College Admissions Advising
“A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Isn’t that the truth?? It’s safe to say that stress is inversely proportional to preparation. The more time you have to properly prepare, the less stress you’ll have. By planning early, you increase your odds of success. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (nces.ed.gov), the national 6 year graduation rates are hovering at 59%. This means that only about 40% of undergrads are graduating within 6 years! Much of this has to do with poor or no planning (see USA Today, Dec 16, 2015 by Nika Anschuetz). Don’t become a part of this statistic.
It can be difficult to find information that is both accurate and helpful. Even worse, sometimes a nugget of good information is taken out of context, then becomes more damaging than beneficial. Understanding your student’s individual position is vital. One size does not fit all!
We pull back the curtain to explain the realities of college admissions today. We want to help you properly plan and navigate the college admissions process. At Foley College Prep, we encourage students to start the planning process by sophomore year, if possible.
We care about all of our kids!
We know and appreciate that each student is unique, even if they are a twin or triplet! We understand that some of you might be well-suited and prepared for a highly selective college, while some of you may not. We will meet you where you are. We value each student and strive to provide the same level of service, regardless of academic or athletic prowess. Simply put, everybody counts, and we believe that everyone can be successful.
Comprehensive Plan
Typically, this plan is started anywhere from freshman year to the middle of junior year. It encompasses all the components of the traditional college admissions process. We work with each student one-on-one and help them tell their story and complete the best application they can. In essence, we want to help them put their own best foot forward. We focus on each student’s unique profile and goals, and we work with the student on finding good-fit colleges where they can succeed.
Depending on the student’s position and timing, the comprehensive plan can include all or some of the following areas:
- Course selections and academic planning
- Activity and summer planning
- Career exploration assistance
- Financial aid and merit-based aid education, if warranted
- Testing plan
- Assessments & inventories
- Building a college list
- Teaching students how to research colleges and navigate college fairs & admissions reps
- Teaching students and parents how to plan and conduct college visits
- Assistance with résumé
- Letters of recommendation planning
- Personal statement brainstorming and reviewing the student’s final draft
- Application strategy, schedules, deadlines, and review
- Interview prep
- Assistance with final selection, if warranted
- Helpful tips for the family “Before You Go”
College List Plan
This plan may be contracted as a stand-alone service. In order to provide a personalized and balanced list of 10-20 colleges for the student to explore, we will establish student and familial priorities. We do this through interviews, assessments, and review of academic records, testing, ECAs, financial needs, and the like. In this plan, FCP will cover the fundamentals of financial and merit-based aid, and will teach the student how to research colleges.
Hourly Consultation
Purchased in blocks, these hours can be used for assistance or advice in a variety of areas of the student’s or family’s choice, but may not be used for building a college list, applications, or strategy. The following are examples of topics, and this list is not to be considered exhaustive:
- Student-athletics
- Activities review
- Academic planning
- Summer Planning
- Test planning
- College research
- Financial aid education
- Merit-based aid education
- Career/Major exploration
- Campus visits
- College admissions today
- Résumé writing
- Interview prep & mock interviews
- Supplemental essays
- Athletic videos
- Letters of recommendation
- Review of offers of admissions
Senior Plan
This plan is designed to assist seniors with the organization and submission of applications. It includes:
- Development of a timeline
- Strategies and spreadsheet(s) for 6-10 colleges which the student and family have already chosen
- Interview prep
- Application review
This plan does not include other parts of the college admissions process such as essay work, college list development, financial aid/merit-based aid consideration, etc.
Special Assistance for Student Athletics, the Arts and More…..
From the student-athlete to the student pursuing the arts, each applicant will need different amounts and types of assistance and guidance. We will meet you where you are, and we are here to help.
As an example, the conversation between a recruit and a D1 university coach is unique, and the recruit will benefit greatly from knowledgeable guidance. We will help you understand what it really means to be a student-athlete, the difference in athletic divisions and what students and parents need to know before the process begins. We can help you navigate the student-coach relationship, and we will provide useful insights into the realities of collegiate athletics. The student-athletic pursuit should, still, always align with a school that is a good fit!
Add-on plans may be contracted separately, as-needed, for services that extend beyond the college comprehensive plan. In some cases, assistance from outside experts may be warranted. Examples may include assistance with highly specialized athletic recruitment, fine arts, portfolios, auditions, military, etc. The depth of these services can vary greatly from student to student; therefore, they will be priced individually, but the cost will not exceed the hourly block rate.