College application help: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What college application help is

College application help means an advisor helps students build a school list, organize deadlines, complete application forms and present activities and strengths clearly. Families book it in the junior year or early senior year, when the list is not set, when deadlines are piling up, or when the application forms feel overwhelming.

Signs you need it

  • The student has no list of colleges, or a list that does not match their grades or goals
  • Deadlines for early and regular applications are not on a calendar, and some are close
  • The student does not know how to describe activities, jobs or family responsibilities in the form
  • The application forms ask for information the family has not gathered
  • The student is applying to several schools with different requirements and needs a system to track them

What the pro does

  • Reviews the student's grades, test scores, interests and goals to build a balanced school list
  • Sets a calendar of every deadline, test date and required document, and checks it each week
  • Walks through each application form with the student, so the answers are accurate and complete
  • Helps the student describe activities and strengths clearly, in their own words
  • Checks the finished applications for errors, missing items and consistent details

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of each session and how many sessions are in a series
  • Whether the help covers a school list only, or the full set of applications
  • The number of schools on the list and how different their forms are
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • Whether the advisor helps with financial aid forms, scholarships or other applications
  • Whether the advisor reviews the applications at several points or only once

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number of sessions, session length and the start date
  • Which schools and forms the help covers
  • Whether a deadline calendar and document checklist are included
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • Cancellation and make-up policy

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you build a school list that fits my child's grades and goals?
  • How do you help with the forms without writing the answers for my child?
  • Will you set up a deadline calendar, and how do you keep it updated?
  • What is your background in college admissions, and how long have you advised students?
  • Do you have experience with the schools my child is considering?
  • If my child is under 18, have you passed a background check?
  • What will my child do on their own, and what will you check?

Red flags

  • Promises admission to a specific college or guarantees a scholarship
  • Writes the application or the essay for the student and submits it under the student's name
  • Asks for a large fee before showing a plan or a calendar
  • Pressures the family to apply to a set list of schools or to use a specific service

What you can do yourself

Families can build a spreadsheet of schools with each deadline, test date and document, and ask the student to write the activity descriptions themselves. Schools post their deadlines and requirements on their websites. Hire an advisor when the list is not set, when deadlines are piling up, or when the family cannot help with the forms.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to advise students on college applications privately. Ask whether the advisor has experience in admissions or counseling, and check with your state or local licensing agency for any rules that apply to the services offered. Some advisors belong to a professional association, and you can ask whether this one does.

College application help questions

Can an advisor get my child into a specific college?

No advisor can guarantee admission. A good advisor helps your child find schools that fit their record and goals, and presents the application clearly. Admissions decisions belong to the colleges.

Is it cheating for an advisor to help with the essays?

Many schools expect the application to be the student's own work. An advisor can help with brainstorming and feedback, but the words should be your child's, and the school's rules apply.

When should my child start?

Many families start in the junior year, when the school list and the test plan take shape. Ask the advisor for a calendar that starts from your child's current stage.

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