THE ROAD TO COLLEGE
A ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN
FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
#4 of 20:  January, Part Two

You and your family don’t have to go it alone when researching and applying to colleges.

by Martha Green Quirk, M.A.

“When I applied to college, it wasn’t that complicated,” laments a parent of a high school junior.

No longer is applying to college something high school seniors can do on a Sunday afternoon. No longer do you simply fill out a two-page paper application, write an essay, and mail it to colleges with an application fee. It’s a lot more complicated these days.

Today, almost all college applications are submitted online. Essays are uploaded onto the online application. References are completed online by teachers, sometimes through the high school’s Naviance program. SAT and ACT scores are sent directly to the colleges from the testing agencies at the request of the students. There’s lots of coordinating to be done—and most students and families need help.

But more than the technical requirements of applying to college, there are so many different colleges and programs available to you. If the most important aspect in your college search is identifying colleges that “fit”—academically, socially, athletically—how do you know where to start?

High school counselors are often helpful resources. But they’re inundated with other school duties and responsibilities for student schedules, a large caseload of student-advisees, and other daily tasks. They simply don’t have the opportunity to spend quality time with every senior who wants to go to college.

Therefore, for help in sorting through the complicated and sometimes daunting process of applying to college, many families choose to hire an independent educational consultant.

An extra boost of time and expertise

Independent educational consultants have the time and expertise to answer questions, suggest appropriate timelines, and share their knowledge of hundreds of colleges that they have visited. They are experts about colleges and the process of applying to them, and will offer valuable insights and observations during this process.

At the same time, they will help you and your parents narrow down choices so that the best college “fit” can be found to match your learning styles with their educational and personal objectives.

An independent educational consultant can also assist with other aspects of the application process once appropriate colleges have been identified:

• Help students to become organized as they keep track of college deadlines for application, financial aid, scholarships, and supplemental essays
• Assist juniors and seniors as they plan for college visits
• Teach students how to interview successfully with a college admissions officer
• Brainstorm essay topics and learn how to convey a sense of themselves through the personal statement and college-specific supplementary essays
• Share ideas on creating appropriate résumés of high school and community activities
• Offer guidance on completing applications that are free from grammar, spelling, and other errors
• Counsel students on how to prepare for standardized testing; discuss the differences between the ACT, the SAT, and SAT Subject Tests; and advise students on Score Choice
• Give advice on selecting those individuals who will be asked to write letters of recommendation
• Provide answers to questions or give guidance about financial aid issues

Use of consultants increasing

Independent educational consultants are used by more students than you might think.

According to a recently released independent survey by Lipman Hearne, conducted in cooperation with the National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), 26% of high-achieving seniors used an independent educational consultant in their college search and application process.

This information comes from the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) in Fairfax, Virginia, which “represents the profession of college consulting around the world, demanding the most experience, education, training, and preparation of its members.”

IECA Executive Director Mark Sklarow indicates that “the new survey provides evidence that…educational consultants are very much being employed in the mainstream and work with approximately 160,000 college applicants each year.”

It’s still up to you

Sklarow hastens to add that while consultants’ primary value is in suggesting a college list that matches student interests, goals, and preferences, it is paramount that the students then conduct their own research, visit colleges, and, in the end, make their own college decision.

While it is important to remember that while an independent educational consultant is an invaluable help as you navigate through this process, there is no implied guarantee of acceptance to any particular college.

Nor is there any back-door relationship with any college that would give any student any special advantage. Fees are paid to the consultant only from the families, not from the colleges.

The educational consultant simply brings expertise, know-how, time, and commitment to finding and suggesting colleges that best fit each individual student. It’s then up to you to convey your best self to those colleges.

Choosing the right college is more than selecting a school based on a numerical ranking. It’s about finding a college that has the right environment to ensure your educational, personal, and social growth. It’s about finding a school where you will do more than survive. You’ll thrive for four years, because the college is a right fit. And an independent educational consultant can help you achieve that goal.

 

Martha Green Quirk, M.A., has been active in the college admissions field for over 30 years, including many years as dean of admissions at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. In 2008 she founded her own independent educational consulting company, College Admissions Consulting (CAC), in St. Louis, Missouri.

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