A Different Kind of College Admissions Advising
Lisa Kok College Advising offers
A SANER APPROACH
SERVICES
ADVICE
Your child's high school college advisors are invaluable to you. They know the profiles of the other students applying and the school's position with colleges. They know the teachers who will be writing your child's letters of recommendation and may speak with them or even the college admissions reps. My role is to provide a "third" opinion when you want one.
SERVICES LIST- ADVICE AND GUIDANCE IN:
TENTH GRADE:
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CHOOSING EXTRACURRICULAR AND SUMMER ACTIVITIES
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FINDING AND CHOOSING TUTORING SERVICES
ELEVENTH GRADE:
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CHOOSING EXTRACURRICULAR AND SUMMER ACTIVITIES
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RESEARCHING COLLEGES
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WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTS OVER SUMMER
TWELFTH GRADE:
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WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAYS
How do I know you are the right counselor for my child?
We speak by phone or zoom. After that initial conversation, I meet your child, by zoom or in person, to determine if there is a fit--if we have the kind of chemistry that will allow your child to work with me effectively. At that point, your family decides if I, and the services I offer, are right for you.
Research and Guidance
There is a large amount of information on colleges available to the general public. Applicants need to determine which criteria are important to them, and to put them together in an orderly fashion so they and you can access that information easily, without re-doing the research and wasting time. I can show you and your child how to navigate the colleges' websites to gather, organize and interpret the information in them.
I do not have insider information. Each college sets its admissions rules, process and priorities, and can change them at any time. The landscape is changing and admissions decisions more inconsistent to those of us not in the room when the decisions are made; with a large percentage of high school grades an A or above, and optional score requirements, colleges have fewer ways to assess the applicants --but also more freedom to be as idiosyncratic as they like. Your school counselor will have more data points from which to draw to help you strategize; they are therefore better able to help you strategize your applications.
What makes me different from full service advisors? I do not coordinate or manage the application process for your child. There are many opportunities to demonstrate interest, such as interviews, information sessions and tours, and zoom meetings with students, admissions reps and deans. There are many deadlines and unique requirements for special programs, like honors programs, or specialized programs like performance, art and film. My purpose in this process, if you hire me, is to offer advice when you request it and help your child in drafting his or her essays, rather than acting as the strategist and coordinator of your child's applications.
Essay Writing
The saner and more holistic approach also informs my essay guidance.
I do not write essays. No college admissions officer wants to read an essay written by a middle aged professional. Believe me, admissions people can tell. However, I can steer you away from potentially tricky subjects and language. Moreover, because I know more about you from reading your survey answers and history, and listening to you, I can help you find a place to start, a story to tell, and above all, your "best" voice.
FEES
While some advisors charge one flat fee, the hourly fee structure gives clients more flexibility.
Hourly rates:
$250/hour January 15th through July 31st
$275/hour August 1st through September 30th,
$300/hour October 1st through December 15th (see exceptions below)
No access to Lisa Kok on December 24th, 25th, 31st and January 1
$350/hour December 16th through January 14th
Clients will be asked to pay a retainer of $2,000. The retainer will be drawn down at the hourly rate that is in effect at the time the services are rendered.