Get Help Applying to College
ACADEMIC & COLLEGE SEARCH SERVICES
The College Search, Selection, and Application Process
We work with students from incoming freshmen to high school seniors throughout the career/college major exploration and college search, application and selection process. Your child may be a high achiever or they may be struggling in high school. They may be interested in transferring schools, considering a gap year or other alternatives — My College Planning Team is here to help with many types of post-high school options.
STUDENT SERVICE OFFERINGS
FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN THROUGH SOPHOMORES
Enhance Your High School Experience
The high school years begin to lay the foundation for the career planning and college application process. We partner with your child to enhance their high school years by seeking out enrichment opportunities and strategizing their academic course load and extracurricular activities to make the most of their high school experience.
Our service options can help with:
Many students don’t know what career path to pursue, posing challenges in selecting a college or advanced training program. After completing an assessment, the career counselor will help the student:
- Discover career fields that are a “best fit” based on a deeper understanding of their skills, interests, values, and personality.
- Explore potential jobs within each career field and to narrow down the list to the best options.
- Decide which options make the most sense upon the completion of research and interviews with people currently working in the same career fields.
- Once confident in their decision, the student will create a brief presentation to address how to best pursue their decision via college choice, choice of major, or other advanced training opportunities.
Ideal start time: Based on Student Readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
The Freshman Series is designed specifically for high school freshmen. With the combination of these services, students will have the opportunity to explore careers and their identity, and then enhance their high school experience to best position them for their post-secondary goals.
- Creating a Map for the Admissions Process is best for incoming 9th grade students and current 9th, 10th and 11th grade students who are eager to learn about the college admission process. The counselor will help the student plan their high school experiences to enhance their personal goals, offer insight into preparing for the college admission process, and provide a customized college timeline. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
- Seeking Enrichment to Enhance Career & College Goals is best suited for students entering 9th through 11th grades who are early in the career/college planning process and want to plan their high school experiences to align with their career and college goals. The counselor will help the student identify college majors that align with their career goals, help families find enrichment programs and volunteer opportunities to explore careers of interest, and share insight into special considerations for college admission based on the student’s intended major. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
FOR SOPHOMORES
Grow In Your High School Experience
Sophomore year is the perfect time to dive deeper into career and college planning: the transition from middle school to high school is complete, and your child’s coursework, activities, and test prep have likely not intensified yet as they will beginning junior year.
Our service options can help with:
Many students don’t know what career path to pursue, posing challenges in selecting a college or advanced training program. After completing an assessment, the career counselor will help the student:
- Discover career fields that are a “best fit” based on a deeper understanding of their skills, interests, values, and personality.
- Explore potential jobs within each career field and to narrow down the list to the best options.
- Decide which options make the most sense upon the completion of research and interviews with people currently working in the same career fields.
- Once confident in their decision, the student will create a brief presentation to address how to best pursue their decision via college choice, choice of major, or other advanced training opportunities.
Ideal start time: Based on Student Readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Includes meetings with your assigned high school counselor who will:
- Provide your student with an overview of the different factors to consider when selecting a college based on career and personal interests, academic record, and personal talents.
- Teach student how to research colleges and discover which parts of selecting a college are most aligned to their personal values and interests.
- Provide catered college suggestions to research that align with the student’s fit factors.
- Review the student’s colleges of interest and provide input on how the student can optimize their applications.
Ideal start time: Based on student readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Our service packages are designed to provide a comprehensive path through multiple tasks in the career and college planning process while offering financial value for our clients. The à la carte service options listed here are also included in the following service packages:
Maximize your child’s preparation through the comprehensive Sophomore Series to ensure they have taken the foundational steps of Focusing Your Future: Career & College Major Exploration, Creating a Map for the Admissions Process, and Seeking Enrichment to Enhance Career & College Goals while advancing further through Strategizing as a Sophomore: Successful College Planning and Starting Your College List as a Sophomore.
- Focusing Your Future: Career & College Major Exploration is for any age student who wants to learn more about themselves and their career options. The results of this program are intended to help the student examine “how ready are you to make your transition to post-secondary education/training successfully?” before committing time and money to post-high school plans. The “Focusing Your Future” Career Planning Program uses assessments to help students discover their unique traits, explore their “best fit” career options using those traits, and decide which career(s) may be best for them. Includes six, 30-minute sessions broken into three phases.
- Creating a Map for the Admissions Process is best for incoming 9th grade students and current 9th, 10th and 11th grade students who are eager to learn about the college admission process. The counselor will help the student plan their high school experiences to enhance their personal goals, offer insight into preparing for the college admission process, and provide a customized college timeline. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
- Seeking Enrichment to Enhance Career & College Goals is best suited for students entering 9th through 11th grades who are early in the career/college planning process and want to plan their high school experiences to align with their career and college goals. The counselor will help the student identify college majors that align with their career goals, help families find enrichment programs and volunteer opportunities to explore careers of interest, and share insight into special considerations for college admission based on the student’s intended major. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
- Strategizing as a Sophomore: Successful College Planning begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in additional support to ensure they are on-track with their college planning and managing timelines. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can benefit from consistent individualized support. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
- Starting Your College List as a Sophomore begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in learning more about colleges and starting their college list. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can begin exploring a college list during their sophomore year and then refine that list during their junior year. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Includes eighteen 30-minute meetings total.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Support your student in their college preparation timeline management and college list development starting as a sophomore. The Sophomore-Junior Bridge Series is designed to span a student’s sophomore year through the summer after their junior year by combining Strategizing as a Sophomore: Successful College Planning and Starting Your College List as a Sophomore.
