EDUCATIONAL PLANNING

COLLEGE ADVISING

As the number of college choices has expanded, the process of selecting and applying to colleges has grown in both complexity and scope. The ultimate goal for the students is not just “getting into college,” but finding the best fit for a rewarding post-secondary experience. At The Academic Institute, Inc., we provide students and their families with guidance and encouragement through all the stages of their college quest. As a team, the director, the registrar, and the college coach initiate a journey, a process of self-discovery. Students and their families receive guidance as the students are coached to discover their strengths and talents, come to realize their challenges and individual learning styles, and articulate the features of a college environment that are most suitable for them to be successful.  Then, as the students match this self-awareness with post-secondary choices, they are guided through the college application process and supported through the decision, registration, and college enrollment.  Here is the process we use:

INITIAL CONSULTATION

This is a meeting to get acquainted, provide parent in-take information, review educational history and school records, and complete student in-take.

PARENT ROLE AND EXPECTATIONS

We will talk about communication expectations, your family’s preferred style of involvement, and agree on fees and services. Students often prefer coaching on a weekly basis and a parent update meeting with the director, college coach, and student every three months.

DO WHAT YOU ARE…PERSONALITY STYLE

A modified Myers-Briggs computerized personality review is provided, the initial college list of majors and job shadow experiences is developed, and a follow-up of a formal Myers-Briggs is made available.

INITIAL COLLEGE VISITS AND COLLEGE LISTS

The student is provided with an initial college list of 25-30 matched colleges, and the coach joins the student at the computer for virtual tours and illuminating discussions.  The student and coach discuss how to do a “drive by” college visit and a “fly to” college visit, including informal and exploratory visits, formal interview opportunities, and overnight and classroom visits.  The student is coached to narrow down the original list through the virtual and real life tours, as well as discussions with parents, teachers, and friends.

SAT/ACT EVALUATION AND PLANNING

We provide practice tests, create a preparation plan, set target dates, help with registration, and consider SAT II Subject Tests.

ACTIVITY RESUME

We help the student create a resume documenting school, church and community involvement, talents, athletics and employment history, and future goals.  We may also help create a talent resume for athletics, music, and/or performance.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

With the coach’s aid, the student will write a mini-autobiography, and/or about significant life experiences that have impacted his or her school history; this item is often required for state school applications. 

ESSAY DEVELOPMENT

The student may consider the three essays requested by the Common Application for private schools.  We ensure the student’s voice is maintained in a well-planned essay while we edit for grammar, style, and typos. 

TEACHER RECOMMENDATION & SECONDARY SCHOOL REPORT

We help select and prepare forms and envelopes for teachers and guidance offices, and we show the student positive approaches for requesting this information.

APPLICATIONS

The coach assists the student in completing and enhancing applications; we also review the application for typos and other mistakes.  Then, parents review the application as well. We make sure to adhere to individual high school procedures and deadlines and help students follow up after submitting application materials. 

PROCESSING THE ACCEPTANCE

We help manage the myriad choices of college, select campus housing, reply to every college, as well as discuss campus advising orientation and registration choices.

LEARNING DOCUMENTATION, AS NEEDED

We can update learning disability documentation over three years old, 504 plans, RFB&D or computer scanning; we will also advise you on waivers and substitutions, advocacy evaluations, and personal learning statements to accompany the official documentation.

As a parent of a high potential student who learns differently, do you sometimes feel exhausted by being the only inspiration and motivation for your child’s success? Are you frustrated in your efforts to encourage your son or daughter to recognize his/her strengths and talents? Are you daunted by the difficulties in finding the most appropriate educational choices and opportunities available to him/her? Are you fatigued by your child’s struggle for emancipation? Are you confused about how to effectively help you son or daughter succeed in school?

If you think you might be able to benefit from the services of a team – a consultant to support you and an academic coach for your child - we are prepared to help you.

Students develop their autonomy and independence with small, manageable steps. Similar to the idea behind driver’s education, students benefit from extensive practice with transitional skills before they actually “go solo.” Our empowerment approach discards the “chauffeur” model – doing things for the students - for the “training wheels” model – helping the students help themselves.  Because we understand that a student’s emancipation work affects everyone around that student, we believe parents should be supported through their own process of “letting go.” This makes the transition a smooth one for everyone involved.

Although we work with a wide variety of students, we specialize in:

One of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors is inspiring students to realize their potential and to treasure their individuality.  We serve as a companion for this frustrating and yet very exciting journey down the road to a self-empowered and resilient adulthood.

EDUCATIONAL AND COLLEGE CONSULTANT PROFILE

SHERRILL O’SHAUGHNESSY-ALEXANDER

Sherrill is a former elementary and high school teacher and founder of the Academic Institute, Inc. Since 1980, she has been a driving force in the educational community of the greater Seattle area and a frequent speaker both locally and nationally.  In 2003, she received the Shawn Marie Berry Distinguished Service to Youth Award by the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling.

Sherrill’s expertise is assisting students and their families to successfully prepare for the transition from high school to college and to make informed educational decisions. She regularly visits and assesses colleges to keep up to date on special programs and services for a wide range of students.

THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTE, INC TEAM

Sherrill creates a college team to support the students and their parents. Melinda Frank, our registrar, works with Sherrill and specially selected professional tutors to personally coach each College Quest student. As a result, our college team has the benefit of a think tank approach to advising and supporting each family.

PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION

Sherrill is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), a national professional association for established consultants.

Keeping informed is important to us at The Academic Institute, Inc. In addition to involvement with the internet list-serves and our professional readings, we are active participants in many regional and national associations, including:

Collaboration is important to us. We are grateful for the many educators and professionals, both locally and nationally, who share our mission of empowering students to make successful transitions. We appreciate their availability as resources for the benefit of our students and their families. In order to provide personalized recommendations for the families we work with, we continue to update our list of resources.

REGISTRATION   FORMS AND FEES

EDUCATIONAL AND COLLEGE CONSULTATIONS ARE  RATED AT $75.00 PER HOUR AND PRE-BILLED MONTHLY. 

Every effort will be made to provide prior approved rescheduling, but missed sessions will not be refunded.

Students and their families enrolling in our COLLEGE QUEST program at the end of the junior year or during the senior year are invited to take advantage of our comprehensive plan.

The comprehensive plan includes research, materials, unlimited in-person meetings and emails for both students and their parents. Consulting is enlisted through a payment of $2,500.00. The first payment is due at the signing of the service agreement and the final payment is due one month from the initial registration. These payments are divided into equal payments of $1,250.00 each.

NOTE:
Students enrolled full-time in our school are provided the College Quest services as a part of their school tuition.