Free half-hour consultation. If you aren’t sure you need the services of an independent college adviser (also called an independent educational consultant, or IEC), I can meet with you and your family to discuss how I might be of help.
Two Bridges College Consulting offers comprehensive college planning services for students and their families, matching students with colleges that are the best fit for them academically, socially, emotionally, and financially, bringing sanity to the transition from high school to college. Fundamentally, I bring sanity to the transition fro high school to college and give families peace of mind. Here’s just some of what I do:
- provide guidance throughout the application process
- assess the student’s strengths, areas for improvement, and academic/extracurricular profile
- enroll the student in CustomCollegePlan, an online college-planning program
- administer assessments of personality, intelligences, learning and productivity, and skills
- help student explore potential careers and majors
- assist in selection of high school academic choices, extracurriculars, and meaningful summer activities
- provide the most current information about colleges
- explain and provide guidance through the college planning process, including discussion of standardized tests, application deadlines, financial aid
- clarify student’s priorities and requirements for his/her college experience
- help student understand the selection criteria of specific colleges or universities
- research and select appropriate schools to generate a long list of schools with appropriate fit and match
- compile a college list that fits the student academically, socially, emotionally, and financially, with schools ranging from those where the student has a high chance of admission to those that are more selective
- advise the family with planning college visits
- work with the student on main and supplemental application essays, from brainstorming through final drafts
- explain how to navigate the financial aid network
- assess award letters
- assist with wait-list or appeals process, if necessary
- be a sounding board for making “The Decision”
- for students who need accommodations for learning differences or physical restrictions, facilitate communication with college’s office of disability services
- support the student and family throughout the transition from high school to college
Scope of Services for Comprehensive Package
The comprehensive package, encompassing all of the services above, includes face-to-face (when safe and feasible) or Zoom meetings, extensive consultant research, and unlimited email/phone consultations between meetings. In-person or Zoom sessions typically last 45 to 90 minutes. With the comprehensive package, consultant will remain “on call” for consultation throughout the process and into the student’s first year of college. Typically, a comprehensive package involves a minimum of 30 hours and frequently more than 40 hours. About 80 percent of the time is spent in direct consultation with the student or family and about 20 percent of the time covers consultant research, preparation, and communication.