Getting to Know You: College Selection Done Right

I love getting to know my students and their families.  I feel privileged to meet people who love one another so deeply, and who are committed to the student's future.

The tremendous variety of each student's passions, talents, and lives keeps me optimistic about the future.  There is no such thing as an "average" student, just as there is no such thing as an "ideal" student.  At the same time, each student is PERFECT as they are.  

Our greatest job together is to define that perfection as it is today, and our goals for what perfection may look like tomorrow.  This information allows us to properly discern which post-secondary experiences will permit this student to develop their mojo and explore their options for their own future.  

"...each student is PERFECT as they are."

Lofty goals?  Perhaps.  But it is critical that we focus our college selection on this student in front of us.  It helps our student refine their interest in pursuing further education, so that they know why they are going to college, especially when the student might not consider themselves to be an "ideal" student.  College is a lot of work and costs a lot of money, and our student's vision for what they want out of college will help them work though the tough times that will be part of the wonderful experience of college.  

My process begins with questionnaires that let me get to know the student, through their eyes and the eyes of their parents.  I ask about likes, dislikes, hopes, worries, assumptions, and visions.  I include a functional questionnaire for students who are concerned about inclusion and accommodations.  I review academic records, extracurricular activities, any any relevant health records.  And I listen.  All this is to make sure that the student is at the center of the college selection process.

"We find the PERFECT FITS in THIS STUDENT'S slots of safety/probable/reach schools."

All of my expertise is only valuable if it is specifically and uniquely applied to this student's reality.  I don't pretend that any college is perfect for all students, nor do I pretend that the hundreds with which I have personal knowledge are the only colleges to consider.  We embark on a journey together to discover which post-secondary experiences will best meet the student where they are as a place for the student to learn, develop and thrive.  We find perfect fits in the student's slots of safety/probable/reach schools.  And we develop the student's voice in the application materials to give them the best opportunity for admission and scholarship dollars.

We can get all this done on whatever timeline you have available.  I have students start the process anywhere from middle school through senior year.  I recommend starting during sophomore or junior year to give the student the best opportunity to get comfortable with their priorities and with their college selections.  It gives us time to find our voices, test out some colleges in person, and to get our application materials built in a timely manner.  Please contact me if you are interested in my services on your collegiate journey.