One-on-One, Personalized College Search And Admissions Consulting
At Signature College Counseling, we understand that the college selection and application process can be quite overwhelming. Where do you start and what do you do? You don’t have to navigate this daunting journey on your own. Our experienced college counselors are here to make the process easier, less stressful – and actually enjoyable. We work with students on their entire college search and admissions journey, helping with every part of the process from identifying schools that best fit you academically, socially, and financially and applying to them (including essay guidance and interview preparation) to answering financial aid questions and assisting with final school selection.
Over our years in business, we have worked with hundreds and hundreds of students and families throughout the Hudson Valley. Every one of our students receives individual attention. We strive to find colleges that best suit each student’s unique needs, desires and opportunities for success. You can read some of our Success Stories, peruse our List of Colleges to which our students have been accepted, and read our Google Reviews, which provide a better feel for the results of our work.
Below is one example of a student we worked with. Her name has been changed to maintain her privacy.
A Signature College Counseling Putnam County Success Story
Elona came to us over the winter break holidays of her junior year, attending Haldane High School in the small community of Cold Spring, NY, where her graduating class is less than 80 students. Her quiet yet open persona warmed me to her immediately. An incredibly smart and accomplished young lady, she relayed onto me her desire to attend a college that would provide her access to hiking and the woods, yet be close to a city or large enough town where she would be able to have access to a variety of experiences. She also said that being near a body of water was something that would be a preference for her.
Background and Interests that Impacted the College Search and Application Process
Elona is multi-faceted young lady who is an artist (earning several regional awards for her work) and writer (winning local literary awards). She was editor of her school newspaper, athlete in tennis and track, and volunteer at a variety of local community venues. A very active student, Elona served as Vice President of her class and was involved in student council throughout high school. Studious as well, Elona ranked at the top of her class. And, she is also passionate about empowering women and involved in communicating issues to elected officials.
Identifying Colleges that Fit Her Academically, Socially and Financially
Although Elona didn’t know what she wanted to major in, she was interested in continuing her love for writing (at least being able to minor in creative writing), marine biology, physics and astronomy. As we began to narrow down her college search, liberal arts colleges became apparent as excellent choices for her. We suggested, and she chose, to apply to Bowdoin, Amherst, Colby, Hamilton, Williams and Franklin & Marshall, in addition to SUNY Binghamton as the sole state school on her list. We felt completely assured that she would gain acceptance there along with a few other schools on her list.
Suggesting Special Programs for High Achieving Students
When appropriate, Signature College Counseling always suggests honors colleges (programs within larger institutions for the universities highest level students) for high achieving students. In light of this, we suggested the honors program at University of Vermont and Elona loved the campus and vibe when she visited, hence she chose to apply there.
Addressing Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities
Although the family was open to cost and would not qualify for financial aid, they still would welcome merit scholarships that Elona could be awarded. We felt confident that she would have many scholarship opportunities at schools which awarded merit funding.
Picking the Right Essay Topic
Students always stress about the dreaded essays, so as part of our college consulting services, we help provide essay guidance. We counsel that often, it is an unusual or mundane topic that makes the best essay and this was very true for Elona. She is a tall young lady, upwards of 6 foot, and her essay was written about her height and how she experienced life from a tall perspective. It was probably one of the best college essays we have ever had the pleasure to read, exhibiting levity, some seriousness and insight into her world.
Selecting the Right School to Attend
In the end, Elona had a myriad of schools she was accepted to, including Hamilton, Amherst and Williams. She did get accepted to University of Vermont’s Honors College and with all of the exceptional experiences that school was going to provide her, along with a significant scholarship package, that is the school she chose to attend. She is thriving, enjoying the outdoors, the great college town of Burlington and all that UVM offers both academically and experientially. We couldn’t be happier for Elona and look forward to hearing all about what life brings her as she continues to head down her life’s journey.
If you are looking for help with the college search and admissions process, our consultants are ready to help. Call or email us today to learn more.
