Starting in the Sophomore or Junior year, personalized college planning provides your student with 1:1 mentorship and coaching as they make the first major adult decision of their lives.
- Student sessions on your own schedule
- Included access to any Nomad course or workshop (excluding test-prep tutoring)
- Availability for questions any time
- Unlimited support for all college applications
- Parent meetings as needed
A mentorship journey
In selecting clients, Dr. Steed looks for families who share her outlook on college planning: that this is the student’s journey, and the role of the adult is to mentor and support the student along the way. Students come to work with her to find a place where they can be an individual, where they can find a home unlike any school they’ve attended before, where they can come out of their shell or jump right in, where they can try something new, or pursue a life-long passion. Parents come to work with her because she makes their lives easier, the college journey smoother, and the entire family happier and more relaxed about what is coming next.
What is College Consulting?
The comprehensive consulting service from Nomad includes bi-weekly live meetings with Dr. Steed herself, as well as access to all of Nomad’s group and online course offerings.
Clients typically start with Dr. Steed in the summer before their junior year. After an initial meeting with both parent and student, the focus turns to ensuring that the student is fully in control of the college applications process. Dr. Steed will guide them through the steps of project management and the evaluation of their needs and option.
After each meeting with the student, students and parents will get a brief session report and an assignment to prepare for the next meeting. Between meetings, Dr. Steed encourages students to check in with her via text message or social media. Parents can email or ask for an appointment whenever they need one, but can trust that the students application journey is on the right track.
A 20 month timeline
Summer before Junior Year – December: Introductory sessions begin with helping the student to understand their own educational needs and wants. Students will take academic and personal assessments to determine their personal strengths and attributes, engage in self-discovery interviews, and evaluate the financial and educational commitments they are getting ready to make. By December, the student will have developed a strong sense of the different options available for post-secondary education, as well as their own hopes and requirements for their future college home.
January – June of Junior Year: In the second half of the year, the student will work closely with Dr. Steed to build a well-matched college list that meets their financial, social and academic needs. They will also develop elements of their application package and learn how to write and talk about themselves confidently. They will prepare for their standardized tests, reach out to schools to demonstrate interest, apply to summer programs, and make the most of the opportunities available to them in their extracurricular and academic choices. They’ll learn how to request letters of recommendation and who the best teachers will be to ask. At the end of the school year, they should know exactly which 8-12 schools they will apply to in the fall.
Summer before Senior Year: In June, all focus turns to work on the application. We’ll go through each element of the application step by step. The student will write their main essay, and can choose to take part in the Summer Online Essay Writing Workshop. They’ll also develop the main body of the common supplements and short extra-curricular activity statements that highlight their personal strengths.
Fall of Senior Year: By the time school starts again in the fall of senior year, most students are done with their applications and nearly ready to submit. Throughout the first months of school, Dr. Steed is there for you, following up to make sure deadlines are met, that forms are filled out, that every box is checked. Families who work with Nomad Educational Services are able to enjoy their teen’s final year at home. Dr. Steed will ensure that the student’s applications are ready, and done right.
Winter and Spring of Senior Year: You’ll also have support during the financial aid and decision-making season. Meetings in the winter and spring of senior year will help clear up misleading aid offers, ensure housing, honors and scholarship deadlines are met, and that both the student and the family feel confident that they’ve made the right choice when submitting their final enrollment deposit.
Features of Nomad’s College Planning Support:
- Academic planning for high school, including:
○ Extracurriculars, sports, volunteering, work, summer program options etc. - Reviewing personality and academic style assessments
- Standardized testing strategies and options
- The college search itself, usually over several meetings and online chats
- Trip planning and strategies for tours, followed by an evaluation of how the trips went.
- Essays and personal statements, personal resumes, activity summaries, etc.
- Application management, and timelines, especially for specialised majors or honors programs
- Interview preparation for applications and scholarship programs
- Scholarships and Financial Aid, particularly targeting the right schools to maximize aid chances
- Choosing between the acceptance offers, and what the options on campus that a student might need to think about before making their deposit, like special dorms or unique orientation programs.