I would be so grateful if parents/students would weigh in on what to look for in an external counselor - and also what to avoid? I have heard that it is important to get someone who knows your school well. However our school had a number of Rick Singer students - none were ever accused of wrongdoing - so the school now discourages external consultants (even though I am told that every senior has one). Thanks!
The question as asked is valid, but a reminder that discussion or recommendations for specific consultants is not.
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We did not use an outside counselor, but it is very popular in our area. By far the best resource is word of mouth in your area. Talk to parents of upperclassmen and find out their experience - good and bad. The good ones develop a strong reputation and don’t over promise.
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There is no barrier of entry into the profession - so look for professional affiliation like IECA and NACAC. Also, how many campuses have they visited, how many each year, does that map with your child’s interest, how many years in business? Do they offer packages or hourly for the services you need (essay, list making), are they making promises (red flag), are they familiar with your child’s high school and your area’s other high schools both public and independent to understand rigor/curriculum? Speak to past families/references, understand their policies and timetable and charges if your child does not meet deadlines. How do they communicate to the parent and how do they work with your child - Zoom, in person, a bit of both.
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First, you need to be aware of what you are seeking from a professional college counselor so that your concerns & expectations can be set out in a clear manner early on in the relationship.
Don’t get hung up on certifications as these are not a guarantee or assurance of satisfaction and competence even though we would like to believe otherwise.
We didn’t use a private couselor, and really aren’t familiar with them. However my limited knowledge supports the lack of a barrier to entry. The 2 counselors I know washed out of a fair number of other jobs befor settling on college advising. They’ve made a go of it, but I do not think their advice adds much value at all. I’m certain there are excellent ones; I just echo that you need to do your due diligence.
There are other threads on this topic so try doing a search.
My experience was that the private counselor was useful in some respects, but not others. Ours was helpful with prepping for interviews and completing the activities section of the app, but in retrospect, she wasn’t essential. We needed no extra help for our second child.
If you have no time, are hopelessly confused, need someone else to manage the process for you, or your child is very anxious about the whole thing, a private counselor can be helpful. You can pretty much find out all you need to know from this site though.
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