College Admissions Counselors in Texas

Q: Are college admissions consultants worth it?

Yes! If you have access, this extra level of support can genuinely provide you with insight into the admissions process and enhance your odds of admission. More importantly: you won’t be alone during the arduous process of applying to colleges.

By Dr. James Barham

Updated: Jul 28, 2023

Find college admissions counselors in Texas. Getting into a top ranked college requires more than straight A’s. You need expert help; we help you find quality college consultants near your city and state.

Key Takeaways

Similar to high school counselors, college admissions counselors help prospective college students narrow down the best college or university for them and prepare for the college admissions process.
Texas has a “top 10%” law that guarantees students graduating in the top 10% of their class automatic admission into public colleges and universities in Texas.
More and more students are choosing Texas due to its low cost of living, vibrant communities, and job growth opportunities.

The Lone Star State’s College Admissions Situation

Is the Lone Star State competitive enough that students are flocking from all over the world and availing of services from college admissions counselors? Well, yes.

The state houses hundreds of colleges and universities and a booming economy. In addition, Texas offers a low cost of living, vibrant and diversified cities, and a recession-proof economy.

The Texas Automatic Admissions

Texas House Bill 588 was passed in 1997 to broaden the diversity in college classrooms. The measure mandates that public colleges in Texas admit students from the state who rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating classes.

Depending on their SAT or ACT scores, college applicants who graduate in the top 25% or 50% of their high school class may also be automatically admitted to select colleges.

Regardless if you meet the requirements of Texas’ top 10% law, you would still greatly benefit from college admissions counselors in choosing the best college for your planned academic degree.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hiring a College Admissions Counselor

The Advantages

Texas is home to about 450 colleges, universities, and technical schools in total. Aspiring Texas students now have a wide range of choices. And choosing one can be very tricky, especially if you are not eyeing a specific degree program. Hiring a college admissions counselor will help narrow your interests and eventually pin down the best Texas college for your educational goals.

Texas colleges, such as Rice University, Southern Methodist University, as well as the University of Texas at Austin, are a few of the most selective colleges in Texas. If you’re planning to get into one of them, you should hire a college admissions counselor.

Another reason students look for outside assistance is with their application essays. Students are guided by college admissions counselors to develop ideas that go beyond the obvious and to express their passions in compelling ways that set them apart from the competition. Remember that regardless of your high GPAs, vast recommendation letters, and qualifications, your application essay shoud set you apart from the rest.

The Disadvantage

Without a doubt, the biggest drawback in hiring a college admissions counselor is the expense. Services can cost thousands of dollars. Some counselors allow people to pay individually for specific assistance, such as editing essays, without committing to a complete package.

Why More and More Students Are Competing For Texas Colleges

The universities in Texas are among the best in the nation. Texas A&M is located in the comparatively small city of College Station, while Rice University is located in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States. Even one of the many satellite colleges of the University of Texas is an option.

Students in Texas public colleges and universities can also expect various financial aid options, such as grants, loans, and scholarships.

Because of the business-friendly environment, most prices are reasonably low, making Texas one of the least expensive states. It was one of the few states to avoid recession during the Great Recession because of these policies, which also rendered the economy recession-proof.

Texas’s potential for job growth is another factor driving up competition for its universities from students across the nation. Along with job growth, graduates can enter hundreds of different industries, leaving them with very low chances of unemployment. While there are a lot of growing industries in Texas, the most lucrative are the IT, manufacturing, and energy sectors.

According to our college consulting expert, David H. Nguyen, PhD, founder of Next Level Prep, Location is pertinent to finding the best educational consultant agencies because companies based in a region will understand the characteristics that admissions officers look for in students from high schools in that region. There is an edge that consultants gain from having worked with many students in the same region. That’s why our college consulting agencies are broken down state-by-state.

Most high school students have extremely limited access to direct guidance during the college admissions process. According to The New York Times, during the 2012–2016 school year, every public school counselor in the U.S. was assigned an average of 470 students! That doesn’t leave much time for one-on-one support as you figure out how to complete your FAFSA, decide which extracurriculars improve your chances of college admission, and what application strategies can help you stand out in a sea of other excellent students.

College admissions consultants, or college coaches, can help fill that gap, and give you a major advantage in finding the school of your choice.

Find College Admissions Counselors Close to You in Texas

Agencies are listed alphabetically within their cities.

Location: Allen, TX

Services include:

Colege Search and Selection
Maximizing College Visit
Essay Brainstorming, Editing and Revision
Interview Prep
Resume Construction and Editing
High School Course Selection and Activity Planning
Financial Aid Guidance
Art Portfolio Guidance