Coding for Kids
Choosing the right college can feel overwhelming for students and their families. It’s a big decision with lots of factors to consider, like where a student might thrive and potential career paths. Many high school counseling staff are overextended. Families often feel pressure to help students get into a “good” school, We’re wary of rankings based solely on prestige, though we understand their influence. This is one reason families turn to college admissions consultants for help. Asking the right college admissions consultant questions is vital. It helps find the right consultant and ensures families and the consultant can work well together.
But with all the questions swirling in your head, what SHOULD you ask a college admissions consultant? What follows is a breakdown, by category, of questions we’ve found most helpful over the years. We’ll also explore some additional factors you might consider.
Table of Contents:
- Before You Contact College Admissions Consultants
- Key College Admissions Consultant Questions To Ask
- Other Factors When Picking A College Admissions Consultant
- FAQs about College Admissions Consultant Questions
- Conclusion
Before You Contact College Admissions Consultants
There are many types of questions to consider. College admissions consultant questions are best approached collaboratively. This approach makes sure students, families, and consultants can effectively partner toward a shared vision of success.
Define Your Needs and Expectations When Considering College Admissions Consultants
First, you have to know what you’re looking for before trying to find it. We recommend spending focused time clarifying your priorities. Spend time journaling about (and discussing with those who know you well) what a successful outcome looks like. Consider these prompts:
- What can a college admissions consultant help you with? What challenges or issues are most pressing? Where in the college admissions process do you feel overwhelmed or confused?
- Where do you need hands-on help, and what can you manage on your own or with existing resources? Are you hoping for advice, reassurance, guidance, structure, connections in the university world, or help with college essays? Knowing your priorities can be key.
- Who will be most involved in this process: the student, a parent, a guardian, an aunt, or a grandparent? Identifying key stakeholders makes it easier for potential college admissions consultants to adapt to your needs. Families also have to be open to different approaches.
Key College Admissions Consultant Questions To Ask
Many people new to the college admissions process, like parents and students who didn’t grow up in the US, wonder “Are college admissions advisors even worth it?”. That depends, and you won’t know for sure unless you can confidently answer “Yes.” to the questions below.
Big-Picture College Admissions Consultant Questions To Get You Started
Asking these can help clarify general needs and qualifications, making it easier to eliminate potential college admissions consultants based on important factors. These questions can be particularly helpful to ask during a free consultation:
- “What is your process like, both in terms of helping students find the right colleges and navigate the admissions process?” Knowing HOW someone does their job is as important as their results. Inquire specifically about communication practices: are weekly meetings part of a consultant’s package? Is email, phone, text, or in-person the preferred communication? What’s a consultant’s availability? Finding the right rhythm and style is crucial.
- “Do you have a certain type of student or family you most like to work with? Why? (Or who might NOT be the best fit for you, in terms of values, preferences, or personality)?” Asking what success looks like to them can be surprisingly insightful. Does a consultant emphasize “getting into” certain schools as their primary marker of achievement? Or do other metrics inform their view? College is a means to an end, but sometimes that gets lost. One reason families turn to consultants is because of how intense the perceived competition feels.
Go Deeper: Important Questions When Vetting College Admissions Consultants
After gathering basic info, dive deeper into aspects of a consultant’s expertise, focusing specifically on the services that most align with your list of needs. Think about the questions you feel most uncertain, worried, or potentially confused about, especially regarding the admissions process. Do your own homework too. Spend time online reading articles about potential health issues students face at college or how best to set up financial aid accounts early on, or exploring the proven benefits of pursuing private college preparatory high school options.
The truth is, the “best” consultant doesn’t exist in a vacuum, which is why many high-achieving families, especially in the tech sector where analytical frameworks inform how decisions get made (and justified later if issues arise.), gravitate toward lists: a good consultant fits your particular context, strengths, needs, and challenges well.
Below are several areas often included under the general college admissions consulting umbrella (note that this can vary, so be clear about your needs). Most consultants work with students applying to undergraduate programs, but some specialize in graduate school applicants, art school applicants, etc.
