STEP ONE: INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION

The counseling process always begins with a first consultation meeting. This consultation typically includes the following process, though every meeting is unique and personalized to the individual situation. As I like to say, I meet students where they are.

A review of the student’s educational and personal profile compiled from the completed Questionnaire submitted by the client prior to the consultation, and any other relevant material provided, which will help inform our initial meeting. Such advance materials will include college academic transcripts, a résumé, and a record of any standardized testing.

The informational form will highlight your personal interests, achievements, and goals, which will help me to get to know you. I would also like to see any specialized, individual testing if you have any particular learning needs or other educational issues I should be aware of. Additionally, if you have already written some graduate admission essays, or have previously applied to graduate school, you can share those with me, too.

During our first consultation meeting, we will usually spend time:

· Reviewing past, current and future college curriculum, if you are still in school.
· Discussing academic strengths and weaknesses, past grade performance, and goals.
· Discussing extracurricular interests, activities and personal hobbies, summer involvements and programs, volunteer and/or employment opportunities, and specialized study options.
· Reviewing your résumé, career goals, and current graduate or professional degree interests.
· Considering additional degree options that might fit for you.
· Guiding the student to consider his or her personal profile and ways to focus or expand it.
· Developing a list of schools/programs that fit the student’s academic and personal profile, goals, and preferences.
· Explaining the graduate admissions process and timeline.

After the initial consultation, clients may choose to have an additional individual consultation sometime later in the admissions process. Or, you may choose to become Ongoing Counseling clients, as outlined below. All individual college consultations will be credited towards the comprehensive Ongoing Counseling fee. 

Individual consultations typically last about one and a half hours, and the fee is $800, payable at the time of the meeting.

STEP TWO: COMPREHENSIVE ONGOING GRADUATE COUNSELING

The Ongoing Counseling Program is designed to give clients top priority of my time and attention, and unlimited access through personal or video appointments, e-mail, text, and telephone calls. I will continue to provide counseling and guidance throughout the graduate admissions and decision-making process.

Typically, clients choose the ongoing process upon debriefing after our initial consultation and deciding that they need additional and comprehensive support through the admissions process, and that we are a good fit for their needs. Sometimes, clients will wait to decide until they have scheduled and completed a second consultation one or more months after the first meeting. In either case, discussions about goals, expectations, and the counseling process are more than welcome prior to making a commitment the ongoing program.

Ongoing Counseling is a flat fee, comprehensive program with a flexible process that adjusts to a student’s individual circumstances. Whether you live right down the road or on the other side of the globe, the counseling process can be extensive, supportive, meaningful, and personal. Over the course of one or several years, the process typically includes:

· Reviewing the progress of the client’s educational planning while they completing college, or working while preparing for graduate admissions.
· Helping students choose appropriate college courses while preparing for admissions, as appropriate.
· Working with the client to help make wise decisions, while handling issues as they may arise.
· Identifying and refining the appropriate list of graduate/professional programs, including reach, target, and likely schools based on feedback from the student’s current and/or past college experience, research on graduate options, and academic and/or career performance, as they develop over time.
· Making recommendations on special programs (such as study away opportunities and internships), activities and summer plans.
· Preparing for interviews.
· Guiding students on the preparation of graduate applications, including the review of the online application (medical, law, business, Ph.D., M.A./M.S., etc.) and other materials required in the admissions process (résumé, high priority emails or letters, etc.).
· Advising on personal statements and essays, including content critiques and editorial input. 
· Strategizing on admissions timing, such as mid-year (January) versus Fall entrance, part-time or full-time, and so on.
· Guiding the student on the selection of the most appropriate program from among those to which they have been admitted.
· Supporting students if they are trying to gain admission from one or more waiting lists.

The total Ongoing Graduate Counseling comprehensive fee is $10,000, payable at the outset of the process or in installments as agreed upon. Please let me know if you would like to discuss payment options and plans.