Advisory provides a strong foundation for the EPIC model and serves two main purposes: 

1. Community and relationship building
2. Goal setting and reflection. 

Advisories consist of small single-gender groups of students who meet together daily with an advisor. Students engage in Circle and other activities to build community and practice reflection and mindfulness. Through these activities, they build strong relationships with their advisor and peers and foster a sense of belonging. 

Students also receive coaching and support on achieving their goals. With peers, as well as with the advisor, students reflect on progress, identify strategies for overcoming obstacles, and determine how to select resources and experiences (e.g., on C Day) that will help them advance their goals. Finally, students prepare for SLCs and engage in additional reflection opportunities to build a deeper sense of self and help determine their future plans.

College visits, job shadow days, internships, professional brown bag lunches, and networking events help to open student minds to possibilities for the future. Providing a wide range of opportunities reinforces the model’s value for multiple pathways and supports students in identifying a postsecondary plan that’s right for them. Big Map to College & Careers Opportunities may include the following: 

• Visit a college 
• Visit a job site of interest
• Attend a college fair 
• Attend a Networking Night to identify mentors in preferred careers
• Meet with a college representative
• Job shadow a position of interest
• Obtain a job or internship in a field of interest

On C Day, students take ownership of their learning by creating their own schedules to align their learning experiences with their needs, interests, and goals. C Day, which occurs on most Wednesdays, begins and ends with advisory and is composed of four choice blocks—two academic and two “Club” (enrichment). 

Academic: Students get the academic support they need and build self-advocacy by making choices to drive their learning. Students select their academic blocks on the C Day portal during morning advisory based on their individual needs and goals that week. Academic block options include 

• Office Hours: Students can address a low test/quiz score or a missing assignment, as well as receive help with understanding content. 
• Peer Tutoring: Students can sign up to work with a trained, peer tutor offered through the National Honor Society program.
• Study Hall/Self-Directed Learning: Students work independently and silently.
• Study Group: Students work collaboratively in small groups on assignments.
• Writing Lab: Students receive assistance with writing assignments.

Club: In clubs, students discover interests and passions, develop leadership skills, and build community. Students select their Club blocks at the start of the semester based on their interests. Club options change each semester and have included options such as culinary, photography, fashion, comics/drawing, mixed martial arts, film, coding, debate, and more. Some clubs are offered by school staff and some are offered through external partnerships. 

Students also have the ability to apply and start their own club, fostering agency. To start a club, students must find a faculty sponsor and 15 students who are interested in joining their club. 

Students also have the opportunity to develop leadership skills by holding a position in a club, such as president, VP, secretary, or historian. Students who hold leadership positions receive explicit leadership training. Sample Student Leadership Training

Intrinsic recognizes and values many different pathways to postsecondary success. Their postsecondary programming is designed to support students and families in identifying potential options, making informed decisions, and taking the concrete steps necessary to successfully pursue a chosen path. Their programming helps students develop a deep sense of who they are and their emerging life’s purpose, and learn to link today’s decisions with their postsecondary aspirations, academic planning, and short- and long-term goals.

Postsecondary Seminar: A dedicated class for high school students to build and practice postsecondary skills and habits and prepare for life after high school. Students will engage in lessons and discussions about the four postsecondary pillars: college exploration, career exploration, identity exploration, and academic habits. By the end of a student’s senior year, he or she will be equipped to create a strong postsecondary plan aligned to his or her strengths and interests. 

Early in the seminar progression, students focus on exploration, building habits, and planning for as many opportunities as possible. As students progress through the seminar sequence, they develop a deeper sense of who they are and their emerging life’s purpose, and begin to narrow in on the postsecondary pathway they will pursue. Once students have identified a postsecondary plan, they engage with “checklists” aligned to their chosen pathway that include all the steps required to successfully execute their plan. 

Postsecondary Counseling: Because choosing, pursuing, and matriculating into a strong postsecondary plan is a complex process with a “hidden curriculum” that often limits access for many students; the EPIC model provides all students and families with one-on-one counseling and support to navigate the process. This requires a low counselor-to-student ratio, allowing counselors to work closely with students and families to design an individualized post-graduation plan for each student. 

Every student applies to at least nine target schools, based on the likelihood of admission, financial aid, and support for first-generation college students when needed. Each spring, counselors sit down with every senior and their family for an in-person strategy session. Students select and commit to their post-graduation plan and prepare for success by signing any promissory notes for funding, formally enrolling, and scheduling their orientation. Counselors also facilitate college workshops for students and families year-round.

Three times a year, students lead a discussion with their advisor and parents (or other key influences in their lives) to share their progress and discuss future plans. SLCs provide opportunities for students to practice habits and skills critical to postsecondary success, including goal-setting, reflection, growth mindset, and planning. SLCs are 100% led by students. Students prepare three key components: experience reflection, academic reflection, and goal setting. SLC Student Interviews

Experience Reflection: Students reflect on a recent experience to gain insight into how this experience helped them grow in the EPIC outcomes, like informing their identity, and how it might shape their future plans. Each grade level has a guiding question that anchors their reflection (i.e., “Who am I?” in grade 7, to “What does the world need?” in grade 12). The discussion supports students in building a deep sense of self and purpose and in practicing sharing their strengths to affirm their identity.

Academic Reflection: Students reflect on how they are progressing on their academic goals, their postsecondary plans, and other holistic goals. Students begin by sharing their report card and giving an overview of their grades and other metrics such as promotion status and service-learning hours. In their junior year, they also share their postsecondary planning progress. Their presentation is followed by a discussion with their family and advisor to push students doing well and support students who may need to problem-solve. The aim is to keep the discussion positive, affirming, and rooted in the student’s strengths. 

Goal Setting: Based on their experience reflection, academic reflection, and previous goal progress, students create a new goal for the upcoming quarter and discuss the support needed to reach their goals.