College Counseling at CDS | Guiding Students to Success

College Counseling

The College Counseling Philosophy

Carrollwood Day School's college counseling department follows a developmental model, guiding students from eighth grade through a gradual release of relevant information to navigate the complex college admission process. Our goal is to match each student's aspirations with competitive institutions where they can thrive, leading to a 100% college acceptance rate since our first graduating class in 2009. In recognition of our academic excellence, CDS was approved to join the Cum Laude Society in 2019, making us one of only three Cum Laude/IB secondary schools in Florida and one of just 15 in the U.S. among approximately 27,000 schools.

Read our school profile 

Graduates
Graduates
Graduates

The CDS College Counseling Department went out of their way and exceeded our expectations by assisting my child in the the entire college application process. The calm, professional, and caring approach along with the extensive knowledge of how the system works, made the process much easier than we could have ever hoped for. You have helped my daughter learn and understand the additional educational opportunities available to better prepare her for a smooth college transition.

Meet our
College Counseling Team

Carrollwood Day School’s college counseling program begins in eighth grade and follows a thoughtful, developmental approach. By sharing guidance at the right time for each grade level, we help students confidently navigate the college admission process and find institutions where they can truly thrive. Since 2009, 100% of CDS graduates have been accepted to a four-year college or university.
Drew Guarino, Director of College Counseling

Drew Guarino, Director of College Counseling

Sharon Bikoundou, Associate Director of College Counseling

Sharon Bikoundou, Associate Director of College Counseling

Danielle Cohen, Associate Director of College Counseling

Danielle Cohen, Associate Director of College Counseling

Lisa Kolar, Associate Director of College Counseling

Lisa Kolar, Associate Director of College Counseling

Corie DiPhilippo, College Counseling Associate and Testing Coordinator

Corie DiPhilippo, College Counseling Associate and Testing Coordinator

Explore more

North America
Our graduates have gone on to attend colleges and universities in 43 of the 50 U.S. states, reflecting both the strength of our academic program and the individuality of each student’s journey. Their paths have also extended beyond our borders, with alumni matriculating at two distinguished institutions in Canada, demonstrating our commitment to preparing students for success wherever their aspirations take them. 

100+

Students matriculated to:

Alabama

Colleges

  • Auburn University*
  • Samford University*
  • Spring Hill College
  • The University of Alabama*
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

10+

Students matriculated to:

Arizona

Colleges

  • Arizona State University (Tempe)
  • University of Arizona

3

Students matriculated to:

Arkansas

Colleges

  • Arkansas State University (Main Campus)*
  • University of Arkansas
  • University of Arkansas at Monticello*

40+

Students matriculated to:

California

Colleges

  • Chapman University
  • Loyola Marymount University
  • Pepperdine University
  • San Diego State University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Stanford University*
  • University of California (Berkeley)*
  • University of California (Irvine)
  • University of California (Los Angeles)*
  • University of California (San Diego)
  • University of California (Santa Barbara)
  • University of California (Santa Cruz)
  • University of San Diego
  • University of San Francisco
  • University of Southern California*

20+

Students matriculated to:

Colorado

Colleges

  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Colorado State University (Fort Collins)
  • United States Air Force Academy
  • University of Colorado Boulder*
  • University of Denver

10+

Students matriculated to:

Connecticut

Colleges

  • Connecticut College
  • Fairfield University
  • Sacred Heart University
  • Southern Connecticut State University
  • University of Connecticut*
  • University of Hartford
  • Wesleyan University*

40+

Students matriculated to:

D.C.

Colleges

  • American University*
  • Catholic University of America
  • George Washington University*
  • Georgetown University*
  • Howard University

6

Students matriculated to:

Delaware

Colleges

  • University of Delaware

1100+

Students matriculated to:

Florida

Colleges

  • Barry University
  • Bethune-Cookman University
  • Eckerd College*
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)*
  • Flagler College*
  • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University*
  • Florida Atlantic University*
  • Florida Gulf Coast University*
  • Florida Institute of Technology*
  • Florida International University*
  • Florida Polytechnic University
  • Florida Southern College*
  • Florida State University*
  • Jacksonville University*
  • Lynn University*
  • New College of Florida
  • Nova Southeastern University*
  • Palm Beach Atlantic University
  • Polk State College*
  • Ringling College of Art and Design*
  • Rollins College*
  • Saint Leo University
  • Southeastern University*
  • St. Thomas University
  • Stetson University
  • The University of Tampa*
  • The University of West Florida
  • University of Central Florida*
  • University of Florida*
  • University of Miami*
  • University of North Florida*
  • University of South Florida (Main Campus)*
  • Warner University*
  • Webber International University

100+

Students matriculated to:

