Class of 2026: Finding Their Fit

After a year and a half of reflection and discovery, seniors choose colleges that reflect who they are — and who they’re becoming

By Kristen Kaczynski
Director of College Counseling

The North Shore Country Day Class of 2026 includes 58 seniors, each with a distinct story and a thoughtfully chosen path ahead. At the heart of North Shore’s college counseling philosophy is a simple idea: The college process is not just about where students go, but how they grow along the way.

Over the past year and a half, seniors have engaged in deep reflection — researching schools, visiting campuses, refining essays and navigating conversations about what matters most to them. Along the way, they’ve built skills in communication, decision-making and self-advocacy, while gaining a clearer understanding of who they are and what they want from their next chapter.

This year’s class will head to more than 40 colleges and universities across the country and around the world. Their destinations span a wide range of institutions, from small liberal arts colleges to large research universities, including Bates College, Cornell University, Harvard University, University of Illinois, Kenyon College, Loyola University Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, Southern Methodist University, Stanford University — and many more. While these outcomes are impressive, they are just one part of a much larger story.

What matters most is that each student has found a place that feels right — academically, socially and personally. North Shore graduates leave with strong foundations in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and service, but just as importantly, with the confidence to pursue their own version of success.

The college process, in many ways, mirrors the North Shore experience itself: a partnership among students, teachers, counselors and families, grounded in curiosity, care and purpose. As these seniors prepare to graduate, what stands out is not any single destination, but the clarity, independence and sense of direction they’ve developed along the way.

We are proud of every member of the Class of 2026 and excited to see the many different directions their journeys will take.