FAQs – College Admissions Consulting

An educational consultant is an expert in the field of college admission and its process. Applying to college is more competitive than ever and with all the changes to the admission process, as a parent, it is challenging to stay on top of the latest information. The role of the educational consultant is to:

• Support the student with a sense of assurance that while the admissions process feels daunting, there is an expert to guide you each step of the way.
• Provide an objectivity to the process without being bias.
• Customize a plan of action for the student.
• Refine the student’s potential college list.
• Offer clarity and attention to the student’s application(s).
• Establish important timelines.
• Review college essays.

Ultimately, the educational consultant strives to reduce the stress and build confidence in the student’s potential during the college admission process.

 

While many other educational businesses boasts they have the knowledge and expertise, few are truly knowledgeable in the field. Our educational consulting team is comprised of experts in the field because they were first classroom teachers. We believe the mark of an expert begins from having tangible experience at the high school level working with young minds.

The owner of Mill Creek Academy, Ms. Wong, is among the few in her field that comes with a teaching background. Having taught for almost a decade at Mission San Jose High in Fremont, CA, a school that is competitive and highly prestigious, she has experienced first hand the student pressures of college expectations. From her teaching background, which stems from her prestigious background in Educational studies from the University of California Irvine and University of California Berkeley among other colleges, Ms. Wong is always advocating for the student.

In addition to her pedigree, Ms. Wong completed her College Admissions Counseling Certification from the University of California Los Angeles where she graduated with an honors distinction. Ms. Wong is also a member of the following professional associations:

• Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)
• Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA)
• Western Association for College Admissions Counseling (WACAC)
• National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)

These Associations, all of which are application-based and selective memberships, merit the quality and commitment educational consultants promise to deliver to aspiring college bound students.

Ms. Wong is selective and her consulting team is personally invited because of their commitment to excellence.

The Mill Creek Academy team sets themselves apart from other businesses because they are dedicated to quality and truly trained experts in the field of college admissions.

 

School based counselors have hundreds of students in their caseload. While counselors have an incredible sense of work ethnic to serve their students, the truth is that there is just not enough time to meet all the specific demands of student needs, especially during college application time. Counselors are inundated with too many responsibilities that their committed time in helping a student evaluate the right college fit is an unlikely expectation. We stand behind our counselors for their tireless efforts, but that is when students and their families need to hire an educational consultant who can assist the student by giving them undivided attention.

 

The Huffington Post published an article about the Top 10 Myths and Facts About College Admissions. While the article was written a few years back, their myths and truths still remain a constant misconception among college bound students.

 

Finding an educational consultant is like finding the perfect pair of shoes! It is important that the student and consultant have an established rapport that bodes commitment to the college process as well as respect for the knowledge and consultant’s expertise. Prior to commitment to one of the consulting packages, a 20 minute complimentary meeting will be offered as an opportunity for the consultant to meet and greet with the student and family. After the initial complimentary meeting, the student and consultant will have an opportunity to decide if working together will be beneficial for the student.

A signed service agreement and paid tuition is due within 48 hours from the time of the initial meeting.

After that point, the commitment is established and the pair is ready to work hard in showcasing the student’s very best profile.

 

We value the opinion and insight of the parent; however, the college admissions process is about the student. Therefore, with the guidance of the consultant, our hope is that the process will be student centered. The parent is always welcome to check in on the process and ask questions, but the majority of the meetings will be between the student and consultant.

 

Absolutely not. We believe every student has the opportunity to pursue higher education. In fact, we encourage all students to attend college because the added knowledge will only be an added value to their future careers. Our goal is to help the student identify the right college fit.

 

Absolutely not. There is no guarantee in the admissions process because acceptances are unpredictable. However, we are confident that our expertise will showcase the student’s best profile and thus, optimizing their chances in getting accepted to colleges that are a realistic match to their profile.

Any consultant who promises an admission to a specific college should not be trusted.   Our consultants strictly adhere to the principles set forth in the Principles of Good Practice as determined by the IECA.

Download a copy of ethical practices.

 

Yes, we would love to still offer our assistance and can work in our meetings by phone and via Skype.

 

If you have a child in elementary or middle school, contact us now because we offer a variety of academic enrichment courses to help strengthen your child’s learning foundations. All of our enrichment courses follow the State Standards and are designed for highly motivated students. The instruction will be an added value when your child enters high school.

If you have a child at the 9^th and 10^th grade level, this is the time to consider test preparation planning to reduce the stress of last minute decisions. Don’t forget, we offer enrichment courses for all high level math / science / and language arts courses.

If your child is entering grades 7-12, now is the time to contact Mill Creek if you are interested in our consulting packages and services. Spots are very limited and will fill up quickly.

• For all consulting services, it is best to reserve your spot with our Director the summer before entering the new school year.

We offer support at all stages of your child’s academic process.

 

Contact our office via email or by phone to set up a 20-minute complimentary meeting, which will take place either in person, by phone, or by Skype. The purpose of the meeting is an initial meet and greet with an opportunity for both the family and consultant to get to know each other. A mutual agreement needs to be established in order for Mill Creek to formally agree to work with the student.

The comprehensive service packages and tuition details will be discussed during our initial complimentary meeting.