- Help choosing a major. Maybe a student’s interests are vast (we’re thinking about future humanities majors who excel in STEM fields, but can’t imagine spending four years NOT reading everything their university library has to offer.). Or maybe the pressure to choose a major—particularly one with potentially strong earnings after college, especially with student debt escalating each year—feels stressful and confusing. A counselor experienced in career planning and shifting societal trends may be incredibly helpful. Asking consultants how they balance the big-picture with individual student strengths and preferences can be enlightening.
- Essay feedback and writing advice. Crafting compelling narratives that reflect a student’s individuality within the word count parameters most college applications set can feel daunting. Asking how a consultant balances feedback is important. Are they super hands-on, offering in-depth line-by-line suggestions? Are they more big-picture structural feedback? Both? Knowing what best supports your creative process and how receptive you are to feedback can avoid headaches later.
- Interview practice. Interviews increasingly factor into decisions as colleges grapple with AI-generated application materials. Asking potential consultants about interview prep strategies can provide insights. For instance, maybe the applicant has experience performing, which is a significant advantage. Or maybe they need a ton of practice before feeling even remotely at ease.
What might surprise many families are the additional areas college admissions consultant questions should consider. How will this person advocate for and represent my values? This matters in areas like finding good-fit schools—and goes far beyond superficial factors like ranking or reputation.
Other Factors When Picking A College Admissions Consultant
When a college admissions consultant provides support beyond essay feedback and navigating the technicalities of deadlines or applications (an underrated benefit, to be sure.), asking the right questions matters. That’s why finding answers before you’re deeply involved in the admissions process is key.
Diversity & Inclusion Matters: Representation, Values, & Higher Education
Here’s an example that routinely surprises parents and students (one rarely addressed by big-name college consulting groups): maybe family values are changing rapidly because several children came out in the last two years as queer (and happily, the entire family fully supports everyone’s identity). What if you’re an immigrant family with kids applying to college? Do you feel nervous about whether potential consultants really understand how immigration factors into a family’s finances, goals, and values? Asking these sorts of questions beforehand, especially during a free consultation, is prudent and a savvy approach when exploring whether working styles and shared values mesh well.
Suppose certain issues or aspects of identity feel paramount, for example. In that case, a student thriving in recovery wants a school with strong support structures already in place, seek out experts in those areas. Their networks and expertise in these specific areas of focus often offer better insights than someone with tons of experience in college admissions but little understanding of that area (although of course, this can vary, so trust your intuition and don’t be afraid to walk away if it isn’t a good fit).
FAQs about College Admissions Consultant Questions
What are good questions to ask a college admissions counselor?
There are several kinds of questions to ask potential hires. Some important questions include the consultant’s experience helping students with similar goals and strengths. You should understand their background, areas of expertise, and the schools they have placed other students at. Consider asking about their process in-depth. Find out how available they will be to help. Will they connect students to other opportunities?
What to look for in a college admissions consultant?
Experience matters in college consulting. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ensure your potential college consultant answers all your questions. It’s a great sign if a consultant takes time to get to know students and learn about their dreams and aspirations.
Are college admissions advisors worth it?
Maybe, but it really depends. If you have access to resources like an independent college prep high school with counselors who already understand how best to guide you toward your next steps, or if your high school has knowledgeable and available counseling staff, it may not make sense financially for your family to hire someone. College advisors can cost thousands of dollars, so carefully weighing your options with existing resources and conversing with those who know you well matters. In short, a college advisor might not be a good fit depending on your situation and the types of questions they answer for you.
What do I ask my college counselor?
Ideally, your questions will help you feel like the counselor is invested in understanding you: what excites you? Where are your passions, interests, strengths, and areas for growth (part of succeeding in college requires honesty about places we struggle.)? How a counselor answers will be as telling as the answer itself. This is why meeting for a free consultation can be incredibly beneficial. You are, after all, forming a potential working relationship. Asking challenging questions can be illuminating for both parties early on.
Conclusion
Working with a consultant can make the college admissions process easier and less stressful for students and their families. However, it’s important to have a clear sense of what matters most. Be prepared with college admissions consultant questions tailored to those priorities, and know what success looks like. Asking the right questions is where smart decision-making really starts.
