The Best U College Admissions Consulting

The Best U College Counseling team would be happy to meet with you to discuss your specific high school course selection process. We like to start with a free introductory call to learn more about your admissions needs and then we dive into a counseling meeting to discuss course selection in detail. Feel free to book a free call by going to  thebestu.net .

Annaliese Schroeder received her B.A. in Economics at Colorado College and is currently pursuing her M.S.Ed in Education Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania. Annaliese was enthralled by the college search process from the moment she toured institutions as a high school senior. She found that a campus visit was the best way to truly get a pulse of the campus culture and student life. And each institution was unique. Fast forward to the present day and she has a breadth of experiences within the Admissions realm, from working as an Assistant Director of Admissions at a private boarding high school to her current role as an Admissions Counselor at Colorado School of Mines. She is energized by conversations with students that center around their ‘ideal college’ and is eager to suggest schools that could be a great fit. Beyond her 8-5 and graduate school, she volunteers with Denver Kids Inc. and serves as a mentor for youth within the community. She is dedicated to her commun...

Navigating the financial aid landscape can be confusing and overwhelming. Here are some strategies to help you take advantage of the opportunities that are available. Research Institutional Funding: It isn’t too late to get funding from the schools. While many institutions award scholarships based on the admissions profile, there are also many that have separate supplementary applications for scholarships. These can be found through majors, financial aid offices, alumni associations, and other campus locations. Contact some of the schools on your list and ask how scholarships are awarded and if there are any other places on campus to look. Complete Financial Aid Applications: I recommend that families always complete the FAFSA and CSS profile every year no matter what. I suggest this for 2 main reasons: 1. You never know what will happen, financial challenges can happen and it is best to have the applications on file to best position you to receive financial aid. 2. Lots of schools req...

Check out this video to learn from test prep expert, Brendan Mernin, of Noodle Pros, about which test prep strategy works best. Is it shorter more aggressive prep or test prep that is stretched out over longer periods of time? 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.

Despite the high caseloads that school counselors may face, many high schools are providing a variety of opportunities for students and families to learn more about the college admissions process without having to travel for college visits. In the fall, high schools open their doors for college representatives to conduct 30- minute presentations to high school juniors and seniors. Frequently, in the fall or spring, high schools will host college fairs for all high school grade levels and open them to students at any school in the region. Many school counseling teams will provide Financing College and/or College Nights during the school year for students and parents to provide important information about paying for college and/or how to coordinate the college admissions process with counseling staff. Counseling Offices tend to post resources around the school or the office, so students can learn about colleges and experiences they may not have previously heard of. Additionally, many sch...

Matt Waldman loves helping students and their families make amazing decisions during their college application process – especially when it comes to discovering the right college! He received his B.S. in Journalism from Ohio University and an M.Ed in Higher Education from Harvard University. Matt has a certification in College Counseling from Columbia University’s Teachers College. Additionally, he has served as an Associate Director of College Advising at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, CT and Senior Director of College Services at The Steppingstone Foundation in Boston, MA, where he created and directed a college advising program serving 480 students each year. Matt has also presented at national and regional conferences on the topics of nonprofit management, essay writing, and connecting to college admissions offices. His writing has been published by New Directions in Higher Education, a professional journal for the higher education field. During his 14 years of working w...

Scholarships are a great way to reduce the cost of college without having to pay them back. The criteria for scholarships vary from family income to academic merit to particular special interests. Trying to decipher what scholarships you qualify for can become a full-time job. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you start researching scholarships… There are two types of scholarships: private scholarships and institutional scholarships. When researching scholarships make sure to research the scholarships offered at the schools on your college list as well as private scholarships. There are so many private scholarships out there that have a variety of requirements and criteria. There are scholarships out there for everyone. When I went to college, I got a few scholarships for people that are deaf or hard of hearing. I got a scholarship from Pizza Hut, my employer, when I was a senior in high school. I have seen scholarships for left-handed people, high school athletes, specific co...

During COVID, it can be challenging to learn more about colleges in-depth. There are many ways to explore colleges comprehensively and the information you need to feel confident in your college choices. We have designed an online course to help you explore many ways to learn about colleges without going to visit them. Course: Learn About Colleges In-Depth Without Visiting $15.00 USD In this video course, you will discover… How these suggestions can help high school sophomores and juniors learn about schools and how to dive into more extensive college research either prior to visiting colleges or in lieu of college visits in order to save money and time. How these tips can help high school seniors develop a more confident college list and select their final college choice. How you can save time and money by discovering the best college matches for you. To sign up, please  click here .

Lauren Dodington  received a B.A. in Sociology from Vassar College and holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government. Since 2005, Lauren has devoted her career to developing the potential of students and professionals in the fields of education and college access, working in both school and community based organizational settings in New York, Philadelphia and New Haven, CT. Most recently, Lauren was the Director of College Counseling at a leading public charter school in New Haven, Connecticut where she built a student-centered college counseling program and partnered with colleagues across the college landscape. In the spring of 2019, Lauren launched College Vision Consulting to continue to share her empowering and effective approach to college counseling with schools and organizations. As a counselor, Lauren is passionate about partnering with her students and their families and empowering young people to pursue a c...