Free Webinar: My College Direction, a New, Innovative College Planning Program

My College Direction is a new, innovative college counseling program that is for families who want the best advice and most up-to-date information for their student.

Susie Watts is a college consultant in Denver who has 30 years experience helping students create a college list and assist them as they go through the college application and admissions process.

She has felt for a long time that college counseling should be more available to many students who need the guidance, but found it unaffordable. As a result, she has started My College Direction.

Students often do not receive the assistance they need from high school counselors, not because counselors would not like to provide it, but they simply have too many students to work with and too many other responsibilities.

Susie always felt that she enjoyed and was more effective when she worked with students individually in her office. It wasn’t until the Coronavirus struck that she began to move some of her college counseling and test prep online. Much to her surprise, it has worked out quite well, and her students love the fact that they don’t need to travel to an office, but still get the same kind of college planning help they need.

My College Direction will be very similar to the comprehensive college planning program that Susie has offered for the last 30 years. The only difference will be that it is online. Some sessions will be for a group of 20 students (maximum) and others will be individual. The main benefit to you as a family is the cost.

Susie will be doing a free webinar to provide details on the My College Direction program which she has just launched. It will be on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:00 MDT. You can register on the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-webinar-my-college-direction-an-new-approach-to-college-planning-tickets-110359883382?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing

 

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Is Your High School Graduate Ready to Transition to College?

Soon after students graduate from high school, it is important to begin the “transition to college” conversations with your teens to help them better acclimate to this new experience. It is not just the academic changes they will encounter, but more importantly an opportunity to discuss what they will need to do in order to have a successful transition.

As a college admissions consultant, I make an appointment with each student to discuss time management, financial matters and getting off on the right start. I know that many students are academically prepared, but the college schedule is usually dramatically different from what they are used to in high school. They need to learn where and when to study and understand the expectations of their college professors. They also need to know where to go if they need academic help.

New college students need to understand how to handle their finances and learn the basics of financial literacy so that their credit remains good and they do not get into problems involving money. Most importantly, students need to be responsible with credit cards and realize how easy it is to go into debt by charging items and not paying off the balance. Too many credit companies prey on college students.

As a independent college consultant, I like to pay special attention to safety on a college campus and helping students do everything they can to use the necessary precautions. I think every student needs to understand how drinking and drugs can be the road to disaster. I emphasize, especially with the young women, that they come together and leave together when attending a party or event, watch their drinks and never leave them unattended, and be very cautious when walking on a campus at night.

Since mental health is such a big issue on college campuses, I emphasize to every student how important it is to get help if they feel anxious, depressed or suicidal. Students should know where to go on the college campus to get the assistance they need and not wait and hope things will get better. They also need to tell their parents how they are feeling so that their parents can intervene if necessary.

These are just a few of the “transition to college” talks to have with your student. They need not be long, but they do need to be discussed. I think if parents begin these conversations during the summer, students will feel more confident as they begin their college experience.

College Direction meets with high school graduates and their parents to have the “transition to college” conversation. Call 303-692-1918 if you are interested. Sometimes students respond better to a college consultant because I am not their parent.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

What Can A College Admissions Consultant Do For You?

Most families would agree that the college application and admissions process is both stressful and overwhelming. There are so many questions parents and students face when trying to find the right colleges. They can be equally confused with the different applications, deadlines and required information for financial aid and scholarships. Unfortunately, most high school counselors do not have the time to devote to these matters. Some families think that a college admission consultant is out of their budget, but many don’t realize that in the end, they usually save money because they have received the guidance and correct information to make the right decisions. This is what a college admissions consultant can do for your student and family.

1.   Individual help most students do not receive in high school

2.   Availability for your child and family when you need it

3.   Expertise in the college admission process 

4.   Decreased family stress and more peace of mind. Try to eliminate parental nagging about college applications.

5.   Specific knowledge of colleges, their admission requirements and SAT and ACT testing updates

6.   Get help from an objective third party to brainstorm and read applications and college essays

7.   Gain a competitive edge in the college admission process

8.   College visits that provide first-hand knowledge of schools and their suitability for different students

9.   Save money ​by helping your child enroll in one college, stay there, and graduate in four years.

10. Increased financial aid and scholarship opportunities

Do I Need an Educational Consultant?

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) recommends that high school counselors work with no more than 100 students.  Most public high school counselors have a student load of at least 350 students.  On average, high school counselors spend 38 minutes helping students with the college search, applications, and admissions process.

Educational consultants are also referred to a college consultants or college admissions counselors. They are not associated with a high school or college. They have the time, training, and expertise to provide individual attention to students with their college search, applications and essays, financial aid and scholarships, and the college admissions process.

