INDEPENDENT COUNSELORS

DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENT COUNSELORS and the admissions process
Independent college admissions counselors (sometimes known as educational consultants) are privately paid individuals who provide high school students with admissions information, advice and coaching. Most private admissions counselors have experience with admissions counseling in a school and/or a college setting. Some have teaching credentials; others have Master’s or even Doctorate degrees.

Independent counselors usually offer one or more of the following services:

• Advice about academic and extracurricular choices

• Information and guidance in developing a college list that fits a student’s academic and personal needs and wants

• Coaching about how to interact with college admissions officers

• Help in developing an activities resume

• Assistance in dealing with physical or learning disabilities, as well as special talents

• Information about how to make applications “special” and different

• Preparation for how to get the most out of college visits

• Suggestions for how to approach college essays

• Ideas about getting outstanding letters of recommendation

• Techniques for interviewing well

• Information and advice about early applications

• Ways of dealing with deferral, wait-list and rejection letters

• Advice about making your final college choice