Jeanie Grimm, College Consultant
Your McNeal Sams college consultant will guide your child, leading them to develop agency in and understanding of the steps and actions that comprise the search and application work. There are two big parts to this: what a student does and how they present themselves. When we have the privilege of starting early with a student, we can affect the “what” part. We help them explore their interests, test out options, discover who they are and who they want to be, and craft a plan together for ways to get there. When we start a little later, we have less of a chance to do that, but still some. With everyone, we endeavor to help them articulate their story in a clear and compelling way in order to stand out in their applicant pools.
This all takes time and patience. For instance, we might first recommend a list of schools to research that is based on the limited information we have at that time, such as geographic preferences, setting, program offerings, and student data (class rigor, grades, scores, activities). As students visit campuses, take new classes, meet new people, and even navigate new challenges, that list can change, sometimes dramatically. Planned activities might fall through, changing that important admissions rating, or the “dream school” on paper may not live up to its image when the student tours the campus and listens to the admissions information session.
Some students are more ready to engage at this discovery level, some are crystal clear on what they want to do, some are blissfully undecided but know what they like, and some are all but paralyzed by the volume of tasks and decisions. As we get to know a student, we adapt our approach to who and where they are. We ask for student and parent forms that help us get to know a student before we officially begin, use the data from our assessments, and are guided by the conversations we have. We welcome input from parents so that we may better understand how to support and guide their child.
We are often asked what a parent’s role is or should be. While family dynamics make a one size fits all response inadequate, one thing is essential: the number one role is support. The process is stressful for students. Unconditional love matters! Your patience and understanding make a world of difference. You might also be an organizer (planning visits, for instance, or helping your child keep track of tasks and/or deadlines), or be a sounding board as they think out loud about their choices, or be the financial decision maker (such as setting parameters around cost and value or completing a FAFSA/CSS).
We value the teamwork that goes into supporting, guiding, and celebrating your student and understand the vast amount of patience it requires. We are honored when families choose us to do this important work.
