How to Get the Maximum Value from Your College Counseling Sessions

If you’re a parent of a college-bound student, you probably noticed some changes to the student experience since your university days. But we’re not just talking about texting classmates and emailing assignments. The application process, for example, has gotten more complex and competitive over time, leading to increased stress and anxiety for families supporting applicants. 

The good news is that you don’t have to navigate today’s college application process alone. College admissions counselors are here to help parents like you. These experts have a deep understanding of what schools are looking for, and how to maximize chances of acceptance. They have shepherded hundreds or thousands of students and families through the college application process successfully. 

But before you and your child sit down with a counselor, here’s what you both need to know to get the maximum value from your time (and money) spent on this valuable service. 

Simply put, a college admissions counselor is someone who guides students as they apply to college. Just like one might hire a finance professional to help file taxes or a fitness professional to coach you in the gym, you can hire an education professional to help you submit your official college applications.

These professionals sometimes go by different names, such as career counselors, college admissions experts, or college application counselors. Regardless of title, they’re all working towards the same goal: to get a student accepted into one or more of their top schools and on the track towards accomplishing their dreams. 

Career counselors get to know a student’s academic background, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. They typically provide personalized plans of action that fit each individual’s needs. Most importantly, the best ones get results. Students who work with the college admissions experts at Empowerly, for example, have a 98% acceptance rate at the top 100 U.S. colleges and universities. 

Any student can benefit from working with a college career counselor. 

For instance, students who are anxious about applying for college or aren’t sure how they should focus their application prep can benefit from a counselor’s previous experience. Students who need help boosting their academic and extracurricular profile can benefit from a counselor’s unique industry insight on how to best spend their time. Proactive, high-achieving students who just want to get some help researching schools and programs that would be a good fit should also consider working with one in order to maximize their network of options. 

Parents who don’t have as much time  to help with college applications often seek out admissions counselors to fill this role. While some parents and students think college admissions counselors are something only those bound for the Ivy League need, In reality, they help students with any academic dream in mind achieve their fullest potential. 

Once you’ve decided to work with a career counselor, you’ll want to be sure to get the most out of your sessions with them. With application deadlines looming, it’s critical to stay on track and use their time—and yours—wisely. 

Here are tips for maximizing your counseling sessions:

1. Prepare for the consultation call

Most college admissions providers will have an introductory conversation with a family to learn about the student’s background, needs, and goals. This is an opportunity for them to get to know more about a student, which will in turn help them prepare a personalized application plan. 

Don’t wing the call. Instead, come prepared with information and answers to questions they’re likely to ask, including your current GPA, what extracurricular activities you have, and what you’d like to study at university (if you have a preference). In addition, think about any areas you’d like assistance with, such as improving test scores or finding the best schools for your specific career goals. 

Providing comprehensive information at this step in the process maximizes the chances that your career counselor will develop recommendations and next steps that best suit your student’s needs.  

1. Share unique circumstances or concerns 

Are you the first in your family to go to college? Is your student applying to your alma mater? Do you need any special accommodations on campus or in the classroom? Is the cost of college a concern for your family?

This type of information, unique to your family’s or your student’s college experience, is also important to share with an admissions counselor. These unique circumstances could affect any number of components of the application process, from what you might want to highlight in a college essay to which schools you should focus your efforts on. Be sure to share it right up front. 

1. Have regular check-ins to make sure the plan is on track

Successfully working with an admissions counselor requires consistency. You’ll want to meet regularly with them to check on progress, update any goals or challenges, and make sure the application plan is on track. 

One way to ensure consistency is to identify a day and time that work for you and your student, and then set fixed meetings with the counselor. You might opt to meet once a week, once every two weeks, or whatever time you identify as being best for your needs. 

Get the meetings on the calendar from the start and stick to it. 

1. Know the questions to ask college counselors

Admissions counselors will ask you questions, and you should be prepared to ask them questions as well. Knowing what questions to ask college counselors will help you get the most value out of their expertise.

The best questions to ask college counselors once you’ve begun working together tackle the key elements of college prep, including: When should we shart college prep? Should my student take the ACT or SAT? Who should write the letters of recommendation? Which colleges and universities are best for my student’s academic goals? What should we do when we visit campuses? 

1. Take ownership of your education journey

College admissions counselors can offer invaluable advice and guidance to families throughout the college application process. Maximize the value of your college counseling sessions by taking ownership of what comes next. 

Students and their families should be proactive along the entire road to college. Take the counselor's advice and put it into action. Reach out when you need extra help or have questions. Remaining fully engaged in the journey will boost your chances of admission success.

Writing college essays for different schools is a tough task for many students. Get tips on how to ace this element of the application.  

Avoid the 5 most common SAT prep mistakes to increase your chances of getting your best score. 

Read Empowerly’s experts handbook to college admissions for a comprehensive overview of what students and parents need to know.