Questions About Working With Us

What role do you play in the college process?
We are educational consultants, professionals trained to assist students and parents with college and financial aid planning. We focus on helping you find colleges that are a good "Fit for U" and where you can be successful. We guide you through the college application process, ensuring students meet deadlines and prepare compelling applications. 

What do you do?
We're trained to assist students and their parents with the college planning and application process. We help families by providing an objective assessment of a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses as a prospective college applicant, identifying colleges and universities that match the student’s needs and interests, and providing guidance on all aspects of the college search and application process. 

What are the benefits of working with you?
Many high schools have high school counselor to student ratios. This can make it difficult for some students to get personalized and on-going advice about college planning and college admissions. While we do not replace the school counselor, we do serve as a guide through the entire college and financial aid process, helping both students and parents feel less stressed, better prepared, and more confident.

How do we know if we need your services?
The decision to hire us is a personal one, and not every family will need or want to work with a consultant. Working with us can be particularly helpful if your child is: confused about their college options; has limited opportunity to meet with their school counselor; is interested in a less common major or career; has an unusual academic background or admissions profile; or would benefit from one-on-one assistance with college planning and applications. Our services can also be helpful when a student has learning disabilities or other special needs, when families are having difficulty agreeing on college choices, when students are home schooled, or for students who are particularly anxious about the college admissions process.

Are you a replacement for the school counselor?
No, we aren't a replacement for the school counselor. While we can provide more personalized service than your high school counselor may be able to provide, it’s important to understand that your school counselor will still play a vital role in your or your child’s college application process. You should think of us as another member of your college planning team, all working together to help your child achieve his or her goals.

Can you guarantee that my child will be admitted to a particular college?
No one can guarantee a student admission to a particular college or university – except, of course, the admissions committee! If anyone suggests that they can do so, it is best to find another person to help you with this process. As professionals, we understand that many variables factor into admissions decisions and therefore we do not make false promises. We can, however, help students improve their chances of admission by identifying colleges that match their admissions profile, interests, and by guiding them through the college search and application process.

How much does it cost to work with you?
You may have read an article or seen a news report about educational consultants who charge exorbitant fees for their counseling services. We offer reasonable prices for our services. Our clients choose from all-inclusive packages for a single fee or if needed, an hourly fee. For the breadth and scope of services offered, we are confident you'll be happy with whatever option you choose. But, you should compare other professionals' services and prices to be sure that your family is getting the best return on investment (we're confident you'll choose our team).

Our family has limited finances. Does that mean we can’t get help from your team?
Do not assume that your family’s financial situation means you can’t get help from our team. We have options to assist families of all socioeconomic backgrounds and provide flexible payment plans. Email us to learn more. We want to help you through this process!

What are the benefits working with you?
We meet with students and families on a regular basis virtually throughout the process. Not only have we have served on numerous college admission committees and read thousands of students applications, our team also has their Master's of School Counseling degrees. Our team visits dozens of colleges each year to meet with Admissions Officers and find out more about their campuses and academic programs. We offer a supportive community that provides more than college counseling to our students.

When should we begin working with you?
Consulting with our team early in your child’s high school career in order to get advice and suggestions on curriculum planning, testing advice, extracurricular activities, and enrichment opportunities is ideal. In general, however, the majority of our work will occur during junior and senior years of high school, as students begin to identify their college options and prepare college applications. We do not work with elementary or middle school students.

Questions About Professionalism 

How can our family find a reliable and professional college consultant?
You’ve come to the right place! We are committed to providing reliable, professional, and ethical college counseling services to students. 

Is hiring your team to help our child ethical?
Hiring a professional college counselor is ethical. Parents seek outside tutors and coaches to help their children succeed and achieve their goals. A professional college counselor is a “coach” to guide your child through the college search and admissions process with the least amount of stress and anxiety possible.

How do colleges feel about your services?
Colleges disapprove of unethical and unprofessional “consultants” who make unreasonable promises and go too far in assisting students with their college applications. However, colleges also understand that professional college counselors can serve a purpose, especially for students who do not have access to enough personal help from their school counselors. 

What are some things that educational "consultants" should never do?
A professional educational consultant should never guarantee admission to any particular college. They should not write essays, recommendation letters, or other application materials for students. They should not receive financial remuneration for referring students to a particular college, service, or program. They should treat students and parents with respect, and be supportive of their choices. Finally, educational consultants should never abuse the privilege of working with young people in any way. 

What education or training does your team have?
Since we help students make decisions about their college options, it is important that our team stay informed of the higher education landscape. We visit dozens of colleges each year to meet with Admissions Officers and to learn more about their colleges/universities. Our team also has more than 10 years of college admissions experience, with responsibility for reviewing and selecting candidates for admission. We also know "the other side of the desk" as our team holds Master's degrees in School Counseling. Between our education and professional experience working in college admissions, we know the process from all angles.