Reason 1 — Hands on help.  Certainly public high school guidance counselors are well qualified to guide students through the college admissions process.  The  problem is their case load is often so large that a student can be seen by appointment for only 15 minutes every few months.  Because the college search process is more complex than ever, students need more hands-on help to be guided through this maze.  Parents often want to be involved and find a private counselor is more readily accessible to them.

Reason 2 — Personal reflection is essential.  A qualified college-bound counselor will give the special attention needed to help students make the right college choice, and for the right reasons.  Discussion and assessment are critical to the process.  With more than 3000 higher education institutions in the U.S., the choices can be overwhelming.  An informed and up-to-date college-bound counselor will provide the right information at the right time to ensure successful choices for the individual student.

Reason 3 — The counselor is not the parent, and therefore can more easily be an objective third party.  Students making their college choice at age 17 or 18 are often making their first adult decision.  While it’s important to consider the family’s values, it’s the student who must ultimately choose the college where he or she will be best suited to attend.  Parents can help or make suggestions, but it’s the student who needs to do the research to find the right fit for them.

Reason 4 — Focused time to complete the project.  The process takes patience, reflection, research and legwork.  Students work hard in school and often wait or put off doing the college search until their senior year.  An outside counselor can work like a private coach, helping with deadlines, test dates, resumes, application completion and essay topics.