How To Select The Best College Admissions Counselor For You?

24/08/2022•8 minute read

College Applications, US Admissions, UK Admissions

How To Select The Best College Admissions Counselor For You?

Navigating the college admissions process by yourself can be incredibly difficult! To alleviate some of the burdens, many families choose to engage an expert or what is commonly known as a ‘college admissions counselor’. As students enter their last two years of high school and begin to navigate the complex application process, many find it hard to balance grades and extracurriculars, while simultaneously working out how to stand out above the often fierce competition. Using a college counselor can make this process a whole lot simpler and, if you choose the right counseling service, boost your child’s chances of acceptance to a top college significantly. If you are a parent wondering how to choose the right college admissions counselor for your child, read on to find out!

What Is a College Counselor?

A college counselor is an independent expert on the college admissions process. College counselors can offer various services, ranging from helping students with admissions paperwork, keeping them on top of deadlines, and ensuring aspiring high schoolers are hitting all the necessary requirements to be eligible for admission to their top universities. However, each college counselor is a little different - you can’t find any two that are the same. Unlike high school counselors, who often take a “one size fits all” approach, college counselors tend to be a little more specialized.

Benefits of a College Counselor

Enlisting a college counselor can offer families a myriad of benefits, depending on what they are looking for. Perhaps the most significant benefit parents and students can derive from college counselors is that they will suit your needs and aid you in the required areas. College counselors can help students play up their strengths in the admissions process, identify and improve upon their weaknesses and expose them to universities the student may not have initially considered.

While most families may be wary of the cost involved in engaging a college counselor, it is essential to note that good consultancies, like Crimson Education, craft individual programs for each student — based on that student’s needs and goals. Good consultancies understand that EVERY student is different and should be valued and supported.

Furthermore, college counseling can benefit all types of students, no matter their goals. Our student success page demonstrates how our college counseling services have exponentially increased applicants’ chances of admission to several top universities. Our range of services ensures that our students leave no stone unturned in the application process, maximizing their academic candidacy (e.g., via SAT and subject tutoring), extracurricular candidacy, and essay writing expertise.

What Makes Crimson Different

How to Choose a College Counselor?

Enlisting the help of a college counselor can significantly influence your chances of admission for the better. So, what exactly should you be looking for in a college counselor? Here are eight tips for choosing the right counselor for you

1. Figure out your goals.

Know exactly what you want to get out of partnering with a college admissions counselor, and ensure that the counselor can meet the goals you have in mind.

2. Check out the services they provide.

Do they offer tutoring or test preparation?
Do they help students develop skills they will need for college?
Do they understand the importance of extracurriculars and support their students in building their activities and leadership profiles?

These are just a few of the factors you should consider when deciding upon the right college counselor for you.

3. Consider the structure of your college admissions support

Consider a counseling service that builds a team of experts around your child over one that expects one counselor to cover every aspect of the application.

4. What resources are you looking for?

Decide what resources you want at your disposal when working with a college counselor, and make sure that your counselor can offer these resources (eg: support with research, internships, nuanced essay support).

5. Their expertise

Make sure the college counselor you are considering has a breadth of knowledge and several years of proven experience in the college admissions field.

6. Do some research

Check the website of a college consulting company and make sure to read any success stories they have included. Do they have actual images and quotes from real students? How do their students’ admissions rates compare to that of the general population?

7. Check out their reviews

Look for reviews of the college counseling service you are considering.

8. Book a free consultation

Finally, make sure to book a consultation! Crimson offers free one hour consultations to prospective students, during which one of our expert Academic Advisors will provide a personalized assessment and plan for your child.

Questions to Ask Your College Counselor

Enlisting the support of a college counselor can be a life-changing decision, but it can also involve a financial investment. Since college consulting is not regulated, you should check for red flags when choosing a college counselor. Below is a list of some questions you should ask your prospective counseling service:

What is your background, and how long have you worked in college admissions?
How many students have you worked with, and what is the pattern of their success?
What sorts of counselors will work with my child? What are their background and expertise?
How do you assist students with their college application in areas besides test scores and GPA, such as extracurriculars and essay crafting?
Are you a member of the NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counseling) and/or IACAC (International Association of College Admissions Counseling)?

Where Can you Find the Right College Counselor for You?

With a vast array of resources at our fingertips and a highly experienced and knowledgeable team, Crimson can help students reach their college admissions goals. We provide a variety of services, ranging from admissions support to online tutoring, extracurricular mentoring, and essay review. We also offer research opportunities (with top school professors) via our Crimson Research Institute and the opportunity to intern at companies like Uber or Weiss Management via Crimson Careers. Our students are over 4.5x more likely to gain admission to the Ivy League, Oxford, Cambridge, and other top universities — a statistic we attribute to our hard-working students and the dedicated teams that support them.

If you are ready to learn more — and discover how Crimson can help your child gain admission to some of the world’s most competitive universities, you can book a free consultation by clicking on the link below.