| Four years of college at many private | | | | than 50%. These students often need help to |
| colleges currently costs between $180,000 and | | | | find a college that can help the student |
| $200,000. | | | | learn and yet graduate in a reasonable period |
| | | | of time. |
| For many students the work to find the right | | | | |
| college often creates stress for both the | | | | Another group of students that often benefit |
| student and their parents. The student is | | | | from the help of a private college consultant |
| trying to balance the college search with | | | | are those with unusual circumstances. |
| homework, extracurricular activities, | | | | Students with special needs and learning |
| friendships and just being a teenager. | | | | disabilities need to find colleges that have |
| Finding the right balance can be difficult. | | | | certain resources not available at all |
| At the same time, parents worry about | | | | colleges. Home schooled students can also |
| ensuring the best future for their child and | | | | benefit from an experienced private |
| put additional pressure on the student when | | | | consultant. Many colleges are unsure how to |
| they least need it. | | | | evaluate a student without traditional grades |
| | | | and this can put home schooled students at a |
| Working with a consultant can take some of | | | | disadvantage. A college consultant can work |
| that pressure away. A good consultant can | | | | with the student to communicate their |
| take a step back and help the student address | | | | strongest qualities in a way that the |
| those issues related to the college search | | | | colleges will understand. |
| process without being a nagging parent. | | | | |
| Parents are left to provide the nurturing | | | | Many students rely on high school guidance |
| they can do best. | | | | counselors to help them in the search for the |
| | | | right college. Some students are fortunate to |
| A private college consultant can also help to | | | | have an experienced college guidance |
| understand what is needed to gain admission | | | | counselor with whom to work. Even these hard |
| to colleges as they have become more | | | | working professionals, however, do not have |
| selective. Even those schools once considered | | | | the time to work one on one with those |
| safety schools by many students have gotten | | | | students who want such support. |
| more selective in their admissions and can no | | | | |
| longer be considered safety schools. | | | | More commonly, many guidance counselors just |
| | | | don't have the time to spend helping each |
| The days are gone when high grades and test | | | | student with the college search process. With |
| scores alone could guarantee admission to | | | | an average ratio of almost 500 students for |
| many colleges. Colleges now look at the | | | | each counselor, many high school counselors |
| student's extra curricular activities, their | | | | can't take the time to help students with |
| interests and their volunteer efforts. They | | | | individualized college counseling. Because |
| evaluate how well the student communicates | | | | of time constraints it is not uncommon that |
| through their essays and often how the | | | | many of these busy counselors only know about |
| student presents themselves in the interview | | | | in state schools that they deal with on a |
| process. The college consultant knows how to | | | | regular basis. They often don't have the time |
| help the student effectively communicate who | | | | to familiarize themselves with highly |
| they are to the college admissions office. | | | | selective colleges or colleges for the |
| | | | student with particular needs. |
| However, it is not just top students that | | | | |
| need help finding the right college. Finding | | | | Given the many issues that must be examined |
| the right college for the less competitive | | | | in finding the right college, and the costs |
| student is just as important. Many less | | | | involved, it is not surprising that it is |
| competitive colleges have higher drop out | | | | common for students at top colleges to use a |
| rates and lower graduation rates than some of | | | | private consultant to help them find the |
| the well known colleges. It is common to find | | | | right college. |
| colleges with four year graduation rates less | | | | |