Gail Meyer, LCSW
Certified Educational Planner
Students and their families frequently focus on admission to brand-name colleges and universities rather than schools that meet academic and personal needs. My role is to guide students and their families through the challenges of preparing for and gaining admission to a college or university that will support their academic, social, and personal goals. As an educational consultant, my objective is to simplify the college search process and maximize educational opportunities. I assist families in identifying a student’s strengths, interests, talents, and goals to identify a range of colleges most appropriate for their child. By educating families about the range of educational options available, families learn that there are many colleges that will offer an excellent academic and extracurricular experience for their child.
Keith Berman
President, Certified Educational Planner
Options for College
We never treat students like they are fixed points in time and space—we help them think of ideas that take their ideas to the next level so that they can maximize their options for college.
Anne Macleod Weeks
Upper School Director
The Agnes Irwin School
There are a variety of ways to approach this. I never want to completely discourage a student from applying to his or her “dream” school, but I also want to make sure the student has a balanced list and is happy to attend at least one of their likely admission choices. Using data can help, whether it be a scattergram of past applicants’ results or the specific data published by college guides, such Wintergreen Orchard House. What can be most effective, however, is to connect the student to current undergrads and have them talk about the amount of time the student devotes to course work, what level of performance is expected, and what grading is like. This can send a clear message to the applicant about what they would be facing if admitted.
Charlotte M. Klaar, Ph.D.
Director
Klaar College Consulting LLC
My approach is to be honest with the student and show him or her the statistics for accepted students. I then suggest that if this college is a real dream of his or hers, an application be sent and take a shot. We follow this with a discussion about improving the grades and scores that the student has so that he or she may improve the chances of admission.
Ann Herbener
College Counselor
Papillion-La Vista High School
“No one asks where you started college. They ask where you graduated from.” I don’t want to be that counselor that tells someone, “You’re not going to college.” We begin with a first step and then progress on to where they can transfer when their qualifications improve.
Suzan Reznick
Director
The College Connection
I try to offer them a “reality check.” I give them the profiles (academic and extracurricular) of past students who were not accepted to the schools that they were considering. I also try to tell them that what they require, in their college experience, is to have a balance of great academic and social experiences. And I tell them that if they are indeed accepted to one of the more selective schools, they should plan on spending most of their time in the library!
Heather Johnson
Educational Consultant
Heather Johnson Associates
I always talk with students about the selectivity of colleges and that this doesn’t necessarily define what the experience will be somewhere--that is, there are many schools that may seem less “selective” when you look at their admission numbers, but the experience for a student when there can be very challenging and very fulfilling, particularly with honors programs or special programs in their field of study. I don’t discourage students from applying to one or two “reach” schools if they are really in love with the schools, but I am realistic with them about their profile and discuss other options with them as well.
Susan M. Hanflik, M.Ed., C.E.P.
Independent Educational Consultant
Susan Hanflik and Associates Educational Consulting
Our goal is to find a list of eight to 10 schools that are great fits for the student, so even if their “top choice” isn’t an option, they still have other options that are terrific. In fact, some students find that by April of their senior year, that “top choice” may not be the one they want to attend. As an independent consultant who travels all over the country, my job is to present the student with options they may not even have considered that will meet their criteria for a great educational experience. I also work very hard to make sure students have a realistic view of their chances for admission. For some students that may be a wake-up call, but I tell students it is the first of many you will have in life. If you are in the mid-50% profile of students who were admitted, 50% of the students who applied with that profile were not admitted. Your job is to put your best foot forward with a great application and recommendation, and that is all you can control. Being open to other options is key to making a successful transition to your next step.
Sandra E. Clifton
Educational Consultant for Social & Emotional Learning
Clifton Corner: An Academic Coaching Center.
Often, a student doesn’t realize that there are really wonderful opportunities at schools they didn’t even know existed—so I try to open doors to other possibilities that may not have been apparent before a student has met with me. This discovery process can be both surprising and exciting!