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JENNIFER McELROY (former Elliott), PHD INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT
Your College Admissions Journey Begins Here!
Be Prepared
Here for you every step of the way. As an experienced educational consultant I will work with you and your family to plan and prepare for the next step on your educational journey.
Services
Intro Consultation
As an independent educational consultant, I offer a complimentary half-hour service to go over the college admissions consulting process and my services with the student and their family. After this initial consultation, I follow up with the family to recommend an appropriate level of service for their needs. Services range from personality and career inventories to college list building to essay writing support.
Hourly Consultations
I am available on an hourly basis to give families advice about finding the right college, writing applications, standardized testing, and more.
Complete Preparation for the College Admissions Process
I offer complete comprehensive packages that include assessing student strengths, evaluating their academic record, establishing reachable goals, developing a balanced college list, advising the student throughout the application process, and advocating for the right fit for the student.
Support for every step of your college journey
Get Started!
Own Your Education Plan
Academic rigor, test scores, extracurriculars, leadership, and community service are all parts of your college application, so start talking with counselors, parents, and teachers for planning advice. These are your decisions to make and own, so be informed and ask for help.
Plan Ahead for Information
Create a new and separate email to begin reaching out to colleges. Demonstrate interest in colleges early by getting on their mailing list. Using a new college-dedicated email address won’t’ overwhelm your regular email.
Prep for Tests
Many colleges, before and since the pandemic, moved toward test-optional admissions. Understand which test is better suited for your goals, potential majors, and skill sets. Plan to take the practice test (practice ACT, PSAT), review your results, and ask teachers for feedback. The practice test can be found at Khan Academy: www.khanacademy.org/test-prep
Plan Your Courses
The most important part of your college application is a robust high school transcript. Ideally, your high school courses should reflect rigor and success. Therefore enroll in the most advanced classes you can while maintaining strong grades. If you are interested in a particular subject, demonstrate that by taking advanced courses, electives, online learning, or community resources that show your natural curiosity.
Use Summers Wisely
Balance your summers with relaxation and enrichment. Use this time to explore internships, jobs, or volunteer opportunities.
- Attend or work at an overnight camp
- Volunteer in your community; i.e.at, the humane shelter, food pantry, Habitat for Humanity Restore
- Travel, camp, backpack, and journal your experience
- Contact a local small business for internship opportunities.
Visit Colleges
Consider visiting campuses in your area or taking a family trip to see a school. This is an excellent low-pressure time to learn about the cool parts of college life cool parts, like dorms, athletics, Greek life, and food options. As you look at campuses, think about what you like and don’t like about your visit. Afterward, jot down your thoughts or discuss them with your parents.
Don’t Worry!
Don’t worry! Very few high schoolers have determined a major at this stage. Many first-year college students choose “Undeclared” as their major. Give yourself time and think about what motivates and interests you now.
- What are your favorite classes, and why?
- How would you spend the entire day in school if given a choice?
- What topics, concepts, and activities are you naturally curious about?
Decide Why YOU Want to go to College
After realizing that you own your education and decisions, think about why you want to go to college. Learn about the benefits of; a 2-year or 4-year degree, B.A. vs. B.S, tuitions, Gap Year options, etc. I can help!
I USE IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENTS TO HELP YOUR CHILD DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS
When students know their aptitudes, they find a whole new world of education options and best-fit in-demand careers to better succeed in school and life.
Managing the Process with CounselMore
The CounselMore Student/Parent Portal is your personal space to
collaborate with me, track your progress, and manage your
college applications efficiently. From assignments and files to detailed
college lists, the portal is designed to support your college application
journey.
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MEET WITH ME TO LEARN MORE!
Click here to schedule a free half-hour consultation. Please call if you do not see an available time that suits your schedule.