- Strategizing as a Sophomore: Successful College Planning begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in additional support to ensure they are on-track with their college planning and managing timelines. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can benefit from consistent individualized support. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
- Starting Your College List as a Sophomore begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in learning more about colleges and starting their college list. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can begin exploring a college list during their sophomore year and then refine that list during their junior year. Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs
Includes six 30-minute meetings total.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
This service option begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in additional support to ensure they are on-track with their college planning and managing timelines. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can benefit from consistent individualized support.
Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
This service option begins in 10th grade and continues through 11th grade, and is best suited for students who are interested in learning more about colleges and starting their college list. The meetings are split between sophomore and junior year so that students can begin exploring a college list during their sophomore year and then refine that list during their junior year.
Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
FOR JUNIORS AND RISING SENIORS
Plan for Post-High School Options and the College Search
There are over 3,000 colleges and universities to choose from in the U.S., and we know how confusing the selection process can be. We apply our extensive college expertise to create an exciting and balanced college list that will meet your child’s academic goals, social/cultural preferences, and financial circumstances to determine the best options for your student. If a four-year college is not right for your child at this time, our team is well-versed in alternative options like community college and gap year experiences. Our counselors and specialized team members can help with:
Includes meetings with your assigned high school counselor who will:
- Provide your student with an overview of the different factors to consider when selecting a college based on career and personal interests, academic record, and personal talents.
- Teach student how to research colleges and discover which parts of selecting a college are most aligned to their personal values and interests.
- Provide catered college suggestions to research that align with the student’s fit factors.
- Review the student’s colleges of interest and provide input on how the student can optimize their applications.
Ideal start time: Based on student readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Your essay coach will:
- Facilitate brainstorming with the student to determine college essay responses and provide guidance into which essay prompts to select.
- Meet with student to review, edit, critique, and provide feedback on essays after the student has determined their essay responses and developed their first draft.
- Provide a second summary of feedback in the revision process until the essay is polished.
Ideal start time: May, June, or July of Junior year of high school.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Many students don’t know what career path to pursue, posing challenges in selecting a college or advanced training program. After completing an assessment, the career counselor will help the student:
- Discover career fields that are a “best fit” based on a deeper understanding of their skills, interests, values, and personality.
- Explore potential jobs within each career field and to narrow down the list to the best options.
- Decide which options make the most sense upon the completion of research and interviews with people currently working in the same career fields.
- Once confident in their decision, the student will create a brief presentation to address how to best pursue their decision via college choice, choice of major, or other advanced training opportunities.
Ideal start time: Based on Student Readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
The counselor will help the student plan their high school experiences to:
- enhance their personal goals
- offer insight into preparing for the college admission process
- provide a customized college timeline
Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Ideal start time: 9th, 10th and first semester 11th grade students who are eager to learn about the college admission process.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
The counselor will help the student:
- identify college majors that align with their career goals
- help families find enrichment programs and volunteer opportunities to explore careers of interest
- share insight into special considerations for college admission based on the student’s intended major.
Includes three, 30-minute counselor sessions followed by up to 90 minutes of counselor research or other indirect support services to accommodate the student’s needs.
Ideal start time: 9th, 10th and 11th grade students who are early in the career/college planning process and want to plan their high school experiences to align with their career and college goals.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
FOR SENIORS
Apply: Essays, College Applications & Scholarships
There are many steps along the way to your child achieving their career goals and many parts to the college application and graduate school application. We will help your child prepare their application so that it will be noticed by admissions counselors and scholarship committees. Authentic and well-written essays will help your child share their unique story, and a customized plan will help your child stay ahead of deadlines. Our counselors and specialized team members can help with:
Includes meetings with your assigned high school counselor who will:
- Provide your student with an overview of the different factors to consider when selecting a college based on career and personal interests, academic record, and personal talents.
- Teach student how to research colleges and discover which parts of selecting a college are most aligned to their personal values and interests.
- Provide catered college suggestions to research that align with the student’s fit factors.
- Review the student’s colleges of interest and provide input on how the student can optimize their applications.
Ideal start time: Based on student readiness
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Your college counselor will:
- Provide a timeline of the college process during senior year with individualized suggestions of a starting point.
- Determine which application essay prompts will offer the greatest opportunity to share the student’s story.
- Offer suggestions on how the student should ask to get the most helpful letters of recommendation for their application.
- Assist the student with creating their resume or brag sheet, which can be a required component of admission and scholarship applications.
Ideal start time: Summer prior to and fall of senior year in high school.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Your essay coach will:
- Facilitate brainstorming with the student to determine college essay responses and provide guidance into which essay prompts to select.
- Meet with student to review, edit, critique, and provide feedback on essays after the student has determined their essay responses and developed their first draft.
- Provide a second summary of feedback in the revision process until the essay is polished.
Ideal start time: May, June, or July of Junior year of high school.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..
Scholarships are often difficult to find and frequently go unclaimed. Your counselor will:
- Advise on scholarship search strategy and which types of scholarships to focus on.
- Provide an organization tool to help streamline the scholarship search and application process.
- Create a curated list of a minimum of 5 and up to 10 scholarships based on the student’s academic and extracurricular profile, school, region, and college major.
- Assist with full review of 1 to 2 scholarship applications, including brainstorming of scholarship essay topics and feedback on scholarship essays, resumes, or other application components.
Ideal start time: December of senior year in high school.
Note: Results are not guaranteed and will depend upon the student’s eligibility, types of scholarship applied to, and level of effort.
Upon receipt of your payment to reserve your spot, you will be contacted to match and schedule your student with a counselor..