When it comes to college applications, the figures might be intimidating. Elite colleges have admittance rates in the single digits. A four-year degree can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and applicants are frequently forced to produce a slew of essay responses rather than a single personal statement.
If the notion of it all makes your head spin, support is available in the form of Clark College Consulting Services.
Getting into a dream college or university is, without question, something that millions of high school students around the world consider in the years leading up to applying to institutions. As a result, many students decide to use college consulting.
With colleges requiring more and more of the kids who apply and accepting fewer and fewer students each year, college consulting has become a popular alternative for students and their families worldwide.
Higher education consultants work with high school seniors in the same manner that business consultants work with corporations. They assist the student in achieving their desired objective by planning, prepping, and advising them on how to excel.
Whether you are a high school senior – or the parent of a high schooler – considering hiring a counsellor, chances are you have questions regarding the benefits and drawbacks, the hiring procedure, and much more.
Fortunately, you’ve arrived at the correct place!
So, with that said, let us begin by breaking down things we believe every high schooler must know about the fascinating world of counselling.
The Pros-
1. Students Receive Critical Advice on the Best Schools for Themselves
The fundamental fact about kids applying to universities is that they can only make educated guesses when selecting a suitable fit. Every individual is unique, as are all schools. This can make it challenging to discover the best option for a single student, even if they pick from a limited range of specialised colleges.
Finally, going to college is a significant investment, and both parents and students want to ensure that they make the right choice.
Ultimately, a college education is an investment opportunity for a young man or woman. However, as previously stated, it can be challenging to recognise when you are making a substantial investment.
Counselling services might be highly beneficial in this situation. By getting to know the student on an organisational and individual level, they can give their extensive professional expertise in the industry to assist students in determining which colleges to apply to.
Without a second thought, the kid and their family will always have the last say, but a university admissions coach can significantly assist in this regard.
2. Consultants Assist in the Development Of a Successful Plan
A lack of a solid plan is one of the most significant challenges high school students face when taking admissions to the colleges and universities of their choice. College applications may seem chaotic, but if you look at them closely, they are more like an exact science.
College admissions officials only perceive it that way, which is why they can teach tried-and-true success tactics to the kids with whom they work. Indeed, families who can do so choose to use university admissions officials early in a student’s high school years.
Admissions experts can advise students on what extracurricular activities to participate in, how to lay the foundations for outstanding teacher referrals early in their high school days, what courses to take, how to study for AP exams, and how to prepare for standardised tests, and often more.
Indeed, the most crucial areas that admissions experts assist with are the applications themselves. Any college consultant good at their job would be a maestro at helping students write the most satisfactory possible personal statement.
3. Make Up for the Absence of Guidance Supplied By High School Counsellors
High school counsellors, ideally, would be the ones to assist all high schoolers in receiving the crucial assistance that they require to equip them for the college admissions process. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
As a result, parents are correct to assume that they must invest in ensuring that their pupils receive the minimum assistance required throughout the process and great coaching.
Children will no longer have to wait anxiously for their few visits with a counsellor. Still, they would be free to question any issues they have with somebody who is far better qualified to provide the most excellent answers and information!
The Cons-
1. It can Be Pretty Expensive
This should be no surprise, especially if you’ve already considered the costs of consulting with a college admissions consultant. This relationship is ultimately formed on hours of one-on-one work between a professional adviser and a pupil.
Higher education is an expensive endeavour in any case. If we consider a student’s university education a significant investment, any funds should be well worth it.
Nonetheless, any student and family considering hiring a counsellor should be completely aware.
2. The Difference Between The Real and The Fake can Be Difficult to Distinguish
The industry of college admission advisors is unregulated, with no licenses or norms that a corporation or individual must strictly adhere to. Anyone can pretend to have the expertise and charge a high fee to “assist” a student in making their university admissions fantasies a reality.
This is particularly pertinent because admissions advising allows anyone to “sell a dream” by convincing a student that they are eligible to apply to highly competitive colleges when this is not the case.
Despite how persuasive or knowledgeable a college admission counsellor appears to be, everybody must ensure that they conduct their investigation on every organisation and individual they are contemplating.
Conduct online research to find reviews and textual experiences from present and previous clientele.
3. It is Possible That A Student Does Not Need One
Before a kid fully commits to consulting with a university admissions counsellor, they and their family should have an honest discussion about whether or not one is required.
Finally, if a student wants one and believes it will benefit them, that may be sufficient reason to pursue it. Still, it is also critical to ensure that you are not spending time & expense on something that the student doesn’t genuinely require.
It should offer you a fair sense of the services you should be searching for. Of course, each high school kid is unique, as are their requirements and ambitions. What counts most is choosing an advisor who is more than prepared to assist a pupil with most of their needs.