As the selectivity for college admissions continues to rise, parents become worried and
anxious. Each year, we hear about top students who have been denied by their dream
schools. This news causes high school students to become anxious and pressured to take
more AP classes. As a result, many students have much less time to purse their
extracurricular activities and enjoy their high school years. With guidance counselors
having increased case-loads in large public high schools, it’s no wonder that teenagers
feel lost as they approach their senior year. In addition, the college landscape has
changed quite a bit. Parents often do not know how to advise their sons and daughters.
Even navigating the college application is something foreign to them, since they did not
apply online when they were in high school. It’s very understandable why a family
would seek the help of an expert for their child.
According to Lipman Hearne, one of the nation’s top marketing and communications
firms released an independent survey titled “High-Achieving Seniors and the College
Decision.” Based on their findings, which was a surprise to them, 26 percent of students
hired an independent educational consultant. As we can see, many families see the need
for outside assistance in this area.
The question for us is whether you should follow through with this decision for your
family. Let’s take a closer look at why a family would seriously consider this option and
how you might go about finding the right counselor for your student.
Why Do Families Hire a Private College Counselor?
Families hire counselors for many reasons. The key is to use the counselor’s expertise to
help educate you in the college admissions process. How much do you know about
applying to college? After spending an evening at the college admissions presentation at
your local high school, do you still have questions? Perhaps your child is a strong student
with definite ideas about where he wants to attend. Are you worried that he or she will
not be accepted after spending so much time on extracurricular activities and classwork?
Do you have a good idea of where your child wants to attend, in state, out of state. At
Greenhaus College Consulting, we work with students on enhancing and building their
student resumes starting from grades 9 and 10. By doing so, when students begin the
college search process in grades 11 and 12, they are well prepared.
Here are several more reasons to seek professional assistance
College Scholarships
If your family is looking for a way to cut the cost of college, an independent counselor
can guide you through the maze of financial aid and possible scholarships. Independent
college counselors will explain the differences between public and private colleges and
help you to create a balanced list of schools along with information on tuition, housing
and top tips for cutting costs.
Getting Off to a Great Start
Your student has no idea what he or she is interested in studying and you have limited
knowledge of how to help them. Independent college counselors have knowledge about
personality testing and are skilled at matching students with ideal college options. If the
student is interested in business and wants to study within 100 miles of his home, the
counselor will give a list of available options. Greenhaus College Consulting has a 4-step
progressive process that helps the student identify his learning style, academic interests
and personality strengths. This process will be invaluable for many students who need to
focus on their strengths and how to apply these ideas toward choosing the right college.
Accommodations for Learning Disabilities
If your student has a learning disability, you will more than likely want to find a
supportive environment for higher learning. An independent college counselor can
organize opportunities for you and your student to meet with the disability offices at a
variety of schools on your list. These visits will give you an idea of which schools offer
the necessary support. Greenhaus College Consulting has in-depth knowledge in this
area since we have supported a vast number of students with learning disabilities over
the years. We have a freshman transition program for our seniors which helps them to
learn how to advocate for themselves and interface with the disabilities office at their
school.
Vast Knowledge of Mostly Unfamiliar Majors
Your student might be interested in engineering, computer science or pre-med. An independent
counselor can help prepare the student for subject tests, refer him or her to a tutor and compile a
list of selective and less selective colleges with admissions statistics from over the past few years.
This type of information can open a door that unlocks your student’s future. College admissions
is highly selective, but most engineering and computer science programs are even more selective.
If we are interested in applying directly to one of these majors, we will want to have an expert
help us to create a balance list.
Expert Advice to Grab Your Child’s Attention
You may enjoy helping your child with major life decisions, but he or she may not always want to
listen to your advice. Does it not make sense, then, to have an outside expert partnering with
your family for this journey? Independent counselors will encourage your child to do a good job
with their essays and applications and help them to establish a good relationship with their
teaches and counselors who will be writing their letter of recommendation.
What Should I Look for in an Independent Counselor?
At this point, you can see a few of the obvious benefits of having an independent admissions
advisor. The next step is to interview a few counselors to find the perfect fit for your family.
There are many independent counselors that work with students on college essays and reviewing
applications. When you interview a counselor or look at their website, check to see if they are
vetted by a professional organization. Are they a member of the Independent Educational
Consultants Association These counselors must go through a rigorous vetting process that
includes having an advance degree, visiting over 50 colleges and documenting their past success
with previous clients.
If you are hiring an admissions consultant for your family, make sure they are the best fit for your
child. Try to work with them for a few sessions to see how your child responds. This should be a
good experience for your family, because having a counselor should ease the stressful burden
weighing on the shoulders of families today. Greenhaus College Consulting is a professional
member of the IECA and Higher Education Consultants. For more information contact them at: website Connect With Greenhaus College Consulting on Google+
