Applying to and funding college can be stressful, but proper planning and expert guidance can help alleviate some of the pressure on students and their families. According to the College Board, the cost of attending a four-year college ranges from $91,000 to $179,000. College is a large investment in your child, and as with any other large investment, it is best to seek out an expert advisor who is experienced and has successfully guided others to similar goals.
I’ve outlined a few of the top reasons why you should invest in SAT/ACT test preparation and college admissions counseling for your child as a means to maximize your investment and set your child up for success.
Return on Investment. Working with a seasoned team of SAT/ACT tutors and college admission counselors will substantially increase your child’s chances of gaining admission to the school of his or her dreams. Graduating from a top university increases your child’s opportunities after graduation and lifetime earning potential. Investing less than 5% of the investment’s total in expert guidance is a minimal spend to maximize opportunity.
When seeking professional test preparation and admission counseling, it’s important to choose a tutor and counseling team wisely. Costs for these services varies by company, but be sure to ask questions regarding process, credentials and successes. For example, all of Stratus Prep’s tutors have scored in the top 1% on the ACT/SAT and have had at least two years of teaching experience. It is our firm belief that great test-takers must also be experienced educators in order to help students maximize their test scores. All of our admissions counselors have graduated from the nation’s elite higher learning institutions including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Columbia and have significant admissions experience. We also believe in a team-based, customized approach. Stratus Prep counselors and tutors work together to help each student succeed – from practice test to admission. I am also involved with every single student’s admission plan and at multiple touch points throughout the application process. References are also always available.
Scholarship guidance and negotiation. When it comes to paying for college, there is quite a bit of money available. Since 2011, Stratus Prep has helped students negotiate over $15 million in merit-based scholarship. Our experience with negotiation has allowed many of our students to graduate debt-free. The luxury of not having to repay loans after college provides your child with the freedom to take any job opportunity that he or she may desire. Your child may also choose to extend his or her educational career by going to graduate school and would then be able to do so without the burden of knowing that he or she will soon be expected to make loan payments. It is also important to have guidance to navigate other types of scholarships that require essay writing and other forms of qualification.
A competitive edge. Admission to elite universities is more competitive today than ever. Most students only apply to college once. Just like with anything else, doing something for the first time is rarely as successful as the second, third, or thousandth time. Having the support of a team of seasoned admission professionals who have successfully worked with thousands of students gives your child an edge. Highly skilled admissions counselors know what works and what doesn’t.
An unbiased, available advisor. Many high school students look to their high school’s college advisor for guidance. This person serves as a great resource; however, certain universities may only accept a certain number of students from specific schools and it is up to the advisor’s discretion to promote one student more heavily than another to university representatives. Having an unbiased counselor to help guide your decisions such as essay topics and recommenders will allow your child to maximize chances of acceptance. High school advisors may also be guiding hundreds of students within a single application season. In order to receive personalized attention, it is best to look to an outside admissions counselor who is only working with a small number of students at one time.
For these reasons, you should consider investing in SAT/ACT test preparation and admission counseling for your child. Summer is a great time to determine your child’s application strategy and next steps. Please reach out to me with any questions or comments regarding investing in SAT/ACT test preparation and college admissions counseling at shawn.oconnor@stratusprep.com.
This post was provided by Shawn O’Connor, Founder and President of StratusPrep, who was a guest on College Smart Radio “Tackling the Runaway Costs of College” on June 7th, 2014. Listen to this broadcast on YouTube here.
