| Many families who have attempted to help their child | | | | and the one-on-one attention is something that will |
| with the college selection and admissions process | | | | benefit every teenager. College planners are |
| have felt it was more frustrating than fun. Others | | | | members of professional organizations. They also visit |
| have assumed their children would receive the help | | | | many colleges every year. |
| they needed from the school guidance counselor, | | | | Students who only consider the local state university |
| only to find that very little assistance was available. | | | | may be surprised to find out that the chances of |
| Some families have discovered college planners and | | | | graduating in four years are less than 40%. |
| have been only too happy to turn the job over to | | | | Sometimes only 60% graduate in six years. That can |
| them. They realize that a college planner can make a | | | | mean two additional years of paying for college. |
| tremendous difference for a student and help the | | | | Parents may also be disappointed in the financial aid |
| family save money in the end. | | | | and scholarships their student receives, if any. The |
| College planners are educational consultants who | | | | recession has caused cuts across public school |
| have the expertise to help students find schools that | | | | budgets like never before. Families may not realize |
| are a good match but are also affordable. They can | | | | that an education at a private school could cost less |
| explain the financial aid process and know which | | | | than at a public university. |
| schools are generous and which ones are not. They | | | | College planners work with families who see the |
| understand the college admissions process and how | | | | benefit in their services. They help students to have |
| to help students with applications and essays that are | | | | a variety of schools from which to choose. They |
| effective and will stand out from the crowd. They | | | | assist families in findings ways to pay for college. |
| provide advice that is hard to get anywhere else. | | | | They provide a valuable link between the student, |
| College planners charge reasonable fees and do pro | | | | parents, and high school counselor. Think about what |
| bono work whenever they can. College planning is | | | | you are going to pay for college. Then consider |
| their specialty and they are not distracted by other | | | | contacting a college planner. It could be the best |
| responsibilities. Their students are their only concern | | | | investment you ever made. |