The Best U College Admissions Consulting

The Best U  consists of a team of experienced college counselors that help students to achieve a more seamless college search and application process. The Best U team uses their  experience as university admissions counselor and high school college counselors  to take the guesswork out of the college admissions process. This can be a challenging time for students and parents alike, but they can help alleviate the uncertainties that are created by the nuanced, and often mysterious, college admissions process. With insider’s knowledge and individualized attention, they make the process less about managing the stressful process and more about the student’s individual success. Meet Stacy Current Owner/College Counselor – The Best U Current College Counselor/Consultant – Shining Mountain Waldorf School, CO College Consultant – College Essay Guy Former Director of College Counseling – Alexander Dawson School, CO Former Sr Asst Director of Undergraduate Admis...

Many students are intrigued by taking a gap year between high school and college. If you are considering it, then check out this video to learn where to start. Learn more at  The Best U College Admissions Consulting

The Best U College Admissions Consulting  is a team of college admissions experts that use their experiences as university admissions counselors and high school counselors to take the guesswork out of the college admissions process. At the cornerstone of The Best U’s services is the importance placed on determining each student’s college admissions needs and empowering students to find their right next steps. The goal is to provide families with as much information as we can in order to help them navigate and manage their admissions process in a stress free and empowered way. Learn more at  The Best U College Admissions Consulting

When I look at the photo included on this blog post, I think of me as a mother and my deep desire to be with my kids every step of the way. As I write this blog, I am coming at it from two ways: 1) as an almost twenty-year veteran in college admissions sharing my experiences of what seems to work, and 2) as a mother of a teenager and pre-teen trying to practice what I preach with my own children. Parents often ask me what their role should be in their student’s college admissions process. There is definitely a healthy way to be involved and a not-so-healthy way. Your whole goal of the college admissions process is to support your student through the transition to adulthood. Being mindful of this goal can help bring this process into perspective and make for a more amicable experience with your student. After dedicating almost two decades of my professional life to the college admissions process, I have discovered the more parents can allow for students to be self-reflective and...

It is important to be active over the summer for your own personal development as well as to add interesting experiences to your college application. You don’t have to pay a lot of or any money to do interesting summer activities. Learn creative ways to design an interesting summer experience that does not cost any money.  Learn more at  The Best U College Admissions Consulting

The Best U College Admissions Consulting  is a team of college admissions experts that use their experiences as university admissions counselors and high school counselors to take the guesswork out of the college admissions process. At the cornerstone of The Best U’s services is the importance placed on determining each student’s college admissions needs and empowering students to find their right next steps. The goal is to provide families with as much information as we can in order to help them navigate and manage their admissions process in a stress free and empowered way. The Best U is available for hourly meetings to help you with what you need, when you need it.   Details below! College Admissions Topics Covered In Meetings The Best U college counseling team members are considered college admissions experts, and their advice/professional perspective is through the college admissions lens. In meetings, the team can focus on any of the following aspects of the ...

Juniors, at the end of this school year, it is not a bad idea to start planting seeds with your teachers by asking them if they would write your letters of recommendation for your college applications. Check out this video to get important tips you need to know about teacher recommendations. Learn more at   The Best U College Admissions Consulting

In the wake of yet, more recent school shootings, including most recently at a K-12 school in Denver, Colorado and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, I wanted to provide insights from the perspective of a mother and college counselor. As a parent myself, I have many conversations with my own children about the shootings. After each shooting, they always have lots of questions and want to spend time discussing what happened and how they feel. Often after a shooting, they ask if they can miss school the following day. My children have told me that kids are constantly talking about the shootings at school and that teachers frequently lead conversations letting them know that they are safe. I noticed that my children feel more relieved when we acknowledge the occurrence and they are involved in open-dialogs at home and with their teachers at school. I did research on what we can do to support children and teenagers through the national epidemic we are facing. What I disc...

Many families ask me about how family time is perceived by colleges. This is somewhat of a complicated question and answer. Check out this video to learn more about why family time is important and how colleges view it.  Learn more at   The Best U College Admissions Consulting

Professor Laurie Santos at Yale University created a class known as the “Happiness Class”. It was in response to the stress level and mental health challenges that many young people are facing. It became one of the most popular classes at the school. Now the class is a free online course called “The Science of Well-Being.” These links include the link to the class as well as an article about the class. Check out this video to learn more about the class and why it is important for students and parents to consider watching. Learn more at  The Best U College Admissions Consulting

With the cost of college increasing every year, the burden of paying for college is shifting to not only the parents. Check out this video to understand how colleges are expecting students to contribute to the cost of college. To learn more, visit:  The Best U College Admissions Consulting

Summer is a great time to get ahead on your college applications. This is a great way to reduce stress during senior year and produce the best quality work for applications. Here are some ways to get ahead… College Applications & Essays You need time and a clear mind to present your best quality work to colleges. Writing your essays and filling out your applications over the summer will provide you with the quality time you need. Start with writing your Common Application essay and then work on your college supplemental essays. The Common Application and all of the college essay supplements will go live on August 1. The Common Application usually shuts down during the last week in July, but you can fill out the personal information prior to August 1. If you fill out the Common Application prior to the shutdown, then your information will be saved and rolled over. At times, they re-format the application and minor information can get lost, so it is easiest to fill out th...

If you are interested, please pick the college application package that matches your needs. In each meeting,  there is always time to discuss important college admissions information such as testing, activities, summer plans, and much more Complete Application Process Package ($1050) 1) Pre-Application Planning Meeting – Finalize college list, testing updates, application deadlines and strategies, college majors, discuss fall college networking opportunities, walk through the application process, answer student questions, and more. 2) Common Application Meeting #1  – Help the student create a Common App account, walk through how to fill out and navigate the Common Application and college supplements, start activities list, answer student questions, and more. 3)  Common Application Meeting #2  – Discuss how to list and prioritize extracurricular activities and other components of the Common Application, walk through the requesting process of letters...