College Admissions Services in Wilmette, IL

Today, the competition to secure a spot at an elite university or Ivy League college is more competitive than ever. All highly selective colleges expect nearby Chicago applicants to have stellar grades and top-ranking test scores. To meet the growing demand of college-bound students in the nearby Wilmette area, HelloCollege delivers college admissions advising services geared towards your student’s personalized needs.

The HelloCollege admissions consultants are respected professionals with decades of experience helping students just like yours earn admission into some of the most highly selective and top-ranked colleges, like Northwestern, Carleton, and MIT. From choosing classes and prepping for standardized tests to creating a robust resume and maintaining strict deadlines, HelloCollege will make sure your student stays organized through the entire college admissions process. Together, the HelloCollege team will devise a solid plan that motivates your student to take control of their academic future.

How to Build a Balanced College List

With over 5,000 accredited colleges and universities across the U.S., high school students in Wilmette may feel their stress levels kicking into overdrive when trying to narrow down the choices. Assuming students aren’t applying early decision, the HelloCollege team believes a college list typically should contain 8 to 10 schools with a diverse collection of safety, target, and reach schools.

  • Target Schools: These are institutions where the student’s academic profile matches that of the average admitted student. While there is never a 100% admission guarantee, students have a high chance of earning an acceptance letter.
  • Safety Schools: Safety schools often receive bad reputations, despite often being exceptional institutions with great programs and financial aid opportunities. A safety college is a school where students have superior credentials—GPA and test scores—compared to the average admitted student.
  • Reach Schools: Reach schools — the Ivy Leagues in particular — admit very few students often as low as 5 or 6%! Admission is less likely, but still possible.

The list of colleges that capture your student’s attention will slowly evolve during the admissions process. Ideally, the college list that students create should contain approximately 3 reach schools, 3 safety schools, and 5 target schools.

How to Build a College List Using the S.A.F.E Methodology

There are over 2,000 four-year colleges in the United States, each with a unique constellation of resources, course offerings, and extracurricular programs. Students who focus only on a handful of the most selective or well-known colleges are missing out on the wonderful range of schools that exist and that might be a good fit. To better aid students in the college search, HelloCollege created the S.A.F.E framework. Using this model, the admissions counselors at HelloCollege break down four key areas — social, academic, financial, and employment.

  • Social: A college should fit a student’s personality, which is why this area explores factors like location, climate, size, and various aspect of campus life.
  • Academic: Academic fit refers to factors like class size, degree programs, learning environment, and on-campus tutoring support.
  • Financial: College affordability will weigh heavily on the decision-making process, so HelloCollege offers a comprehensive scholarship directory.
  • Employment: This area explores if a school offers career services that can help students determine and reach their career goals

With HelloCollege’s college placement consulting services and the S.A.F.E. framework, your Chicago student can be confident they are on the path to finding the right college fit.

Find the Perfect School with Wilmette’s Best College Admissions Counselors

Living in Wilmette offers residents a cozy suburban feel and a wide range of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks to make them feel right at home. The Village of Wilmette is a beautiful suburb on the North Shore of Chicago. Known for its lakefront, tree-lined streets, and parks, Wilmette is an upscale town with an exceptional quality of living. 

Visit the Wilmette Theatre to enjoy multi-arts and performances provided by the local community. If you are interested in purchasing fresh organic produce, baked goods, meat, or floral products, come to the Wilmette French Market, which operates every Saturday. Enrich your taste buds with a variety of seafood and sushi at Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant.

Wilmette boasts a strong educational foundation for its students. Parents can rest assured that students enrolled in District 39 will be nurtured, guided, and challenged to become creative thinkers, collaborators, and responsible citizens. For public secondary or high school education, serving grades 9 to 12, Wilmette students attend New Trier High School. Freshmen living in the North Shore area attend classes at the Northfield campus, whereas other grades attend the Winnetka campus. Wilmette-based students may also enroll in private schools like Loyola Academy, Regina Dominican High School, and St. Francis Xavier School.

Grow Your College List with HelloCollege

Having successfully helped over 1,200 students in the Chicago metropolitan area with their college planning, the HelloCollege team deploys the most innovative and cutting-edge methods available to guarantee the college admissions process runs as smoothly as possible. Does your high school student need guidance and support in selecting the ideal college fit?

The college admissions services available at HelloCollege are suitable for students and families at any point in the process, whether that is 9th, 10th, 11th, or even 12th grade. Start saving money today by enrolling in HelloCollege’s comprehensive package plans.

Are you a Wilmette, IL student looking to secure a college admissions counselor near you? Call (224) 477-2482 to connect with our team and schedule your free consultation.