When Jenny Rosenberger’s daughter, a junior in high school, started her college search in 2020, they were unsure where to start.

Amid the pandemic, which disrupted many college-related activities, and with Rosenberger lacking experience in navigating college applications—having attended community college and then entered the workforce—she recognized the need for assistance.

That’s when she recalled a new benefit introduced by Bank of America in early 2020: “college coaching.” With no risk involved, she decided to give it a try.

This service proved to be invaluable for her daughter, Kaydria Boyer. It helped her identify potential schools, polish her essays, meet application deadlines, and complete financial aid and scholarship applications. The outcome? Almost all the schools Boyer applied to offered her admission.

“She even received several scholarships we didn’t know existed,” Rosenberger noted.

Isn’t college coaching the same as school counseling?

While school counselors do guide families through the college admissions process, they are often stretched thin.

During the 2022-23 academic year, the national average for student-counselor ratios fell to 385-to-1—the first drop below 400-to-1 since 1986—yet it is still above the ideal target of 250-to-1, according to the American School Counselor Association.

“Students experience a range of situations,” said Brock Jolly, a financial adviser and founder of The College Funding Coach, an organization that supports families with college funding strategies. “Some may not get timely appointments, while others may just receive digital resources and be instructed to figure things out on their own.”

Given the increasingly complex and competitive nature of the college admissions landscape, along with rising costs, many families are turning to more personalized, private college coaching, experts explain.

Typically, college coaches are individuals who have backgrounds in college admissions or financial aid, according to those who have worked with them.

What are the costs of hiring a college coach?

As of 2023, the average hourly fee for private college counseling stands at $212, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous year, according to CollegePlannerPro, a service that creates software for independent college coaches. Additionally, the average package price for counseling has risen to $5,255, marking a 9% increase from 2022.

Generally, fees increase with the counselor’s experience, the report shared.

Corporate assistance

Awareness that professional guidance can alleviate stress for students and working parents has led many companies to offer college coaching as a complimentary benefit for their employees.

Organizations such as Amazon, Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase, American Express, Morgan Stanley, Paramount Pictures, and Johnson & Johnson are among those providing this advantage.

Bright Horizons College Coach, which collaborates with companies to offer these services, noted that the number of employers providing their program has more than tripled in the last decade.

Bank of America, where Rosenberger is employed, provides counseling for students from grades 8 through 12, according to Brandt Bennett, the bank’s global human resources executive.

Coaches assist younger students in selecting classes—such as honors and advanced placement options—and participating in extracurricular activities that strengthen their college applications. As students advance to their junior year of high school, the focus shifts to selecting colleges, filling out applications, crafting essays, and handling financial aid.

“Whether parents have attended college or not, circumstances have changed,” Bennett indicated. “Consider the stress level involved—juggling daily responsibilities while trying to navigate the college application process. Our aim is to provide guidance and support, enabling families to enjoy what should be a very exciting time.”

Expanding options, strengthening bonds and finances

Effective planning with a coach can assist families in selecting a college that fits their child’s aspirations and finances, potentially decreasing reliance on student loans.

“We would have likely remained local and missed exploring beyond the tri-state area,” she remarked. “Initially, I feared the cost of an out-of-state institution, but then realized they offered more substantial scholarship opportunities.”

Ultimately, Kaydria Boyer enrolled at Louisiana State University, which turned out to be more affordable—even with living expenses—than attending the University of Delaware, according to her mother.

Over the last four years, Bright Horizons College Coach has reportedly helped families secure an extra $1 million in scholarship funding.

In addition to academic support, families and employers are reaping other benefits from this collaboration. Bright

A survey conducted by Horizons College Coach encompassing around 1,000 employees who utilized the coaching benefits offered by their employers revealed:

• Enhanced work/life balance (81%).
• Less stress (87%).
• Boosted job productivity (72%).
• Greater loyalty to their employer (80%).

Although this survey is not scientifically rigorous, Rosenberger believes that having a college coach can strengthen the bond between parents and their children.

“Teenagers often feel their parents lack understanding, but an external perspective can guide her (daughter),” she mentioned. “I believe our relationship has improved.”

Medora Lee writes about money, markets, and personal finance for YSL News. Y