The conversations usually start during your sophomore year of high school. "Do you know where you’re going to college?" "It will be here before you know it." Most high school students don’t give much thought to such college talk with graduation still a year or two away. At first, you may realize that you need to gear up your activities and prepare for standardized tests like the ACT and the SAT. Of course, you will meet with your guidance counselor to choose the right high school classes and ensure you are on track for college admission requirements. As the weeks and months of high school move along, you realize that shortly, you'll be in the thick of applying to colleges, planning campus visits and cranking out essays. Applying to college can be a rite of passage; it is the catalyst for some of the most important years of your life. Before you begin the college application process, however, you need to find colleges that are right for you in terms of both your personality and your academic goals.
College consultants come in many forms. Most are individuals who have some expertise in college admissions and college planning, and who will, for a fee, provide guidance to help you find colleges and assist with your application process. When you search online for college consultants, however, you may be surprised to find some companies who bill themselves as consultants, but are really just selling a college review guidebook or a seminar on choosing a college. If you decide to hire a college consultant, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.
If you come across a consulting website that highlights a college guide, expect a price range from $50 to over $300. Always check the source or author of the guide to make sure that the information is credible. Understand that the information you get from reading a guide may provide some context about a college or university, but the information may not be personalized for you. To get personalized information from a college consultant, you may need to pay more – college consultants can charge anywhere from $750 to $5,000 or more for counseling services for college applicants. Whether or not you choose to use college guides or a college consultant to help you with your college search, you may also want to consider using the time-saving, stress-relieving WiseChoice system. You can become a member of WiseChoice and have access to the college matching system that generates a customized list of colleges that match you and your unique personality and preferences. Additionally, the WiseChoice system will navigate you through the career exploration process, help you with college visits and the application process, and keep you on-track while searching for scholarships, applying for financial aid, and much more.
If you decide to hire an independent educational consultant or a private college advisor, make sure he or she is the right one. The consultant should have detailed information about his or her background readily available. Inquire about professional credentials, like the Certified Educational Planner (CEP) designation, and recognized affiliations, like membership in the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) or the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). These professional membership organizations demand certain qualifications, including counseling or admissions experience and documented college knowledge and campus visits. Also, be sure to ask for references. Search for the consultant’s name and the name of the company online to try and locate either testimonials or unhappy customers; it is unlikely the consultant will voluntarily provide you with examples of people who were less than thrilled with their experience. If you are going to spend money to hire a college consultant, make sure the consultant is a professional who has been able to produce valuable results for other students in the past.
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