You may be asking yourself, “Why hire an independent college admissions counselor?” Because we are singularly dedicated to guiding and supporting your child throughout the college search and selection process. We help students identify the colleges that best match their interests and abilities and maximize their chances of being admitted to those institutions. While many public and private schools have experienced college counselors, they often manage a large caseload of dozens or hundreds of students. Some may simply not have the time to give students the full attention they deserve.
At College Match Plus we work with a small, manageable number of students. This enables us to give every student personal guidance through every step of the college application process. We help students develop a targeted college search list that identifies schools where he or she has the strongest chances of admission. We also offer assistance in brainstorming and editing all college essays. And we help families understand how best to determine the actual cost of college and the likely need-based financial aid and scholarships their child might receive from a given college.
Our comprehensive packages include:
College Search Plus
College Search Plus provides a one-time, 90-minute college counseling session in person or by Skype with the student and parents. This comprehensive session covers areas important to a student’s college planning and is based on a complete evaluation of a student’s academic transcript, test scores, and personal interests and talents. This personal evaluation includes:
- Reviewing student and parent questionnaires, interest assessment, high school academic transcript, and test scores submitted to us before the session.
- A meeting with the student and parents to review all aspects of preparation for college with suggestions on possible areas of improvement. Topics covered:
- Preferred college type, location, size, reputation, etc.
- Intended/possible majors
- High school course distribution, level
- High school grades, GPA, class rank
- Academic and non-academic honors
- PSAT, SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Test, and AP scores
- Extra-curricular activities in school
- Individual talent
- Leadership roles
- Activities outside of school
- Summer activities
- Community service
- Work for pay
- Hobbies and interests
- Special circumstances
- An admission committee-type review of academic credentials by using the BCP Evaluator™ to give the student an academic rating. (College Match Plus has an affiliate arrangement with Don Betterton, the former Financial Aid Director and Admissions Committee member at Princeton University. This arrangement gives us license to use the highly predictive BCP Evaluator™ to create a targeted college list that realistically projects a student’s chances of admission at competitive colleges).
- An admission committee-type review of personal activities and attributes by using the BCP Evaluator™ to give the student a personal rating.
- Combining the two ratings to give the student an overall admission rating.
- Comparing that rating to the selectivity level of listed colleges, arranging schools into categories that reflect admission chances.
- Suggesting other colleges based on student preferences and admission probabilities.
- Recommendations on SAT/ACT testing schedule.
College Search Plus is offered to second semester sophomores, juniors and seniors.
College Application Plus
We offer College Application Plus to students in the later part of the sophomore year, during the junior year, continuing through the student’s college matriculation decision. Personalized to reflect the needs of each student, this package can include:
- College planning advice and tips regarding college essays, campus visits, testing and admissions deadlines and other critical activities and dates important to keep in mind.
- Extensive assistance in the critical area of brainstorming, writing and editing all college essays from the Common Application personal statement and other supplemental essays required by a specific college or university.
- Assistance in developing a personal resume/college activity list for submission to colleges during the application process.
- Identification of scholarship opportunities based on a student’s academic qualifications and talents.
- General advice about college costs and need-based financial aid programs. Optionally, we offer a more comprehensive financial aid assessment to evaluate the family’s financial situation and eligibility for scholarships and/or need-based aid at schools identified on the student’s college search list.
- Interview preparation to give students the opportunity to answer questions an admissions representative or alumna of the college or admissions representative might ask. Mock interviews give students valuable tips and help them gain the confidence they need to make a positive impression.
- Refinement of a student’s final college application list.
- Athletic recruitment timing and advice.
- Online tracking and reminders to students of all college application requirements and deadlines.
- Final review of completed applications before they are submitted to colleges.
Custom Services
We also offer our assistance on an hourly basis or as part of a customized package of services. For example, a family might need a quick consultation about standardized testing strategies, timing, and test prep. And another family may want a package that covers helping a student develop, write, and finalize all college essays. We can meet both needs.
Free Consultation
Call Kate Cleary for a free consultation at (410) 458-6184.