Why Hire A College Admissions Advisor?

Dr. Paul LoweBy Dr. Paul Lowe

The real question is not whether you should hire a private college admissions advisor, but whether you want your child to have a competitive advantage in a very competitive and selective process and as a concerned parent, are you willing to pay for that advantage? It’s that simple!

First let’s discuss the ways in which expert admissions advisors can help you. We bring:

1. Experience, knowledge, expertise and insight to a dynamically changing process.

2. Objectivity to a subject about which you may not be objective: Your child.

3. Editing skills. College essays are marketing tools, not an English class assignment. It is challenging for an adolescent to present a well-written self-portrait that articulates his or her complexities as a scholar and a person.

4. Individualized and personalized guidance. The U.S. Dept of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics reported that, on average, high school guidance counselors spent only 22 percent of their time on college admissions and selection! The National Association for College Admissions Counseling survey reported that high school guidance counselors have an average caseload of 125 to as high as 500 students, making them unable to provide adequate personalized college guidance.

How do these benefits justify the cost and provide a critical competitive edge? Using an admissions advisor can:

1. Enable your child’s acceptance to his or her best choice school, rather than just the “good fit’” school as determined by computer software.

2. Reduce the time, stress, and frustration you (and your child) experience during the admissions process.

3. Save you the cost (and anxiety) of reapplication and transfer.

Why hire an architect? A real estate broker? A financial advisor? A kitchen contractor? Why hire a college admissions advisor? It’s about your child’s happiness and educational future! What is that worth to you?


 

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Greenwich Admissions  Advisors. Tel. (203) 542-7288. Dr. Lowe is an active member of several professional organizations including: the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), the New York Association for College Admission Counseling (NYACAC), the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling (OACAC), and NAFSA: Association of International Educators, American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), and the Admissions Leadership Consortium (ALC).