A college application consultant assists with the completion and filing of forms and other information, but does not offer advice on selection of colleges; that is a job for a high school guidance counselor or a specialized college selection advisor. Similarly, an application consultant should not become involved in coaching a student on essays or in obtaining recommendations; again, a high school guidance counselor may be of assistance here. The application consultant should be concerned with making certain that the essay and recommendations are submitted properly as part of the process.
People taking on this sort of job need to be highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of meeting deadlines. Consultants also have to demonstrate confidentiality as they work with applicants and their families to fill out financial aid forms, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is used as the basic request for aid at most colleges. Some schools also ask for supplemental information on forms of their own and may ask applicants to mail in copies of current federal tax forms. Consultants may also offer assistance in applying for scholarships from community organizations, national service groups, unions, and corporations. Be sure you make no promises about acceptance to any school; your job is to present the student’s information in an accurate and timely fashion. Do not become involved in falsification of credentials, scores, recommendations, or other elements of the application; it’s not just the student’s reputation that could be damaged. That’s why you need to learn and study hard in order to know and understand the aspects of the job before you start to run it.