Academics

Student Services / College Counseling

Contacts:

Brandy Norton, M.Ed.
Director of College Counseling
615-860-5320
 
Peggy Brown, BSW
Student Counselor (9th-12th)
Admissions Counselor (8th-12th)
615-860-5330
pbrown@davidsonacademy.com

Christy Smith, M.Ed.
Lower and Middle School Counselor (PreK - 8th)
615-860-5321
csmith@davidsonacademy.com

 

    • Peggy Brown and Brandy Norton

Credit Requirements

Credits Subject Area
4 English Credits
2 Foreign Language
4 Mathematics
3 Social Studies
3 Science
.5 Technology
2 Bible
1 Wellness
1 Fine Art
.5 Senior Project
3 Electives

High School Testing

PSAT is taken by Grades 9-11 each fall as a preliminary test for the SAT and the qualifying test for the National Merit Competition for Juniors.

Pre-ACT is taken by Grades 9 and 10.

ACT is taken by Grade 11 in the spring.
CLICK HERE for more info on ACT.

Student Counseling

Emphasis on Christian virtues: obedience, kindness, helpfulness, attentiveness, contentment, patience, gentleness, honesty, perseverance, forgiveness, diligence, and self-control.

Elementary School and Middle School
  •  Weekly lessons for Kindergarten - 4th grade for academic and social development with emphasis on Christian virtues
  • Personal safety curriculum for grades PreK-3 and PreK-4 to include parent resources
  • Strategies for managing test anxiety, problem solving, and interpersonal communication
  • Access to counseling support for individual students
  • Preventative education (anxiety and depression, suicide prevention and detection and substance abuse)
  • Fostering a sense of community as we welcome new students
  • Opportunities for small group counseling to meet student needs (grief counseling, anxiety, social skills, and work habits)  
 
High School
  • Transition support is available to every new student to ensure a positive and healthy experience as they adjust to their new environment. Our desire is that each new Davidson Academy student feels welcomed and supported.
  • Student counseling on social issues (self-esteem, anxiety, depression, body image, changes in family dynamics, substance abuse, and social struggles)
  • Access to counseling support for individual students
  • Opportunities for small group counseling
  • Grief counseling
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Prevention education (anxiety and depression, substance abuse, suicide prevention and detection, etc.)
 

College Counseling

College counseling at Davidson Academy is an integral part of our student curriculum.  Students will begin general college counseling in Middle School which then becomes personalized with the following grade-level programs as they move through the upper grades:

Grade-Level Meetings
  • Rising Freshmen Information Meeting
  • Sophomore Transcript Review
  • “What Counts in College Admissions” Sophomore Parent Meeting - November 28, 2023
  • Junior College Planning Workshop - February 27, 2024 
  • Senior Individual Family Meetings
School counselors meet regularly with students to discuss and guide course selection, standardized test preparation, and the college selection and application process.  They will focus on self-evaluation and college exploration through individual student/family meetings, day and evening workshops, college tours, portfolio building, and cross-disciplinary college search activities.  Through this years-long process, students will be guided to choose the colleges and universities which best meet their needs and expectations as they are simultaneously equipped to make the transition to college.  
 
College Navigation Courses for all Juniors
     
Students will spend one quarter enrolled in an intensive ACT-prep course spanning all four subject tests.  Students will learn test-taking strategies for the ACT and will study and practice ACT-type questions.  Students will discover their weaknesses and strengths and work specifically on those areas that will most greatly impact their ACT score.  The other quarter of the course will be focused on scholarship opportunities, college applications, college essay writing, and important information for juniors getting ready for college application season.

Searching for Colleges, Exploring Careers, Paying for College and Much More:
CLICK HERE

Scholarships and Financial Aid
(including FAFSA and TN Hope Scholarship):

Grade Level Checklists
:


Davidson Academy is a member of the College Board Organization, National Association for College Admission Counseling, Southern Association for College Admission Counseling, and American School Counseling Association
  

30

Average ACT score for Honors Diploma candidates (representing more than 20% of the class)

95th

Percentile Davidson Academy's average ACT scores nationally

24

Overall class average (representing all members of the class), 80th percentile nationally
Davidson Academy’s faculty continues to prepare their students for college, life, and eternity.