Private college counselors help students and families navigate the increasingly complicated and confusing process of preparing, selecting, and applying to colleges. But what do they really do? How much does college counseling cost? Is the price worth it? An admissions expert explains how college counseling can help your family and to understand the costs–and benefits–of hiring a professional.
One of the best ways to learn about a college is to talk to a college admissions counselor. That person represents the college and is responsible for communicating everything about the college to you–the prospective applicant. How do you take best advantage of this opportunity? What are the questions to ask a college admissions counselor? An expert college advisor provides a comprehensive list of questions that will help you get the most out of the conversations.
International students who want to do their undergraduate studies in the United States may need professional advice and guidance. The university admissions process in the US is quite different from that in most other countries. If you seek college counseling for international students, you will want to read this post about the kinds of advice you might receive, and to help you find the right advisor for you.
College applicants everywhere want to know, does volunteer matter for college admissions? The answer is yes. But it isn’t about the number of hours or even the place where you volunteer. Rather, it’s about how dedicated you are to helping those whom you serve, as well as the impact you make in that volunteer position. It’s not so much what you do or where you do it. Instead, the college admissions officers care about how well you do something, and whether it had a lasting effect on the organization you served.
What really looks good on a college application? Fancy summer programs? You’d be surprised…
How many applications is the magic number to submit for admission? Many experts come up with a formula to answer this question. I hear counselors say something like this all the time: 3 “stretches”, 5 “targets,” and 2 “safeties.” But the number of applications depends entirely on who you are and what you want. If you think things through carefully, perhaps you will need to apply to only one!
