You're considering hiring a college counseling team. Here's how to evaluate ours.
A 45‑minute working session to decide if we're the right fit, with honest answers either way.
What this conversation is — and what it isn't
It helps to know what you're walking into, so the 45 minutes are highly useful.
What it is
- An evaluation of our service. You're deciding whether to hire a counseling team. We'll tell you what we'd recommend and what it would cost.
- An honest read on your student. A senior admissions advisor looks at the profile and says where it's strong and where it isn't.
- A working session. You talk, we ask questions, and you leave with a specific recommendation instead of a brochure.
- A two‑way fit check. You see if we are right for you and vice versa.
What it isn't
- A free hour of college advice. We will provide valuable information and help you evaluate our program.
- Not a school‑list review. Bring your list, but the call is about strategy and fit, not vetting twelve colleges.
- Not a hard sell. There's no discount that expires at the end of the call and no pressure to decide on the spot.
- Not a formality. Come ready to talk openly about goals, grades and budget.
If you're exploring whether professional support is worth it, this is exactly the right call to be on.
Here's how the call flows
Your advisor personalizes the call to each family.
Your student, in their own words
Grade, courses, testing so far, activities, what they're actually interested in, and what's worrying you as a parent. Your student should do a good share of the talking here.
An honest profile assessment
Where the profile is competitive, where it's thin, and what the realistic range of outcomes looks like. This is the part families tell us they can't get anywhere else — including the parts that are hard to hear.
What we'd do, and what it costs
A specific recommendation: which plan fits, how many hours, which services (counseling, essays, test prep, tutoring, aid strategy), the timeline, and the price. In plain numbers.
Your questions, and next steps
Ask us anything — including how we compare to the other consultants you're looking at. You leave knowing what you'd be buying and what happens if you say yes or no.
What you'll have after our consultation
Enough to make a decision in either direction.
Let's talk about money now, not later
Professional college counseling is an investment. You should know the range before you spend 45 minutes with us.
Four things determine your price
- How long we work together
- How often your student wants to meet
- How selective the schools on your list are
- Whether tutoring or test prep is part of the plan
Discounts available. Payment plans, ACH and credit card accepted.
Who should be on the call
The families who get the most out of this all do the same three things.
Both parent(s) and your student
Everyone who has a say in the decision, on the same call. Decisions this size go badly when one parent is hearing it secondhand and your student's own answers change what we recommend.
A full, uninterrupted 45 minutes
Pick a slot when you're not driving, not at work, and not squeezing it between things. If you only have twenty minutes, book a different day instead.
Whatever you've already got
A transcript, test scores, a rough college list, a budget number in your head. None of it is required, but the more you bring, the more specific we can be.
Pick a time that works for everyone
Choose an open slot below and you'll get a confirmation and Zoom link by email right away.
45 minutes on Zoom with a senior admissions advisor, complimentary. Please have both parents and your student on the call.
Most consultants handle one piece of this. We handle all of it.
Which matters most in the year when something doesn't go to plan.
Everything under one roof
Counseling, essays, ACT and SAT prep, academic tutoring, and financial aid strategy — in one plan, where your hours move to whatever your student actually needs that month.
One counselor who knows your student
We match on academic profile, intended major, personality, location and pace before we recommend anyone. Big-firm resources, small-business relationship.
A bench of 80+ specialists
Three quarters hold a master's degree or higher. Former admissions officers, school counselors, Fulbright recipients, and writing instructors from Harvard, Yale and NYU.
You'll be talking to a senior advisor
Not a scheduler, and not a salesperson reading from a script.
Kevin Krebs
Founder & Managing DirectorA Northwestern grad, Kevin has spent over 30 years helping students get into the right college within budget, personally mentoring thousands of students and presenting to more than 40,000 families.
Dr. Jennifer Bosco
Director of Admissions20+ years guiding students on their college journey. A former Director of Admissions for medical and chiropractic universities who led a program that helped thousands improve admissions outcomes and AP scores.
Ian Simon
Senior Academic & Admissions AdvisorA UIUC Electrical Engineering grad who built and sold a successful private tutoring business specializing in tailored curriculum, Ian now shapes HelloCollege's tutoring approach.
Mike Sear
Senior Admissions AdvisorAn award-winning producer and director for 30+ years, Mike is a professional storyteller who helps students tell the stories that get them into their dream schools.
Dan Farnesi
Senior Admissions AdvisorWith HelloCollege since 2014, Dan brings a CPA's financial insight to the money side of admissions, paired with deep knowledge of the process and a passion for mentoring.
Hear it from a family who hired us
Janna Smalley, parent of two HelloCollege students
Common questions
Can't find a time that works, or have a question before you book? Email us at [email protected] or call 630-730-8825 and we'll do our best to help.