Academics

College Counseling

Personalized Guidance, Exceptional Results

At Maui Preparatory Academy, our college counseling program is dedicated to helping every student find the higher education path that aligns with their personal talents and unique life goals.

Led by Dr. John James, Mrs. Jessica Lucia, and Mr. Trevor Sturgeon, our department utilizes a modern, three-pronged approach: Start Early, Strategize, Select with Purpose.

Pursuing College Aspirations

100% of Maui Preparatory Academy students are admitted and plan to attend college after graduation. We are committed to inspiring our students to explore, discover, and achieve their brightest futures.

Our Approach

Three Steps to the Right College

Start Early

We believe in controlling what we can: preparation. By moving the workload to the summer between Junior and Senior year, we take the pressure off the busy academic season.

Individual Coaching: Starting the week after Junior year ends, our counselors meet 1-on-1 with students to build a balanced list of schools (2 "Reach," 4 "Target," and 2 "Likely" schools).
The "July Advantage": One hour of work in the summer is worth much more than an hour in the busy fall. Our students start their senior year with their essays nearly finished.
First in Line: By submitting applications by November 1st, our students are among the first to be considered for admission and high-value scholarships.
Early Peace of Mind: Many of our students receive their first acceptance letters before Christmas break.

Strategize

We treat every application like a custom project. We don't just send in grades; we tell a story.

Writing Experts: Our counselors are writing teachers who help students refine their essays until they truly shine.
Data-Driven Decisions: We use modern tools and statistics to see how a student’s profile compares to past admissions data, ensuring they apply to schools where they can succeed.
Targeting the Right Programs: For large state schools, we find specific majors or programs that give our students a higher probability of being accepted.
Advocating for Students: We write personalized letters to universities for every student and train our teachers to write the best possible letters of recommendation.

Select with Purpose

Living on Maui shouldn't make the college search harder. We use our personal relationships to help students find a home away from home.

Narrowing the Map: If a student wants to go to a specific area (like the East Coast or California), we help them narrow down their list based on the "vibe" and culture of those schools.
Alumni Mentors: We connect our seniors with Maui Prep graduates who are already at those colleges. They can tell our students what the school is really like.
Bringing Colleges to Maui: We host over 50 college recruiters on our campus every year. We also set up 1-on-1 video calls so recruiters can meet our students face-to-face.
Matching People to Places: We know our students personally. We help them find schools that fit their personality—like finding a supportive community for a female engineer or a creative hub for an artist.

Family Voices

What Families Say

List of 5 items.

On Building Long-Term Confidence

"Maui Prep's College Counseling team gave our daughter something far beyond a college acceptance — they gave her a genuine belief in herself and a hunger to explore her highest potential."
— Greg and Sarah, parents of Leah ’26
On Deep, Personalized Relationships

"The difference was that, after several years of taking classes with the professors and countless conversations with her, Dr. James and Mrs. Lucia knew Dylan intimately and could really assist her with letting her voice shine through on the admissions essays."
— Zach and Kelly, parents of Dylan ’26
On Eliminating Senior-Year Stress

"They began early with the writing process such that by early decision applications, my child was already prepared and all documents submitted. No stress, no tears, no anxiety!"
— Ma’Ann, parent of Keiki ’26
On Finding the Perfect "Fit"

"We believe our son has found the university that is just the right fit for him and this team of incredible advisors guided him on that path... As a college preparatory school, this is one of the strongest programs that Maui Prep offers."
— Mike and Angie, Parents of Jack ’26
On Holistic Support and Emotional Care

"Maui Prep’s college counselors went above and beyond to assist my senior to get into her dream school. Not only did Mr. James and Ms. Lucia tirelessly help with applications, essays, schedules and deadlines, they listened when my daughter felt overwhelmed and helped her see and supported her full potential."
— Tamara, Parent of Kai ’26

Academic Excellence and College Exposure

10th Grade: Students start a "College and Career" class to begin planning and practicing for tests (SAT/ACT).
College Credit: Most of our students graduate with college credits already earned through AP classes or the University of Hawaiʻi.
Financial Support: We provide hands-on help with scholarships and financial aid forms to make college more affordable.

College Acceptances

Where Our Students Go

A Foundation for Success

List of 8 items.

Class of 2026 (Partial List)

Stanford University
University of Notre Dame
Brigham Young University
University of North Carolina
Fordham University
University of Alabama
Rhode Island School of Design
University of Utah
Class of 2025 (Partial List)

Boston University
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Georgia
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
University of Tennessee
Class of 2024 (Partial List)

University of Notre Dame
Arizona State University
Rome Institute
University of California, Santa Barbara
Loyola Marymount
San Diego State University
Class of 2023 (Partial List)

Sarah Lawrence College
Brigham Young University
Gonzaga University
University of Oregon
Colorado School of Mines
Babson College
Class of 2022 (Partial List)

Brown University
Gonzaga University
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Notre Dame
Class of 2021 (Partial List)

Boston College
Brandeis University
University of California Santa Barbara
Cornell University
University of Hawaii-Manoa
University of Oregon
Oregon State University
Penn State University
Tulane University
Class of 2020 (Partial List)

Brigham Young University
Chapman University
Clemson University
Creighton University
Duke University
Northeastern University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Class of 2019 (Partial List)

Washington State University
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Clara University
University of Hawaii-Manoa
University of San Francisco