Hiring a College

Fueled by anxiety about the increasing competition for admission to selective colleges, hiring an independent college admission counselor has become more popular in recent years. But it’s not a requirement. Many families manage the college application process on their own. For students and parents who have the time and energy, there are books and websites loaded with information.

Some families turn to school counselors, and they are often knowledgeable and helpful, but with caseloads of up to 600 students, most of them don’t have much time for one-to-one college counseling. An independent college counselor provides individual attention and keeps students on track through the process. There is often so much tension in the family around college applications that we can also serve as buffers between students and parents.

So how do you choose an independent college admissions counselor? If you’ve been reading this column regularly, you know I think it’s important to choose colleges that fit each student. The same is true of college counselors. We have different personalities and working styles. Finding a good match in a counselor is the first step toward finding a good match in a college.

You can begin to get a sense of a counselor on the phone. I always advise families to come in for a consultation before committing to a long-term service. In this session, I learn more about the student’s background and goals as well as the family’s expectations. I offer some preliminary advice and discuss how I can be helpful. I tell families to go home and think about whether they want to continue working with me. You should never feel pressure to sign up with a counselor. A good counselor won’t feel threatened if you would like to interview another counselor. The goal is for each family to make a good match.

As college admission has become more complex and competitive, keeping up with the changes in policies and programs is crucial. When you interview counselors, ask what conferences they attend and how many colleges they visit each year. Nobody can visit each college every year, but I tour colleges in different parts of the country two or three times each year.

Ask about the counselor’s membership in professional associations. The Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) is a group of independent college admissions counselors. The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) includes secondary school as well as college counselors. The Western Association of College Admission Counseling (WACAC) and the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) also offer conferences and professional development workshops where we meet admissions officers and get up-to-date information about admissions policies and trends.

You also want to know how accessible the counselor is during the college application season. How long does a student have to wait for an appointment? How quickly does the counselor respond to e-mail and phone calls?

A counselor may not be able to immediately answer every question you have about a school, but he or she should be able to find out. Many of my colleagues and I share information, and our students benefit from the collective wisdom.

Independent college admission counselors come to this profession in many ways. Some have worked in high schools, some in college admissions offices, others have had careers in business and earned a certificate in college counseling through UCLA Extension. I find a counseling degree particularly helpful when dealing with students who are unclear about their college and/or career goals, but I’ve met excellent independent admission counselors with different backgrounds.

Some counselors charge by the session, and others offer packaged services. There’s not one right way to practice. When hiring an independent admission counselor, the real bottom line is whether this is a good match. Does your child feel comfortable with the counselor? Do you feel confidence in this person? In the high-pressure world of college admission, that’s worth a lot.

Audrey Kahane, MS, is an independent college admission counselor in West Hills. She can be reached at (818) 704-7545 or at audreykahane@earthlink.net.