Georgia

Colleges

  • Berry College
  • Clark Atlanta University
  • Emory University*
  • Georgia Institute of Technology*
  • Georgia Southern University
  • Georgia State University
  • Kennesaw State University
  • Mercer University
  • Morehouse College
  • Oglethorpe University*
  • Oxford College of Emory University
  • Savannah College of Art and Design*
  • Spelman College*
  • University of Georgia*

30+

Students matriculated to:

Illinois

Colleges

  • DePaul University
  • Illinois Wesleyan University
  • Lake Forest College
  • Loyola University Chicago*
  • North Central College
  • Northwestern University*
  • Roosevelt University
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • University of Chicago*
  • University of Illinois at Chicago

60+

Students matriculated to:

Indiana

Colleges

  • Ball State University
  • Butler University*
  • Indiana University (Bloomington)*
  • Indiana University (Indianapolis)
  • Purdue University (Main Campus)*
  • University of Notre Dame*
  • Valparaiso University
  • Wabash College

2

Students matriculated to:

Iowa

Colleges

  • Briar Cliff University
  • University of Iowa

1

Students matriculated to:

Kansas

Colleges

  • University of Kansas

10+

Students matriculated to:

Kentucky

Colleges

  • University of Kentucky*
  • University of Louisville

30+

Students matriculated to:

Louisiana

Colleges

  • Louisiana State University*
  • Loyola University New Orleans
  • Tulane University of Louisiana*
  • Xavier University of Louisiana*

1

Students matriculated to:

Maine

Colleges

  • Colby College*
  • Bowdoin College

30+

Students matriculated to:

Maryland

Colleges

  • Bowie State University
  • Frostburg State University
  • Johns Hopkins University*
  • Loyola University Maryland*
  • Maryland Institute College of Art
  • Towson University*
  • United States Naval Academy*
  • University of Maryland (College Park)*

60+

Students matriculated to:

Massachusetts

Colleges

  • American International College*
  • Assumption University
  • Babson College
  • Bentley University
  • Berklee College of Music
  • Boston College*
  • Boston University*
  • Brandeis University
  • Clark University
  • College of the Holy Cross
  • Dean College
  • Emerson College*
  • Hult International Business School (Boston)
  • Merrimack College
  • Mount Holyoke College*
  • Northeastern University*
  • Tufts University*
  • University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
  • Wellesley College*
  • Wentworth Institute of Technology

20

Students matriculated to:

Michigan

Colleges

  • Adrian College
  • Eastern Michigan University
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Michigan State University*
  • Michigan Technological University
  • University of Michigan*
  • Western Michigan University

20+

Students matriculated to:

Mississippi

Colleges

  • Mississippi State University
  • University of Mississippi*

10+

Students matriculated to:

Missouri

Colleges

  • Saint Louis University
  • University of Missouri (Columbia)
  • University of Missouri (Kansas City)*
  • Washington University in St. Louis*
  • Webster University

3

Students matriculated to:

Montana

Colleges

  • Montana State University
  • The University of Montana

1

Students matriculated to:

Nebraska

Colleges

  • University of Nebraska (Lincoln)

3

Students matriculated to:

New Hampshire

Colleges

  • Dartmouth College*
  • University of New Hampshire (Main Campus)

10+

Students matriculated to:

New Jersey

Colleges

  • Drew University*
  • Montclair State University
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • Princeton University
  • Rowan University*
  • Rutgers University (New Brunswick)
  • Seton Hall University
  • Stevens Institute of Technology

110+

Students matriculated to:

New York

Colleges

  • Adelphi University
  • Bard College
  • Binghamton University
  • Clarkson University
  • Colgate University*
  • Cornell University*
  • CUNY Brooklyn College
  • CUNY Queens College
  • Fashion Institute of Technology
  • Fordham University
  • Hamilton College
  • Hobart and William Smith Colleges*
  • Hofstra University
  • Iona University*
  • Ithaca College
  • LIM College
  • Long Island University (Post)
  • Marymount Manhattan College
  • New York University
  • Pace University (New York City)*
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*
  • Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Skidmore College
  • St. John’s University
  • St. Lawrence University
  • Stony Brook University
  • SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
  • SUNY University at Buffalo
  • Syracuse University*
  • The New School*
  • Union College*
  • United States Military Academy at West Point*
  • University of Rochester

100+

Students matriculated to:

North Carolina

Colleges

  • Appalachian State University
  • Catawba College
  • Davidson College*
  • Duke University*
  • East Carolina University
  • Elon University*
  • Gardner-Webb University
  • High Point University
  • North Carolina State University*
  • Queens University of Charlotte
  • University of North Carolina at Asheville
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill*
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • Wake Forest University*
  • Western Carolina University
  • Wingate University

1

Students matriculated to:

North Dakota

Colleges

  • University of North Dakota

70+

Students matriculated to:

