Helping boys chart their path beyond 10600 Preston Road is a team of dedicated professionals who guide roughly 100 seniors each year through the college admission process.

The College Counseling team works closely with families to get to know each boy individually – what are his interests and passions and who does he want to become? The counselors then advise on what might be the best fit and provide invaluable resources along the way.

“We look at what draws a student to a particular university and what they hope to gain from their college experience. When we fully understand a student’s ambitions and hopes for college, we can then guide students in finding a school to match."

Beginning freshman year, the College Counseling team gets to know each boy and encourages them to explore extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, and greater community involvement. The start of the college admission process focuses on self-reflection and growth. 

As the boys continue through Upper School, the College Counseling team begins to sharpen each boy's focus. Rather than building a long resume of activities, the School advises "quality over quantity." Throughout the process, the individual members of the College Counseling team are always available to answer questions and advise boys and families. In addition to individual counseling, they guide boys through the increasingly complex array of College Board tests and college application processes. 

After Commencement, Marksmen can take any number of paths, from local colleges to international universities to military service academies—the possibilities are virtually endless. 

“With more than 3,000 colleges in the U.S. alone, success can be found in many ways,” Guzman Pulido said. “We want students to think about an environment where they will grow academically, personally, and socially.”

The mission of the College Counseling team always comes back to the mission of St. Mark's: helping boys thrive and make a positive impact in their communities.

American University 
Austin College
Baylor University
Boston College
Brown University
Bucknell University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Carnegie Mellon University
Claremont McKenna College
Columbia University
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Hampden-Sydney College
Harvard College
Haverford College
Indiana University Bloomington
Johns Hopkins University

Veronica Guzman Pulido Al G. Hill, Jr. ’63 Director of College Counseling 214-346-8361 PulidoV@smtexas.org

Vanessa Leyva College Counseling Coordinator 214-346-8360 LeyvaV@smtexas.org