My name is Kris Mathis.  I am coming to Brook Hill from Texas A & M University where I have spent the last four years as an academic adviser.  I cannot tell you how excited I am to be a part of the Brook Hill family.  For the past two years the Lord has been leading me to make a change professionally so that I could make a more significant impact for him in a new role.  But, due to family obligations and my own desires, I had resisted that call.

Then, on a recent visit to my mother’s in Palestine she showed me a job opening at Brook Hill on her computer.  She was encouraging me to apply for a position in business office, but I saw the guidance job opening and thought “What a great fit!” Based on my career experience and my mission to serve others, this seemed like an incredible opportunity.  I immediately submitted my resume and application.

In the meantime, I was also pursuing other career opportunities. I was talking in the car one night to my seven-year-old about the changes a new job would bring.  I asked him if he wanted to pray about it and he said “we can, but Dad, that job is not for you.  God is already whispering it in my ear.” Well, he was right I did not get that job.  Instead, later that same week, Brook Hill called.

As an admissions adviser, I often encouraged students to visit any campus they thought they might want to attend. In my experience, 95% percent of students, when making their college choice, do so because the campus felt like home and where they belonged.  I found that to be true for myself. From the first day I set foot on Brook Hill’s campus, I knew this was the place God had for me.  I am looking forward to getting to know and serve everyone in the Brook Hill family in the days, months, and years to come.

My job here will be to work with Mrs. Tucker as a guidance and academic counselor for boarding students.  As we start a new year there are just a few things I wanted to mention to you about the college application process that you and your family might find helpful as you plan for college:

1. START EARLY: While there is a guaranteed admissions rule in Texas for students in the top ten percent of their graduating class (top eight percent at the University of Texas at Austin), students are only guaranteed admission to the University and not into the major of their choice. Many majors, if they are popular, can begin to fill up as early as mid-October.  To give your student the best chance of getting admitted to the college and major of their choice, I would recommend completing the application and submitting all of the required documents no later than September 1^st of their senior year.
2. FINISH THE ENTIRE APPLICATION: In order to have their application reviewed, students must not only complete the application but also turn in all of the required supporting documents (typically this will include a valid score on an entrance exam, a transcript, any required essays, and an application fee). Some of these things such as the essays and college entrance exams can actually be completed prior to their senior year.  In fact, the earlier a student starts their essays (I would recommend beginning work on them in the spring of their junior year) the more beneficial it may be.  This is because it will allow them time to plan as well as spread out the writing process. Starting early will also allow them access to their English teachers to not only evaluate the content but their punctuation and grammar as well.
3. TAKE ACT, SAT EARLY: Similarly, since students often have to take the college entrance exams multiple times it is in their best interest to begin these early in the spring of their junior year. If taking the SAT or ACT is not done until the student’s last year of high school, not only are the number of attempts the student is afforded limited, but it also slows down the completion of their file and delays the beginning of the review process.  This is important to note because taking SAT and/or ACT preparatory courses can be beneficial, but if you plan on having your child take one of these courses it may be in their best interest to do so before the beginning of their junior year rather than their senior year.
4. EXPLORE OTHER COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES: I know each of your students has a list of universities they wish to attend (in fact you as parents may also have a list). However, I would encourage your students to take every opportunity they have to listen to any college representative that visits Brook Hill.  There are so many fine universities in Texas and across this nation that there is no way anyone can know what each of them has to offer.  By taking the time to hear from each of them, your student might actually find that there is a better fit for them, their development, and career aspirations that they did not even know was available.  Likewise, they should take every opportunity to visit different campuses (especially if they are considering attending there) to see firsthand if it feels like a good fit for them.  You might also want to encourage your student to apply to at least one school, whether it is in Texas or elsewhere in the nation, that they may have never considered just because it is a good fit for them academically and they are either guaranteed admissions or told they would be a competitive candidate.  The college admissions process can be very stressful, and in some cases can drag on for quite some time.  Getting an admissions offer (even if it is not the college of the student’s first choice) from a university that is a good fit academically can often relieve some of that pressure and anxiety.
   Amid the whirlwind of college visits, applications, and looming decisions, it’s easy for students—and parents—to overlook the emotional toll this process can take. The pressure to perform, choose wisely, and meet expectations can quietly build into anxiety, self-doubt, or burnout. That’s why tending to mental health during this season is just as important as SAT scores or GPA. For students experiencing deeper struggles that aren’t eased by support systems alone, Avesta Ketamine Wellness plays a crucial role in addressing anxiety and depression with innovative, evidence-based care. Prioritizing mental well-being ensures students can step into their next chapter not just academically prepared, but emotionally grounded too.
5. BE OPEN: Finally, you might encourage them to be open to non-traditional pathways if they are absolutely determined to get a degree from one place in particular. Many students will not even consider starting at a two year college or taking part in a dual enrollment program that leads to full admissions at the university of their choice because they often feel they are not being truly valued by that institution.  However, if the university did not value their potential they would not offer them any form of admissions.  In situations like these, we all must encourage them to remember that if they truly want to attend that particular university, starting on a non-traditional pathway gets their foot in the door.

This is by no means everything you and your student will need to know about the college admissions process but it is a great start!