10 Questions to Ask a College Counselor BEFORE You Hire Them

If you are thinking of hiring a college counselor to assist with your daunting college admissions journey, below are 10 questions you should ask to assess if they have the credentials and experience to do so. Deciding on which college to attend will be one of the biggest decisions, both financially and emotionally, that you will help your child make and ensuring you have the right person and team to guide you through your journey is imperative.

Once you have answers to the below you can then better assess your needs as they compare to what each college counselor can offer. This is one time where you won’t have the opportunity for a do-over. Get it right the first time.

1. Do you belong to a professional association and, if so, which one(s)? What is your designation in that association? Do you attend their conferences?

2. Do you visit colleges each year and, if so, how many have you visited and where?

3. Have you earned a certification as a college counselor and if so at what institution? What is your background?

4. Do you have a certified career assessment tool that assists a student in understanding their strengths and how they can translate into potential careers?

5. How long have you been a college counselor and how many students have you worked with?

6. What does your college search process entail and what do you provide other than just a list of colleges?

7. Can you provide me multiple references to call about your services?

8. How long will it take you to respond to my emails or phone calls?

9. Do you work with families on financial aid, such as calculating their estimated Expected Family Contribution during the college search process, assisting them in completing the required forms and deciphering their award letters?

10. Do you manage the timeline and entire college admissions process working with our child and family? Do you or someone on your team sit with my child to assist them in completing their applications or will you have my child complete it on their own and you will just review it? Will you submit all of my child’s applications with them? Will you assist them in working in Naviance?

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Do you have questions about the college admissions process or the above information? Don’t hesitate to contact me at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946.

Contact us at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946. We work with students through Zoom, over the phone, and by email.