College Admissions Consulting

College Track Counseling:

There are many to select from (it is an ever popular field that many from other walks of life have entered because it can be quite lucrative given charges can go as high as in excess of $5,000 depending on age of your student and what is needed. Have you googled East Bay or San Francisco Bay Area college counselors?  There are also high school academic counselors that run a private business outside their school days. We have not decided and in fact we just purchased an online do it yourself very robust program that includes much of what you say you want and a whole lot more through College Success Formula (out of Dana Point, CA). They offer free monthly webinars on hot topics for those preparing to enter college. At the end of each webinar they make an offer of some type of discounted membership. I passed a couple of times. Last weekend I invited my skeptical husband (a lawyer to boot) to listen in while I took notes. He was the first to agree we couldn't pass this up. But, you have to not mind doing some leg work (i.e on the internet that is). It's all there just have to plug through it. And yes, your students gets the SAT / ACT test prep course with video tutorial as well!  OK. if that doesn't suit you (I'd give them a call and sign up for next month's free webinar - you will get a nice discount if you can wait till then), here are some folks we met with either from a flyer sent out by our school district or by referral. 

College Planning Solutions - Ayden Masudi (Founder) - Pleasanton (by Stonebridge Mall) 925-223-6369. Free initial 1 hour consult

College Money Pros - Dan Evertsz - San Ramon 925-452-4067 or 866-552-4006 (our Trust attorney used him and her son went to an east coast private school where ALL expenses including room and board totaled around $90,000 for one year, and all she had to pony up was $10,000. Yes he had good grades and test scores but even though mom and dad had healthy income, he got merit scholarship money. Best opportunities for free or almost free college are private schools with large endowments. Some are small lesser known schools - doesn't mean they are not good schools. Don't let your child end up like that of the other post that selects a school of 45,000 students where he/she can't have a chance to make connections with a professor which is a huge part of a successful college career. Good things come in small packages. Many schools are huge. Hard to get past that if geography is a factor. Must look to see if the school aligns with the student's interests and that will be an area these professional college planners can help. They know many of the schools.  Maybe you can hire them to consult just on the school selection. Some work by the hour as well as pay by the package.  You will have to ask. One more source is College Planning Foundation in Dublin - 855-372-3422. I have had no contact with them but we recently got a flyer in the mail. I am surprised you are not getting flyers as well. They "farm" areas where they believe live college-bound kids.  Good Luck