What Is College Counseling, And Is It Available Online?

Christin Perry is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including WeddingWire, The Knot, Parents and Verywell Family. When she's not working, Christin enjoys reading, gardening and hanging out with her husband and four young.

Christin Perry Contributor

Christin Perry is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including WeddingWire, The Knot, Parents and Verywell Family. When she's not working, Christin enjoys reading, gardening and hanging out with her husband and four young.

Written By Christin Perry Contributor

Christin Perry is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including WeddingWire, The Knot, Parents and Verywell Family. When she's not working, Christin enjoys reading, gardening and hanging out with her husband and four young.

Christin Perry Contributor

Christin Perry is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including WeddingWire, The Knot, Parents and Verywell Family. When she's not working, Christin enjoys reading, gardening and hanging out with her husband and four young.

Contributor Brenna Swanston Deputy Editor

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston Deputy Editor

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston Deputy Editor

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston Deputy Editor

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Updated: Mar 28, 2024, 4:45am

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What Is College Counseling, And Is It Available Online?

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Key Takeaways

If you’ve made the major decision to attend college, you’ll face a host of choices and action items before you even set foot on campus. A college counselor can help you decide which schools to apply to, how you’ll get into the school of your choice and what to major in.

In this article, we’ll explain how a college counselor can assist you with the application and admission process. We’ll cover the benefits of consulting with a college counselor and when to seek college counseling services.

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What Is College Counseling?

If you’re wondering how to apply for college, a college counselor can help. Whether you’re hoping to head to college right after high school or your education journey has taken a different path, a college counselor can assist you in achieving your goals.

Some college counselors work at high schools to assist students with a smooth transition to college life. Others work independently or with counseling organizations. Online college counseling services are becoming increasingly popular as well.

Why Should You Use College Counseling?

A college counselor is a one-stop source of knowledge when it comes to the college admissions process. Rather than having to handle the entire process yourself, you can turn to a college counselor for support and guidance every step of the way.

The services college counselors provide include the following.

How Does College Counseling Work?

Whether you attend in-person or online college counseling, the process looks the same.

You will meet with a counselor, and if the two of you have a good rapport, you might select this person to help you along your college admissions journey. Your counselor might ask you lots of questions at first to assess your strengths, weaknesses and interests as a student and get a sense of what you’re looking for in a college.

Most college students choose to enroll in their school of choice based on criteria like affordability, proximity to home and whether the school offers their chosen program. College counselors can help students look at their needs and desires more closely and find a school they may not have initially considered, but which turns out to be a great fit.

In addition, college counselors often have a broad knowledge of local and national scholarship offerings and the best scholarship options for each student.

Depending on your goals, you might meet with your college counselor regularly over several months and more frequently during critical periods, such as when you’re putting together the application for your top-choice school. Other times, like when you’re awaiting acceptance letters, you may only need brief, occasional check-ins with your college counselor.

When Should You Start?

Once you’ve decided to pursue a degree, it’s never too early to start consulting with a college counselor. Students can have college counselors review their grades and advise on course selection as early as eighth or ninth grade.

Is College Counseling Available Online?

Thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic, online college counseling is now widely available. In fact, a 2022 study by the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) found that 58% of the organization’s members almost never see their clients in person. Several reputable companies provide online college counseling services (we’ll discuss a few of them below) and understand how to connect with student clients to nail down a strategic path to college acceptance.

For the most part, online college counseling works in much the same way as in-person counseling does. Video platforms like Zoom and Google Meet facilitate meetings, during which your counselor can answer any questions you have, review applications or essays and share their knowledge about schools or scholarships that might suit you.

What To Expect From Sessions With Your College Counselor

Everyone has a different college counseling experience, but in general, your sessions should consist of discussion, collaboration, planning, execution and review. Below we explore how a college counselor can help you throughout the college application process.

Helping You Decide Where To Apply

One of the first things your college counselor will want to know is what you’re looking for in a college and what you’re hoping to get out of the experience. This information helps them assist you in finding and applying for the best schools for you, not just the most obvious schools based on size, price and location.

