Dawson School graduates land 269 college acceptances in tough admissions cycle

Dawson School’s Class of 2026 earned 269 college acceptances, including offers from Ivy and Ivy Plus schools, in what experts called one of the hardest admissions years on record. The results span more than 30 states and eight countries and underscore how early counseling and personalized support can shape outcomes.

Why it matters: - Dawson School’s Class of 2026 posted 269 college acceptances for 44 graduates, a 64% admit rate that outpaced the 48% national average. - The results show how a selective college counseling program can widen options in a competitive admissions market. - Acceptances reached students across more than 30 states and eight countries, giving the class broad geographic and institutional reach.

What happened: - Dawson School in Lafayette, Colorado, said its 44 graduates in the Class of 2026 earned 269 combined acceptances during a year described as one of the most difficult application cycles in history. - The class secured 3 Ivy and Ivy Plus institution acceptances. - Dawson graduates were accepted to 47 Colleges of Distinction, 11 of the Top 50 National Universities, 9 of the Best Value/ROI institutions, 10 of the Best Student Experience institutions, and 7 of the Most Innovative Universities in America. - Ninety-three percent of graduates were accepted to at least one of their top three schools. - Notable acceptances included Cornell, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania, Williams, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Rhodes, Imperial College London, Trinity College Dublin, the University of St Andrews, the University of Amsterdam, McGill, Tufts, Northeastern, Wake Forest, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of British Columbia.

The details: - Dawson’s college counseling program uses a 30:1 student-to-counselor ratio. - Personalized guidance begins in 9th grade. - Students get one-on-one support through college counseling coursework, essay writing boot camps, PSAT coaching, and on-site testing. - More than 100 college admissions representatives visit campus each year. - Dawson students also build applications through rigorous academics, the Connections internship program, community service, leadership, dual enrollment with CU Boulder, and specialized programming in a chosen field. - The counseling team also supports athletic recruiting and pathways in the arts and military service. - The Class of 2026 middle 50% weighted GPA was 3.81–4.20. - The class middle 50% SAT range was 1240–1440. - The class middle 50% ACT range was 27–33.

Between the lines: - Sarah Morissette, Dawson’s director of college counseling, linked the results to long-term relationships between students and adults on campus. - Morissette also said students were counseled to find a strong fit well before application season. - The spread of acceptances suggests Dawson is steering students toward a mix of reach, value, and international options rather than a single admissions lane.

What's next: - Dawson’s counseling model points to earlier preparation, more individualized advising, and continued campus recruiting as the next cycle begins. - The school will likely keep using its internship, dual-enrollment, and specialized pathways to strengthen future application profiles.

The bottom line: - Dawson School says its Class of 2026 turned early, personalized college counseling into broad admissions success in one of the toughest years in recent memory.