Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 12:03     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:I am the PP who mentioned the "strong SAT scores" I had you confused with another poster (sorry). I understand your concern regarding confidentiality. You can certainly look in the phone book/google for private college counselors. Some will meet with you for for free (they do in my area) and then you can question them about their experience with SN. In my experience, they basically have a marketing approach. Do you want SAT prep, FAFSA assistance, a scholarship? A $$ amount is placed for each product.


No problem.

I know I can google for private college counselors, I'm just hoping someone has a specific name so I have a higher chance of success.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 11:46     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
I am the PP who mentioned the "strong SAT scores" I had you confused with another poster (sorry). I understand your concern regarding confidentiality. You can certainly look in the phone book/google for private college counselors. Some will meet with you for for free (they do in my area) and then you can question them about their experience with SN. In my experience, they basically have a marketing approach. Do you want SAT prep, FAFSA assistance, a scholarship? A $$ amount is placed for each product.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 10:52     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:The guidance counselors at our MCPS school helped us with this type of information. Does the school your son attends have any guidance counselors? You definitely don't need to pay anyone for this information. You can get this information from another parent who has been through the college process.



My child's school does not have a guidance counselor who has the experience to answer my questions. I have not met another parent of a child whose medical and academic situation matches mine, and who has already been through the admissions process for the kinds of schools my kid is looking at. Since my kid's transcript in no way like the transcript of a "typical" kid, I don't expect that a family is going to have the answers I need.

Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 10:48     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
The guidance counselors at our MCPS school helped us with this type of information. Does the school your son attends have any guidance counselors? You definitely don't need to pay anyone for this information. You can get this information from another parent who has been through the college process.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 10:44     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:I assume you are in public school. Does your son have an IEP (Individual Education Plan)? I am not in Maryland, so i don't know the system there, but typically, they have a governing body which could be of some guidance. Regarding CC, you don't need to be specific, simply state that your child has some special needs, but strong SAT scores. Many of the CCers are high achieving, but who knows what the rest of the family is like or their sister's kid? Best of luck to you.


The bolded is an interesting assumption.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 10:43     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who cited $700 an hour. That came from a 2012 article about Nina Marks. She charges tens of thousands for the full package. I have no idea what she charges now. http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/cracking-the-college-admissions-code/


Thanks, it's good to know where the number comes from. I don't think I need a very top person, like Nina Marks, so hopefully we can find someone cheaper.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 09:18     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
I'm the PP who cited $700 an hour. That came from a 2012 article about Nina Marks. She charges tens of thousands for the full package. I have no idea what she charges now. http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/cracking-the-college-admissions-code/
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 09:09     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:Op, maybe I missed something but I'm hearing you say you're concerned about maintaining confidentiality due to your son's particular facts. But the types of questions you ask are the same any of us would like to know regarding admissions. You can find that info without any info about your kid. And cc has a board for most every gpa range.


Because I specifically chose to use an example question that doesn't violate my kid's confidentiality. There are questions that I'd want to ask that I'm not going to write here, or on College Confidential, that are much more specific and detailed.

Again, I'm not willing to ask my questions either here or on College Confidential, which is why I am looking specifically for recommendations of people who can provide confidential advice.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 08:45     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Op, maybe I missed something but I'm hearing you say you're concerned about maintaining confidentiality due to your son's particular facts. But the types of questions you ask are the same any of us would like to know regarding admissions. You can find that info without any info about your kid. And cc has a board for most every gpa range.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 08:30     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
I assume you are in public school. Does your son have an IEP (Individual Education Plan)? I am not in Maryland, so i don't know the system there, but typically, they have a governing body which could be of some guidance. Regarding CC, you don't need to be specific, simply state that your child has some special needs, but strong SAT scores. Many of the CCers are high achieving, but who knows what the rest of the family is like or their sister's kid? Best of luck to you.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 08:22     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, we are in Montgomery county but the state schools we are looking at are not MD schools.

I have been on College Confidential but haven't posted because it's not in my experience a community that gets low stats kids.


This really depends on which forum you're on for CC. Try the parents forum. There are some great folks there -- not everyone is Harvard focused (although there's certainly a lot who are).


I've really only read the parents' forum, so my comment above is based on comments I've read there.

Having said that, I would have the same confidentiality concerns about posting the details of my son's story on CC that I would have with posting them here, or relaying them to a college admissions officer at a school he is interested in.


Try these threads. There are plenty of parents here with children who having varying degrees of SN/LDs/etc.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/1656351-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2016-3-0-to-3-3-gpa.html

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/1483143-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2015-3-0-to-3-3-gpa.html

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/1469626-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2014-3-0-to-3-3-gpa.html

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/939937-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2013-3-0-to-3-3-gpa.html

Also:

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/getting-into-college-with-learning-disabilities/

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/college-admissions-and-learning-disablities/

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/12-questions-to-ask-about-a-colleges-disability-services/

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/colleges-for-students-with-learning-disabilitites/




Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 07:41     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, we are in Montgomery county but the state schools we are looking at are not MD schools.

I have been on College Confidential but haven't posted because it's not in my experience a community that gets low stats kids.


This really depends on which forum you're on for CC. Try the parents forum. There are some great folks there -- not everyone is Harvard focused (although there's certainly a lot who are).


I've really only read the parents' forum, so my comment above is based on comments I've read there.

Having said that, I would have the same confidentiality concerns about posting the details of my son's story on CC that I would have with posting them here, or relaying them to a college admissions officer at a school he is interested in.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 07:33     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
Anonymous wrote:OP here, we are in Montgomery county but the state schools we are looking at are not MD schools.

I have been on College Confidential but haven't posted because it's not in my experience a community that gets low stats kids.


This really depends on which forum you're on for CC. Try the parents forum. There are some great folks there -- not everyone is Harvard focused (although there's certainly a lot who are).
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 07:28     Subject: Re:Would you just pick up the phone and call?
OP here, we are in Montgomery county but the state schools we are looking at are not MD schools.

I have been on College Confidential but haven't posted because it's not in my experience a community that gets low stats kids.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2015 07:01     Subject: Would you just pick up the phone and call?
I would also post your question on the College Confidential site. The people there are well informed on many topics. Aslo, is your high school guidance counselor any help?