Crafting an Admission Strategy for Each School

This step can be done as early as ninth grade. If you have your sights set on a particular school, your college counselor can take a look at your grades, help you choose coursework and inform you which standardized tests you’ll need to prepare for to give you the best chance at admission. This part of the process is particularly important if you want to attend a college with competitive admissions.

Addressing Questions Regarding Financial Aid

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 86% of full-time undergraduate students were awarded financial aid in the 2020–21 academic year. But financial aid can be difficult and time-consuming to navigate.

A college counselor can help you fill out the FAFSA and find scholarships to reduce the burden of college expenses.

Finalizing and Submitting Your Applications

Shortly after your senior year begins, it’s time to start applying to your top-choice schools. Your college counselor can help with this important process, ensuring you have the strongest application possible.

Benefits of College Counseling

It’s hard to deny the benefits of additional support when you’re navigating the murky waters of college admissions. From choosing where to apply to ACT and SAT tips, a college counseling service can help. Below, we’ll take a look at some benefits of college counseling.

Access to Expertise on College Admissions

When you work with a college counselor, you have access to a dedicated expert who knows what colleges like to see on applications. They also know the application process and can help you stay on top of deadlines, to-do items and particular requirements for each school you apply to.

Personalized Guidance on College Applications

A college counselor gets to know you on an individual basis so they can best help you highlight your strengths on your college applications. Your counselor also knows what your prospective schools are looking for, meaning they can help you craft the best application for each school you’re applying to.

Resources To Keep You From Feeling Overwhelmed

Between standardized tests, application deadlines and financial aid paperwork, college applications involve a lot of moving pieces. With a knowledgeable professional there to help you stay on track during this complicated process, you’ll have less to stress about.

Online College Counseling Providers

Below we list a few popular online college counseling services that can help you navigate the college admissions process.

CollegeVine

An online college counseling community, CollegeVine has it all: an online question-and-answer forum, a treasure trove of information about colleges and universities and helpful one-on-one assistance. Here, you can access a machine learning-driven calculator that gives you your chances of being admitted to any given school.

Collegewise

CollegeWise offers traditional college counseling with an emphasis on tutoring and test prep. This provider groups counseling clients into three age groups: eighth and ninth grade, 10th and 11th grade and 12th grade and transfer students. CollegeWise counselors work with their clients to create strategic admissions plans, submit college applications and choose which school to attend.

Crimson Education

Crimson Education focuses primarily on highly competitive universities such as the Ivy League, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. If you’re aiming for a top university, Crimson is a great resource for college counseling. CollegeWise has helped more than 4,800 students gain admission to the top-50 U.S. universities.

Empowerly

You don’t have to spend a lot of time on Empowerly’s website to know this online college counseling site garners results. With a focus on time spent with each student, Empowerly offers one-on-one counseling and application preparation to help students maximize their chances of getting offers from their top-choice schools.

WeAdmit

At WeAdmit, a team approach helps students get into their schools of choice. Clients are supported by a team of online college counselors who have targeted experience in each aspect of the admissions journey. The site offers comprehensive full-length programs and shorter bootcamps to provide an immersive college counseling experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About College Counseling

Is college counseling worth it?

For many students and families, yes. College counselors have extensive college admissions knowledge. They offer support both before and throughout the complex admissions process, including helping students choose courses and extracurricular activities that fit their goals and strengths; identifying the best schools, scholarships and majors for each learner; and providing guidance on how to craft effective personal essays, apply for financial aid and optimize SAT or ACT scores.

How do you choose a good college counselor?

Many learners receive adequate support from counselors at their high schools, but if you’re seeking extra help—or if you’re no longer in high school—finding an independent college counselor or consultant can be beneficial. Look for a counselor with relevant professional experience. Check out client reviews and acceptance rates to get a sense of their track record, and consider a preliminary meeting to find out if you click. Many counselors provide free consultations.

How much does a college counselor cost?

College counseling costs vary based on factors like counselor experience and geographical location, but IECA reports a typical range of about $4,000 to $7,500 for a comprehensive package and an average hourly rate of $230. Most college consultants also offer less expensive options such as smaller packages, a la carte services, sliding scale rates and pro bono help. Students can also access free resources through their high schools and online platforms such as CollegeVine.