Hiring an Independent College Counselor

Should you hire an independent counselor? The first step in deciding whether to seek outside services is to assess your individual needs and evaluate the resources available in your own school.

• Does your school have counselors who spend a significant amount of time counseling students through the college admissions process?

• Have the school’s counselors received special training through regional or national workshops for college counseling?

• Is there a college/career center where you can have access to books, applications, computer programs, and other materials for individual resources?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you may not feel the need to seek additional assistance.

Independent Counselors Should:

• Insist that students be the sole authors of their college applications & essays.

• Help the student understand that no one can guarantee admission to any college or have influence on admissions decisions reached by institutions.

• Encourage students to consider a range of institutions for admission, not just emphasizing admission to highly selective or prestigious universities.

• Educate students about scare tactics used in some marketing campaigns.