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It's college admissions planning time!

Discussion in 'Broadlands Advertisers Forum' started by College Advising, May 28, 2015.

  1. College Advising

    College Advising New Member

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    Once again, it's that time of year! Since moving to the area a few years ago, this will now be my third summer working with Ashburn students! :)


    Who I am

    *I am a former college admissions leader, having worked in public and Ivy League admissions. In addition to leading admission programs at some of the best schools in the country, I have taught at the college level, been an academic advisor, done recruitment and marketing in higher ed, and also worked at one of the largest and most well-known educational non-profits in the country. Finally, as a consultant, I originally worked with a large international firm before branching off on my own.


    What I do

    *I work locally and remotely with students. The bulk of my students are located in Fairfax, Loudoun, and New York, though I do keep my caseload fairly small to ensure I can provide individualized attention and develop strong rapports with each one of my students.


    *I provide customizable options to students and families looking for support in the college admissions process. We work together to come up with a plan of action that adds value to your student’s experience. Assistance can include some or all of the following:

    • College essay guidance
    • College selection
    • Profile assessment
    • Application strategy (includes testing and scoring strategies)
    • College application support
    • Application planning and time management
    • Student advising

    In short, I have the best job in the world! I take everything I have learned in my ten years in education and apply it to students in a meaningful way by helping them to build authentic and powerful student profiles, tell important and personal narratives, and support them in making the choices that are right for them. I will take that any day over simply sitting at a desk and rejecting applications without being able to make the “whys” a teachable moment for the applicant.


    Popular Options

    My most popular and cost-effective sign-on is simply help with the main college essay (usually 500-650 words). I will brainstorm ideas with your student, discuss what I know colleges are looking for, and provide editing and directional support. (Never my words, only my gentle guidance!) On the other end of the spectrum, some folks sign on for an extensive package for 1-on-1 support in every step of the process (runs from summer until all applications are submitted). There are also many different options in between.


    Getting Started

    I offer free consultations in order to unpack what you need and how I can help in the most cost-effective way possible. This part is essential. We have to talk about your needs and assess how I can help. Your student also needs to feel comfortable with me. This is why my consultations are free. Despite the pleadings of my husband/ "business manager”, I don’t see another way and I don’t mind spending some time with you to see if it’s a fit for everyone. I’m not going to charge you to figure that out.


    A Helpful PSA

    If you think this is something you might consider, I urge you to contact me as soon as possible – at least to start with a gratis chat. Last year, I had a number of folks contacting me at the 11th hour into the fall, and a few things happened: 1) I had to turn to people away because it would have compromised the quality of my work (I still feel terrible about this though. Turning away a single student is just not in my DNA!), 2) Because I really wanted to help as many students as I could, I agreed to take on more last minute students than I should have. My work was not compromised but perhaps my personal sanity was for a bit! ;) 3) Based on last year’s events, this year I will a) be way more strict about my quotas and b) have decided to charge expediting fees for late sign-ons. I haven’t decided exactly on that timing yet but likely folks trying to sign on past September or October will be taken on a space-available-basis only and charged additional or higher fees.

    Final Thought/Free Advice

    And that leads me to my final thought; take this as free advice whether you choose to work with me or not. PLEASE, PLEASE advise your student not to wait until fall to get started. Do not wait for senior year!! Do not wait for that senior meeting with the college/guidance counselor! A student should be well prepared to sit down in that meeting with research in hand, not expect that to be the very beginning of the process. Your counselor will thank you for it and your student will be less stressed and better informed! Take advantage of early deadlines, which largely start in October. Students who begin the process in the summer (and this can mean grabbing your college list or essay draft and taking it to the beach! Doesn’t have to be all-consuming or ruin summer!), will simply have an easier time with this process and not lose out on missed opportunities. I can also work around summer travel and can work remotely during those times, so signing on doesn’t mean you have to stay in town all summer. This is a very flexible process provided we start early!

    Contact

    Website: www.collegefitadmit.com

    Facebook: Insight College Consulting

    Twitter: @collegefitadmit
     
    redon1 likes this.
  2. College Advising

    College Advising New Member

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    To the person who reached out via this forum that I have not yet replied to: your email address came back with an error message that it doesn't exist. Perhaps a typo in your message to me? Please contact me again.
     
  3. TeamDonzi

    TeamDonzi ShowMeTheMoney!

    Joined:
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    I'd love to meet with you please.
     

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