Do you help with FAFSA and financial aid?

Yes, we provide expert FAFSA, CSS-Profile, scholarships, and financial aid planning to help families maximize free aid.

Do you offer full college admissions counseling?

Yes, we guide families through the complete college admissions process including applications, essays, interviews, and strategy.

Important FAQs About College Planning Services

Frequently Asked Questions

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 40 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Maria Ibrahim 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My name is Maria Ibrahim and I have been helped by Laura, the college counseling specialist! She is externally helpful and sweet. She helps me edit my college essays making them sound perfect! I really enjoy her kind personality and willing to help me succeed! Overall, she is amazing and I would definitely recommend her to everyone who needs a college counselor specialist! :) Maria Ibrahim
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Adam Shamooelian 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This is a must for anyone who wants to put forth the best possible college application when applying. They are very hands on and you can tell they truly care about your future. They help with the whole process from start to finish and I highly recommend them for anyone who needs guidance.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Ariana Dompke 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The College Specialist was very helpful and patient towards my college application process! Very attentive, would recommend!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christian Lawson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dear Sean, I wanted to personally thank you for all the help and support during my long journey through the college admission process. I’ll admit that when my parents first mentioned getting outside help with my college admissions, I was skeptical and figured it would be a waste of time and money. After working with you, you certainly proved me wrong. Looking back now I’ve learned the college admission process is a lot more complex and time consuming than I could have imagined. Working with you provided me the confidence to pursue colleges I would normally think were not possible, but also give me good choices and guidance toward schools that were in my reach. This saved me time and reduced all the annoyance of writing unnecessary essays and visiting colleges I would have had little or no interest in. The amazing thing is that you took the time to get to know me first and then helped me pursue an academic path that matched up to my personal goals towards the field of engineering. Your experience along with your personalized approach, made it easier for me to narrow down my selections and proved invaluable coaching through the college essays. Beyond helping me, you were able to give my parents some peace of mind by coming up with creative ways to apply for financial aid and apply for merit scholarships. At first, the admission essays and personal statement were tough for me, but you made it simple. Your patience and support gave me the push I needed to stay on top of my applications while taking on a full IB diploma and water polo this semester. If I didn’t have you to stay on top of my progress, I know I would have put this off and would not have followed through nearly to the extent of what I was able to accomplish. It’s now early October and thanks to you, I’m nearly finished applying to over twelve colleges! I’m seeing the end in sight now and can focus back to my studies. I would be more than happy to recommend Sean for anyone seeking sound, personal advice for their college admissions. He genuinely cares about student’s needs and has made a huge difference on my approach and strategy to attend the college of my dreams. Sincerely, Christian
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Bobby Renfro 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sean was outstanding!! He got everything completed very quickly and was always responsive to any questions. I would highly recommend him and his services.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   David Ibrahim 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing experience and have learned so much because of this team. My essays are perfect, my path for college is set, and it was not stressful but efficient. Thank you, College Counseling Specialist.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Mina Farhadi 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would like to highly recommend & encourage all students to work with The College Counseling Specialist. The College Counseling Specialist has a wealth of information and resources to assist students in attaining their dream college. The counselors are trained and experienced professionals who really care about each student and take the time to learn about you and listen to their goals. Thank you for all of your help.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Daniela Louise 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sean was expertly qualified and well versed in navigating the sea of information about scholarships, FAFSA, colleges, universities and on to graduate school. He met all our Senior in high school’s needs in 1 x 90 minute session. His rate is reasonable, good pricing plan, we plan on using him for the rest of the family’s secondary education needs. Thank you Sean! You’re the best!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Devon Connelly 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The College Specialist has been a great service to me guiding me the tuff process of finding colleges, writing my essays, making my application and much more. He has been nothing but helpful and has made the process go way smoother than expected.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Anna Ellis 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sean helped ease my anxiety around college applications. In my admissions process, I had a unique case as an athletic transfer. Given his wide variety of experience, he was able to provide expertise regardless. I appreciate his attention to detail and genuine care for those he works with!
  
 
  
  
 
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FAQ’s

We are very excited to meet with you. So, please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with some of the answers to the questions FAQs that you may have regarding our services in advance.

Important information to know in advance:

What are the differences between The Specialist's services and the traditional college counselors?

Added Value. Traditional counseling services are usually limited in their scope of services and this, in turn, leaves gaps in the overall planning for the family. Many limit the number of sessions, do not have the extra needed expertise (i.e. Maximizing Scholarships, Financial Aid, FAFSA, CSS- Profile planning, College negotiations, etc.) , or charge extra for the needed additional services if they have the needed expertise. The College Specialist’s comprehensive services are perhaps one of the most detailed in nature in the OC area. This in turn, will help each family access to exceptional academic planning as well as saving thousands of dollars on their child’s education.

Do you offer a free consultation?

We did from 1999-2019.

Since 2019, our focus has shifted to delivering higher value through our longer sessions packed with strategies and insights tailored to specific family data. Due to an established reputation and high volume of inquiries, families are asked to review website information first and then book an initial 30- or 60-minute session via our streamlined 24/7 automated system.

Will you be able to help with strategies to increase the odds of admissions applications to the prospective colleges?

Yes. We use myriad of strategies in order to achieve higher admissions results, based on each student’s scholastic profile.

How do we start working with The College Specialist?

Working with us is easy. It all starts with a face to face or a zoom session.

Will you help us with the college counseling process from the start to finish?

Absolutely! We’ll work hand in hand with you in a partnership and as a team until your student is well on it’s way to college.

How often will we meet with you, either virtually or in person? Can you be contacted between sessions for quick questions if needed?

Good question. We will meet with you and with your students as many times as needed to achieve results. We have a very caring and disciplined approach and make sure all things are done properly and on or even before time. Therefore, we do not put a limit on such sensitive issues when it comes to helping our families. Our families and students have full access via email, in person, phone call, etc.

Will you help us in selecting the colleges that are academically right for our students and at the same time we have a better chance of receiving scholarships or free aid ?

Yes. This is a major part of our services. College selection process is perhaps the most important part of the process and we take it very seriously. There are may factors that have to be considered when selecting schools and we help each step of the way.

Will you help us to position our family finances in order to lower our SAI and increase our odds of getting more Free Aid money via FAFSA and CSS-Profile?

Yes. This is a major part of the process. There are many SAI strategies (depending whether you own your business or simply employed as a W2 employee) which we’ll discuss with you in order for you to position yourself in a much more advantageous way to qualify and obtain more in Free Aid.

Will you help us on how to negotiate with colleges to potentially increase their free aid and merit scholarships offers?

Yes. Negotiation is very important when applicable. We will plan for this very important step way in advance when we begin working with you.

What percentage of your students get accepted to their applied colleges?

95% of our students get accepted to at least 3 of their top 5 applied colleges.

Needed items for our session:

Please collect and bring all items below to your first session in good order:

For admissions evaluation & analysis needed items:

Student’s GPA/PSAT/SAT/ACT scores if taken

Student’s list of activities

List of colleges of interest if known at this time

For Scholarships, FAFSA, & CSS-Profile evaluation & analysis needed items:

Most recent tax returns

Statements on assets: College savings accounts, 529 accounts, IRA’s, 401K, stocks, bonds, real estate, business, etc.

Methods of payment:

We accept: Cash, Check, and all major credit cards (there is 3.3% bank fee for credit cards).

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