Everyone needs help from time to time, even those of us who are the "do it ourselves" types. And when we're looking at investing tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of dollars into our children's college educations, it just makes good sense to work with a professional. 

As with any large investment, from a retirement investment to buying a house, you need to understand the process, receive all the relevant information, and realize all of the options available to you in order to minimize outlay of capital, maximize your return, and succeed in the end.

When it comes to the college application process, many parents turn to books like this for their advice. Think about it. You're on the verge of investing up to a quarter of a million dollars. You owe it to yourself and to your aspiring college student to work with a professional.

With more than 30 years of experience helping hundreds of students successfully apply to colleges throughout the United States, I know there are many reasons parents and students need to hire a college counselor:

• Your First Child Is Applying:  Even the most organized family can be overwhelmed by the college process, and this is especially the case when it is the first child preparing to go to college. The amount of information available through the Internet, from the high school, and from the media at times can create an overload, especially when you are going through the process for the first time.
• Your Child Has Excelled: How do you sort out all of the options that are available to your child? Is an Ivy League education truly worth the price? Which colleges offer the kind of merit scholarships your child has worked hard to earn? Which colleges will decrease or even eliminate your child's loans if you qualify for need-based aid?
• Your Child Has Done Well, But . . .

... doesn't perform well on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT
... is looking for something other than State U
... has a school counselor who doesn't know him/her very well
... needs special accommodations
... feels s/he has very few college options
... fears s/he can only afford a local community college

• Your Child Has Struggled: Some students achieve academic maturity later than others. Because of this, they are left feeling that the local community college is their only option. Whether the struggle has been with a specific subject area, school in general, or with SAT/ACT testing, I have the experience to help you and your student find the right match for college success.
• Your Child Has Faced Unique Situations: Life doesn't always proceed as planned. And when a family or personal crisis occurs, sometimes even the hardiest of students find their grades suffering for a semester or so. I can help you understand how to handle these issues when it comes to the college application and high school transcripts.