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College Planning
There are many steps to the college planning process.
Outlined below are key steps that all college
applicants should consider as they begin their higher
education journey.
HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM MAPPING -
ACADEMIC PREPAREDNESS
Students who are planning to apply to college in their
senior year of high school can benefit from early academic
preparedness. It is important that high school students
create a plan of study that includes courses that colleges
and universities seriously consider when reviewing admissions
applications. Our High School Curriculum Mapping service
helps students map out a high school plan of study that
includes courses that provide a solid foundation for college
success and improve their college admissions options. We
also complete a review of extracurricular activities to
determine which ones will best support their college
applications.
CREATING THE INTEREST LIST
Many students know that they want to pursue a college degree
but become very overwhelmed with the search for the right
school. While we do not have an exact formula for choosing
the "right" college, we are able to help students create a
list of colleges that meet the student’s college search
criteria. We consider this the long list of institutions to
which the student will consider visiting and/or submitting
an application.
CREATING THE FINAL COLLEGE
APPLICATION LIST
Once the long list is developed, we help the student narrow
the list of schools to which the student will apply. We do
this by examining the academic record, standardized test
scores, extracurricular activities, and strengths and
weaknesses of the student. We also consider potential
financial aid opportunities offered by each school on the
final list.
THE COLLEGE ESSAY
Most colleges require the submission of a short or long
essay and/or personal statement as part of the admissions
process. Some students feel overwhelmed with selecting a
topic to write about or deciding what to say about
themselves in a personal statement. We can provide guidance
in the area of topic selection and brainstorming ideas for a
personal statement as well as offering editorial feedback to
make the essay more polished.
THE COLLEGE APPLICATION
While every college requires an application for admission,
almost every application can ask for different information.
Many students now submit their applications online. We help
students prepare their applications by offering guidance on
how best to present information within the confines of the
application requirements. We can help parents and students
prepare for the campus interview and tour.
COLLEGE SELECTION
After a student has applied to various colleges and
universities, the college selection decision making process
must begin. We help guide parents and students through this
emotional and anxiety producing process of making the final
decision of where to attend. We believe that successful
college students select schools that "fit" their
personalities and academic ability while offering challenging
yet realistic opportunities. We consider college financing
when making the final college selection.
FINANCIAL AID
For most families, college cost becomes a factor in the
final decision of where to attend college. We help parents
and students manage the college financing process by
exploring merit and need-based financial aid opportunities
during the college planning process. We explore
affordability as an issue early in college planning, so that
when the student must make his or her final choice, both
parent and student understand the impact of cost.
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