Equipped for College and Beyond
Preparing young people for the future is a job we take seriously and is reflected in our core values, curriculum, and caliber of our faculty. The Covenant School offers 7 Advanced Placement courses and 22 Honors courses within the curriculum. These and other rigorous college-preparatory classes provide Upper School students opportunities to master an extensive body of knowledge and the study skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond.
The doors to our Advising Office are always open as a place for students to meet with experienced counseling staff. There students can learn about themselves and the professions which best suit them. Using this knowledge, they can identify the colleges or universities that allow them to continue in their journey of growing intellectually, morally, and spiritually as they look toward future vocational goals.
Our Director of College Advising travels and maintains relationships with college officers nationwide, and also hosts over fifty admission representatives at our school each fall. Information shared with students and families throughout the year highlights college options, the admission process, and avenues for financial aid. Faculty who have invested in their students are equipped to write personal college recommendation letters for every senior.
It is no surprise that Covenant graduates routinely enroll in distinguished, competitive colleges; ones that best fit their individual educational goals.
Meet the Team
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Laura Smith
Director of Academic & College Advising
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Read Bio
Ms. Smith has more than a decade of experience in college advising, working with students and parents at a private Christian school with strong academic standards. She enjoys helping students open doors of opportunity as they discern where God has called them. Her leadership, wisdom, and care in guiding students and families through the college and scholarship application process serve the Covenant community well.
She also has experience in marketing, business, and leadership. A graduate of Dickinson College, Ms. Smith earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Hood College and holds a certificate in College Counseling from the University of California, Riverside.
When not at school, she can be found walking her two goldendoodles, playing pickleball, or gardening. With adult children and grandchildren in Charlottesville, she looks forward to being involved in the local community and her church.
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Benjie Colberg
Associate Director of Academic & College Advising
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Read Bio
Mr. Colberg is a 2010 graduate of Covenant and a 2015 graduate of Denison University, where he majored in Economics, minored in Communication, and played lacrosse. He participated in the Trinity Fellows program in 2018 and earned his Master of Education degree from Vanderbilt University in 2022.
Mr. Colberg spent nine years at Christ School in Asheville, North Carolina, where he served in various roles in admissions, student life, and athletics, most notably as Lacrosse Program Director and Dean of Campus Life. In addition to his role in Academic and College Advising at Covenant, Mr. Colberg serves as the Head Boys Varsity Lacrosse Coach.
Mr. Colberg is married to his wife, Ali, and they have one child, Walker.
College Acceptances from 2023-2026
Abilene Christian University
Alvernia University
American University
Amherst College*
Appalachian State University
Auburn University*
Batten University*
Baylor University*
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont University
Benedictine College
Bentley University*
Bethel University (Minnesota)*
Boston College
Brenau University
Bridgewater College*
Bucknell University
Butler University
Cal Poly*
Calvin University
Catawba College*
Christendom College
Christopher Newport University*
Clemson University*
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
Colorado School of Mines
Columbia College Chicago
Creighton University
Culinary Institute of America*
Davidson College*
Denison University
DeSales University
Dickinson College*
Dominican University
Drexel University
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
Eastern University
Elmira College*
Elon University*
Emory & Henry University*
Emory University
Ferrum College
Fisher College
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology*
Florida State University
Fordham University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Furman University*
George Mason University*
George Washington University*
Georgetown University*
Gettysburg College*
Gordon College
Grove City College
Hampden-Sydney College*
Hampton University
High Point University
Hillsdale College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Hollins University
IE University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Indiana University (Bloomington)*
Iowa State University
*Represent matriculation
Alvernia University
American University
Amherst College*
Appalachian State University
Auburn University*
Batten University*
Baylor University*
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont University
Benedictine College
Bentley University*
Bethel University (Minnesota)*
Boston College
Brenau University
Bridgewater College*
Bucknell University
Butler University
Cal Poly*
Calvin University
Catawba College*
Christendom College
Christopher Newport University*
Clemson University*
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
Colorado School of Mines
Columbia College Chicago
Creighton University
Culinary Institute of America*
Davidson College*
Denison University
DeSales University
Dickinson College*
Dominican University
Drexel University
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
Eastern University
Elmira College*
Elon University*
Emory & Henry University*
Emory University
Ferrum College
Fisher College
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology*
Florida State University
Fordham University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Furman University*
George Mason University*
George Washington University*
Georgetown University*
Gettysburg College*
Gordon College
Grove City College
Hampden-Sydney College*
Hampton University
High Point University
Hillsdale College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Hollins University
IE University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Indiana University (Bloomington)*
Iowa State University
*Represent matriculation
Jacksonville State University*
Jacksonville University
James Madison University*
Johns Hopkins University*
Johnson & Wales University
Keiser University (Fort Lauderdale)
Kenyon College
La Salle University
Lafayette College
Lasell University
Le Moyne College*
Lehigh University*
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lesley University
Liberty University*
Longwood University*
Louisiana State University*
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Maryland
Marshall University
Marymount University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology*
Massachusetts Maritime Academy*
McDaniel College
McGill University
Messiah University
