OUR COLLEGE CONSULTANTS HELP STUDENTS OPTIMIZE ADMISSIONS RESULTS

How do I find the right schools for me? Which are the best schools for my major? How do I pick a personal essay topic? There are so many parts to the Common App – where do I even start? When should I start the Common App? When should I take the SAT/ACT? Are my grades good enough to get into my top choice? Do I have enough volunteer activities?

Do any of these questions sound familiar? If you are getting ready to embark on the college search and application process, or even if you are knee deep in it, these questions have probably been swirling around in your head. Just know that you are far from alone. We would be surprised if you didn’t ask them! Just know that our experienced college consultants are here to help.

We have assisted over 600 students throughout their college journey by:

• Identifying good college matches
• Managing milestones 
• Overseeing the application process 
• Providing essay advice 
• Prepping for interviews
• Assisting with the financial aid application process 
• Selecting THE school they will attend

We invite you to read what students and their families have to say about their experiences in working with Signature College Counseling. Here is one example of a student from Palisades, New York who we helped find and attend a school that was her best fit. Her name has been changed to maintain his privacy.

A Signature College Counseling Palisades, NY, Rockland County Area Success Story

Susie, who attended Tappan Zee High School in Orangeburg, NY, is a positive, funny, outdoorsy young lady who had an interest in agriculture. She grew up on a small farm in Rockland County with chickens and goats, where there were plenty of bales of hay that needed moving. Each Sunday morning was a family affair to work on the farm, cleaning out the chicken coops, moving those huge bales of hay, and cleaning the animals’ cages. Susie worked hard in and out of school and maintained a solid B to B+ average. She also has a passion for French. Initially, she thought she had an interest in engineering, but seeing that math and science were not her favorite classes, Susie soon realized that engineering was not in her future and she was completely fine with that. Shortly thereafter, Susie came to find that her passion was in agriculture and steered in the direction of schools that could provide her with a solid agriculture foundation.

A Very Involved Student

Susie was definitely athletic participating on both the girls soccer and lacrosse teams throughout high school. She also was active in volunteer work, coaching sports with special needs children, as well as volunteering in a variety of community service activities. She was in the French Honor Society and learned more about French culture and history. She was selected to be a peer leader to young high school students and also delved into history through the History Honor Society. We never were concerned about what Susie’s plans would be over the summer. She worked from the time she got out of school until the day she had to go back as a short order cook snack bar attendant at a local swim club. To fulfill her love for the outdoors, she has been an avid skier and snowboarder since the age of 5, and the winter months were her wonderland.

Susie’s College Wish List

Susie was fine with being up to a 2-3 hour plane flight from home. She definitely wanted schools that were mid-larger in size but not a completely urban or rural environment. Her family was open to cost, so finances were not going to be a factor in her college choices. Susie didn’t want a religiously affiliated school and spectator sports and plenty of school spirit were a must. As said previously, agriculture was a strong preference as well. Not a surprise, Susie wanted a student body that was adventurous, mainstream and outdoorsy – and if she could be near the slopes, all the better.

Ideal Schools for Susie

Susie’s range of schools included:

• Syracuse University
• Penn State
• North Carolina State
• Virginia Tech
• University of Connecticut
• UMass Amherst
• University at Buffalo

Susie applied to all of the above schools, but UConn, NC State and Syracuse were her top picks.

The End Result

When all of the admission decisions came out, Susie got accepted to all of her schools, other than NC State and UConn where she got waitlisted. She was especially disappointed in UConn and she wrote a letter of continued interest, which she sent to the admissions office. In the end, she gleefully decided to attend Syracuse and is absolutely thrilled with her decision. She is finishing up her freshman year and cannot wait to continue her college journey at SU!

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.