The Best U College Admissions Consulting

If you saw the recent  Boston Globe article   “At Harvard, other elite colleges, more students deferring their first year ”, you may be left with many questions. The big headline is that 20% of Harvard first-year students have opted to defer their admission for one year. This is most likely due to Harvard announcing all  fall classes online .  This would mean that the deferred students would enter Harvard in the fall of 2021. However, we are seeing most colleges have lower numbers of first-year students requesting gap years. For example, 8% for MIT and 10% for Williams of the freshmen class requesting defers. The trends we are seeing most include: Most state schools are not being impacted as much due to the cheaper tuition rates, being closer to home, more academic diversity, etc. Most colleges offering on-campus living and either all in-person classes or hybrid class schedules are having fewer students defer. Overall, we are seeing that most first-year students plan...

Our very own Best U college counselor,  Jami Silver ,  was recently interviewed on the “College Admissions Decoded” podcast sponsored by our professional association,  National Association for College Admissions Counseling’s (NACAC) National College Fairs. This episode is a valuable look at how parents can help support their children through the college admissions process and beyond. EPISODE FIVE: “AVOIDING THE PARENT TRAP: A COMMON-SENSE APPROACH TO COLLEGE ADMISSION” In this episode, admission experts—from both the high school and college sides of the desk—offer tips to help parents ensure their students remain the focus of the college admission process. The panelists discuss ways parents can help their children not only get into college but through it. Offering empathy and a common-sense approach to applying to college, the panelists share ways parents can be effective, supportive partners throughout the process. The episode features  Ashley Pallie,  associat...

You can’t listen to the news without hearing daily information about the spread of COVID-19. Colleges and universities around the USA and the world are having to make extreme decisions in order to keep their students safe. The impact has reached both high school and college students around the world. Some of the impacts so far include… Colleges are being asked to be flexible with missing application materials and make application decisions without having updated information since some high schools are closed and cannot provide updated grades, transcripts, etc. Service trips abroad and other school trips that high school students were planning on attending are being canceled, so they are having to plan new activity options. Families are canceling college visits due to their concerns about traveling. Many colleges are canceling or recalling students back from study abroad experiences this semester. Some high schools are postponing or canceling college fairs and college visits and may res...

There are so many moving pieces to the college application process. Check out this video to learn about the application timeline and the important pieces you need to be thinking about and doing. Families from the USA and All Over The World –   Sign up for a FREE 20-minute phone call or online video meeting now   so we can learn about your family’s college admissions needs and how we can provide support.

William Cayer  received his B.A. in Philosophy/Music from the University of Connecticut and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Higher Education Leadership. He is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). William began his career as a high school teacher with Teach for America in the Mississippi Delta where he developed a passion for higher education access and equity. He later served as an admissions representative at Post University, and then as a college counselor at Achievement First Amistad High School in New Haven, CT. Throughout his career, William has helped students find their voice through the admissions process and develop the foundation necessary to thrive at their best-fit college. William is the founder of Higher Access College Counseling, a company that provides admissions support to students across the country with an emphasis on the development of student writing as a...

Day: Sunday, October 18, 2020 Time: 10:00 a.m. MT, 9:00 a.m. PT, 12:00 ET, 11:00 a.m. CT USA Cost : $20 This webinar is geared towards high school seniors preparing to apply to colleges this fall. This is an open webinar for students and parents to ask questions about the application process and their college applications. We will dedicate 45 to 60-minutes to presenting and Q&A. A video recording will be sent after the webinar. To register, please  click here .

Day : Sunday, October 11, 2020   Time : 10:00-11:00 a.m. MDT USA/9:00-10:00 a.m. PDT/12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EDT Cost : $20 This webinar is geared towards high school seniors preparing to apply to colleges this fall.  We will walk through the Coalition Application and the key pieces you need to know about how to fill it out. This will include walking through the main non-essay portions of the Coalition Application, specific parts of the non-essay portions of the college supplements, and information about letters of recommendation.  We will dedicate 45 to 60-minutes to presenting and Q&A, so students can get their questions answered.  A video recording will be sent after the webinar. To register, please  click here .

This is an opportunity to learn more about the college admission process and get your questions answered while saving money and sharing in a community of like-minded parents. Each chat will be a group discussion and will offer a specific topic. Parents are welcome to ask any questions.  We know life is busy, so our goal is to go no longer than 45 minutes per chat.  Parent Chat on Testing  (ACT, SAT, and more) Day : Thursday, October 8, 2020 Time : 10:00 a.m. MT, 9:00 a.m. PT, 12:00 ET, 11:00 a.m. CT USA Cost : $20 Get your questions answered about college admission testing (ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and more) for US-based colleges/universities.  Topics you may have questions about:  When to submit testing and when to go test-optional How to send test scores to colleges When to start official testing Which test to take – the ACT or the SAT The purpose of the AP and IB scores in college admission We will dedicate up to 45 minutes for this chat. A video recordin...

We provide strategic, hourly counseling support to self-directed students and their families who want to manage their admissions process independently. We can help with: Admissions Planning  (college choices, college list building, college visits, test planning, high school course selection, networking with colleges, college majors/careers, activities, summer plans, resume development, application deadlines strategies, application timeline, college decisions) College Applications  (how to fill out applications, applications and writing essay support, interview prep) College Affordability  (how to pay for college, financial aid, scholarships, and cost of college) Families from the USA and All Over The World –  Sign up for a FREE 20-minute phone call or online video meeting now   so we can learn about your family’s college admissions needs and how we can provide support.