Counselors/Consultants for Higher Education

Higher education is a choice that students with proper goals and aspirations tend to opt for after their high school education. Whether it be an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree, higher education can bring better career prospects to students from all over the world. Most students often opt to go for higher studies in order to specialize in their fields or even to just obtain high-paying jobs in their field of interest.

Education has no limits or restrictions. It opens up a whole new universe of opportunities where every path is designed to take students one step closer to success. Pursuing higher education broadens one's horizons, Higher education in any field imparts skills and knowledge that will always remain a mystery if one doesn't step out. It not only helps one discover themselves through experience but also trains the student to excel in their chosen field. But choosing the right course and the perfect University is like searching for a needle in the haystack. This is where Counselors and Agencies for Higher Education come into the picture.

Finding Counselors/Consultants for Higher Education

Educational Consultants and Counselors are the people who can be approached through educational institutions, private agencies and who even work as independent counselors for students who wish to learn more about their future prospects according to the course of study they choose. Ranging from offering academic guidance to students on a personal level to working with textbook publishers and educational technology firms, counselors have a huge part to play in the academic enterprise.

Most educational institutions have educational counselors irrespective of whether they come under the local, state, or private domain. Postsecondary schools are mandated to have an educational counselor who will offer career guidance and other support that candidates need on an individual basis if it is so required. Counselors for higher education can also be found working in the government sector and as part of educational support and private organizations.

Candidates who are in their high school will be able to approach any of these sectors to meet up with educational counselors who can provide them with the guidance they require as long as they are willing to provide them with their details regarding their academic achievements.

Benefits of Approaching an Educational Counselor

While approaching an educational counselor can be an option for students who are completely confused about the field of study they should choose, the counselors can also be approached by parents and students together if the student is trying to opt for a not-so-popular course of study after high school. In such cases, the counselors will provide the candidate with the best possible options they have with the kind of grades they have earned.

These counselors will have a better idea of the kind of fields candidates can excel in if the candidate is confused about the same. They will also be able to provide the best options for candidates with respect to the colleges they can attend for the best career options and the kind of scholarships they will be able to receive if they apply in those very places. Candidates will also be able to find the right learning environment based on their physical and mental health status by seeking guidance from counselors.

Academic Guidance Provided by School Counselors

Candidates who do not wish to approach agencies before they have formulated a proper plan of action will be able to seek help from their school counselor whose primary tasks include explaining the processes involved in applying for high education. While counselors will have to deal with most of the problems that students have including personal problems and mental health issues, they also help candidates procure admission for higher education by educating students about the procedures involved.

Counselors will be able to view the previous records of the student in question and most of the time will have an idea regarding the interests and leanings of the student making them better equipped at guiding the student to their dream school than any agency ever will be. Students will be able to approach counselors right from the beginning of their endeavor when they cannot choose a course of study and even seek constructive criticism regarding the resume or statement of purpose they have written for submission.

In general, a counselor will-

• Formulate a list of universities that has an excellent curriculum in the area of study that the candidate is looking for and is well-suited for their profile. This will include universities that match the candidate’s expectations and universities that can provide a head-start in achieving the candidate’s goal. Candidates will be able to choose a university from this list and can even add to the list if they find other universities that fit the description.
• Assign the list of required documents to be made ready for submitting the applications. From the short-listed universities, candidates will be able to choose the few universities they want to apply to. The counselor will then be able to provide candidates with the list of documents each university will require for the admission process.
• Provide the candidate with the basic dos and Don'ts involved in the application process. Candidates will be able to approach their counselor at different stages of developing the necessary documents in order to receive their feedback and built their documents accordingly.
• Know what is expected from a candidate and how it can be presented best to universities. They will help the candidate craft a cogent and eloquent essay that will impress the university they are applying to.
• Help students in drafting the perfect professional letter of recommendation they might have to write which will call special attention to their accomplishments.
• Provide the formats required by every University to prevent disorderliness, which will help clear any doubts which you might have.
• Even help candidates book their tickets and help them find an apartment in or around the college which they plan to join.

Private Organizations and Agencies for Educational Consulting

While students mostly opt for high school counselors over private agencies, it is not always possible for students to seek extensive aid from school counselors due to the time constraints they face and the number of students they have to deal with. The most commonly sought out private agencies are-

IvyWise

IvyWise is an educational consultancy that has 20 years of experience in providing candidates with both academic and personal guidance by focusing on both the parents and students that approach them. Apart from test prep tutoring, mentorship, and academic tutoring, this consultancy provides counseling services. The counseling services they provide include-

• Initial consultation
• College Counseling
• Graduate Counseling

Ivy Coach

The counselors under Ivy Coach, like the founder Bev Taylor, offer counseling only for 3 students in a year. But apart from such special counseling sessions, candidates will also be able to hire other counselors if they need to seek guidance. They offer SAT/ACT tutoring, and at the same time offer counseling services like-

• College Admissions Counseling
• Graduate School Admissions Consulting
• Corporate Benefits
• Pro Bono

Prepory

This consultancy focuses on helping students through the college application and admission process by providing them with personalized services. They also focus on providing extracurricular profiles in order to give them a boost in their college application. the services they provide for-

• High School Students
• Institutions
• College Transfers
• Career Coaching

College Zoom

College Zoom is one of the most prominent consulting agencies in the educational field which provides admission counseling for students at different phases in their academic journey. As a consultancy, they claim to not focus only on top ranking students but also focus on average ranking students who wish to enter top universities with the merits they do possess. The services they offer are-

• Hourly Help
• College Planning Packages
• College Application Packages

Steps to Take for Higher Education

Candidates who wish to continue with their higher education will have to spend a lot of planning their course of action starting from deciding the course and college they want to attend to the more complex procedures of procuring financial aid. There are several agencies that can offer candidates with services which will in turn make the entire procedure more simplified. The steps involved in applying for higher education are as follows-

• Choosing a course is the first step into this journey and one of the toughest. Opting for a course that suits one’s profile is a daunting task because most of the time there is no return from this choice unless the candidate is able to pursue another undergraduate degree later in their life. The course they choose will ultimately decide their career prospects as well.
• The next step would be to choose universities that are well-reputed in their chosen field of study. This can be done by listing out universities that offer courses in their field of interest and narrowing it down considering other factors like the number of intakes in a year and the cost of attendance.
• Once the preliminary formalities are completed, the actual work begins. Every university requires various sets of documents which will include educational background certificates, transcripts, passport copies, test scores, financial proof, statement of purpose, resume, and letters of recommendation. Collect these documents and keep them handy before applying to institutions.
• Write a resume. The resume provides the candidate with an identity and advertises the candidate’s positives thereby convincing Universities that they are a competent candidate.
• Write a statement of purpose. The statement of purpose highlights the skills the candidate has acquired over time and conveys the candidate’s zest to learn.
• While Letters of Recommendation are supposed to be written by professors, in reality, they will not have the necessary time and might even ask the candidate to write one for themselves. Formulate a letter of recommendation that remains true to one’s character but at the same time can put one in a better light.
• Financial Proof is another important document that ought to be prepared as it conveys the financial condition of the candidate thereby deciding whether the candidate deserves financial aid or not.
• Once the admission has been obtained, candidates can approach agencies for obtaining help regarding the Visa process. Agencies generally have packages where they provide the candidate with mock interviews or provide a list of questions that are generally asked so as to prepare candidates for the same.