The college admissions process can be stressful. Choose a partner that will help navigate the ins and outs with frank (but kind) guidance and direction. KD has college counseling solutions to meet families where they are in the process—from small group sessions to one-on-one meetings to boot camps for essays—we can help you and your student successfully tackle the entire college admissions process. After all, college admissions isn’t a game to be won—it’s a fit to be found.
Small group sessions that guide students and parents through the entire college application process. Includes five classes in 10th grade and 16 classes in 11th grade.
Hourly one-on-one sessions with members of the college counseling team focused on areas of the college admissions process specific to students' individual priorities
Three day (2 hours per day), small group sessions to help students get a head start on the development of a college essay/personal statement to be used or adapted for college admissions
Session that helps identify a student’s strengths and interests, followed by a one-on-one meeting to interpret results
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is college counseling?
College counseling assists middle and high school students and their families with the college admissions process, including college selection, application assistance, college essay guidance and editing, interview preparation, resumes, career paths and majors, high school course selection, and more. As high school counselors are now tasked with more responsibilities and increased caseloads, an independent college counselor can provide additional support for families.
KD College Prep offers several different programs in various formats. Small-group programs like the APPLY NOW! Advantage Program and the APPLY NOW! Essay Boot Camp are cost-effective ways to get guidance for the admissions process. One-on-One College Counseling Sessions are hourly, individual meetings with the college counseling team that address specific areas of the admissions process based on a student’s individual goals and/or priorities.
Regardless of the setting, our college counseling team provides unbiased and honest advice based on knowledge gained by experience, continuing education, and college research. Our counselors do not write essays or complete application materials for students, nor do we guarantee admission, but we will provide detailed feedback and support along the way.
Choose a program that fits best with your student’s unique needs. Have questions? Sign up for a free consultation to learn more about our program options.
Why should I hire a college counselor?
To put it simply, the college admissions process can be challenging. It’s nice to have a little expert guidance along the way.
Since 1992, we have helped families just like yours navigate this stressful process. Our college counseling team can help students and their families choose the best path. The support of our staff can help students take charge of the process, eliminate costly mistakes, stay on track, and maximize the chance of admittance into his or her dream college.
If any of this sounds familiar, then you may want to consider asking for some expert guidance.
- Stressed about finding the right college fit?
- Not sure how to start your college application essays?
- Concerned about how to pay for college?
- Confused about the different types of financial aid?
- Worried about preparing for college interviews?
- Super-anxious about completing applications?
- Have questions and need more detailed information about certain topics?
- Need help reviewing items within the admissions process?
Many of our families say that working with a college counselor helps maintain family relationships and decreases stress.
How does college admissions consulting work?
The first step is finding out more. Give a member of our team a call to schedule an information session. Here are just a few of the questions your student might hear:
- What activities are you involved in?
- What is your GPA? Does your high school report class rank?
- What classes have you taken in high school?
- Have you taken the national PSAT, SAT®, or ACT® tests? How did you do?
- What are your college goals?
- Have you thought about possible careers or college majors?
- Where are you in the college admissions process?
Based on your student’s goals, dreams, priorities, and opportunities, we’ll make some recommendations on which of our college counseling programs is the best fit. Talk it over as a family, and then the real work begins!
How do I choose a counselor?
Sign up for a free consultation with a member of our college counseling team to talk about your student’s admissions goals and next steps.
It’s also important for students to understand the amount of time that is involved in the admissions process. Students will be held accountable for doing the work and meeting deadlines—just like in college and the real world.
Our team has professionals who specialize in various areas of the admissions process. Depending on a student’s needs, we can help him or her reach those goals.
What programs does KD offer?
At KD College Prep, we offer a variety of college counseling programs designed to meet families wherever they are in the college admissions journey: the APPLY NOW! Advantage Program, One-On-One College Counseling Sessions, APPLY NOW! Essay Boot Camp, the Aptitude Assessment, and the Pinnacle Program.
APPLY NOW! Advantage Program (starting in 10th or 11th Grade)
KD’s most comprehensive college counseling program guides students through the entire college application process in a small–group setting beginning in the 10th or 11th grade. 10th graders begin after the 10th grade PSAT test with five grade-appropriate modules that lay the foundation for college application success. These small-group sessions (some of which parents may attend) range in topics from choosing the right high school courses to building a story-writing narrative to help hone a student’s ability to create a powerful college essay in the future. The five classes are:
- “Planning for Success: Choosing the Right High School Courses” (students & parents)
- “Beyond the Classroom: Extracurricular Activities that Matter” (students & parents)
- “Researching Colleges: Finding Your Perfect College Fit” (students & parents)
- “Introduction to Story-Writing Part 1: Finding Your Voice” (students)
- “Introduction to Story-Writing Part 2: Building Your Narrative” (students)
In the fall of 11th grade, Advantage students transition to a new set of 16 small-group lessons that cover essential topics such as building and finalizing a balanced college list, paying for college, writing admissions essays in the APPLY NOW! Boot Camp, understanding financial aid, completing applications, and so much more. (See a list of 11th grade Advantage lessons below.) Some of the lessons also include unlimited labs, which are scheduled and structured work times with live, individualized feedback from members of the college counseling team.
