College admissions consulting is becoming big business as the number of applicat

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College Admissions Consulting

Why do you need college admissions consulting? You already have a terrific high school counselor. Your parents are uber-involved in your college admission process, and your grades are fantabulous. Again, we revisit the question: Which college do you want to attend?For many, if not most colleges, you’ve got enough going for you to give you a realistic shot at admissions.

It seems to me that college admissions consulting can be helpful in two general categories of students:

The first group are those students who are preparing early (say in the 7th or 8th grades), and are focused on admission into one of the top colleges in the nation. This includes maximizing high school course selections, dual credit courses, and gaining full benefit from extracurricular, and community service activities.
The second group are those students who are close to graduation (juniors and seniors) who need consultants to help organize their applications, advise them on college matches, and maximize their strengths in a limited amount of time.

Although the first instance is more costly, it will ultimately provide the biggest advantage in admissions.

An Example:

Take for example the college entrance essay. Are you a strong writer? Do you have a crystal clear understanding of what the college admission department is looking for in an essay? Maybe you do, but more than likely you think you know what they want.

Now think of this. What if your consultant could edit or comment and strengthen your essay. What if they could give you more guidance on what to write and why? What if they told you that admissions staff read essays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for months on end? Could you see how this might emphasize how important it is to catch their attention.

Your consultant could stop you from writing a “vanilla” essay, and get you thinking about an essay that someone might truly want to read. Did you know that your essay isn’t just about how hard you worked, and how many hardships you conquered? Have you ever thought that maybe the essay should demonstrate your hunger for learning? Your ability to think? The impact that you’ve made in your school or community?

Schools don’t necessarily want kids who can come up with the standard answers. They want kids who can think, are creative, and are smart enough to use their knowledge to make an impact in the lives of others.

Some Things To Think About

Hiring a consulting firm isn’t cheap, but thanks to the internet, they are easier to find, and many offer consulting in person, via internet or through the sale of their software, audio products or books.

And although I speak mostly about the admission process for undergraduate studies, college admissions consulting firms generally also provide their services for graduate studies, law school, and medical school.

So, the original questions is still un-answered. That’s because it’s an individual choice. A choice that requires you to assess your financial ability to hire a college admissions consulting firm, whether you are trying to get into one of the top colleges in the nation, or whether you’re a first generation college student, and need a little extra help from a knowledgeable source.

If you’re interested in hiring a college admissions consulting firm, here are a few things you should consider:

Do you have the money to hire a college admissions consulting firm? If not, no need to go any further.
How important is it that you get into your number one school choice? If getting into any college will do, don’t waste your money
If you’re a parent, and you have the money, do you spend it on a private high school or a college admissions consulting firm?
Does the college admissions consulting firm publicly publish their success rates? And are they accurate? What about the school that you’re specifically interested in? Lets say you want to get into Harvard. What are the firms success rates for Harvard? And were the admitted students similar in background to you?
Who owns or works for the college admissions consulting firm? What is their background? Don’t just look for an alphabet soup after their name, but do they have actual experience working in a college admissions department? What kind of insider information do they have that you might not have thought about?
How extensive is their help? Do they meet personally with you? By phone? E-mail? Text message? What services do they provide? Will they edit your essay? Review and edit your applications? Help you choose high school classes for maximum impact? Help you get ready for the SAT or ACT? Counsel you on good matches for colleges and majors?

This isn’t to say that you can’t do this all on your own. But just as mentors have become popular in business, consultants give you the added advantage of having someone in your corner that’s been through this before, and truly understands what the admissions offices are looking for.

SBI!