What does a college consultant do?

CHESHIRE, Conn. - May 20, 2014 - PRLog -- cCollege is a significant investment. Let’s call it what it is. Families commit as much as $200,000 toward an experience that has the potential to shape their son or daughter’s personal and professional lives, and yet few choose to seek the advice of a college consultant like myself. The average high school counselor here in Connecticut is responsible for approximately 500 students with the average student receiving about an hour of college-related advice during their junior and senior of high school.

Graduation rates are hovering around 45% and the ones who do graduate are entering their young lives with nearly $30,000, on average, in student loan debt. It is all too clear that there is a significant need for more intensive college planning (http://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/college-counseling-services-2/#.U2vQ9_ldWSo). And while a college consultant like me is not a necessity for every family, many families whose son or daughter attends a high school where the college planning is inadequate can benefit from the services I provide:

Do you want to know how to find the right college?

At Dobler College Consulting, I emphasize fit over prestige and rankings stressing the importance of looking for and applying to colleges where the academics, social life and cost fit each of my students. In some cases, these colleges are highly selective and in other cases, they aren’t. Each of my students completes a thorough assessment where I help them identify their values, interests, personality-style and skills (VIPS). By helping them tap into these attributes we are better able to explore majors and career possibilities (http://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/why-you-need-to-ex...), develop ideas for their essays (http://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/the-new-common-app...), make the most of activities (http://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/making-your-extrac...) and find schools where they will thrive academically and personally. Unfortunately, such an approach is rarely provided in our high schools. When it is, it most often happens towards the end of junior year when it is too late to have a meaningful impact on college applications.

Do you want to save money?

College planning comes with a cost but a college consultant should be able to reduce your college-related costs by helping you make more informed decisions. I focus on helping students find colleges where they are more likely to receive significant financial aid, both need-based and/or merit-based. I also assist my families with the financial aid process by helping them maximize their financial aid eligibility, completing required financial aid forms, locating scholarships as well as advising on opportunities to shorten their time to degree completion. Done right, the college-related savings a family realizes should recoup my fee a couple times over.

Ultimately, if you fall into either of these categories, a college consultant like me could be a great fit for you. Having said that, a decision such as this requires you to do your homework. First, check to see if the consultant is a member in good standing with professional organizations such as the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) or the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). Check out their background and experience and make note of whether or not they have worked as a college admissions counselor and/or school counselor. Ask for references and most definitely inquire about their fees.

Yes, a college consultant can be expensive. Currently, my fees range from $500 to $3,800 with services customized to each student’s situation and payment plans to fit each family’s budget. I typically invest anywhere from 40-50 hours to the students who are on a comprehensive plan. In order to deliver a quality service and to be available for each of my students and their parents, I limit my practice to 25 students per grade level. While I work with students at all stages in the process (http://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/college-counseling-services-2/comprehensive-college-counseling/#.U2w22_ldWSo), I can have the most significant impact by starting with students when they are sophomores. Doing so helps them avoid the frustration, disappointment and cost that so many other students experience. At Dobler College Consulting, we help students find their future, and in doing so, provide them and their parents with a service that can be life-changing.