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Factors to Consider When Looking for a College Admissions Consultant
The college admission process can be as stressful and exhausting to parents as it is to students. Students need to prepare so they can get accepted to the university of their choice. Parents, on the other hand, will lend emotional and financial support to make it happen.
Investing in college admissions counseling reduces this stress and anxiety plaguing students and their parents. Once you are sure that you need to work with an admissions counselor, you need to find a seasoned advisor who can provide you with individualized, accurate, and honest guidance all through the application process.
To help you find the right counselor, check out these guidelines.
Characteristics of a Great Counselor
First and foremost, you have to make sure that the counselor has extensive experience in college admissions. Also, make sure that he has affiliation with either of these professional educational groups – HECA, NACAC, or IECA. These two preliminary questions can already establish the credibility of your chosen admissions counselor.
On top of these, also make sure that your counselor regularly joins conferences and college campus visits. If he does, you can be sure that he is updated on the current trends and events. Do not forget to make your counselor write down the breadth and depth of the services he will be offering. If you can draw up a contract that expressly provides for the deliverables of your counselor, the better it is.
Also, take note of the way the counselor treats the students with whom he works. It is ideal to work with a counselor that respects the unique aspirations and talents of each student. The counselor can do this properly if he takes time to know each of his students. Be keen on the way the counselor communicates with you. A great counselor makes it a habit to communicate effectively and promptly.
Responsibilities of a Counselor
In choosing a professional who will work for your child’s college admissions counseling, make sure that they will take care of the following tasks:
- Assist you and your child in finalizing your college list – All of you should brainstorm and come up with a final list.
- Help in finding enrichment and summer programs to help enhance your child’s life, not just to make an impressive resume.
- Give thoughtful advice on both extracurricular activities and the choice of a college curriculum.
- Brainstorm on the application requirements and scholarship essays.
- Help draft your child’s college application and resume.
A college admissions counselor should be involved in every aspect of the application process. He should be assisting your child in choosing which schools to apply, identifying the requirements, making the application, building their resume, and so on. If the counselor understands the student’s strengths and weaknesses, it will be easy for him to capitalize on these assets to increase the likelihood of admission.
Final Thoughts on College Admissions Consultant
As a parent, you must give your child the best, and part of this is making sure that he enters a reputable university or college. If you feel like you cannot do this task alone, feel free to hire college admissions counselors. With these experts at your disposal, you and your family can be more at ease going forward.
