Canadian University Admission Consultants: Worth It?

What is a Canadian university admission consultant?

University or college admissions consulting is a service offered by trained, experienced professionals who advise students and guide them through the post-secondary admissions process. This really means that they provide insights into which universities would be right for a particular student and help them create the best, most competitive applications. For example, they would help an aspiring CEO to decide which of the best undergraduate business schools would be best for them, and then they would help them prepare an application for that school. Canadian university admission consultants are especially versed in the challenges that come with applying to Canadian universities.

What is the Challenge of Applying to Canadian Schools?

Looking into all these different application systems and requirements requires a lot of time, effort, and attention to detail. You need to keep deadlines, fees, supplemental application essays, and so much more in mind. Even more so if you are an international applicant, as you need to figure out your visa applications, study permits, housing, and so much more at the same time! Navigating all of that without proper guidance can easily get overwhelming.

How can Canadian university admission consultants help?

If you are reading this article, then you are likely committed to improving your chances, or the chances of your loved one, of finding the right Canadian universities and submitting a compelling application. Canadian university admissions consultants can help you do that and a lot more. Let's go over the different ways that they can do that in more detail:  

Planning

In this increasingly competitive admissions environment, it is more important than ever for students to start planning their career paths earlier, especially those planning to go from high school to medical school, law school, or graduate school. In that case, you need to prepare for your future as a post-secondary student as early as possible because these admissions committees like to see longevity and commitment. A university admissions consultant can advise you on the right extracurriculars for medical school, grad school, law school, dental school, or any other specialized program of your choice.  

Even if you do not intend on pursuing post-graduate studies, you need to make sure you have a well-rounded application to get admission to a good undergraduate program in Canada. University admissions consultants can guide you in choosing high school courses and enrolling in the right summer programs for high school students that will make your application stand out. Canadian university admissions consultants can also help you figure out your goals and prospective career paths. Many students don't take the time to do this before college, and they end up having to switch majors more than once or go back to school to complete a different program. Both of these things can cost them and their families extra time and money in the future.  

Applying

As mentioned above, the process of applying to different Canadian universities is long, challenging, and involves a lot of research. Most students apply to more than one university, which is ideal, but it also makes the process difficult. Each program has its own requirements, including GPA thresholds, prerequisite courses, additional application components, and skills and qualities that they value. University admission consultants have to keep up with the latest processes and information available for admissions. So, they can save you a lot of time by simply providing it to you. For example, if you are planning to go study engineering in undergrad, you might not realize that if you want to apply to McMaster university, you need to start Kira Talent prep sooner rather than later.  

Furthermore, university admissions consultants will be more familiar with the various application components that different schools require. In Canada, these can vary greatly from one school to another. Suppose you want to enroll in a Bachelor of Social work program; the application documents will not be the same for all Canadian universities. The university of British Columbia (UBC), for example, requires all applicants to have completed a minimum of 100 hours of relevant volunteer or work experience to be considered for admission. The school also makes it clear that most successful applicants exceed this minimum. Figuring out these requirements for each school and keeping track of them can be difficult without the right guidance.  

Some of these application components are also quite hard to get right without the proper tools and information. Preparing university applications requires a lot more than good communication skills. You may have an impressive high school resume and transcripts, but if your interview skills are lacking, it could cost you an acceptance letter. Canadian university admissions consultants have worked with students on various application documents, so they'll be able to guide you through using application systems and give you tips and strategies to perfect every application document. That includes everything from brainstorming for your personal essays to practicing answering college admissions interview questions.  

Do you have to write a personal statement for the program you're applying to? You'll want to check out this video on the most important rule of any personal statement:

Afterward

A good Canadian university consultant will not only help you with your application but also help you develop your skills and strategies that will be useful to you long after you start university. In the process of helping you with different application components, they will give you strategies, study techniques, and other skills that you can use in university and beyond. For example, if they help you brainstorm and craft a personal essay, they will do so by teaching you ways to improve your critical thinking and writing skills. Both of which you will use throughout your time in university and afterward. Furthermore, Canadian university admissions consultants will teach you interview tips and tricks that can give you an advantage in the professional world as well. A good consultant will provide you with strategies for answering different types of questions, including university admissions specific ones and general questions that are very popular in academic and professional settings alike, such as "tell me about yourself" or "what is your greatest limitation?".  

How much does a Canadian university admission consultant cost?

On average, you should expect to spend $180 per hour or anywhere between $1000 and $10 000 for a more comprehensive application package. Remember that you most likely do not have to pay this amount all at once if it is not an option for you. Most firms can tweak their packages based on your needs and organize private pay plans, like installments.

That said, we'd like to remind you that the services of any valuable professional cost money, and Canadian university admissions consultants are no different. Furthermore, we'd like you to keep in mind that the cost of not getting accepted into a Canadian university may be much higher. Most applicants apply to more than one school, and if they do not get an acceptance letter the first time around, they have to go through that entire process again, which costs time and money.

Want to see a summary of how Canadian university admission consultants can help you? Take a look at this infographic:

How to find the right Canadian university admission consultant

Suppose you make the wise decision of hiring a Canadian university admissions consultant. In that case, you need to find one that knows the Canadian admissions process inside out and keeps up to date on the constantly evolving admissions environment. The right consultant for you will depend on your budget, location, needs, and the stage of the application process you're on. That said, there are certain things that you should pay attention to, to ensure that the person you will be paying to help you through this process is qualified to do so.  

First and foremost, you want to ensure they have the necessary credentials and experience. The best consultants have either been through this process before or have undergone significant training on the subject. You should check their website to find out about their academic background, the training they go through, and what their success rate is. For example, here at BeMo, we only hire experts in their fields who are willing to go through our very rigorous training. If you're curious, we encourage you to take a look around our website, so you can find out why BeMo Academic Consulting is worth it. 

You should also make sure that the consulting service you use has experience helping other students get into Canadian universities. Here at BeMo, our success stories and the independent reviews that our students leave on websites like Trustpilot speak for themselves. Independent reviews from previous students are the best way to ensure that the professional you will be giving your hard-earned money to has experience in the field and that they have been able to help others in the past successfully.  

Furthermore, you should look for a consulting company with prices and packages available for you to view on its website. If they are not willing to talk about pricing initially, it might be a sign that their packages include hidden fees that you may not have budgeted for. We can't pretend that money is not an important factor, especially at a time like this when you are going to be spending additional fees on applications and then tuition. So, make sure that they offer an installment plan, or at least a money back guarantee if you follow all of their advice but do not get accepted into a Canadian university. Good consulting firms will offer a free initial consultation where you'll be able to ask these questions and find out if they're a good fit for you.  

Conclusion

Navigating the intricacies of preparing for and applying to Canadian universities can be incredibly challenging and stressful. The admissions landscape is getting increasingly competitive, and there are many different components to keep track of since each school and program has different application requirements. So, whether you're a recent Canadian high school graduate, an international student, or trying to figure out how to get into grad school, you should consider investing in a Canadian university admissions consultant. They can provide invaluable assistance as you prepare for this important step in your academic journey and maximize your chances of getting into a Canadian university.

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To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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