HOW TO STAY INFORMED?

There are three ways to stay informed and updated on the student’s pending tasks and progress:

1. Review the task summary email sent from our system, CounselMore. This summary will outline the tasks that the student must complete, along with the due dates for each task. If you see a task that starts with “PARENTS,” that assignment is for you to complete directly (not the student). Please ensure that you complete it and have the student mark it as “Done” on CounselMore, so that it doesn’t remain pending moving forward.

As the student completes their pending tasks, they must mark them as “Done” on CounselMore to prevent them from appearing again. Please help us ensure the student is taking this proactive approach.

2 – Log in to CounselMore to review the student’s meeting notes, pending tasks, and assignments. Parents have their logins and should have received an email offering them the opportunity to sign up for CounselMore. If you can’t find that invitation email, we would be happy to send you a new one – just let us know! If you are unsure about how to log in to CounselMore, here is a short tutorial video.

3 – Attend meetings or request meeting recordings. We are always happy to have you participate in our student meetings. If your student is comfortable with you joining us, we would be thrilled for you to participate. However, if your schedule does not permit it, or if the student prefers not to have you participate, we are also happy to record the meeting (whether it is in person or on Zoom) and send you the recording afterward. You will need to make this request, as recording meetings is not a regular practice for us.

MEETINGS WITH EDUPLAN

EduPlan offers up to 30 cumulative hours of counseling services, delivered in person, via email, online, and by telephone as needed. We have found that for most students, 30 hours yield excellent results, helping them navigate the process with confidence and less stress. 

Watch this SHORT VIDEO to understand our meeting schedule during the consultancy period. 

At the beginning of our consulting process, we will have our:

First Meeting to develop a 4-year plan, and assign the first student tasks

Second Meeting – One month after the first meeting to assess progress and develop your resume. 

Freshmen & Sophomores – Once per semester and once during the Summer.

Juniors – Once per month EXCEPT FOR September, October, and May.

Seniors – Daily from Monday through Thursday for 5 weeks over the summer leading into 12th grade, and twice a week as the academic year begins until the submission of college admissions applications supported by EduPlan.

To schedule a meeting with EduPlan, visit meet.eduplan.us. Our scheduling system will provide available times for a meeting. Once you enter meet.eduplan.us, please choose EduPlan Parents to book your appointment and receive your RSVP.

ADDITIONAL TOPICS

SMARTSHEET - Smartsheet is an essential tool that we will utilize throughout our college application process. Click here to learn more about how to log in and use this tool. You can also watch this 2-minute tutorial here on how to upload a document to Smartsheet.

BUILDING A COLLEGE LIST - Creating a college list is a crucial task. Read here to learn more about EduPlan's advice and strategies on this topic.

COLLEGE VISITS - We strongly encourage our students to take advantage of college visit opportunities whenever possible. Comprehensive information on this subject is available here.

SUMMER PLANNING - At EduPlan, we encourage our students to spend their summers engaging in a combination of internships, paid employment, academic programs, leadership initiatives, and community activities. These experiences help high school students discover their interests, abilities, and goals, acquire valuable life skills, and enhance their college application profile. Parents are encouraged to click here for additional information on this topic.

SUMMER CONTRACTS FOR RISING SENIORS

The summer of your student's Junior to Senior year is the time when we begin the admissions process together. We require all students to budget five weeks during this summer to work with EduPlan. This intensive program is designed to kickstart the college application process.

All students of South Florida will be required to come to the office during these five designated weeks from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm. All other students are required to attend virtual one-on-one sessions with Team EduPlan in the afternoons. These five weeks do not have to be consecutive but must be completed between June and August.

All EduPlan students are required to dedicate time over the summer to work on their college applications.

Parents are requested to provide two confirmation forms (both links available above in Parent Forms):

1. Summer Expression of Commitment (acknowledging that you'll need to ensure providing the 5 weeks over the summer)

2. Senior Summer Work Agreement (providing information on the exact weeks when your student will be working with EduPlan)

HOW TO HELP YOUR STUDENT?

The college application journey is not just stressful for students - it can also be overwhelming for parents. From navigating deadlines and admission requirements to managing your child's expectations and emotions, the process requires patience, support, and a clear strategy.

To help you through this critical time, we recommend reading these expert articles, which provide valuable insights on how to guide your child effectively, reduce stress, and ensure they make informed decisions about their future.

The Parent’s Guide to College Application Stress by SELENI