She earned a BA from Franklin & Marshall College in the joint studies of History and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies and her MA from Teachers College, Columbia University in Sociology and Education with a concentration in Education Policy. A native of Oakland, CA and a boarding school graduate herself, Czarina was an A Better Chance Scholar at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, CT.

During her time in college admissions, Czarina was a member of the National and New England Associations for College Admission Counseling, the New England Consortium Bridging Access to College, and is currently a member of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools. Czarina is excited to help students find the best fit that meets their educational and personal needs. She is thrilled to bring her lifelong passion for basketball to her duties coaching Girls’ JV Basketball.
Judy Oberlander

10th Grade Liaison, College Counseling

Bio
Judy Oberlander left retirement to join Thacher's College Office in the fall of 2021. Having served as the Director of College Counseling at Ojai Valley School for over 30 years, she has brought tremendous expertise to her work with our students. With a life long passion for college counseling, Judy has also volunteered with underserved students through organizations like College Summit, Oxnard Student Success, and O-Higher Ed; while at OVS she was a member of the National Association of College Admission Counselors. Post retirement Judy worked as an educational consultant in the US and abroad in China, and most recently she was an application reader and editor for UC Santa Barbara. Judy is also a talented English teacher. She earned a BA and MA at UC Riverside, an MA in Educational Administration and Policy Studies at UC Santa Barbara and has studied Creative Writing at the University of Iowa and San Francisco State. She has taught at UC Riverside, Ventura College, UC Santa Barbara and OVS. With deep roots in the Ojai Valley, she is broadly engaged in the community as President of the Board of the Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation and as Board Secretary for the Ojai Valley Family Shelter. A steward of the outdoors, she is an active volunteer naturalist with Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, loves hiking, and rowing in our own Lake Casitas. While Judy's primary focus is helping our 10th graders as they prepare to embark on their college search junior year, she is an an invaluable support to our seniors' application process throughout the year.