Where does that guilty feeling come from? It comes partly from our all-American “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” philosophy. We think we—or our child—should be able to navigate this without help. It comes from the fear that asking for help will signal to your child that they’re not good enough. It comes from worrying about what other parents will think. But the biggest source of this guilt is a misunderstanding of the role of the college consultant.

Nobody thinks it’s cheating to work with a real estate agent to sell your house or find your new one. And nobody accuses you of cheating if you spend thousands to help your child become the best athlete they can be. That’s because these professionals work with what you give them, not what they create for you.

A college consultant cannot make a student what they’re not. They don’t “get” your child into college. What an ethical, experienced college consultant does is help students present what is simply their own, as clearly and authentically as possible.

What does a college consultant do?

We help students understand who they are and what they want. We provide a balanced, realistic college list. We coach essay writing without writing the student’s essays. Most importantly, we translate a confusing process into manageable steps with clear deadlines.

An ethical college consultant will not claim they can get you into your dream college through some side door. They won’t write your essays for you. Look for membership in IECA or HECA as a sign that the consultant adheres to a set of ethical principles.

You might benefit from hiring a college consultant if any of these sound true:

If your student is overwhelmed or avoidant, and that’s causing tension in your family. . .

If you don’t know where to start. . .

If you realize that Google and ChatGPT will inevitably produce surface-level results and contain mistakes. . .

If the stakes feel high and the process opaque. . .

If you want someone in your corner who is calm and neutral. . .

then a college consultant can help.

Note: “College consultant” is one of many terms used to describe a person who helps with college admissions but is not affiliated with a school. The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) prefers independent educational consultant or IEC, but you may also find us referred to as college advisers, private or independent college counselors, or college coaches.

At Two Bridges College Consulting, I help students discover who they are—and where they’ll thrive. My high-touch, personalized approach brings sanity to one of life’s biggest transitions.

Ready to bring some sanity to the process? I’d love to connect.

Email: khott@twobridgescc.com  •  Text or call: 410-353-5617  •  twobridgescollegeconsult.com