- U.S. public high school students receive an average of just 38 minutes of college counseling per year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
- School counselors usually have other responsibilities in addition to college counseling. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, public high school counselors spend only about 25% of their time on college counseling.
- The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of no more than 250 students per counselor. The national average in public schools is 424 to 1.
- College consultants have much smaller caseloads than school counselors, and because they focus exclusively on college counseling, they can provide significantly more support and assistance.
To some extent, it depends on the individual student and his/her needs. Starting early means we can offer advice on and help students make plans for high school courses, activities, and summer programs – factors that are very important in the college admissions process. Additionally, the earlier we begin working with a student, the better we can get to know him/her in order to make the best recommendations for colleges.
All kinds! We have worked with students with a wide range of academic abilities and interests. We’ve helped students who are aiming for the Ivy League, public colleges, small liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. We have experience with non-traditional students, including veterans and students who have earned a GED. We’ve assisted students with learning disabilities, student athletes, and visual and performing artists.
At this FREE one-hour meeting for students and their parents, we will go over the student’s desires and goals for the college process, as well as the parents’. We will further explain our services and how we can best meet your family’s needs.
We typically meet with students at coffee shops, at their houses, or online, depending on where they live and what is convenient for them.
After the initial consultation, we generally just meet with the student, but we are in constant contact with parents. After every meeting with a student, we email the parents with a summary of what we discussed and what the student has been asked to complete before our next meeting. We value parents’ input throughout the process, and when we begin working with a student, we ask the parents to complete a questionnaire that provides useful information about their child. We are happy to meet separately with parents if there is anything they wish to discuss without their child present. Finally, parents are always welcome to call or email us with questions/concerns.
To us, a “good fit” is a college where a student will be happy and successful academically, extracurricularly, and socially; where the student will be more likely to graduate on time; and where the family can afford the cost. For most students, there are many colleges that are “good fits”, giving them several options from which to choose.
By getting to know students, both through conversations as well as a series of questionnaires and assessments, we help them understand themselves and identify the factors that are most important in their college search. Then, using our own knowledge of colleges, gained through several years of research, college visits, and meetings with admissions officers, we make recommendations of colleges that meet students’ criteria.
We have considerable knowledge about standardized tests. We help students decide which test(s) to take and when to take them and also review and explain test results. However, we do not provide test preparation services. We can recommend test prep companies to families who are interested.