BEWARE OF THINGS SOME PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

As our company start to finalize the "ends" for our 12th graders, and looks toward getting our 10th and 11th grade students for the next wave of college applications, I am shocked to not only see, but hear from other professional college admissions consultants, as well as  that public schools are informing parents early on in their seminars or emails to " Don't hire a college admissions consultant, we can do it all for you for free"

The truth is that after working for several weeks in a high powered public school counseling office,  I saw first hand how the counselors, do in fact,  work their tails off, but are not reach as many students as they think;  and they know it.   The public and private school counselors admit they  hate having to deal with the parents who are trying to cope with what is to come, and to top it off, they agree they can not reach all the students within their school.  At best, it appears the only ones who go into the college counseling office are in the top 5% -10% of students within that class, and the other are given some information, with much less time.

 These school counselors will provide some information about financial aid, but not help parents with the actual forms or extra information ( they are on their own, said one counselor), so where do the families turn?. Did you know that sometimes students get into a school, but because families did not know how to deal with the forms, the students could not attend that school, or in the alternative, a student went into major debt.

As I did my internship in the prestigious public high school,   it became more alarming to be told you were not being introduced to the school principal or school board members, nor were you to go to the school board meeting. One had to question why.  Why should a school not embrace an independent counselor as much as a public school one?  Job Security I was told.

As I talked with others who were going through this program with me,  I was shocked  to hear  how many college admissions counselors and high schools specifically state  their anti college admissions consultant philosophies when many have been in the very same programs as their counterparts..... and the sad part is that they don't recognize that a consultant could actually make them look better, and improve their school's image.  Some people though it was very capitalistic of us to want to work with students outside of the classroom, just as a tutor is hire to help with a subject matter.

Professionally  trained college admissions consultants are here to stay, and the number of people willing to go into this field increase each year.  These consultants belong to well regulated groups such as IECA or NACAC that recognize them as professionals and keep abreast on a more detailed basis of the newest things going on in colleges that their college admissions counselor counterparts don't know about. They hold many time a master's  or doctorate degree and other training as well.

Consultants have as much talent as their public or private school counterparts, if not more,   more resources,  travel the US to visit schools, work not only with the students  ---  some who need more guidance than others, but the entire families, counseling parents as well..... as parents need counseling for  what is to come in the coming months,  however school counselors tell families they don't need it.  Private Consultants are like Tutors and can buffer the stress of the process for all.  They take on as many students as they feel they can comfortably work with that year, knowing that an estimated number of hours to work with a family will be far more than a public or private school can offer.


I personally heard many students while at this school state that they felt, even with the counselors working from 7:30 am to 10 pm at night, driving long distances to and from home,  and showing signs of major exhaustion daily , were left out of the cycle and on their own to face the struggle of getting into college.  One student said specifically to an admissions rep from one of the colleges..... " The people here at this high school really don't care about us".  I have heard this comment several times, and kids are looking for a place where they can sit down and share their concerns, fears, questions, etc. without feeling pressured.   One mother I spoke to wanted her daughter just starting her junior year to attend a 4 year college only to be told, you have to go to the community college first.  One student needed help and needed "hands-on" assistance  for a half hour that the counselor could not afford to give ( so I did it) My response was why?

I think the counselors gave each student five to ten minutes of time, and ripped through without a lot of thought. The same students came back repeatedly,  which in many cases is just not enough time. I think many counselors take the easy way out, not because they want to, but because they have so much work, and not enough hands.  I have no complaints about individual counselors, but I do have a problem with the over philosophy of when they can not meet the demand of the work load,  they turn on those who are available and willing to help them.



Kids need attention, and and it is the duty of a parent, counselor, teacher, coach, etc to give them the wings to fly so they can build confidence in themselves.  If a students is in need to more time than a school counselor can give them, if there is major stress over the college admissions process in your home between parents and students, or a child is shutting down over the stress of it all, GET HELP.

A college admissions consultant is able to easily connect all the dots.  A consultant can line up "brag sheets" (aka resumes) to work with essays and get the WOW effect students and families seek,  work with the different applications,  get your financial aid in order, keep you on track with the deadlines, offer ideas for a scholarship search, and help with appeals.  A college admissions consultant in a matter of 3 hours can reduce your families' stress substantially, and make the process much more enjoyable for everyone.