Frequently Asked Questions about Hiring a Private College Consultant

1. It makes me a bit uneasy to think about working with a private college consultant who I have never met face-to-face, and who lives 3000 miles away from me. Why is this a good idea?
   
   
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   Questioning the idea of long-distance consulting with Professional College Consulting of America is like questioning the purchase of a high-quality product that is produced somewhere far away, versus the purchase of a similar, but lower quality product that is closely priced but produced locally. Unless you are simply trying to support a local economy, would you purchase lower quality locally-produced product? As a parent seeking college consulting advice, quality should be chosen over local proximity 100% of the time.
   
   And while long-distance college consulting may not be an arrangement that many families are used to, you should take comfort knowing that you are going to be working with a college consultant with a highly desirable background who is personally committed to the level of service you will receive. Many individuals throughout the United States or across the globe are seeking college admissions consultants with an Ivy-League background and experience, but unfortunately private college admissions consultants who fit this profile are rather rare. Thus there exists a true need to establish a platform that allows families access to the type of college consultant they seek regardless of their place of residence. It is Professional College Consulting of America's mission to provide high-quality, expert college counseling to as many families as possible by not excluding families due to their physical proximity.
   
   For more on this topic, please read about PCCOFA's philosophy, which addresses how long-distance consulting will serve as an advantage for clients.


2. I want my child to attend a specific college. Can you guarantee that he or she will be admitted?
   
   
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   Professional College Consulting of America does not guarantee admission into any particular institution. You should be extremely cautious of any company that makes this type of claim! Individual college admissions practices can often be rather unpredictable, and making a guarantee of admission to a specific institution is not good practice.
   
   Nonetheless, there is no denying that there are private college consulting companies run by experienced individuals with many powerful connections that are often quite effective at getting students admitted to elite colleges. PCCOFA is also fully equipped to get the right students (take note of the words "right students") into elite colleges. However, an important difference between Professional College Consulting of America and some of these other companies is that our philosophy does not allow for the practice of "admissions packaging," whereby a consultant works with a student to basically invent a profile that they believe may look more favorable to an admissions committee at a certain (often elite) institution. This profile is more often than not only loosely connected to the true interests or background of the student. An example of this practice would be encouraging a student who wants to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to enroll in beauty pageants, simply because this is an activity not typical of the school's applicant pool, and thus would set this student apart from other applicants.
   
   It is crucial to understand that the real problem with this approach, aside from the ethics (or lack thereof), is that it disregards the importance of understanding which college is truly best for the individual student. This approach almost always fails to help a student through the process of better understanding him/herself in order to find a school that suits them for the right reasons. It is sad to note that because this process has been neglected, many "packaged" students have been known to struggle academically, feel like misfits, and either seek a transfer or drop out altogether. What good is getting admitted to Harvard via admissions packaging, if a student is going to be miserable and face a significant probability of not graduating from the institution?
   
   So, while PCCOFA will work with each student individually to build their admissions profile, Professional College Consulting of America does not believe in encouraging a student to "stand out" at the expense of ignoring their true interests and personality. Rather, this company is committed to helping students stand out by thinking of ways that demonstrate a serious commitment to their true interests. PCCOFA's approach is to help students explore and understand their interests and abilities, so that the admissions process isn't only about getting into the "best ranked" college, but also about starting down a life-path that's best-suited to the student. For some students this does clearly mean the Ivy-League, and PCCOFA is well equipped to help students with Ivy League admissions. But for those of whom it does not, PCCOFA is equally equipped and committed to help guide them through the admissions process, and find great schools that will start them down this path of success.


3. How will we actually communicate with you during the consulting process?
   
   
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   A number of different options are available for you and your family, and all of these options are unlimited in quantity and time: Much of the work we do can take place via email communication. This system is actually superior to individual face-to-face meetings because you have a complete written record of all of our communications. This way you do not need to worry about trying to remember everything I tell you, or about trying to take notes during a meeting. Moreover, with this arrangement you can communicate with me at your own convenience, and as much as you please. You do not need to worry about getting in the car to drive somewhere, about leaving work early, or about "saving your questions until next week." All e-mail communications sent to PCCOFA by a client will be acknowledged within no more than 36 hours unless you have been otherwise notified. Most often you should expect to receive a response within a matter of hours.
   
   If a real-time back and forth dialogue is desired, we can set up specific meeting times to meet via private computer-based discussion areas. Once the meeting is scheduled, you will be sent a password that will give you access to a secured meeting room. To do join the meeting, you will simply enter the meeting area that you will find in the Members section of the website, choose your assigned room, and enter the password for access. This process will ensure that the meeting is private and uninterrupted. After the meeting is complete, you will also receive a complete transcript of the discussion for your reference.
   
   Telephone meetings are of course another option.


4. How much do your services cost?
   
   
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   If you are considering our services, you should go to the Contact section of this website to send a secure message with any clarifying questions, and with a request for pricing information on the specific services you desire. Shortly thereafter you will receive an email response with our prices and the answers to your questions.
   


5. Do you fill out college applications or write college essays for students?
   
   
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   Absolutely not! There is no doubt that you could probably find consultants out there who will do this for students. On the contrary, I believe that part of the important learning process is for students to take ownership of this process. I will closely guide students along the way and give them all of the tools they need to succeed, but I will not do their work for them. With that being said, I will absolutely review and provide detailed feedback on completed applications, and will play an intimate role in developing and editing essays.
   


6. I still have some questions. How can I get them answered before I sign up?
   If you have any additional questions, you may contact PCCOFA directly by filling out an online information request form. You will receive a response within 48 hours.