Ohio

Colleges

  • Bowling Green State University (Main Campus)
  • Case Western Reserve University*
  • Denison University
  • Kent State University
  • Kenyon College
  • Miami University (Oxford)
  • Ohio University (Main Campus)
  • The College of Wooster
  • The Ohio State University*
  • University of Akron Main Campus*
  • University of Cincinnati (Main Campus)
  • University of Mount Union
  • University of Toledo
  • Wright State University (Main Campus)
  • Xavier University*

5

Students matriculated to:

Oklahoma

Colleges

  • University of Oklahoma

3

Students matriculated to:

Oregon

Colleges

  • Portland State University
  • University of Oregon

100+

Students matriculated to:

Pennsylvania

Colleges

  • Allegheny College
  • Bryn Mawr College
  • Bucknell University*
  • Carnegie Mellon University*
  • Drexel University*
  • Duquesne University
  • Franklin & Marshall College
  • Gettysburg College
  • Lafayette College
  • Lehigh University*
  • Muhlenberg College
  • Penn State University (University Park)*
  • Saint Joseph’s University
  • Temple University
  • University of Pennsylvania*
  • University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh)
  • Ursinus College
  • Villanova University*
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania
  • Wilkes University

20

Students matriculated to:

Rhode Island

Colleges

  • Brown University*
  • Bryant University
  • Johnson & Wales University (Providence)
  • Providence College
  • Roger Williams University
  • University of Rhode Island

90+

Students matriculated to:

South Carolina

Colleges

  • Benedict College
  • Clemson University*
  • Coastal Carolina University
  • College of Charleston
  • Furman University*
  • Lander University
  • Limestone University*
  • South Carolina State University
  • University of South Carolina
  • Wofford College*

50+

Students matriculated to:

Tennessee

Colleges

  • Belmont University*
  • Lincoln Memorial University*
  • Lipscomb University
  • Maryville College
  • Middle Tennessee State University
  • Rhodes College
  • Sewanee: The University of the South
  • The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)*
  • Tusculum University
  • University of Memphis
  • Vanderbilt University

60+

Students matriculated to:

Texas

Colleges

  • Baylor University*
  • Rice University*
  • Southern Methodist University*
  • Texas A&M University*
  • Texas Christian University*
  • Texas State University
  • Texas Tech University
  • The University of Texas at Austin*
  • The University of Texas at San Antonio
  • Trinity University
  • University of Houston
  • University of North Texas

3

Students matriculated to:

Utah

Colleges

  • University of Utah
  • Utah State University
  • Utah Valley University

10+

Students matriculated to:

Vermont

Colleges

  • Bennington College
  • Middlebury College
  • University of Vermont*

90+

Students matriculated to:

Virginia

Colleges

  • George Mason University*
  • Hampton University
  • James Madison University
  • Liberty University*
  • Radford University
  • Randolph-Macon College
  • Shenandoah University
  • University of Richmond*
  • University of Virginia (Main Campus)*
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University*
  • Washington and Lee University*
  • William & Mary*

10+

Students matriculated to:

Washington

Colleges

  • Gonzaga University
  • Seattle University
  • University of Puget Sound
  • University of Washington (Seattle Campus)*
  • Washington State University

9

Students matriculated to:

West Virginia

Colleges

  • Marshall University
  • University of Charleston*
  • West Virginia University

3

Students matriculated to:

Wisconsin

Colleges

  • Beloit College
  • Marquette University
  • University of Wisconsin (Madison)

1

Students matriculated to:

Wyoming

Colleges

  • University of Wyoming

International
While we may not currently have graduates enrolled in colleges or universities in this country, many Carrollwood Day School students choose to study abroad—either for a semester or their full collegiate careers. Our strong emphasis on global education prepares them to thrive in immersive international experiences, both academically and culturally.

1

Students matriculated to:

Australia

Colleges

  • University of Sydney

2

Students matriculated to:

Canada

Colleges

  • McGill University
  • University of Toronto

9

Students matriculated to:

Europe

Colleges

  • England
    • King’s College London
  • France
    • The American University of Paris
  • Ireland
    • Trinity College Dublin
  • Scotland
    • The University of Edinburgh
    • University of Glasgow
    • University of St. Andrews
  • Spain
    • IE University*
Graduation photo with cap toss

The Carrollwood Day School counselors make it really easy to work with CDS and their students! They are welcoming to college representatives when we visit, available throughout the year when we reach out with questions, and great advocates for their students. When students apply from CDS, I know that the counseling team has helped them reflect deeply about themselves and their goals for the future.

ELENA SUTER, Associate Director of Admissions, The University of Chicago

Exceeding Expectations

Carrollwood Day School graduates distinguish themselves through academic achievement, leadership, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Each student’s journey reflects a thoughtful alignment of individual strengths, interests, and aspirations, resulting in college 

placements where graduates are prepared to thrive and contribute from day one. Our graduates’ outcomes speak to a deliberate, student-centered approach that values fit, growth, and long-term success.

Discover more about CDS graduates

Discover so much more...

Based on your selections, here's a glimpse of what your day at Carrollwood Day School could look like: