Admission By Design -- Services

Admission by Design provides a full spectrum of personalized college consulting services from flat-rate packages to hourly assistance to meet your specific needs, grade level (freshman, sophomore, junior & senior) and budget

• Review & assessment of student's academic record & achievements (transcript, test scores, experiences, honors) and extra-curriculars (activities, community service, athletics & special talents) work experience and outside interests
• Development of academic and extra-curricular road map along with suggestions for course selection, testing, enrichment, summer activities and additional interests
• Strategic Positioning ("Admissions Hook” and supporting activities)
• College Search, Research, List Development and Campus Visits
• Resume Development and Coaching for Interviews and Recommendations
• Application & Essay Assistance -- Topic Selection, Brainstorming, Editing & Review
• Scholarship & Merit Aid Strategies
• Organization to Stay On Task

College Counseling & Application Assistance
For students who need help with college list development, essay topics and editing, application completion, and may need assistance with test choice & scheduling, resume, strategies to maximize high school experience (academic, summer, extra-curriculars, community service), early action / early decision planning and organization.

• Comprehensive Packages (Freshman / Sophomore / Junior / Senior)
  • Most popular programs - Recommended for applicants to competitive state schools and selective private colleges and out-of-state public universities
  • All services listed above
• Extended
  • Recommended for (1) those requiring extensive help conceptualizing, drafting and revising essays; (2) recruited athletes; (3) applications incorporating extensive supplementary materials; and (4) home-schooled students
• Basic
  • Recommended for self-directed applicants, who may already have a short list of potential colleges
  • Focus on refining college list & resume; completing the common (or state university) application; drafting one personal statement, one activity essay and one university specific essay
• College List - Only
  • Recommended for students who need help with the search process and developing a list of suitable colleges
• Essay Assistance - Only
  • For students seeking assistance with application essays. Service is provided in-person, by phone, fax, skype or email
  • Important: Admission by Design does NOT write essays for students but will provide valuable input and detailed suggestions for content, structure, style, tone, vocabulary, editing and spelling
• Application Review - Only
  • For students seeking review and evaluation of application prior to submission
  • Identification of “red flags” (omissions, inconsistencies, potential problems, unanswered questions, etc.) and suggestions for improvement
• Single Session Consultations
  • A single session consultation may be sufficient for some families to address their questions and issues 
  • Topics vary and are targeted to specific needs
• Early Guidance
  • For families with students from 8th grade
  • Focus on course selection, extra-curricular involvement, community service, enrichment, organization and study skills, testing, strategic positioning and other efforts to support educational goals

Initial Consultation
Many engagements begin with a one time two-hour meeting with parent(s) and student. The goals for this session include:

• Students and parents gaining an improved understanding of the college admissions and applicant selection process
• Admission by Design getting to know the student & family in order to develop a personalized plan based on specific goals and needs
• Review & assessment of student's academic record & achievements (transcript, test scores, experiences, honors & awards) and extracurricular history (activities, community service, athletics, special talents), work experience and outside interests

Suggestion: To make the initial session as productive as possible, it is helpful to forward some of the following information (as applicable & available) in advance: transcript, list of current classes, high school profile (available from school's guidance office), entrance exam results, list & description of activities, leadership positions, elected offices, awards & honors, and, if known, a preliminary list of colleges and universities of potential interest