College and Career Guidance Since 1999
Ignite Your Student’s Flame for Self Discovery & Growth
Our Bright Futures College & Career Consulting Services are designed with student success in mind. We intentionally package our services to provide the best outcomes for students based on their unique needs.
Our Services
Our goal is to help students first discover who they are and develop a path towards a financially responsible and personally rewarding career. We guide students along their customized path and into a bright future.
Know Yourself: The Birkman Assessment as Self Discovery Tool
No two individuals are alike. That’s why we start with self-discovery and affirmation through the Birkman Assessment.
This comprehensive assessment identifies a person’s strengths, needs, interests, stress, and best-fit career options. Together, with their Bright Futures counselor, your teenager will understand what industries, environments, educational programs, and situations they’ll thrive in.
Bright Futures counselors are trained to interpret and assess your student’s Birkman to maximize their potential.
Make a Plan: Work with Our Team of Experts
Students work with their Bright Futures counselor to design a post-secondary plan and specific goals tailored to their unique strengths, interests, and needs. We work alongside families to empower, guide, and motivate.
We help students make smart decisions throughout high school, identify best-fit colleges and programs, then guide them through the college application and decision process from start to finish. Families who work with us are informed and prepared to take the next steps confidently – offering peace of mind.
The average US high school counselor has a caseload of 480 students. Each of our counselors intentionally work with a small caseload, so we are available and focused on your student’s individual success.
Beyond the advising your student will receive from their Bright Futures counselor, they also benefit from guidance, feedback, and knowledge from our whole team of experts at our Essay Boot Camps, Application Workshops, Paying for College Seminar, and Seasonal Updates.
Follow the Plan: What’s It Like Working With Us
Students put their plan into action with the guidance of their Bright Futures counselor in person and virtually over platforms like Zoom. The student-counselor relationship is like sitting down for coffee with a knowledgeable mentor.
Students walk away from each meeting with progress and just a little “homework” to keep momentum going. We use Cialfo – our client portal – to monitor student progress, provide families with updates, and share important information.
Our goal is to make progress each meeting. The frequency of meetings depends on the chosen service or package. There is no limit to the number of meetings or guidance for those who are enrolled in the All-Inclusive Package. Click here to see a sample timeline for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.
We Help Students Plan and Prepare for College With Our Packages
Designed with your student’s success in mind, every package starts with a Complimentary Consultation to ensure we’re the right fit for your family.
High School Transition Package
Families enjoy all-inclusive access to Bright Futures services during the 8th and 9th grade years. Meetings are customized to the needs of the student and typically cover…
- 4-Year Course Planning to map out the most advantageous courses and curriculum paths that cultivate opportunities for success during high school and beyond
- Goal Setting tailored to your student’s interests in and outside the classroom to help guide focus and drive momentum
- Summer Planning to thoughtfully curate activities that ignite curiosity and encourage personal and intellectual development
- Extracurricular Guidance to strategically select activities and projects suited to your student’s interests and goals
- Other student success topics (study habits, time management, etc.)
Enrollment in the High School Transition Package qualifies families for discounts for our Essentials or All-Inclusive Packages.
Essentials Package
Created for students who want to complete the college application process independently, the Essentials Package helps students gain perspective of their interest, strengths, and needs and develop a plan. It includes…
- 4-Year Planning & Course Selection to choose the most advantageous courses that cultivate opportunities for success during high school and beyond
- Annual Goal Setting tailored to your student’s intentions, strengths, and needs to help guide their focus and drive their momentum
- SAT/ACT Timeline & Advising so you can be sure your student has enough time to prepare and achieve peak performance
- Extracurricular Guidance to strategically select activities suited to your student and their goals
- Expanded Resume to include with your college application, that emphasizes your student’s many skills, strengths, and experiences
- Choosing a Major that will energize and excite your student
- Customized College List that reflects a range of schools that fit your family financially and are suited for your student’s brightest future
- Application Strategy to keep the process stress-free and manageable
- Interview Preparation giving your student the confidence and tools they need to make a genuine and positive impression
- Financial Positioning for exploring options in affording a path to higher education
Students in the Essentials Package receive a one-time entry into our Birkman Major & Career Workshop (a $150 value), our Essay Boot Camp (a $699 value), and our Application Workshop (a $449 value).
If your family does not want to manage the entire college application process independently, then we recommend those students consider the All-Inclusive package.
All-Inclusive Package
Are you looking to hand over the entire college planning process to an expert? Our most popular package, the All-Inclusive Package includes everything in the Essentials Package PLUS…
- Unlimited entry into our Essay Boot Camps and Application Workshops
- Scholarship Application Support to increase your chances of receiving grants and scholarships
- Summer Activity Planning to thoughtfully curate activities that ignite curiosity and encourage personal and intellectual development
- Campus Visit Advice & Resources to make the most of your visit as you consider colleges and programs
- Financial Aid Guidance so you can navigate the process smoothly and increase your chances to receive funding
- College Decision Advice as you narrow down your choices
- College Transition Counseling to help your student understand the environments and situations in which they thrive and the resources available to help them succeed
- One-on-One Application & Essay Support guiding your student to write strong, competitive, personalized, and compelling essays and supplements
- Project Management to ensure your student fulfills all application requirements in a timely manner
When your student becomes an All-Inclusive student, they get complete project management start to finish. Schedule a complimentary consultation today to learn if this package is right for you.
College Planning Package Comparison
High School Transition Package
8th & 9th Grade Students
4-Year Course Planning
Goal Setting
Summer Planning
Extracurricular Guidance
Other Student-Success Topics
FUTURE DISCOUNT:
Enrollment into this package qualifies families for a discount on our High School Packages!
