General College Advising

• One-on-one meetings (in person or via Zoom)

• Provide an overview of the college application process

• Discuss student’s interests, activities and college goals

• Personalized account with College Planner Pro (CPP), which is an online portal that keeps students organized and informed throughout the college application process

• Follow-up email to students and parents summarizing each meeting and ‘to do’ items

 

Making the Most of High School

• Create a 4-year high school plan personalized to the student

• Guidance on high school course selection

• Advice on activities and leadership opportunities that cultivate the student’s interests

• Creation of an activities and awards list that will be updated regularly during the high school years

• Recommendations on summer enrichment opportunities that align with the student’s interests and strengths

 

Researching Various Colleges

• Examine various factors of finding a ‘good fit college’

• Corsava Card Sort exercise to help determine student’s college priorities

• Introduce students to colleges they have not yet considered

• Guide students in effectively researching colleges

• Advice on how to make the most of college tours

 

Exploring Careers and Majors                         

• Assign exercises and provide tools for exploring college majors

• Administer personality/interest/career assessments

• Recommendations on pre-college programs, internships and research opportunities that help the student explore a possible college major or career

 

Approach to Standardized Testing

• Provide SAT and ACT diagnostic tests to determine which test is best for each student

• Recommendations for online test prep and in person test prep tutors

• Guidance on when and how many times to take the SAT or ACT

• Advice on when to submit/not submit scores to test optional colleges

• Advanced Placement (AP) test recommendations as it applies to college applications

 

Guidance for College Essays

• Create essay timelines and deadlines

• Guidance on brainstorming and developing the personal statement, UC PIQs and supplemental essays

• Providing feedback on multiple essay drafts

• Use of Prompt, an essay management tool, which helps the student stay organized as they write various college essays

 

Creating the College List

• Creation of a personalized list of colleges that takes into account the student’s interests, major, and financial situation

• Guidance on finalizing a balanced college list the student will apply to

• Meeting with students and parents to discuss the college list in the summer before senior year

 

Additional Application Materials & Tools

• Create an application timeline to help keep the student on track

• Assist the student with selection of teacher recommenders

• Advice on and review of the college application 'activitites and awards' list

• Guidance in creating and formatting a college resume highlighting the student’s accomplishments

• Advice and practice for college interviews

 

Understanding Financial Aid

• Overview of college Cost of Attendance (COA), merit aid, FAFSA, CSS Profile, need based aid and Estimated Family Contribution (EFC).

• Reminders to parents on when to fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile

• Recommendations on colleges offering significant merit aid

 

Additional Services

Review of Portfolio Materials for Film, Animation, Digital Media, Creative Producing, Dance, Architecture, etc. will be done on an hourly basis