The Foreign Service Journal, June 2006

J U N E 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 91 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT Should We Hire a College Admissions Counselor? I f you lack a guidance department or if you’re homeschooling, consider hiring a college admissions consultant. “I do think homeschooled students would benefit from hiring a college admissions consultant,” stresses Judy Frohlich, partner of College Counseling Consultants, based in the Chicago area (cccns@ameritech.net). “T he presentation of their credentials in their applica- tion is even more important than students in a traditional school setting because the means of comparison with other students is much more challenging.” In fact, as Rebecca Grappo, education and youth officer for the State Department’s Family Liaison Office, points out, using a private educational consultant can have many benefits. “A good consultant is extremely knowledgeable about various programs and offerings available at colleges and universities around the country, as well as the college application process,” says Grappo. “These professionals pride themselves on getting to know a student’s abilities, aspirations and personality well so that they can advise a family on appropriate options that fit the needs of the individual student,” Grappo adds. “They can also spot unfore- seen pitfalls that can save time and money in the end.” Frohlich and her partner charge $2,250 for a two-year package (unlimited assistance beginning junior year and going through the completion of the admissions process at the end of senior year), but a similar package can run as high as $30,000 with well- known New York firms. “Usually consultants are hired on a retainer rather than an hourly basis,” says Frohlich. “We sometimes do charge on an hourly basis when people just need a little bit of help here and there.” Although she prefers to meet at least initially in person, Frohlich believes that “counseling could be done purely through e-mail if the student is a good communicator and is motivated. Problems might arise in Internet counseling when an unmotivated student is resistant to the process.” — Francesca Huemer Kelly