This is a long overdue thank you. As I look back on 2009, I would not be where I am without you. When applying to USC, the process was tedious and frustrating. You always greeted me with a bright smiling face and a “go get 'em” attitude. Even though you reminded me of the realms of reality, you constantly pushed me forward and inspired me. Without your help, there would be no way I could have finished the USC application, nor the caliber it obtained. You are such a godly woman, inspiring, loving, and determined. I cannot begin to tell you what an impact you have had on my life and my collegiate career. You were by my side through the whole process, constantly setting new goals for me and keeping me on track. This past semester I finished with a 3.57, and I now intern for Seventeen Magazine. My internship deals with giving advice about college, and telling about my college experience. Many times when readers question me about how I got into USC, I always seem to refer to you and advice you had given me. I just wanted to let you know what an impact you and your work has had on my life. I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
• Lindsey
(check out Lindsey in her awesome role for Seventeen Magazine)
We would definitely recommend your service to others (and have) as it may provide a student with direction they may not otherwise have and also may provide some focus around interests and possible fit as well as identify schools not otherwise considered. The college match list helped Sam understand what schools offered the curriculums in which she had the most interest and which schools were a fit for her in terms of interests and academic pursuits. Your knowledge of the schools and towns in which they reside is very valuable; however, the way you analyze the schools in the context of the particular student's profile and your ability to determine 'fit' or not is invaluable in determining where a student might truly be happy and do well.
• Pam, Parent
I already have recommended you to several underclassmen who need help finding their way. I hope they take my advice because I know they will regret it if they don't. This process is worth every penny spent. You helped guide me to make the most important decision of my life and I don't regret any part of it. I will never look back and think "what if" because I know I made the right decision with your help. I definitely recommend your services. The application assistance was hands down the most helpful. That being said, clearly every service was helpful because I learned more strengths about myself with the career testing, and the college match list helped me have a better understanding of each college. The whole process eliminated all the stress and time it would have taken me without your help. I got into nine out of the eleven schools that I applied to. Thank you.
• Meredith
I would highly recommend Alison Cotten as a college scout and student advocate! As parents, we had an idea of where we wanted our child to attend college and what we thought she should study. In a very professional (and kind) manner, Alison led our family on an exploration of our child's gifts and the environment that would be best for HER college experience. Alison assisted us determining many "college matches" that were best for our daughter. She also helped us set up visits to many universities, several that were out of state. When our daughter determined her dream school was out of state and had an extensive application process Alison and our daughter went to work getting everything in order. As a parent, it really helped to have a third party involved in this process. Alison encouraged us all along the way and I am very proud to say all of her hard work paid off and our daughter has been accepted in her "dream school", the University of Southern Californian. We can't thank Alison enough for her guidance and help all along the way!
• Susan, Parent
Hiring Alison Cotten as a college consultant was the best thing I could have ever done. I would recommend Alison to
everyone! I had Alison to be there and guide me through the college process. It took a lot of stress off of me and my parents! I honestly would have been lost in confusion if I didn't have Alison by my side making sure I got things done.
I would have to say that having the application assistance was the most helpful. I can only imagine how overwhelming it would have been to have to make a résumé and write an essay perfectly without the help of a college consultant. Alison has been through the process many times before and knew exactly what I needed to do to increase my chances of being accepted into the school I wanted to attend.
I think all students would be so relieved to have the service Alison provided for me. She made the application process fun! She truly made it a breeze to apply for college. Use Alison Cotten!
• Lauren F.
Alison made our college applications so stress-free and encouraging. We have referred her to several of our friends.
We had no idea where to start and she made everything so easy!!! Alison worked one-on-one with just me, and made this decision and whole process so easy. I was accepted
at five out of the seven schools I applied to, and then had to make the truly hard decision of which college to choose.
• SadeeRae
Compared to how stressed out I was before receiving help, a big burden was definitely taken off my shoulders. I felt, in a way, like gears were turning in my favor even when I wasn't working on applications and scholarships because I knew I could depend on Alison.
I felt like I was always prepared with information about admissions deadlines and scholarships that other students would have found difficult to locate. I was more educated about how to present myself to scholarship committees through interviews and essays. Once I was able to get offers from multiple schools, I knew who was really interested in me, and I knew how and when to negotiate. Alison helped me receive over $83,000 in scholarship offers from four different schools.
(The College Scout) makes the whole application/scholarship process less stressful, and knowing that you are being helped lets you focus on the school work at hand. Knowing that I had assistance, I was more confident and goal-oriented when taking the SAT. The more information found, the more easily I could compare schools to see exactly what place was right for me, from an educational and financial standpoint. I can't reiterate enough how relieved I was with your help. It was almost stress free. I felt like I always in control. Thanks Ali.
• Drew H.
Other students were still undecided as to the major decisions needing to be made about their future, but with Ali's consistent guidance, I was able to make informed decisions about my college education. These decisions included my college major, scholarship opportunities, financial aid application, and my ultimate choice regarding which college to attend.
Working with Ali reduced the stress and conflict between my parents and I when it came to college admission issues. She fully understands the transition between high school and college.
Alison was especially knowledgeable about essay writing. The career aptitude testing was really fun and very informative. Ali gives timely advice and she's awesome!
• Mika R.
Alison is the ONLY reason my son and I BOTH survived the college application process. He benefited in so many ways after working with and learning from Alison. I'm so grateful our paths crossed...
• Marta, Parent
It was good to have someone personable and friendly to keep me on track with my applications. I think, had I not used a college counselor, I
would not have had the chance to apply to as many schools, and that my applications themselves would have suffered. The specifics of the
application process were by far the most beneficial to me. It was nice to have a dedicated time to focusing on applications and
someone to give me a checklist of what to be doing each week. It kept me paced and ensured that I wasn't in a last-minute rush and that I
wasn't forgetting anything. Getting someone else to look at my essays was a great help as well; there are very few other resources that provide this. I
truly feel that the strength of my essays made me stand out from the tremendous number of applicants, and were a significant determining factor in my acceptance to UT. The availability and attention, though, most certainly couldn't have been received from a regular counselor.
• Austin
Thank you so much for speaking at our Ticktocker meeting on Sunday. The information you shared with us was helpful as we begin the college application process. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to share your knowledge with us.
• Kendall
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