$800
Essentials Package
9-12th Grade Students
Birkman Strengths, Needs, & Career Assessment
Individualized Guidance
4-Year Planning & Course Selection
Annual Goal Setting
SAT/ACT Timeline & Advising
Extracurricular Guidance
Expanded Resume
Choosing a Major
Customized College List
Application Strategy
Interview Preparation
Financial Positioning
ONE TIME ENTRY INTO OUR:
Birkman Major & Career Workshop
Essay Boot Camp
Application Workshop
$4,000
All-Inclusive Package
9-12th Grade Students
Everything in the Essentials Package PLUS
Unlimited Entry Into Our:
- Essay Boot Camps
- Application Workshops
PLUS
Scholarship Application Support
Summer Activity Planning
Campus Visit Advice & Resources
Financial Aid Guidance
College Decision Advice
College Transition Counseling
UNLIMITED:
One-on-One Application & Essay Support
$5,500
Still have questions about which option is right for your family?
Schedule your no-obligation complimentary consultation to discuss your situation and learn about how our Bright Futures team can craft a bright future for your student.
Get What You Need & Work With Us Hourly
Is your family seeking guidance for only a specific area right now? The Bright Futures team is ready to give you the support you need through our customizable service options – all available a la carte.
Birkman Assessment and Feedback
With our Birkman Strengths, Needs, and Career Assessment, our experts highlight and affirm your student’s interests, identify potential careers and majors, and foster self-awareness for decision making going forward. This assessment helps students pinpoint their strengths and learn how to capitalize them as they transition into adulthood.
Who: Anyone above 9th grade
What: Birkman Assessment + 90-Minute Feedback Session
Price: $800
Customized College List*
Cut through the noise as you teenager embarks on the college application process with a customized college list. Your consultant will develop a list that assesses the colleges that are the best fit – emotional, socially, and academically – for your student. We explore a variety of factors with them, from location and campus size, to major options and extracurriculars, to selectivity and acceptance rates.
Your student will have all the information they need to narrow down their options and focus their energy.
Save countless hours sorting through all the information available on “the best college for this” or the “right college for that” college websites and turn to us. Focus your direction as you teenager embarks on the college application process with a customized college list. Our counselor’s extensive college knowledge (we’ve visited over 300 campuses collectively!) and affinity for research helps your student develop a thoughtful and strategic college list.
Who: 10-12th Grade Students
What: 5 Sessions To Create, Review, and Narrow Down Customized College List
Price: $2,000
* Birkman Assessment is strongly recommended as a prerequisite to the Customized College List
Financial Services
College is a big investment that requires a combination of financing, student loans, scholarships, grants, and financial aid. It’s a patchwork quilt!
If you’re wondering where to start and want to figure out how college can fit into your family’s budget, then Bright Futures Financial Services are for you.
Money for College
Curious how your financial position might contribute to your student’s ability to receive college funding? Money for College helps families to focus on saving through scholarships and qualifying for more aid through FAFSA and CSS Profile.
Families receive customized financial strategies based on their circumstances, a written report of savings recommendations, and an hour in-person consultation. The six-hour package includes intensive help with FAFSA and CSS Profile, financial aid evaluation, appeal letters, and money saving strategies.
Who: Families Planning for College Financing
What: Consultation + Customized Financial Recommendations + Savings Strategies
Price: $350 for 2 hours
Who: Families Applying for College Financing
What: Consultation + Customized Recommendations + Savings Strategies + Help With FAFSA and CSS Profile + Financial Aid Evaluation + Appeal Letters
Price: $900 for 6 hours
Financial Planning Consulting
Raymond Van Buskirk, personal finance expert, consults with families to discover what they can realistically contribute to their child’s education and helps them to discover how to support their child’s bright future.
Who: Families Planning for College
What: Consulting Hour(s)
Price: $175 per hour
Summer Workshops
Don’t let the summer waste away! Get a jump on college applications and essays in our targeted workshops.
Summer Essay Bootcamp
Avoid last-minute scrambling to piece together essays by getting them done ahead of time. Your student will come out of this expertly guided session with a thoughtful and competitive admissions essay, ready to submit for fall deadlines.
Who: Rising Seniors
What: 3 Days x 7 hours of Essay Consultation
Price: $699 per camp
Summer College Application Workshop
Acceptance rates at many colleges are falling, making admission increasingly competitive. To be offered admission, an application must shine! In this workshop, your student will receive step-by-step guidance on their applications from Bright Futures experts to learn how to capitalize on their strengths and stand out from the competition.
Who: Rising Seniors
What: 7 Hours of Application Consultation
Price: $449 per camp
Educational Advising
Our knowledgeable educational consultants are ready to provide your student with a focused educational advice on a host of topics. If your student is seeking guidance in several areas, or on a more time-intensive subject, we suggest opting for the three-hour block to allow your student to receive the fullest support possible.
Families who enroll into a package within 3 months of an hourly educational advising appointment may apply the payment towards the total package price.
Hourly Educational Advising
Work with a Bright Futures Educational Consultant on various topics, including 4 year course planning, goal setting, summer planning, essay writing, and extracurricular guidance.
Who: Students Preparing for Undergraduate or Graduate School
What: Varies by your needs
Price: Varies by consultant
3-Hour Package for Educational Advising
Work with a Bright Futures Educational Consultant on various topics, including 4 year course planning, goal setting, summer planning, extracurricular guidance, with additional options of discussing: application strategy, essay writing support, transfer guidance, graduate school applications, gap year planning, resume development, and more.
Who: Students Preparing for Undergraduate or Graduate School
What: 3 Hours of Advising
Price: $495