"Pointing Students and Their Families Toward College Success"
About Us
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
"To effectively assist students, families, college transfer students, grad students, learning disabilities, athletes, international, and injured/displaced workers prepare for college through designing and implementing individual strategies for each student, developing a trust to meet the family’s needs, and to uphold the highest ethical standards within the professional standards."
Located on the west side of Los Angeles, California, The College Admissions Consultant, since 2003, has been assisting students.
They are committed to helping students and their families prepare for the rigorous task of applying for colleges and universities across America by reducing the stresses and anxiety students and their parents feel during the admissions process. Our consultants are then able to assist them in developing creative strategies and presenting themselves as well rounded individuals to the colleges of the their choice.
How Do We Help Your Student With Their College Application?
1.
The college admissions process starts with my helping the student to
identify the sort of college that would be best for them. We do an evaluation prior to meeting with the student and then provide
guidance and a list of colleges that meet the criteria set by the
student based on our initial assessment.
2. Once the student has a list of possible colleges, and has viewed each one, a final list is created as to where the student will apply initially. We review and assist them in
understanding the application process. This includes working on their brag sheet or resume, brainstorming and development of ideas
for the essays followed by the editing of the essay. This is a process we work on until the student feels comfortable with it, and it best represents
that student.
3. During this time we consult with the family to get a feel for their financial standing and then bring in our financial experts who do ONLY financial aid and to show them based on the choice of schools selected what they will be paying out of pocket to each school their student is applying to~~ and if necessary we will assist in the appeal process with the family to ensure that the family isn’t paying more for their
ideal college than necessary. The earlier we start this process the better.
4. We work with students and their families on planning out college visits and recommend tours that are available or give ideas on how to schedule their own personal tours. We discuss how to give
effective interviews and give the student a chance to do mock interviews, and we finally prepare the letters of recoomendation and how to get the best recommendations. Our goal is to help each student view their own
strengths and weaknesses in their background so that they may be able to enhance their strengths while minimizing the weaknesses, or perhaps put a strong spin on the weaknesses so it comes out as a positive.
5. We spend a significant amount of time addressing how summers are spent, extra-curricular
activities, work and volunteer experiences, and any other topics which all have
become more important as college admissions have become more difficult
at many of the top tier schools.
6. Special consideration is given when the student is going to apply to schools where there "early decision", "single early action", "early action" or
regular decision. This type of consideration has to be given to learning differences students, athletes, and international students as there are additional steps required that are not a part of the normal admissions process.
7. We work with the student right up to the time that the application is then submitted to the university, and through the quiet time while admissions reps make their decisions on who gets in and who does not.
8. Once the student starts to receive acceptances, which is usually late February or early March, we review each
acceptance and financial aid award with both the student and the family to determine the best college for that
student.
9. As we look at the acceptances and rejections, we also look at the appeals process. We coach the student on how to weed- out and focus on what is important in finding the best
college.
If the student is not following the process to find the right
college wework with them to get them back on track. This allows parents
to be supportive without having to be nagging their child.
Because our goal is to assist students on a one-on-one basis, we have to limit the number of students that we
work with to assure that we devote the adequate time required to assist each student. We also offer an "College Admissions Bootcamp" several times each summer and that is available to students who are looking for a little less, but need the help and assistance with their applications come Fall.
We are available in addition to our regular weekly schedules, on weekends and evenings to answer questions the
student or family might have. We are
available in person (depending on your location), by phone, by email, by fax or by web cam
Since 2003, we have been helping students find, and get accepted to, not only to the right schools, but to the the college of their dreams.
Our Executive Director and CEO is P.J. Finer. She is a graduate of both USC and UCLA, respectively, and for over 20 years dedicated herself to the practice of Workers' Compensation Law representing both employers and employees. Her days were filled with making sure that injured workers who could not return to their jobs received vocational retraining and made sure they were able to pursue new careers as a result of their accident with their limiting disabilities.
One day in 2002, her expertise hit a more personal note when she realized that injured workers and high school students experienced the same anxieties and frustrations. When she saw first hand the frustration that her son and his friends were experiencing in the application process and cupped it with those who faced unemployment due to an injury, she transitioned her training and expertise from law to college admissions and began to work with these students having an overwhelming success rate.
This success lead to volunteering her services to those students less fortunate. When she saw that
she had the ability to relieve the stress levels break down the process to a manageable state of affairs that her own son and his friends had been facing, not to mention being overly concerned as she was watched students beg for help from all over the country because they felt they had no where to turn, nor were they sure of how to choose a college without understanding whether or not the college they were applying to was even a match for them, she knew she had a mission that had to taken to the next level.
In 2005, Ms. Finer left the field of Workers' Compensations Law to take on this new interest in College Admissions Counseling and her desire to help students reach their goals. She began providing college admissions counseling to help students and their families find the best college where the student could flourish. Within a couple of years she found that the program she had designed was working so well, the doors of The College Admissions Consultant were opened. For almost 6 years The College Admissions Consultant has helped students and their families identify the colleges and universities that will make students truly enjoy their college experience.
Having practiced law, Ms. Finer is able to use many of her acquired skills, including being able to actively listen, to evaluate, and put together successful strategies to help both students and their families address those issues that are important to each student in finding the colleges that meet those needs. She is able to work with families to relieve the stress level, and work with families to prepare well in advance for financial aid and maximize their awards. In addition, she travels all over the country to visit campuses, meet the students, and come back with a first hand feel of each school.
While many of the students that Ms. Finer has worked with are accepted annually into the UCs, the elite colleges in California, or Ivy Leagues, the more pressing and important focus is how to find the schools that will fit a student's needs, schools that are the best fit, which sometimes means not looking at the highest rated colleges, and knowing there is a school for everyone.
As author of the award winning book "THE APPLICA-PHOBIA OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, Why Getting In Starts With Your Resume", Ms. Finer says "Student’s can’t afford to take a chance on one of the most important decisions in their life….this service has been created assist students in the marketing of themselves, which will become their greatest asset as they prepare to submit their applications to the colleges, universities and scholarships of their choice."
She was awarded a certification in College Admissions Counseling with honors from UCLA and College Admissions Consulting from UCI, and holds membership in the National Association of College Admissions Consultants (NACAC), HECA, and is currently rejoining the Independent Educational Consultants Association IECA), and works with a wide range of students and their families, including those with learning disabilities, interest in sports, international students, gap year, transfer and those applying to graduate school.
WHY NOT LET THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONSULTANT HELP YOU ?
- Families benefit from the knowledge and guidance from our trained staff of professionals.
- Families are able to buffer the stress of the application process to college
- Families are offered a wide array of services that will fit their needs.
We offer FREE seminars to families, church groups, schools, organizations, etc. to provide information that will assist families with the process and save thousands of dollars. We are also available to be a guest speaker at your next organization’s meeting.
The College Admissions Consultant, Inc.
P.O. Box 776
Malibu, California 90265
Phone: (310) 883-8705
Email: counselor@thecollegeadmissionsconsultant.com