Miami University
Michigan Technological University
Mississippi State University*
Montana State University*
Montana Tech
New York University
North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina State University
Northeastern University*
Norwich University*
Old Dominion University*
Pace University (New York City)
Paul Smith’s College
Penn State University*
Piedmont Virginia Community College*
Point Park University
Pratt Institute
Princeton University*
Providence College*
Purdue University*
Radford University
Randolph College*
Randolph-Macon College*
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rhodes College*
Roanoke College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Louis University
Salem State University
Samford University*
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Shenandoah University*
Southern Methodist University*
St. Andrews University (CLOSED)
Suffolk University*
SUNY College ESF*
SUNY Purchase College
Syracuse University
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M University
Texas State University
Texas Tech University*
Jacksonville University
James Madison University*
Johns Hopkins University*
Johnson & Wales University
Keiser University (Fort Lauderdale)
Kenyon College
La Salle University
Lafayette College
Lasell University
Le Moyne College*
Lehigh University*
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lesley University
Liberty University*
Longwood University*
Louisiana State University*
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Maryland
Marshall University
Marymount University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology*
Massachusetts Maritime Academy*
McDaniel College
McGill University
Messiah University
Miami University
Michigan Technological University
Mississippi State University*
Montana State University*
Montana Tech
New York University
North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina State University
Northeastern University*
Norwich University*
Old Dominion University*
Pace University (New York City)
Paul Smith’s College
Penn State University*
Piedmont Virginia Community College*
Point Park University
Pratt Institute
Princeton University*
Providence College*
Purdue University*
Radford University
Randolph College*
Randolph-Macon College*
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rhodes College*
Roanoke College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Louis University
Salem State University
Samford University*
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Shenandoah University*
Southern Methodist University*
St. Andrews University (CLOSED)
Suffolk University*
SUNY College ESF*
SUNY Purchase College
Syracuse University
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M University
Texas State University
Texas Tech University*
The Catholic University of America*
The College of Wooster*
The Ohio State University*
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary*
Trinity College*
Tulane University*
United States Military Academy*
United States Naval Academy*
University of Alabama*
University of California (Santa Barbara)
University of California (Santa Cruz)
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado (Boulder)*
University of Connecticut
University of Dallas
University of Delaware
University of Denver
University of Florida*
University of Georgia*
University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)*
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
University of Lynchburg*
University of Maine
University of Mary
University of Mary Washington
University of Maryland*
University of Michigan
University of Mississippi*
University of North Carolina (Asheville)*
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)*
University of North Carolina (Wilmington)*
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond*
University of South Carolina*
University of South Florida
University of St Andrews*
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee*
University of Texas
University of Texas (Arlington)
University of the South*
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Virginia*
University of Virginia (Wise)
University of Wisconsin
Villanova University
Virginia Commonwealth University*
Virginia Military Institute*
Virginia Tech*
Wake Forest University*
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington and Lee University*
Washington College
Waynesburg University
West Virginia University
Western Carolina University
Western Michigan University
Westmont College
Wheaton College
William & Mary*
Wilson College
Wingate University
Wofford College*
Wright State University*
Xavier University
The College of Wooster*
The Ohio State University*
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary*
Trinity College*
Tulane University*
United States Military Academy*
United States Naval Academy*
University of Alabama*
University of California (Santa Barbara)
University of California (Santa Cruz)
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado (Boulder)*
University of Connecticut
University of Dallas
University of Delaware
University of Denver
University of Florida*
University of Georgia*
University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)*
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
University of Lynchburg*
University of Maine
University of Mary
University of Mary Washington
University of Maryland*
University of Michigan
University of Mississippi*
University of North Carolina (Asheville)*
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)*
University of North Carolina (Wilmington)*
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond*
University of South Carolina*
University of South Florida
University of St Andrews*
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee*
University of Texas
University of Texas (Arlington)
University of the South*
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Virginia*
University of Virginia (Wise)
University of Wisconsin
Villanova University
Virginia Commonwealth University*
Virginia Military Institute*
Virginia Tech*
Wake Forest University*
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington and Lee University*
Washington College
Waynesburg University
West Virginia University
Western Carolina University
Western Michigan University
Westmont College
Wheaton College
William & Mary*
Wilson College
Wingate University
Wofford College*
Wright State University*
Xavier University
The Covenant School
Birdwood Campus | Lower School | Pre-K–Grade 5 |
1000 Birdwood Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 | 434.220.7309
1000 Birdwood Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 | 434.220.7309
Hickory Campus | Middle and Upper School | Grades 6–12 | 175 Hickory Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 | 434.220.7329
Located in Charlottesville, VA, The Covenant School is a non-denominational, private, Christian day school for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, visual and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.
The Covenant School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, or sex in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, tuition assistance programs, athletic and other school-administered programs, nor in the hiring of faculty or staff.
Copyright © 2026, The Covenant School