College Admissions and Assessments Package

Welcome!

Thank you for choosing the Strategies For College team as your college advisors. We know this is an exciting time. We are here to help with expert guidance, patience, and well-tuned listening skills. We believe your child must be an active participant in the process, and we ask that they sign an agreement that outlines our expectations of their commitment. Your Admissions Advisor will cover that when you meet. Please review our respective responsibilities outlined in this contract. We appreciate that you’ve entrusted us with guiding your child’s college decision.

Program Overview

Our program is delivered by a team of experts who view our engagement through the lenses of academic fit, personal fit, and affordability. Each family engagement is personalized to serve your unique circumstances. Below is a partial list of services.

Admissions Advisor

    • Implement Milestones to College™ Project Plan
    • Discuss standardized tests
    • Review secondary curriculum strength
    • Brainstorm extracurricular activities
    • Evaluate student’s competitive position with our proprietary CAP Index software
    • Identify up to 25 colleges for student to research
    • Finalize student criteria
    • Arrive at final list of 6-8 colleges
    • Prepare for college visits and interviews
    • Discuss “demonstrated interest”
    • Review personal statement/essay
    • Review Common Application and supplemental essays

Personal Fit Assessment Specialist

    • Reduce the stress of the college search process
    • Understand your individual learning style
    • Discover your natural strengths and talents
    • Gain confidence in your college direction
    • Identify best-fit career options and college majors

Although there are no guarantees, outcomes depend in part upon each of us fulfilling our respective responsibilities as follows:

Our Responsibilities

    • Be accessible to both you and your student in accordance with the scope and terms described in this agreement
    • Advise and assist you and your student to prepare for direct interaction with college officials, faculty, and/or coaches
    • Provide quality information and professional advice consistent with the services described in this agreement
    • Maintain your financial privacy
    • Assist with defining tasks, plans, and schedules in support of college selection and application

Your Responsibilities

    • Submit timely, accurate, and complete information as needed to support meetings, milestone events, and deadlines
    • Maintain the confidentiality of copyrighted documents received (i.e., do not share information with any third parties)
    • Provide timely disclosure of disabilities, counseling, medical, or legal circumstances which may impact our advice
    • Interact directly with college officials to resolve student/family-specific issues regarding admission and financial aid
    • Submit admissions and financial aid applications, and standardized test score reports to the appropriate parties and pay associated fees
    • Advise us of any changes in address, phone numbers, email addresses, or applicable payment information

Warranties, Service Limitations, and Confidentiality

We do not guarantee admission to any college or university, nor can we guarantee college funding from any source.  We do not provide legal, tax or investment advice. We do not assist with seeking third party (private, non-college) scholarships. Contact your high school guidance office for third-party scholarship sources and information.  Absent very unusual family circumstances and without a specific power of attorney, we cannot interact with college officials directly on your or your student’s behalf.

Meetings and Other Interactions

Meetings and other interactions are scheduled according to when you begin the program. Meeting intervals will vary but conform to the Milestones Project Plan. This will allow ample time to complete assigned tasks. Unlimited email support is provided with this agreement. We encourage you and your student to use this resource to supplement meetings.

Payment Terms:

Please complete the information on our website with your counselor for secure transmission of your sensitive data. We accept all major credit cards, and electronic funds transfer through your checking or savings account. Services may be financed for 3-10 months with a 3% fixed finance fee.  Your account will be charged for the initial payment, plus any finance fee. Subsequent payments will be charged on the first business day of the months in which payment is due.

Term of Agreement, Cancellation, and Refund Policy

This agreement may be canceled at any time, by either party with notice by email.  If you cancel the agreement within five business days of the date signed below, a refund of the initial payment less $250 will be issued. If you cancel the agreement after five business days of the date signed below, a refund of your initial payment less $250, less an additional $250 per hour for any work initiated will be issued.

Privacy Policy

We will always protect your right to privacy. By “you” or “your,” we mean your entire family and any information that is disclosed to us as part of this engagement.  We collect nonpublic personal information about you that is either provided to us by you or obtained by us with your authorization. We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information obtained through our engagement except as required or permitted by law. Permitted disclosures include, for instance, providing information to our employees and consultants who use this information to assist us in providing services to you. In all such situations, we stress the confidential nature of information being shared.  We retain physical and digital records relating to the professional services that have been provided and the fees you have paid.  We also maintain physical, electronic, and procedural security safeguards to protect these records. Records relating to the services provided are destroyed upon your request or three years after the completion of our engagement.

College Affordability and Financial Aid Eligibility

In order to recommend colleges that will be financially efficient for you, we need your input with respect to what you consider “affordable.”  Therefore, we ask all clients who HAVE NOT paid for services related to establishing your aid eligibility to submit in confidence financial data similar to what is required for FAFSA. We will provide a complimentary EFC review. Findings will be communicated to you by an SFC financial specialist. If you choose not to submit financial data, we cannot subsequently discuss financial aid applications, awards, grants, scholarships, appeals, or anything else pertaining to college costs.

Strategies For College, Incorporated (SFC) provides consulting services in accordance with the terms and conditions specified herein. Services will be provided to the student named below and his/her Parent(s)/Guardian(s) as specified.