College admissions is now such a standard part of American secondary educational culture that every high school student, whether at a private or public school, can expect to have a high school guidance counselor assigned to them when they enter the ninth grade. Counselors provide all manner of academic support, and, commencing with the junior year, offer help with the college application process.
The job description of this counselor may differ, of course; most private schools have dedicated college counselors while public high schools have their guidance counselors pull double duty, but all are ultimately provided with support. Why, then, do so many families decide to engage the services of independent admissions specialists to advise them? When is your student's counselor not enough?
With a high student load, school counselors inherently work with large numbers of students every year. Because of this, they do not necessarily get the chance to know each individual student very well, relying on rote advice and general metrics to govern their approach to college counseling. Independent counselors, however, can spend the time to delve into their student's personal and academic lives and provide individualized assistance.
College admissions today seems much more competitive than ever before. More and more students are applying to college, and each student is applying to more colleges. Acceptance rates at selective colleges continue to decline; the most highly competitive ones have denial rates above 90%. So how can college-bound students give themselves a competitive edge?
As noted above, high school guidance counselors are overburdened. So, more families are turning to private consultants to help select the right colleges and guide the student through the admission process. According to the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), an estimated 22% of freshmen at private, four-year colleges have used consulting services in the admission process.
Private day and boarding schools generally have more robust college counseling programs than do public schools. The student to counselor ratio at a private school may be as low as 50:1, compared to the national average of 315:1. Obviously, some students are getting more help than others. The National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) recommends a counselor caseload of no more than 250:1, with 200 or less preferred.
With over 40 years of experience led by a team of seasoned educational administration, guidance, writing and financial experts, Comprehensive College Consulting provides a personalized, team-based approach and are able to help your son or daughter develop an appropriate college selection and admissions strategy to give them the best possible chance of reaching their educational and career goals.
For more information, please visit https://comprehensivecollegeconsulting.com
For Press Inquiries
Norma Greenberg, Founder and Principal, Comprehensive College Consulting, LLC
Phone: +1 508.572.0681
Email: compcolcon@gmail.com
Contact Information:
Norma Greenberg
Founder and Principal
compcolcon@gmail.com
(508) 572-0681
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Original Source: Comprehensive College Consulting Asks: When is a Student's High School Counselor Not Enough?