- “Understanding the College Admissions Process” (students & parents)
- “Exploring Majors and Careers” (students, with parents optional)
- “Paying for College” (students & parents)
- “Researching Colleges” (students & parents)
- “Finalizing Your College List” (students & parents)
- “Requesting Letters of Recommendation” (students)
- “Creating a Resume and Activity List” (students)
- “Completing Applications” (students)
- “Telling Your Story” (students)
- “Writing Your Personal Statement” (students)
- “Writing Supplemental Essays” (students)
- “Preparing for Interviews” (students)
- “Completing the FAFSA and CSS Profile” (students & parents)
- “Understanding Housing, Portals, and Other Details” (students & parents)
- “Comparing Financial Aid Packages” (students, with parents optional)
- “Making Your Final Decision” (students, with parents optional)
Find out more about the APPLY NOW! Advantage Program.
One-on-One College Counseling Sessions (7th – 12th Grade)
One-on-One College Counseling Sessions allow you to pay by the hour for expert guidance in specific areas of the admissions process with the college counseling staff. Hourly sessions could include the following:
- Middle school or high school course selection
- Essay topic brainstorming and/or editing
- Building and finalizing an ideal college list
- Aptitude assessment and review of results
- Interview skills and more
Families may purchase single-hour sessions or bundles of five hours at a discounted hourly rate. Learn more about One-on-One College Counseling Sessions.
APPLY NOW! Essay Boot Camp (12th Grade)
Boot camps are fast-paced, small-group events held periodically during the year for 12th graders. During the boot camp (3 days, 2 hours each day), KD’s college counseling team guides students through the development of a personal statement which students may use or adapt for college admissions. Students will also brainstorm on supplemental essays. (Note: the APPLY NOW! Advantage Program includes all the pieces of the essay boot camp.)
Learn more about APPLY NOW! Essay Boot Camps.
Aptitude Assessment (7th – 12th Grade)
Students take an aptitude assessment to help identify their strengths and interests. In a follow-up, one-on-one session, a member of the college counseling team will review results which can help guide important decisions such as middle school and high school course selection, college selection, college major and fields of study, career opportunities, and more.
Learn more about the Aptitude Assessment.
Pinnacle Program (11th or 12th Grade)
The Pinnacle Program is for students who want to navigate the entire college admissions journey one-on-one with a senior college counselor. Availability is limited for this program. For more information on pricing and availability, please speak with a KD advisor for next steps.
Learn more about the Pinnacle Program.
When should my student start working with a college counselor?
It all depends on the student and what his or her goals are. In a perfect world, students would meet with a counselor in middle school or early in high school to understand the college admissions process and get help selecting high school courses and identifying interesting extracurricular activities. Students would then use 10th and 11th grade to explore colleges and develop a foundation for the application process, leading into a busy 12th grade college application season, which generally begins the summer before senior year.
Students who plan on applying to highly-competitive schools or who need more assistance may benefit from starting the process earlier. On the other hand, a well-prepared student may only need finishing touches on a few essays before deadline season during his or her 12th grade year.
No matter where our college counseling students apply, we recommend starting early and finishing the application process by October 15th in senior year, if at all possible. College deadlines vary and so will students’ timelines, depending on when they start with us.
This process is often much more time-consuming than you think. Call to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team so we can offer some recommendations based on your student’s specific situation.
Which schools have accepted KD's former college counseling students?
Our students have earned acceptances into every Ivy League school (Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton), Emory, NYU, Duke, Georgetown, UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Carnegie-Mellon, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, University of Arizona Honors College, University of Chicago, Caltech, Michigan, Georgia Tech, SMU, MIT, Vanderbilt, Rice, Davidson, St. John’s, Trinity, the University of Notre Dame, Bowdoin, Texas A&M, University of Texas Engineering Honors, and many more.
How much does it cost?
KD College Prep college counseling pricing varies by program:
College counseling is expensive. Is it worth it?
The average cost of attending college varies. Here are some ranges for you and your family to consider.
- Public, in-state college—$30,000+/year
- Public, out-of-state colleges—$40-$70,000+/year
- Private colleges—$50-$80,000/year
Many of our college counseling students obtain outstanding scholarship offers that help them afford the overall cost of college.
College counseling can be well worth it for students who have important goals, need help understanding the process, or want professional guidance to make the most of college and scholarship opportunities.
