Why and How to Talk to a College Prep Advisor Online
It’s no secret that the college admissions process is long and mind-bogglingly complicated. If you’ve decided to seek independent help to guide you through the process, you’re not alone! In today’s digital world, one great option is working with a college prep advisor online. Once you’ve decided to go this direction, you may be left wondering how to talk to a college prep advisor online. It’s normal to be a bit nervous! In this post, we’ll break down online college counseling so that you know what to expect and can feel calm and confident going into it.
How does online college counseling work?
The way that online college counseling works can vary slightly from counselor to counselor, but most counselors use similar core methods. Most of the time, you’ll meet with your counselor regularly one-on-one via video conferencing (FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Meets are all popular options). During these meetings, your counselor may walk you through questionnaires or a set curriculum to help you understand the college options as well as what you personally are looking for. Your counselor will most likely use this information to help you build a list of schools and to help you develop a timeline for completing your applications.
Once you have your application plan in place, it’s time to put your nose to the grindstone and get to work! Many college prep advisors will also help you brainstorm and write your essays. Sometimes a college prep advisor may refer you to an essay coach who specializes in essays. In either case, you will most likely meet with your essay coach via video conferencing. Most essay coaches will have you draft and edit your essays in Google Docs or a similar cloud-based word processor. Only once your essays are complete will you copy-paste the text into the Common App, the University of California application, or whatever other application platform you’re using.
How to find a college prep advisor online
There are many ways to find a college prep advisor online. Like any other service, it’s a good idea to ask around. Have your friends or parents’ friends used a counselor they liked? SAT and ACT tutors often are in contact with college prep advisors, so if you know any test prep tutors, it might be a good idea to ask them for a recommendation.
Another option is to read college prep blogs. Often, college prep advisors will keep blogs (like this one!) where they showcase their expertise and perspectives about the college process. When you find someone whose ideas align with yours, that’s a good indication that that counselor might be a good fit for you.
College prep advisors also have a couple professional organizations. There’s the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). Both of these organizations keep lists of college prep advisors on their websites in order to help you find someone to work with.
What to ask your online college advisor
Once you find your online college advisor, it’s time to figure out what to talk about. If you’re nervous about this, relax! This may be your first time going through the college application process, but your counselor has done this dozens or even hundreds of times. Let them lead the conversation. They will probably ask you about your goals, experiences, credentials, and values. Be prepared to talk about the experiences you’ve had so far and what you think you’d like to get out of your college education. But if you don’t know that either, don’t worry! Part of their job is to help you figure out where you’re going.
If you do have specific questions, don’t be afraid to bring those up! You may be wondering whether you should submit your test scores, how to audition or submit a portfolio, or how to reach out to athletic coaches, among many other questions. Write your questions down ahead of time so that you don’t forget during your sessions. But if you do forget or get sidetracked, don’t worry! You can always follow your session up with an email to ask any lingering questions.
Why talk to an online college counselor
Talking to a college prep advisor is a great way to make sure you’re navigating the crazy world of college admissions to your best ability. Specifically, talking to someone online can have many benefits over talking with someone in person. For one thing, working online saves you the time and stress of having to commute to an in-person location. It’s also likely that an advisor who is used to operating in the online space will be more responsive to online follow up questions or communications.
Beyond the convenience, however, it’s important to remember that college admissions is very much a national game. Even if you’re planning to stay close to home for college, you still may be competing against kids from across the country. For that reason, you really want someone with a broad, national perspective. Counselors can only develop that type of insight by working with students from across the country and even around the world. And only counselors who work online are afforded that kind of opportunity. So choosing an online college prep advisor, rather than an in-person one, can have important benefits throughout the process.
If you’re worried about how to talk to an online college prep advisor, don’t be! A big part of the college prep advisor’s job is helping high school students feel comfortable. Your advisor is going to walk you through the process. All you have to do is keep an open mind and communicate as best you can!
Need more advice on your college applications?
The team at Great College Advice has deep experience in guiding students along the road from high school college. We provide individually tailored, one-on-one advising to help young people achieve their educational ambitions. If you’d like more information about our services, contact us for a free consultation. Or just pick up the phone and call us at 720.279.7577. We’d be happy to chat with you.