Here are five reasons why hiring an educational consultant to work with your high school student might be the best investment you ever made:

 

1. Educational consultants understand the college admissions process and visit colleges and universities regularly to discover what makes one school different from another. They meet with college admissions officers at each school so they know about the continuous changes that take place on individual campuses.

 

2. Educational consultants help your student find colleges that are a good fit, not just a big name. They want your student to be successful in the college admissions process and to have a variety of schools from which to choose. They know that students have been bombarded with all kinds of information from schools. After a while, each college begins to look and sound alike.  They help families separate the hype from the facts.

 

3. Educational consultants are able to work successfully with your student because they do not have the emotional investment that parents do. They provide reliable college information and objective advice. They give your family another opinion and try to make the college admissions process as stress-free as possible.

 

4. Educational consultants know that applying to college and college admissions can be a time for students to discover themselves. Students learn to assess their strengths and weaknesses. They determine what it is they want out of a college experience.  This helps them with the college search and encourages students to make better college decisions.

 

5. Educational consultants assist students with their applications and essays. They brainstorm topics that will enable your student to write the most compelling essays that will strengthen their applications. They encourage students to consider topics that have real meaning for them and will convey their personality to an admissions committee.

 

Many parents feel that turning to an educational consultant has been the best investment they could make.

 

 

 

Why Hire a College Admissions Consultant?

Here are nine reasons why your family could benefit from using a college admissions consultant:

1. They are experts in the college admission process and visit colleges and universities extensively every year to determine the unique qualities in each school.
2. They help students with the college search and are not just interested in brand name schools, but want to find colleges that fit your student’s academic, personal and financial needs.
3. They do not have an emotional attachment to your child and this allows them to provide unbiased, professional advice.
4. They get to know students on a personal basis which enables them to help students become stronger college applicants.
5. They help provide direction for students on their applications and essays. This assures students that they are adhering to deadlines set by their high school and colleges.
6. They assist students and families in finding schools that are affordable. They also provide information on financial aid and scholarships.
7. They are not limited in the number of hours they can work with students. This allows them to be available when students need them, with the answers they need.
8. They want to help students find colleges that are committed to seeing their students graduate in four years, rather than the usual five, six or more. This can save parents a considerable amount of money.
9. They are members of professional organizations like the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and Independent Educational Consultants (IECA). College admission consultants attend state and national conferences to continue their professional development.

Most college admission consultants charge affordable fees and are very generous with their time. Many families believe that hiring an independent educational consultant is the best investment they have made.

What Are My Chances on the Wait-List?

I have been amazed at the number of high school seniors who have been wait-listed from colleges and universities and get their hopes up that they will eventually get in. Sometimes wait-lists have more than 3,000 students on them. Sometimes colleges never even go to their wait-list. Believe me, these are students with the grades, test scores and other credentials to make them very competitive for admissions at these schools.  The biggest issue for many kids is that it puts them in limbo and unable to emotionally commit to a school. My advice to most students is to send an email to the college if you are still interested and convey this to them. Let them know that if you are accepted, you will come.  If you receive any awards, improved test scores, or anything else to support your application, email or fax it to the college admissions officials.  But keep your other options open because you do  need to make a final college decision, with a deposit, by May 1st.

5 Reasons to Hire a College Consultant

 

The college admission process is getting more complicated every year.  For many parents, it is overwhelming and an added stress they don’t need.  Here are some of the top reasons why families hire someone to help them with college planning.

 

1. Parents are busy and don’t have the time or energy to do the necessary research to find the right colleges for their child. They know a college consultant has the expertise, interest and experience to help them make the best college decisions.

 

2. Parents who would rather spend what free time they have on personal and/or family activities and pay a professional to help their child with college planning, teacher recommendations, test prep, extracurricular activities, applications and college essays..

 

3. Parents who want their child to have more personal attention than what is usually available from high school counselors. Many believe high school counselors are so overwhelmed with caseloads of students (average of 475) Counselors spend most of their time meeting with students on course scheduling and personal problems and very little attention given to students who seek help with college planning.

 

4. Parents don’t understand how the college application process works. Most parents don’t want to spend time nagging their student to complete all the necessary forms and keep track of the required deadlines because they fear they will miss or forget something.

 

5. Parents who realize it is not as simple to get into college as it used to be – you fill out the application and wait for your acceptance letter. Those days are over. Students these days must be competitive with their grades, academic rigor, test scores, extracurricular activities and personal statements.

 

Many of these reasons are why families hire a college admissions consultant.  This will allow parents and their teenager to have less stress during the college admissions process.  It will also help you to be confident that your child will receive the individual attention he