Services & Fees

At the initial student interview, a plan will be formulated to meet the specific needs of the client.
Generally, students may be accepted as clients as early as 9th grade but most choose to begin their work with
The Wandering Academic in 10th or 11th grade.

For students in 10th grade, The Basic Counseling Services include:

  • Assisting the student to identify and develop specific academic and artistic strengths.
  • Using Diagnostic Assessments to determine each student’s learning potential and style.
  • Charting Academic Progress: The Wandering Academic provides on-going counseling and advice to support the student in his/her academic work.
  • Providing Guidance for summer pre-college programs, including applications for these programs.
  • Offering guidance for specialized research programs (e.g., Pioneer Research, Polygence, etc.) or specialized internships for high school students.
  • Providing specific strategies for leveraging the student’s academic and extracurricular interests in order to submit compelling college and university applications.
  • Establishing a timeline for academic work and successful college applications and admissions.
  • Ensuring the development of specific “soft skills” important to the college application process: leadership, time management, communication skills, problem solving and decision-making skills.

Students in 11th grade usually opt for the Specialized College Counseling Package. This option will be tailored to the specific needs of the student and includes services designed to guide the student through the entire selection and application process. Services include but are not limited to:

  • Researching and identifying colleges and universities that meet the student’s educational and personal needs.
  • Compiling the College Application List: The Wandering Academic will work with the student to develop a final application list. The Wandering Academic uses its considerable professional and collegial network, to determine an appropriate strategy for Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), and Regular Decision (RD) applications.
  • Developing the Essay: We work closely with the student to develop topics for the Personal Statement and any required supplemental essays as well as providing frequent and on-going editing of all essays.
  • Preparing for Interviews: We advise and help prepare students for online or in-person interview situations.
  • Building an Activity Résumé: We oversee the development of the student’s activity profile to provide compelling background on a student’s application. We provide editorial help to ensure that this important piece supports the entire application.
  • Academic Progress: The Wandering Academic provides on going counseling and advice to support the student in his/her academic work.
  • Calendar management: We work with students to develop a Master Calendar to identify and track all relevant academic, testing, and application deadlines.
  • Testing advice: Providing guidance on college entrance tests (ACT, SAT, AP, TOEFL, Duolingo, etc); giving advice on which tests to take and when to take them.
  • Recommendations: We provide guidance on who should write all necessary recommendations for college applications.
  • Reviewing College Applications: The Wandering Academic will oversee the completion of all applications including an official review of each application before final submission.
  • For fine arts candidates: Portfolio Development. We review and consult with students about the preparation of artistic portfolios. The Wandering Academic consults with specialists in the field to review of the portfolio. We provide editing assistance with any written materials associated with the portfolio.

Meetings

Because The Wandering Academic serves clients across many time zones, counselor-client meetings are usually conducted virtually/online using the Zoom platform. While in-person meetings may be arranged, the virtual context allows for more efficient meetings between the counselor and the student. It is important, therefore, that the student have computer access with a good internet connection as well as a space that is conducive to such meetings. Individual meetings usually last for one hour but may be scheduled for any time length, depending on the student’s needs and schedule.

Normally, the counselor will meet one-on-one with the student. From time to time parents will be invited to meet with the counselor as well.  In all cases, periodic written reports will be sent to parents to keep them informed of their student’s progress.

Rates

Clients using the Basic Counseling Services are charged on a per-meeting basis. Invoices are sent every 8 weeks and are payable by bank transfer (Zelle), Venmo, or by check.  The rates will be established at the beginning of the contract period.

Clients using the College Counseling Package are charged at a set rate that is divided into 2 or 3 payments, depending on the length of the contract. The rate will be determined by the services provided and established at the beginning of the contract period. Fees are payable by bank transfer (Zelle), Venmo, or by check.