Do you only work with students who want to go to an Ivy League college?
We work with any student (public, private, or homeschooled) applying to any competitive school or scholarship. While we specialize in Christian homeschool applications, our clients come from all backgrounds and all educational venues. Our goal is to help each student craft an incredible application and to find the best college fit – one that meets their academic, spiritual, and emotional needs.
Do you only work with gifted students?
Our clients have many different interests and intellectual abilities. We’ve successful mentored students of normal ability as well as those who are twice exceptional or profoundly gifted. We’ve worked with ballerinas and science geeks, theater and vocal majors, budding politicians, engineers, and pre-med students as well as many others.
What age do you recommend beginning this process?
We prefer to have a preliminary consultation with the family at least by the 8th grade or freshman year in high school. This gives us the opportunity to develop a long range plan for high school and testing that will both develop the student and be competitive at good schools. However, we will work with students at any point, whether they are in junior high or are seniors in high school.
How many schools should I apply to in order to maximize my opportunity?
We counsel our clients to apply to a range of schools since the college admissions process has become so very competitive. Usually applications at eight to ten schools will be sufficient. We will also advise students to apply to a range of schools – a few that will be easy to get into, several where your student falls in their SAT or ACT ranges but are slightly competitive, and then some stretch schools that are ultra competitive.
How do you work?
We work with students from across the U.S. (and expatriate students whose parents are on the mission field) via Skype, email, and phone. If possible, we recommend an initial consultation in the student’s freshman year (or earlier) to develop a plan for high school and for testing schedules. We will touch base annually for a few years and are always available for any questions you might have. We begin working with students early in their junior year to develop a marketing plan, narrow the college field, prepare concise documentation of activities, and craft school documents for college admission. Early in the senior year we focus on the college essay, securing the best recommendation letters, preparing for interviews, and finalizing the college selection.
What about rates?
Aiming Higher Consultants works on a retainer basis, meaning that we charge you up front for a two-hour block of time. Then, we just keep track of the time spent by your family (in one-minute increments) and will notify you when it is time to send the next retainer. It couldn’t be easier!