Master Your College Counseling Skills with Five Before College & ISLA
Elevate College Guidance at Your Islamic School with Proven Tools and Strategies.
Being a College Counselor
Is a Big Responsibility!
Guiding students through the journey from 8th to 12th grade at Islamic schools can be overwhelming
Many Islamic school counselors and administrators juggle multiple responsibilities and often lack the dedicated time or specialized knowledge needed to navigate the complex college admissions process. As a result, Islamic schools sometimes fall short in preparing students for the top-tier college acceptances they deserve—missing out on a clear, structured roadmap for success.
Without a plan, students can easily fall behind—especially in smaller Islamic school settings.
With fewer on-campus extracurriculars and limited clubs, Islamic school students often feel they can't compete with peers from larger public or private schools.
But when counselors are equipped with the right tools, they can turn these limitations into opportunities for students to shine by leveraging the distinctive strengths of Islamic education to stand out in the college admissions process.
That's why we created the
Professional Learning Community for College Counselors at Islamic Schools.
InshaAllah, This Program Will Equip You
with Everything You Need to Succeed:
You Will Get:
Clarity on Strategic Milestones: Master the key milestones
from 8th to 12th grade to guide students confidently from the
start.
Expertise in College List Building: Help students make informed choices about where to apply, incorporating their Islamic identity and values.
Sustained Application Support Systems: Build effective systems to continuously support seniors during the application season.
Guidance on Post-Submission Steps: Guide students through the final stages after submissions, from navigating financial aid to leveraging alumni networks.
Practical Tools for Application Management: Discover proven
strategies to manage the college application process smoothly.
Join Us to Supercharge Your Counseling Skills
MEET YOUR HOST
Brother Hamzah Henshaw,
Founder of Five Before College
After embracing Islam at the age of 15, Brother Hamzah devoted his life to helping teenagers have similarly transformative experiences during their high school years. A Harvard graduate with a degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, he spent over 20 years as a high school teacher and college counselor at private and Islamic schools in New England.
At the Islamic school, Brother Hamzah transformed the college counseling process from a disorganized system into a highly effective program that now sends students to Top 20 schools and Ivies year after year. In 2023, he founded Five Before College, a college coaching program with the mission of helping Muslim teenagers across the umma achieve their college dreams.
Now, through this Professional Learning Community, Brother Hamzah seeks to equip Islamic schools with the tools and strategies needed to develop top-tier college counseling programs. By sharing his expertise, he aims to empower schools to provide their students with the same level of success and opportunity as the best public and private institutions, all while maintaining an Islamic foundation and ethos. His goal is not just to help students get into their dream college, but for college to be a step along your path to Jannat al-Firdous inshAllah.
Muslim College Success Stories
What Br. Hamzah's
students are saying...
"I would not have gotten to where I am without Br. Hamzah. He coached me throughout the college application process. We explored different options together, and the insight he provided made me know what to expect. Br. Hamzah not only helped me reach the Ivy League but also helped me figure out how to find the best fit for me."
Br. Hamzah played a crucial role in helping me tackle the college application process. He provided me with examples of great storytelling essays to help us write our narrative essays, he taught me strategic methods to filling out the common app, and he supported me in my essay writing process by helping me showcase the most diverse and compelling parts of my personality and life story"
"When I first met Br. Hamzah, I was in the eighth grade. His class changed my life. It gave me an outlet to read beautiful pieces of writing and hear meaningful opinions and unique Islamic connections about them. His joking nature and youthful passion make his students feel safe; he’s not their teacher, just someone who’s excited to read and write with them ."
What You'll Learn During The Training!
Week #1:
Foundations and Timeline for College Success (October 23)
Overview of the high school timeline and the foundation for success in college admissions.
Topics:
Islamic School Advantages: Unique opportunities Islamic schools offer (smaller class sizes, community engagement, spiritual development) and how to leverage them.
Candidacy Building Throughout High School: Activities, academics, leadership, and personal development that enhance student profiles. The place of dual enrollment, APs, IB, etc.
Timeline for Grades 8-12: Key milestones at each grade level, setting students up for success early. Our products are delivered immediately
Week #2:
The College Application Process—Nuts and Bolts (October 30)
The practical aspects of college applications controlled by the school.
Topics:
Nuts and Bolts of the Common App: Overview of the Common App and other application platforms.
School Profile & Transcripts: Best practices for counselors in creating a compelling school profile that explains the context of your school
Writing Great Recommendation and Counselor Letters: Techniques for writing strong, authentic teacher & counselor letters that highlight a student’s strengths and unique Islamic school experience.
Week #3:
College List Building and Early
Strategy (November 06)
Strategies for helping students choose the right colleges and approach their applications.
Topics:
College List Building: Guiding students on how to build a balanced, strategic list of reach, target, and safety schools, with Islamic values and financial aid considerations in mind.
Incorporating Islam into the Admissions Process: Ways to bring Islamic values into applications, as well as identifying colleges with supportive Muslim communities.
Early Strategy (Early Decision, Early Action): Understanding the different early application types and how to develop a smart early strategy.
Week #4:
College Essays (November 13)
Supporting seniors as they finalize and submit applications.
Topics:
Activities, College Essays, and Supplements: Three pillars of a strong application
Zero drafts: Brainstorming exercises & strategies for getting students to write unforgettable essays
Alumni Mentorship for Current Seniors: Best practice in establishing a program where recent graduates mentor current seniors through the application process.
Week #5:
Financial Aid, Final Decisions, and What Comes Next (November 20)
What happens after applications are submitted and how to guide students through the final stages.
Topics:
Post-Application Steps: Navigating the waiting game—how to guide students through follow-up steps like LOCIs and comparing admissions offers.
Financial Aid: Overview of the types of financial aid available, support for FAFSA & CSS profiles, primer on external scholarships
Next Steps: Transitioning students from applicants to college freshmen, and establishing a feedback loop with alumni.
Take the First Step Towards Becoming a More Impactful Counselor
Your students depend on your guidance, and you deserve the best tools to help them succeed.
This program is an opportunity to transform your approach, empower your students, and elevate your entire school community.
Apply Here Now
Rewriting the Narrative
Islamic Schools Can Open Doors to Top Colleges and Jannah
For too long...
Muslim Families have believed they must choose between giving their children an Islamic education or preparing them for academic and professional success.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Through our Professional Learning Community,
We empower Islamic schools to implement college counseling systems that rival the best public and private institutions.
By combining spiritual growth with academic excellence, we help Islamic schools show families that their students can not only prepare for Jannah but also for top-tier college admissions and future careers.
Join Us to Supercharge Your Counseling Skills
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