The College Inroads Program
College Inroads offers comprehensive college planning services to help students navigate the complex process of applying to and enrolling in college. Our 16-step program includes finding and researching colleges that align with academic and career goals, providing SAT/ACT prep, preparing and submitting financial aid forms, offering scholarship options, and partnering with students through each step of the application process.
At College Inroads, we offer a wide range of services, from one-on-one counseling sessions to digital resource libraries. You can easily compare schools, programs, and costs, to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Plus, our team is here to answer any questions you might have — from choosing a major to considering scholarships and financial aid.
We provide comprehensive research on all colleges and universities, taking into account your specific needs and goals. Our powerful data platform allows you to compare colleges quickly and easily, so you can make an informed decision. With our Awards Analysis, you can see how much each school might cost you on the bottom line. With resources like these, you’ll have all the information you need to choose a college that will set you up for long-term success.
Your student will receive a customized college list with 20-30 colleges based on the student’s major and the college search criteria that is established in the College Search meeting. Your student’s educational consultant will rate the list based on the likelihood of your student getting accepted into these schools, so you’ll know whether or not these schools are the right “fit” before applying.
At College Inroads, we know that every student is unique and has their own set of interests and goals. That’s why we offer a customized approach to career planning.
We provide an evidence-based approach that begins with online aptitude and personality assessments customized to individual strengths and interests. These assessments help students gain insight into their aptitude and personality so they can better understand their strengths and weaknesses. From there, a professional educational consultant will guide the student and parents through a process to discuss possible career paths and majors. When students gain self-awareness and affirm their career aspirations, they find a greater sense of confidence in their post-graduation decision-making process.
Our holistic approach to helping students find the best career path sets us apart from other services out there. Whether your child knows what they want to do after graduation or not, College Inroads can set them up on the path to success.
On your student’s personalized website, your student can manage almost everything in our process, from keeping track of passwords to researching their dream schools and managing their essays. Their portal also includes extensive resources to help with what to do on a college visit or what to speak with a college admissions rep about. Your student will also receive a customized timeline, taking the student from point of entry into our process through college commitment. This portal is also a good communication tool between your student and our team and parents receive regular check-in calls to make sure your student is on the right track. Oh, and their portal is mobile-friendly too!
Our team works with your student to create a personalized to-do list that fits specific goals and dreams, supporting each step of the journey. We offer advice and information on visiting colleges, preparing for admissions tests, writing essays, obtaining letters of recommendation, researching different colleges, campus visitations, completing applications, and much more. All lined up on an easy to follow schedule which the student and their educational consultant and application specialist work together to make sure targeted dates are met.
At College Inroads, we conduct our business in a friendly, supportive, and inclusive way and value open and honest communications between student, parents and consultant. We partner with families to navigate the complex web of choices surrounding college selection and funding, balancing needs of the student and family. We are here to answer any questions our clients have and to support the students in anyway that they need it.
One of the questions we get asked a lot is, “Which test should my student take: SAT or ACT?” To help address this question, we offer an SAT/ACT Diagnostic Test. This 3-hour full length exam (online) includes questions that were on real-life past SAT and ACT exams. Once the Diagnostic is scored, your student receives an extensive report to show which test they did better on (SAT or ACT) with a breakdown of the answers to all of the questions. This can significantly help your student target which standardized test they should focus on and save lots of time!
At College Inroads, we recognize that preparing for the SAT/ACT exams can be an overwhelming process. That’s why we’ve partnered with a service that provides a comprehensive suite of SAT/ACT preparation resources, designed to help our students achieve maximum potential. The practice tests offer detailed feedback on each section, to gain valuable insight into where to focus efforts. The video tutorials provide step-by-step guidance on specific topics, while the lessons and quizzes provide an in-depth overview of key concepts. This is an online self-paced part of our service.
College Inroads can help students write their college application essay with ease. Our experienced team of educational consultants and essay reviewers will help you brainstorm ideas, offer guidance on topics, structure, and overall tone and style to ensure that the essay conveys a clear, effective message.
