College Direction Counseling Services

Guiding Students and Parents Through Their College Search

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 Services

 

College Selection is one of the most important decisions you will make during your high school years. Taking advantage of College Direction’s many counseling services in all or some of the following areas, depending on you and your family’s particular needs, will maximize your future educational investment dollars and minimize your risk of going in the wrong direction:

 

Initial Consultation  
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Let’s find out about you, your interests, your dreams, and your academic record.

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We discuss what your needs are in the college search process. 

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You’ll find out more about the process and how we can work together. 

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As a result of this meeting, we design a customized plan for you and your family.

 

Four Year Plan Review

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During your high school years, you build the foundation that will determine what choices are out there for you for your post-high school education. 

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We review the classes you have taken, what you plan to take, summer school options, summer program opportunities and how they all relate to you, your academic background, and your future plans. 

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We also help you with your extracurricular choices and outside interests. 

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Our goal is to keep you on track, helping you make wise choices so that you will have strong and unique experiences to present on your college applications.

 

Building A Strong Resume

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How one spends his or her time outside the classroom can have long-term impact on directions taken in the future. 

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Together we explore how to do what you love and how then to use it to make you a stronger admission candidate. 

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Clients learn how to track, describe and promote their roles and accomplishments in their extracurricular life.

 

Testing Considerations

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A little confused by all the college entrance testing requirements? 

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During our time together, we discuss your personal situation and develop a testing plan of action for you  to follow that includes timeframe, deadlines, and registration process.

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The need for participating in and the opportunities that are available for SAT prep course reviews or other study skills classes is evaluated.

 

Exploring Options
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Student, parents and consultant together develop a realistic list of colleges for the student to further research and consider based on outside interest areas, course of study, academic record and admissions qualifications.

 

 

MindSightTM : A High School to College Academic Transition Tool
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Need direction on your interests, academic environment, potential course of study and what possible career choices would be best for you? 

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This unique and extensive assessment tool that reveals personal information on everything from interests to how you handle stress is offered through our partnership with MindSightTM, Inc. 

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Results from this assessment can impact your college consideration list, prepare you for dealing with a college roommate and be valuable information in other aspects of your life. 

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The many personalized reports from MindSightTM are tools that we use then in our counseling sessions.  

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More information on this comprehensive and extremely worthwhile opportunity can be found at www.mindsightinc.com.

 

College Tour Planning
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College campus visits are essential to the college search process.

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Preparation is key and we work to help you make the most out of the time and money spent on this venture.

 

Interview Coaching
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We offer personal coaching on interviewing skills and techniques. 

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The student is prepared for a successful admission interview, alumni interview or competitive scholarship group or individual interview.

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Our goal is to give you the preparation and confidence to take control of the interview experience.

 

Essay Analysis

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Did you know that many students spend less time on their college essays than they do on a homework assignment?

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Realizing that the essay plays a vital part in many admission decisions, especially in a “hair-splitting” competitive pool, emphasis is placed on writing strong, original college essays that will help you standout from the crowd.

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From the draft stage to the final product, you are coached in a fun and rewarding way during a part of the application process that can be most stressful! 

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Essay analysis can be done by appointment or an e-mail critique can be provided.

 

 

Application Review
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Before sending that application off, we give a full professional critique to insure you are presenting yourself in the best way possible.

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For those students selecting to do on-line applications, we counsel them on their short answer questions, activity listings and special honors and achievement reporting.

 

 

Scholarship and Financial Aid Session
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We can provide you with valuable information on applying for scholarships and financial assistance during the college search process. Never assume that you are not eligible. 

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Many scholarship dollars are under utilized because qualified students fail to apply for them.

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We  work to match your needs to the opportunities that are available.

 

Choice Evaluation
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After you have received your admission decisions from the colleges, we can help you evaluate your offers and assist you in making the best choice academically and financially for you and your family.  

  For  pricing information or to set up an appointment,

  please contact Virginia Blackwell at 281 580-1611 or e-mail her at vblackwell@collegedirection.net