CMH College Consulting

An article appeared to today in the NY Times regarding high school counselors. This is my response: An experienced public school teacher and administrator, I am saddened to see yet another member of the system being flogged in front of the public. Having supervised many a guidance counselor, I understand first hand that their job, just like the rest of us in public education, is often an impossible job. While there are those guidance counselors that are fortunate enough to work in very small high schools with low student ratios, the vast majority are not so lucky. Most counselors would love to spend their day guiding and advising students regarding the opportunities that await them in higher education. Unfortunately, mandates from NCLB and other initiatives dictate that their day is spent on anything but advising students. Instead, they are forced to attend truancy meetings, attendance committees, drop-out prevention meetings, oversee testing and scheduling, and obtain training in ...

In response to the US News article on January 15, 2010, it is sad, but true, that students who can afford to pay for college will have better acceptance rates in 2010. While colleges are a non-profit, they are still a business and have bills to pay. While it is unfortunate for students who have financial need, it makes sense to seek out qualified candidates that can pay, especially when there is a huge candidate pool of qualified wealthy students. In response to a previous comment regarding how a college could know...Unfortunately, college applications are full of questions that reveal things about a student that parents don't even realize. The biggest indicator is the glaring question of "will you be applying for financial aid". This tells a lot about an applicant. Also, every school submits their profile when they submit a student's transcript. This too allows admissions officers to see where a student is from. Attending a wealthy school, regardless of your ...

As discussed earlier, the process of beginning the college search entails more than looking in your backyard and picking a school based on your favorite team. In Part 1, the search process began with looking at the size of the school. Having determined the size of school that will meet your needs, it's then time to look at the next factor. Step 2: Setting Just as looking at size entails a great deal of thought, the category of setting is also important. Like many students across the nation, those of us in the Triangle, and all of North Carolina, are fortunate to have a plethora of excellent schools to search from. However, determining which school to look at requires consideration into its setting. With thousands of schools to choose from across the nation, the choice of setting can range from remote to urban. The setting of the school does NOT indicate the size or caliber of a school. Dartmouth is located in a remote area of New Hampshire; the commute from the closest airpor...

Now that the holidays are over and students are in their second semester of classes, it's time for high school juniors to really focus on the college search. But before you start getting out the maps and making reservations though, it's important to make sure that your college search contains a list of schools that are truly a fit. Living in an area that is home to some of the nation's best universities, it can be difficult to look beyond your back door, especially when those schools happen to be amongst the best values in college educations nationwide. However, it is crucial to a student's academic success to do your homework and really look at what you want in a college education, before you jump straight to choosing a college based on its perceived ranking. Step 1: Size In determining what size school you want to attend, it's important to understand the difference between a college and university. A college typically focuses on undergraduate education, awarding...

Duke University recently announced that they will begin participating in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program next fall. One of the few private universities that practices a need-blind admissions policy, Duke has a history of continually striving to increase financial aid to its students. The Federal Direct Student Loan Program is funded by the US Department of Education. It provides loans for education after high school, including the well-known Stafford and PLUS loans. Currently, Duke participates in the FFEL (Federal Family Education Loan) program. Student Aid on the Web makes the following distinction between the two programs: "Under the Direct Loan Program, the funds for your loan come directly from the federal government. Funds for your FFEL will come from a bank, credit union, or other lender that participates in the program. Eligibility rules and loan amounts are identical under both programs, but repayment plans differ somewhat." Duke's motivation in sw...

Most schools in the Triangle are officially out for a two week holiday break. For most students, that means it's time to have fun and not study. For many high school seniors, however, it's the perfect time to finish those college applications. While most college deadlines for early decision and early admissions have passed, the majority of students will be aiming for those regular college admissions dates. Those dates commonly occur from January 1st until as late as the middle of March. In addition, some schools may still have time to submit applications in order to be considered for Merit Aid. Early January is usually the latest schools allow for those submissions, so check with your counselor or the admissions department at the school you are applying to. Students applying to school in North Carolina can log into CFNC.org to locate the dates for the specific schools they are interested in. Click on the Search CFNC & Campus Sites button and choose the school you are in...

A recent article in the New York Times posted an interview with a private school counselor regarding their take on whether or not their was a "need" for college consultants. My response was as follows: It's interesting to see the reaction people have to the college consulting profession. An educator for over 23 years, and now a college consultant and founder of CMH College Consulting, I always found the time to assist those students that needed some extra help with their college search and applications. The student’s needs were varied. Most couldn't get in to see their counselor, others had poor counselors, some just needed more time than a counselor could give. But either way, student’s seeking additional assistance beyond the school counselor is not new. It's been going on for decades. It’s funny how college consultants are being touted as “not truly needed” and criticized for being an unregulated profession, making claims that may not come true, and even ...