Besides running my business of college consulting, I used to work as a writing tutor at my local community college. The Writing Center helps students with application and transfer essays as well as their written assignments for the CC. Let me tell you about two students who came to the Writing Center (names changed to protect the innocent!), Mary and Martin. They illustrate why hiring an independent educational consultant can save you money—and heartache.

MARY

Mary was recruited to play field hockey at a small liberal arts school. She loved the coach and the FH program, but two weeks after the start of the semester, the coach left. Then Mary got a concussion that took her out of play for two months. Without the coach and play, Mary realized that she really didn’t like the school at all. She left after the first semester, moved back home, and enrolled at the CC. Now she’s applying to the state flagship as a transfer student. 

If Mary’s family had hired me or another qualified, ethical independent educational consultant (IEC), they would have been more informed about this important decision. It’s too simplistic to say that the $25K spent that first semester was “wasted.” It wasn’t at all. She learned some important things about herself and grew up a bit. But the lesson was painful. And students who transfer may take more than four years to earn a degree.

Here’s how Mary’s story could have been told if her family had worked with me:

I worked with Mary to help her discover what she values beyond playing field hockey. We explored her strengths and her interests, and we looked at possible majors and careers, keeping in mind that most students change majors as they learn more about themselves and their options in college.

I presented a balanced college list of 12 to 15 schools that fit her academically, socially, emotionally, and financially. Then I helped her research each school to understand more fully what each school offered, or didn’t, and how that aligned with her values. From that research, Mary narrowed down the list to a few schools where she had a strong chance of admission, a few where she had a pretty good chance of admission, and a few reaches. 

When the admission decisions arrived, I helped her and her family look again at how the options fit her academically, socially, emotionally, and financially. Mary was able to visit most of the schools to get a better sense of each, and we added her impressions and notes into the comparison chart.  When all the financial aid letters arrived, I standardized them so they could compare apples to apples regarding the financial piece. Mary selected a college where she could not only play field hockey, but where she could thrive and grow for the next four years, a place where her parents could comfortably take on the financial responsibility of college. 

MARTIN

Martin had spent one semester at a medium-sized university in the South, but his financial aid was only good for the first semester. Because he couldn’t afford to continue, he left his dream school after one semester and returned home to attend classes at the community college and save some money. 

Here’s how Martin’s story might be told if Martin’s family had worked with me:

I helped Martin discover what’s important to him in his college experience. In getting to know Martin, I learned that the financial piece was crucial, so I helped the family make up a budget that took account of all four years of school—not just the first semester.

I prepared a well-balanced list of four-year colleges for him as I did for Mary. I encouraged him to use the net price calculator at each school and to request a pre-application financial aid review from each school. (As Ron Lieber points out in The Price You Pay for College, Whitman College and College of Wooster will do this; more colleges should do the same.) I asked the family to seriously consider their level of comfort with debt, explaining the FAFSA and the subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans available for students who file the FAFSA, as well as parent loans. 

The University of Maryland has transfer agreements with all of the Maryland community colleges, and because he qualified for free community college tuition through the Maryland Promise Scholarship program, we looked closely at the option of attending the CC for two years, earning an associate’s degree, and transferring to College Park. We also explored the option of taking a gap year to travel and/or earn money. He was not interested in a military option.

When the admission decisions arrived, I helped Martin and his family look again at how the options fit him academically, socially, emotionally, and financially. When all the financial aid letters arrived, I standardized them to compare apples to apples. I helped them read the fine print. (Is the scholarship contingent upon living on campus all four years? Is the financial aid “front-loaded,” only good for a semester or year?) 

Martin decided to attend the community college, earn an AA degree, and then transfer to the state flagship. He enrolled in the Maryland Transfer Advantage Program (MTAP), met regularly with the UMD liaison to be sure he was meeting all the MTAP requirements, and got involved with the school newspaper, building his résumé for the school of journalism. He had no regrets because he knew that he had examined his options, considered the pros and cons, and chosen the path that made the most sense for him. 

For more, see Parents magazine’s article here:

https://www.parents.com/kids/education/college/is-a-college-consultant-worth-the-cost