Is it too late to get a college councelor?

[Anonymous]

Looking for someone to help my DD (a junior) to help navigate the college application/essay process. Is it too late? I hear that beginning of her junior year was the time to do it but we're clearly past that. She's at MCPS at a non-W high school, 3.85 unweighted GPA, 4.7 weighted, and about to take the SATs in March. She'll most likely end up in the 1250-1300 range. Lots of ECs, varsity athlete for 4 years, etc. Interested in schools like Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, and other big state schools. Just want to know if it's worth the cost given that we're heading towards spring of Junior year already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for someone to help my DD (a junior) to help navigate the college application/essay process. Is it too late? I hear that beginning of her junior year was the time to do it but we're clearly past that. She's at MCPS at a non-W high school, 3.85 unweighted GPA, 4.7 weighted, and about to take the SATs in March. She'll most likely end up in the 1250-1300 range. Lots of ECs, varsity athlete for 4 years, etc. Interested in schools like Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, and other big state schools. Just want to know if it's worth the cost given that we're heading towards spring of Junior year already.

We hired our CC summer before senior year.

As to whether it's worth the cost, that entirely depends on your expectations. Do a search.

[Anonymous]

given the schools your DD is interested in, I am not sure she needs a counselor.

Her GPA should be a shoe in for the schools you listed (of course depending on major)

there are a lot of online resources to help with essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for someone to help my DD (a junior) to help navigate the college application/essay process. Is it too late? I hear that beginning of her junior year was the time to do it but we're clearly past that. She's at MCPS at a non-W high school, 3.85 unweighted GPA, 4.7 weighted, and about to take the SATs in March. She'll most likely end up in the 1250-1300 range. Lots of ECs, varsity athlete for 4 years, etc. Interested in schools like Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, and other big state schools. Just want to know if it's worth the cost given that we're heading towards spring of Junior year already.

She won't be competitive for Maryland with that SAT range, should apply TO.

[Anonymous]

You should be able to get some help on a per hour basis but the full package spots will be booked for the better counselors. Most require commitment at the start of junior year if not earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:given the schools your DD is interested in, I am not sure she needs a counselor.

Her GPA should be a shoe in for the schools you listed (of course depending on major)

there are a lot of online resources to help with essays.

It really depends. I know someone who hired a CC whose child ED'd at a school with a 90%+ ED acceptance rate. The parents wanted to entirely outsource the process, like 100%, and had the money to do it.

[Anonymous]

You're not too late, at least in the case of the college counseling group I'm familiar with. They should also have options (by the hour or by the package) that still work for someone midway through junior year. You don't need to be locked into multi-year contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should be able to get some help on a per hour basis but the full package spots will be booked for the better counselors. Most require commitment at the start of junior year if not earlier.

"Some" require commitment at the start of junior year, and I'm not sure those are necessarily the better counselors.

[Anonymous]

We hired someone off the internet September of senior year. It was helpful and not too late.

[Anonymous]

It is too late to get someone who it going to build some packaged up set of ECs and interests that tries to make the kid look exceptional, but you don't need that for any of the schools in which your kid is interested. Doubt you really need one at all (worst money we ever spent for our first kid) but if you want one just pay hourly for what you really need. For our second kid we just got someone on Wyzant for a couple of hours to review essay drafts with an impartial eye. That worked fine.

[Anonymous]

Definitely not too late

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should be able to get some help on a per hour basis but the full package spots will be booked for the better counselors. Most require commitment at the start of junior year if not earlier.

"Some" require commitment at the start of junior year, and I'm not sure those are necessarily the better counselors.

Well, the ones who were highly recommended to us were booked at he beginning of junior year. I doubt they would be recommended or fully booked if they weren’t among the better counselors, but you do you.

[Anonymous]

Not too late at all. But you don’t need one for those schools. Save your money! Maybe hire someone to help with essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for someone to help my DD (a junior) to help navigate the college application/essay process. Is it too late? I hear that beginning of her junior year was the time to do it but we're clearly past that. She's at MCPS at a non-W high school, 3.85 unweighted GPA, 4.7 weighted, and about to take the SATs in March. She'll most likely end up in the 1250-1300 range. Lots of ECs, varsity athlete for 4 years, etc. Interested in schools like Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, and other big state schools. Just want to know if it's worth the cost given that we're heading towards spring of Junior year already.

We used a test prep, and they offered a counselor. I agree with others that you don't need a counselor for the schools you are looking at. My prep test also offered a week-long class on how to apply, which included a resume. We found it useful.

[Anonymous]

We hired a college counselor in February of junior year. We weren't looking for a package. We just wanted a few hourly sessions and to have someone to go to if questions came up. We spent under $1,000. Definitely worth it.