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Most high schools today have one on-site college counselor, at the least, to counsel students on finding colleges that fit them the best. You could even talk to a college counselor online for free if you didn’t get enough time to discuss matters in person. But I wasn’t that lucky to have a college counselor. Consequently, I had to do a lot of legwork on my own, that not only took a lot of time but even heightened my stress levels. I worried a lot about what would happen if I miss a deadline or forget to send the necessary documents. Today, when I look back to reminisce those times, I think having a college counselor would have helped me tremendously. 

I know that many students don’t get adequate face time with their school counselors because the national average student-to-counselor ratio stands at 350:1. In case you attend a large high school that has over 2,000 students, this ratio could be around 500:1. This may not let you have adequate time with your school counselor to discuss your college options and the way you should send in your applications. But if you’re thinking you don’t need a counselor, think again. My personal experience has taught me otherwise. Perhaps that’s why many parents choose to hire independent college counselors to guide their children through the admissions process. But if you don’t want to pay for it, you can use online tools like CounselHero college counseling center that offers you a free option. With such a tool that helps you with your career path decision, college preparation, class selection, and a lot more, you’ll find the entire process much easier and less stressful. 

If you’re still undecided on why you need to consult a counselor in person or talk to a college counselor online for free, here are the lessons I have learned from my life: 

Preparing a College Wish List

I randomly applied to colleges, which made my task quite difficult. If I had a college counselor then, I would have focused better on my aspirations and goals to decide what I really wanted out of college and short-listed the best-fit colleges in terms of academics, financial aid, and campus culture.

Comparing Colleges

I felt overwhelmed by the large number of colleges out there and didn’t know how to compare and shortlist them. If I had a college counselor, who’s adept at researching colleges and narrowing the list down to a handful based on what would suit my unique personality and goals, I could have saved tons of time, effort, and money.

Help Me Stand Out

If I had a counselor to consult in person or a tool like CounselHero college counseling center, I would have known what essay topics are overdone, what topic I should choose to make a stellar application, how best to leverage supplementary materials, the extracurricular activities I should mention, how to approach my teachers for getting letters of recommendation, and more. All these would have helped me stand out in an extremely competitive applicant pool.

Don’t waste any more time and talk to your college counselor today or take the help of CounselHero college counseling center.