Additionally, with College Inroads’ suite of resources and support, students can perfect their drafts in no time. From personalized feedback from our editors to online tools such as spellcheckers, plagiarism detectors and more, we provide everything needed for students to craft quality essays and make their dream college become a reality.
The college application essay is one of the most important components of your application, and it’s important to get it right. College Inroads can help you write a great essay that will make you stand out from the rest of the applicants.
At College Inroads, we strive to empower students in their college application journey. An Application Specialist will meet with your student regularly via Zoom to easily and accurately identify, organize and fill out all college applications without feeling overwhelmed or alone. We provide an unparalleled level of support and guidance when it comes to surveying the various options and guiding you through the completion process. By providing guided instruction on how to properly complete each form, College Inroads helps eliminate the confusion surrounding college applications, streamlines the entire process and helps relieve stress around this rite of passage.
College Inroads can help your student stand out from the crowd and put their best foot forward with an impressive educational resume. Our team of experts will work one-on-one with them to create an effective resume that highlights their unique talents and experiences, so they can make the most of their strongest qualities.
We guide the student to identify key points which demonstrate leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. We help them showcase academic achievements, extracurricular activities, community service projects, and internships, and then, if needed, help them bring the story to life with compelling language.
For many high school students, college interviews can be a daunting task. Anxieties surrounding the questions and the interaction can feel overwhelming. Our team of experienced educational consultants will work with students to ensure they feel prepared and confident during their their college interviews.
We provide personalized attention and focus on areas like understanding the school’s mission, anticipating questions, and preparing thoughtful answers. We can even practice mock interviews to help simulate the real thing.
We understand that each student has different strengths and needs, so our counselors tailor their expertise to meet those needs. We practice answering questions, and assess how the student will come across, and help think about the right stories to tell, as well as tips on body language and presentation. Through our preparation and practice sessions, we work for them to be be well-prepared to show off skills, academics, and character in order to stand out amongst the competition.
Students receive reminders monthly on what needs to be accomplished that month throughout the process.
The partners of College Inroads conduct monthly webinars on different pieces of our process with our clients.
Financial Aid Applications
College Inroads can help students navigate the financial aid application process by providing expert guidance and support. Our team of experienced consultants can work with families to understand their financial situation and help them complete the financial aid application accurately and thoroughly. We can also help students understand what types of financial aid are available and which ones they may be eligible for. In addition, College Inroads prepares and submits other financial aid-related forms and documents, such as the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the CSS Financial Aid Profile and any additional materials required by the colleges to which the student is applying. By working with College Inroads, families can feel confident that they are taking all the necessary steps to secure the financial aid they need to make their college dreams a reality.
Scholarship Research and Applications
College Inroads is here to help you make the most of your scholarship search. Our platform offers a comprehensive collection of tips, tricks, and tools to streamline the process of locating and applying for scholarships. From researching scholarships tailored to your needs to filling out applications quickly and accurately, our team of experienced advisors provide the guidance and support you need every step of the way. We’re prepared to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have about the scholarship process, from start to finish.
Our team will celebrate with you as the Acceptances come in and brood with you if the university says, “We regret to inform you ….”. We can help you figure out where to find your acceptances/denials, what they mean and what to do with them once you get them. We can also counsel you through Waitlisting, Deferrals and appealing a college’s decision. Whatever the case may be, we are here to guide you.
Did you know that in some cases, college tuition is negotiable? Our team of experts will help you analyze the Financial Aid Award Letters as they come in, help you bottom-line cost each school and appeal for more money. The answer to the question is always No if we don’t ask it! We can also help your student decide on which university to attend …..one that is a good fit for the student academically and for the family financially.
College Inroads offers resources and advice on the types of loans, interest rates and other potential avenues to pay for college. If loans to be a part of the equation, we can help you make the right choices for your family.