Getting into the college of their choice is every student’s dream. Achieving that dream can put overwhelming amounts of stress on a student for many reasons. Parents might not even realize all of the factors involved in applying to college. Admission boards are incredibly thorough in their selection process. For students, the awareness of college applications and the importance of being well-rounded might not come until their junior year. The fact is, college preparations should begin the day a student walks onto campus freshman year of high school. Unfortunately, many schools don’t have the resources to support students until they are already in the process of applying. Students and parents can both benefit from hiring a professional who offers college counseling services tailored to the student’s needs. There’s no need to try to become an expert at something that has such a large impact on a student’s future. Instead, trust a college counselor to guide you and demystify the confusing, stressful process of applying to college.
People often think of junior year as the crucial time for high school students applying to college. While this is indeed the time in which most students are looking at schools and tailoring their extracurricular activities to highlight their skills and interests, it is much more beneficial to start this process freshman year. This might seem stressful to put the pressure of applying to colleges on a student at such a young age, but it’s actually an important step in relieving stress by familiarizing them with the process. Cramming for a test is never a good idea, so why would cramming for college be? College counseling services can help coach students to work in small steps throughout their high school careers to build their resumes. Moreover, having a professional counselor ask the hard questions early on can help a student choose their path with confidence.
Few schools are able to provide students with the care and attention they need when applying to college. Some schools don’t even offer specialized college counseling services. Others are focused on sending students to specific colleges and aren’t equipped to provide personalized support for each student. It’s important to remember that everyone has a different goal and different interests, and their approach to college might not be the same as someone else’s. An athlete and a musician may not want to go to the same school as an artist. Working with someone who offers college counseling services can help a student find the school that is best for them.
The experiences a student has in college can be some of the most transformative of their lives. Finding the right school takes time and experience that only a college counselor can offer. As much as schools would love to support their students in every step of their academic careers, applying to colleges is not always a place where they excel. This burden often falls on parents, but there are so many elements to preparing for college that by the time a student reaches their junior year, it can be too late to fill in the missing pieces. Why leave such an important decision to chance? A college counselor will help students and parents put their best foot forward and turn a stressful experience into a rewarding one.