The University of Texas system is comprised of eight undergraduate schools, all of which offer strong academic programs and in-state tuition for Texas residents. And while their programs are a good fit for a lot of students, this also means that high school guidance counselors and local college consultants in Dallas are most familiar with the process of sending students to the University of Texas. With such a strong presence in the state, it’s understandable that many students gravitate towards that system.
Through our work with students from the Dallas area, we’ve found that they come to us for knowledge and guidance on gaining attendance to out of state schools. Due to the fact that guidance counselors and local consultants are geared towards sending a lot of students to the UT system, it can be difficult to familiarize yourself with schools outside of Texas and position yourself as an ideal candidate on your own.
We’ve been successful in working with students from Dallas because we’re able to introduce them to schools around the country that fit their academic and cultural needs. Before we put pen to paper, we get to know our client. We feel that it’s crucial for our clients to feel comfortable with us before we start writing, and all of the conversations that we have help us get to know one another and inform the work that we do.
Dallas Counseling Services: What We Do
Our process will depend upon when you want to get started and what you’re hoping to achieve. Here’s what to expect:
Timeline:
We’ll put you on the right track. Adding structure to the way that you spend your time outside of school is the best way to ensure that you don’t get stuck in the trap of thinking junior year is the only important year of college. Following our timeline means that you’ll be ready to apply to college by the end of your junior year, and that you won’t drown in work at the last minute trying to add value to your profile.
Here’s a rough outline of a Dallas-based client for their Junior year:
January through May:
Weekly check-in calls to discuss classes, extracurricular activities, books, and online coursework.
School Research: Every week, we’ll research the academic programs of various colleges. In addition to looking at academic departments, we’ll dive into the extracurricular activities, special interest groups, and research opportunities that schools have to offer.
Attend school tours.
Take (or retake) standardized tests.
Finish all proposal items.
May - Finalize School List, including Early Decision school choice.
June / July - Finish Common App Essay.
July - Organize supplemental materials: grades, test scores, letters of recommendation. We’ll catalogue everything into a shared Google document to ensure that you’re staying on top of deadlines and requirements by school.
August 1st - School supplements come out. We’ll start with your Early Decision school and then work our way through the rest in order of the deadlines.
December 1st - Finish all supplements.
Extracurricular Activities:
Maybe you’re confident that you want to study Environmental Science or apply to a Fine Arts program. Or maybe you’re not quite sure what it is that you’re passionate about. We’ll work together to identify areas of interest, or build on what you’ve already accomplished. Colleges are looking for students who demonstrate growth, so we’ll help you find opportunities that build out your resume.
Creating a College List:
We’ll start by cataloguing what’s most important. After we assess academic viability, we look into academic programs, extracurricular activities, and any other special opportunities like research or internships that our clients might want to take advantage of in the future. After we’ve solidified the academic side of things, we look into the size, culture, and locations of countless colleges. Eventually, we end up with a college list that is broken out by reach, target, and safety schools.
Essay and Application Help:
We’ll start by getting organized. We track deadlines, ensure that supplemental materials are submitted on time, and work on the common app essay and the supplements in the order in which they are due. All essays go through several rounds of drafts, and we continue perfecting them until they’re to be submitted.
Reaching Out To our Dallas Private College Counselors
Our top priority is to demystify the college process and help our clients get into their dream college. Gaining attendance into top-tier schools is hard work, and the college process can be overwhelming if you try to go it alone. We know what needs to be done, and we’ll help you stand out. We’ll remove the guesswork, break things down into digestible steps, and make sure that everything is completed and submitted in a timely fashion.
Contact us here if you’d like our help in navigating the process.