Frequently Asked Questions

Simply Admissions provides personalized college admissions counseling and support for students and their families. We guide you through every step, from exploring college options and building a balanced list to crafting compelling applications and essays, navigating financial aid, and making the final enrollment decision. Our goal is to simplify the process, reduce stress, and help students find and gain admission to colleges where they will thrive – academically, socially, and financially.

While we assist students at any high school stage, starting early allows for the most comprehensive planning and development. Engaging with us as early as 8th or 9th grade allows us to help with strategic high school course selection, impactful extracurricular activity planning, and building a strong foundation long before applications are due. Many families begin working with us during sophomore (Grade 10) or junior (Grade 11) year. This provides ample time for strategic course selection, extracurricular planning, test preparation strategy, and thoughtful college exploration before application season begins. Importantly, our Comprehensive Package fee is the same regardless of when you start, offering significant value for families who begin earlier. We also offer focused support for seniors (Grade 12) navigating the immediate application cycle.

High school counselors play a vital role, but they often manage large caseloads – the national average ratio was 376 students per counselor in the 2023-2024 school year, far exceeding the recommended 250:1. This limits the individualized time they can dedicate to each student's college process. Simply Admissions offers highly personalized, one-on-one guidance tailored to your student's unique strengths, interests, and goals. We provide in-depth support on every aspect of the application, dedicate significant time to essay development and list building, and offer more flexible availability, complementing the essential work of school counselors.

We offer a range of services to meet diverse family needs: Comprehensive Packages providing end-to-end support, an Essentials Package covering key application milestones, and Hourly Consulting for targeted assistance. You can compare these options on our Packages page or schedule a free consultation to discuss the best fit.

Our comprehensive packages follow a structured, multi-phase plan designed to cover all key aspects of the college admissions process, as detailed in our Step-by-Step Success Plan visual. This includes phases focused on:

• Exploring Potential: Academic review, career/major exploration, extracurricular development, and standardized test strategy.

• Strategic College Planning: In-depth college fit analysis, building a preliminary college list, and deep college research.

• College Application Process: Essay development, application strategy, recommendation letters, and interview prep.

• Financial Aid & Scholarships: Guidance on aid forms (FAFSA, CSS Profile), scholarship searching, and comparing financial aid offers.

• College Decision & Transition: Support weighing offers and preparing for enrollment.

Finding the "right fit" goes beyond rankings. We engage students in a process of self-discovery to understand their academic interests, learning style, personality, career aspirations, and preferences for campus culture, size, and location. We utilize professional tools, extensive research, and our deep knowledge of colleges to build a balanced list of schools where the student is likely to be successful, happy, and challenged.

Absolutely. Essays are a critical part of the application. We guide students through brainstorming compelling topics, developing their unique voice, and structuring impactful narratives. We provide constructive feedback and editing support to ensure essays are polished and effectively convey the student's personality and potential. We also assist with completing all sections of the application accurately and strategically.

Yes, navigating the financial aspects of college is crucial. We provide guidance on understanding the different types of financial aid (need-based vs. merit-based), explain key forms like the FAFSA and CSS Profile, help identify potential merit scholarship opportunities, and offer strategies for families to make informed financial decisions regarding college choices. 

We are proud of our students' successes! Our personalized approach helps students gain admission to a wide range of colleges that are excellent fits for them. For the Class of 2025, our students earned admission to 121 different colleges across 34 states and were awarded over $9.4 million in renewable, merit-based scholarships. We focus on helping students present their best selves to find institutions where they will succeed.

No ethical college consultant can guarantee admission to any specific college, especially highly selective institutions. Admission decisions depend on many factors evaluated by the colleges themselves. Our focus is on helping students develop their strongest possible application, identify schools that are a good match for their profile, and maximize their chances of acceptance at a range of suitable institutions where they can thrive.

Getting started is simple! The first step is to schedule a complimentary initial consultation. This allows us to learn more about your student's needs and goals, explain our services in detail, and determine if we are a good fit for your family. You can book a consultation directly through our website, Schedule a Consultation, or contact us via email at LAllen@simplyadmissions.com or phone at 678-561-2742.

We offer several service models: the Comprehensive Package, the Essentials Package, and Hourly Consulting. We believe in transparency, and our service details and pricing are available directly on our website via the links provided. We view our services as an investment in your student's future success and well-being.

Parents are essential partners in the college admissions journey! We value open communication and collaboration with parents. Your role typically involves providing support and encouragement to your student, participating in key discussions (especially regarding finances and final choices), and staying informed through our updates. While we work primarily with the student on tasks like essays and applications, parental insight and support are crucial for success.