Fit is important. Whether it’s the right pair of jeans, a great friend group, or a special piece of furniture, finding just the right fit can make all the difference. For the past 16 years, Director of College Counseling Karen Mason has been the right fit for Germantown Academy’s seniors, guiding them to find their own happiness, strengths, weaknesses, and values when deciding where to take the next step after GA. While Mason has decided to retire in June 2025, the plans and processes that she has put into place will allow the next groups of students to continue to flourish.
“Karen Mason and I first met at a Grand Reception held for us many months before we had even begun officially working at GA; there were so many people there that we have jokingly referred to it ever since as a non-sectarian wedding,” said Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760. “Immediately impressed by Karen’s kindness, intelligence, experience, and sincere love for doing right by students during the nerve-wracking process of college admission, I knew GA was in perfect hands to build a truly 21st century college counseling program. With incredible enthusiasm and perseverance, Karen has transformed our college counseling office by staffing four full-time counselor positions, creating a successful College Seminar course for juniors, hosting more than a dozen regional College Fairs on our campus, and crafting program after program to meet the ever-evolving needs of our students and their families. Karen’s long-standing relationships with so many senior college admission officers have benefitted our students immensely. Most importantly, Karen is deeply, personally invested in every single student’s college search, happiness, and success; her level of care is unparalleled. Karen has more than earned a long, blissful retirement, but I, for one, will miss her each and every day.”
Those days can become pretty long for a college counselor at a college preparatory school with 100 percent (on average) of the senior class wanting to attend college. That’s a lot of talk about fit. For example, is a student interested in a small campus/big campus, small class sizes/large class sizes, city/suburbs, sports/arts, Wendy's/Chipotle? The list is long and extensive, and while some believe that a 16-year old can make decisions that will affect the next four to five years of their life after GA, they haven’t been a faculty member in Kershaw House where Mason’s overheard the important talk surrounding the best flavor of gummy bears at Oktoberfest, who will be on the sled racing team in the Field House, or who is asking whom to prom. Guiding more than 125 students – and their parents – each year to complete standardized testing, visit colleges that may interest them, fill out the Common App, or write supplemental essays (eyeroll here) is like herding cats. It’s a psychological roller coaster that Mason wouldn’t have any other way.
“Every commencement as the new graduates circle Connor Quad and I get to hug and congratulate each member of the class is such a privilege and a bittersweet moment,” Mason said. “When students come back to participate in January’s annual alumni college panel, and I see how they have flourished and are able to present themselves makes this challenging and emotionally fraught work truly rewording.”
Mason found her own fit in various ways, serving in multiple roles for the College Admission Counseling groups, both at the National level (NACAC) and the state (PACAC), including president of PACAC, and serving GA as the secretary of the Cum Laude Society. Her 38-year professional background includes teaching English at Penn State, working in college admissions at Wilkes University, and serving as the Director of College Guidance at Wyoming Seminary. She has led or sat on several GA hiring and academic committees and was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Award from GA and PACAC’s Gustafson Award for Dedicated Service to Students, the Profession, and PACAC.
“What will I miss the most? No doubt, the students and my colleagues,” Mason stated. “The GA community is a special place; the joy of students is palpable, and my colleagues have both challenged and supported me. I've made some very good friends here. I will miss walking into the Korman Family Pavilion each morning and thinking how lucky I am to work at GA.”
GA has been fortunate to have Mason leading more than one thousand GA students through the college admission process, and while there is no crystal ball, her philosophy of fit has made all the difference.
Extra Credit
Why She Stayed…
GA has been constantly evolving, successfully balancing tradition with innovation, and that has provided me with the chance to develop new programming, change our processes, and expand the College Counseling Team. I've been given the opportunity to chair and serve on committees and get to work with colleagues across the divisions. I love the range of students at GA in terms of their academic prowess and their extracurricular interests. One year, five students went on to study musical theater in college. Every year 1/5 of the class goes on to play a sport in college.
Lasting Memories…
In 2018, a couple of seniors approached me to celebrate the major college admission deadline of November 1. That year Senior Love Day was born, and it has evolved into an outdoor lunch and flex celebration for seniors and faculty with music, games, firepits, and cheesesteaks.
She is Thankful For…
The support of Rich Schellhas for entrusting me to lead the College Counseling program and embracing the importance of fit in the college process.
The members of the College Counseling team who place students at the heart of their work and energize me each day with their optimism, great senses of humor, and dedication to the profession.
Next Page of Life…
Joining my wife, Joan, in retirement and being able to travel and figure out our next chapter together. I relish the chance to travel to New England in the month of October!