Imagine you’re back in high school, trying to navigate the college search process. You’re wondering: What classes should I be taking? How many extracurricular activities should I pile onto my plate? Do I need to take this standardized test? How many schools should I apply to?

There’s no exact rulebook, and if there was one, it’d be changing rapidly. No doubt about it, the process can be overwhelming and confusing, and sometimes stressful.

Of all the offices at the University, Penn Admissions understands this fact the most. That’s why, for nearly a decade, it has hosted annual summer workshops catered to faculty and staff members and their rising high school juniors and seniors gearing up for college. The next event takes place Monday, June 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Bodek Lounge in Houston Hall. Register here.

“Families are searching for guidance and answers in the college admissions process, they wonder how colleges and universities make their admission decisions, they have questions about affordability, what a good college application or essay looks like, and more,” says Jodi Robinson, senior associate director of admissions. “There’s a lot of anxiety and it can be a bit overwhelming. We hope to demystify the process, offer tools to navigate the process, and help families understand a little more about admissions and financial aid.”

The workshop, meant for students who have an interest in attending any college or university, not just Penn, will present a case study activity that looks at three or four hypothetical college applications. The participants “work as the admissions selection committee, reading applications in a holistic review,” says Robinson. As a group, alongside Penn Admissions staff, they will review and dissect the application, detailing what the fictitious student did well or what could be improved.

“Hopefully they are able to gain insight into how an admissions office looks at an application,” says Robinson. “It’s very hands-on. This is a chance for Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Human Resources/Tuition Benefits to share our expertise with our faculty and staff community.”

Joining a handful of experienced Penn Admissions staff members at the workshop will be Eric Furda, dean of admissions; Elaine Papas Varas, senior University director of financial aid in the Office of Student Registration and Financial Services; and Janae Boone, senior tuition benefits specialist.

Can’t make it on June 19? Robinson says Penn Admissions hosts “First Friday” drop-in hours every month, including during the summer, with college preparation information available to Penn faculty, staff, and legacy families. There will also be two “brown bag” lectures throughout the course of the coming academic year.