According to a New York Times article Navigators for the College Bound, “What may be largest high school senior class ever in the United States is applying to college this fall. And thousands of students will look beyond their high school guidance counselors to help them get into the schools of their choice.”

Where are they looking? To private educational consultants who are now helping where busy high school guidance counselors leave off. These consultants typically sit down several times with a student to discuss goals for college and beyond. They pull in information from parents, transcripts and other sources to help create a list of colleges specifically suited for each student then guide them through the application process, essay review, interview preparation and the overall organization process to meet deadlines.

For many consultants this is a second or third career. According to Mark Sklarow, executive director of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, “I think you need the life experiences and perspective to help teenagers find a true match.”

The real benefit to educational consulting clients could well be the stress reduction families feel during a time where college selection should be an adventure that families enjoy together, rather than the emotionally tense process that it often becomes.