DECISION DAY | CLASS OF 2024
Aspen High School Class of 2024
Post-Secondary Counseling
- Karen & Brennan's Campus Visits!
- Class of 2025
- Class of 2026
- Class of 2027
- Class of 2028
- Matriculations - AHS Class of 2024
- College Research & SCOIR
- Local Scholarships
- Financial Aid & State/National Scholarship Resources
- Career Exploration and Career-Focused Training
- Student Employment & Enrichment Opportunities
- College Athletics
- Alumni Transcript Request
- College Application Case Study Program
- FOR COLLEGE REPS
- español
- Concurrent Enrollment
- Class of 2024
POST-SECONDARY COUNSELING AT ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL
Aspen High School Post Secondary Counseling Office values the uniqueness of all students and collaborates with them to create an individualized plan for life after high school. We encourage students to be open-minded, reflective inquirers and risk-takers as we guide them to find purpose, flourish in life and contribute to society.
A student and parent post-secondary planning curriculum is offered for each grade level, including:
- Evening Parent and Student Presentations for all grade levels
- Individual Student/Parent Meetings with a Post-Secondary Counselor
- College Application Case Study Program (April)
- Live virtual and in-person college visits specifically for Aspen High School students
- Rising Senior Check-In (April and May) and Senior Bootcamp (August)
- Essay Writing Workshops for Juniors/rising Seniors (May, June)
- “Application Workshops” for Seniors three times per week (Sept-Nov)
- Financial Aid Night and other Resources
- Resources and services in Spanish
Two Post-Secondary Counselors split the caseload with Karen Hawkes working with students with last names beginning A-K, Brennan Dignan L-Z.
A Local Scholarship Program is administered which connects Aspen High School seniors to nearly $400,000 in community support from more than 30 local businesses, organizations, and philanthropists.
Each fall, the Aspen School District hosts the Colorado Western Slope College Fair, during which admissions officers from 250 colleges and universities connect with students from 72 western Colorado high schools. Workshops are offered during the College Fair covering topics such as the college essay, business majors, the arts, student-athletes, highly selective schools, financial aid and our outstanding Colorado and regional colleges. The 2024 College Fair is Sunday, October 6th from 10am-2pm on the Aspen School District campus.
Each spring, the community offers a regional Career Expo that brings high school students together with local businesses and business leaders. Students learn about career choices and the next steps to take in order to achieve them.
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MEET THE POST SECONDARY COUNSELING TEAM:
KAREN HAWKES
Post-Secondary Counselor
Works with students last name A-K
970-300-2328 | khawkes@aspenk12.net
Book an appointment with Karen
Karen is originally from Massachusetts. She graduated from Milton Academy and received a BA in International Affairs and Russian from Colgate University; a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University; and an MBA from NYU Leonard Stern School of Business. Karen worked in corporate communications in New York City and lived in Aspen in 1993-1994, working in film production at American Adventure Productions. For the last 20 years, Karen has been living in the San Francisco Bay area where she co-founded 3 tech companies which innovated underwater vehicles for exploration and adventure. Karen received her Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA and in 2015, she founded College Concierge Pro, where she worked as an Independent Education Consultant to reduce stress related to the college process and find the best fit colleges for students. When Karen isn’t working, she’s traveling, visiting her own adult children, or outdoors hiking, biking, skiing or paddleboarding.
BRENNAN DIGNAN
Post-Secondary Counselor
Works with students last name L-Z
970-300-1900 | bdignan@aspenk12.net
Book an appointment with Brennan
Brennan comes to Aspen High School with more than 17 years of professional experience as a college admissions counselor and as a high school college advisor. Brennan's college experience includes serving as the Associate Director of Admission for Bennington College in Vermont and as Assistant Director of Admission at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. He has also served at the Associate Director of College Counseling at The Charles Wright Academy and as a College and Career Counselor at The Harbour School in Hong Kong.
SUSANNE MORRISON
Post-Secondary Counseling Administrative Coordinator
970-315-3657 | smorrison@aspenk12.net
Book an appointment with Susanne
Susanne joined the Post-Secondary Counseling team in the fall of 2017. Susanne has lived in Aspen since 1989, working in the nonprofit sector - primarily at the Aspen Community Foundation and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Susanne graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989 with a BA in Political Science. She manages the college counseling office and is responsible for office communication, scheduling, and local scholarships. Susanne handles all AHS college applications and subsequent reporting.