Some companies parents work for have extra benefits, including college counseling services. They can include everything from discussing financing an education, to different types of schools, to essay advice. Some feature general information/webinars, and/or scheduled personalized essay review/feedback. Do either you or your child’s other parent have this benefit where you work?
Echoing what has been preciously said, having an independent stranger assist - who isn’t a parent - can be extremely helpful for:
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confirming that an application schedule is not a parent’s opinion but, indeed, an actual general schedule each year that schools establish themselves
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provide essay feedback in a timely manner (should be general feedback and not “write your student’s essay,” of course)
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help add schools to a student’s list that may not have been on a family’s radar
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improve the family dynamic during a stressful time (college applications!)
Finding someone who can help with these crucial steps can make the difference in a student’s outcomes. This doesn’t have to be an expensive counselor, but an efficient one.
Most importantly, students should be both confident yet realistic about the application process. If they have a few YOLO applications, they should send them so they never have the “what if?” question. You don’t have to always be a superstar to land at a school - but it helps.
That being said, they should have a solid list of potential likelies/safeties so they like the choices they have when the decisions come in. Being in California, find affordable safeties out of state as well! The UCs and CSUs may have acceptances to the newer/less “name” locations in-state, but your kid may only find rejections from the more popular campuses. More in-state students are having this result each year.
Good luck!