Frequently Asked College Admissions
& Planning Questions
We talk to students and parents everyday (and love it!).
Here are some of our most frequently asked questions about our services and college admissions
Services
Our firm offers an individualized college preparation experience for each and every child we consult with. From planning and preparing in high school, to selecting practical and rewarding universities to apply to, all throughout the admissions process, we will be your guide, your source of knowledge, and your child’s biggest champion.
For schools, we provide a suite of college readiness services for grades 7-12. Please see our “school sheet” for more details.
An ideal time to engage with our firm for college admissions services is 9th/10th grade. We accept juniors based on class availability. If your family is relocating or changing schools, please contact us right away.
We accept new clients throughout the year. The first step to signing up is a conversation with the teen and parents together. You may . It’s important that the student feels comfortable working with us, given the personalized nature of our services. The teen and parent(s) will then sign a consulting agreement, prior to any one-one-one student meetings.
Meetings with students are generally held every 2-4 weeks, depending on goals for college and deadlines. Our center is open year-round with flexible hours, so we do meet in the summers, as well as during holiday breaks.
Absolutely! Whether you are located near our center or across the globe, we can meet with you through our online meeting room or Skype.
College Admissions
Depends on how much you want to pay and the grade level of your son/daughter. For example, if you are comfortable with paying the full cost of attendance at any college where your son/daughter enrolls, then you can start in senior year! For those who are interested in scholarships, then middle school is a reasonable time to start thinking about college (there are even scholarships with a minimum age of 13 to qualify). Starting in middle school allows time for students to make sure that they are taking the right level of courses, building good study habits, and reading more consistently!
That’s the $65,000 question, isn’t it? We support students with getting into the colleges that are a best fit for them. Our students apply to a range of colleges and have been admitted to the most highly selective to non-traditional colleges. We are not packaging students to get into a specific college . . . it’s not in our best interest nor the families we support.
There are a number of factors that typically weigh in the college decision. Those factors include
- Rigor of high school curriculum
- GPA
- Test scores (if college is not ‘test-optional’)
- Well-written, authentic essays
- Strong teacher recommendations (must be from English, Foreign Language, Math, Science or Social Studies teachers)
Colleges do vary in terms of the factors they emphasize in the admissions decision. You may review their website for more details.
General
We’re generally open 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday and noon to 4 pm on Sundays to meet with students and parents. To find a convenient time to meet with a college admissions counselor, please set a time online
Absolutely not! We offer monthly and quarterly payment arrangements for our multi-year packages.
Ouch! I’m not sure if I can answer this question to your satisfaction, since you ask it like that. What I can do is tell you that other families have valued our services for these reasons:
- We offer personal attention to every student
- We care about students thriving in college and graduating (I’m a parent and would be completely broken if I send my kid to college and they hate it . . . what a waste of money and time!)
- We visit colleges throughout the year to make knowledgeable recommendations
- We have a great track record of helping students get scholarship money that they would not have received otherwise (Ask to see our numbers!)
- We don’t have any “favored” colleges that every student must apply to
- We’re a “third-party” in this complex admissions process, which takes the pressure off the parent-teen relationship
There are many other reasons, which are as diverse as the families we support. Please check out our testimonials here to learn more. Ultimately, you will answer this question in your own way.
Yes, we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. (Sorry, we don’t take Diner’s Club, although they have a great points program!)
Get A Roadmap To Guide You
Step-by-step monthly guide to help your teen get in and get money for college, specific to his or her grade level