Why Hire an Independent College Consultant?

What value does a college consultant offer? This is something you can do on your own, right?

Of course it is, but here are some important facts to consider:

• Competition for acceptance is tougher than ever – colleges are looking for much more than good grades in a prospective student.
• Every year, more and more students are relying on independent college consultants to improve their odds of acceptance.
• The average caseload for high school counselors is between 250-500 students. Burdened by tremendous caseloads and lacking both the time and fiscal resources needed to travel and learn about new colleges, many public counselors can no longer provide the level of care that parents and students require.
• State schools aren’t always the more affordable, easier-to-get-into option they once were.
• There are more than 3,500 colleges nationwide – it’s a challenge to sift through even a fraction of them to find the best fit for your student! We help you showcase your student’s talents, abilities and uniqueness through your college application essays.
• We are experts about colleges and the process of applying to them and will offer valuable insights and observations during this process.
• We help eliminate the stress about meeting application deadlines.
• We can help you find those schools which best fit the financial needs of your family. This includes valuable advice on applying for grants and financial aid.
• We provide individual attention to you and your student – professionally, confidentially, and compassionately.
• We are student advocates.
• We help you manage the seemingly endless paperwork.
• With tuition rates at all-time highs, choosing the wrong college can be even more costly if the student has a bad experience and, consequently, transfers, loses credits or worse yet, drops out!
• We visit colleges to offer you firsthand information.
• Families need a safe and secure way to assess their educational options and to make intelligent and wise choices without pressure. By collaborating with an educational consultant, students and parents can make good decisions, gain peace of mind, preserve healthy family relationships and reduce stress.
• According to a recently released independent survey by Lipman Hearne, conducted in cooperation with the National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), 26% of high-achieving seniors used an independent educational consultant in their college search and application process.