Welcome to Magellan College Counseling
The college admissions process – getting into college – has become stressful and complicated, not just for teenagers, but for their families as well. You may have heard about some secret formula for getting into college - even the most highly selective colleges. But there’s no mystery, no checklist, no simple six-step process.
Magellan’s counselors see each student as an individual who will grow and flourish during your four years of college. We help you identify your priorities, then find and research your ‘best-fit’ colleges. We help you find your authentic voice, and articulate what you’ll offer to that special college community. That’s the secret formula that will help you get admitted to the right college for YOU.
What Do College Counselors Do?
Students from 38,000 high schools in the United States, plus more from around the world, all compete for coveted spots at highly selective colleges. The process is complicated, stressful, full of decisions, forms, finances…and deadlines. A good college counselor knows this. A GREAT college counselor walks you through it all... with far less stress.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
Magellan’s college advisors help students consider their priorities for their college experience, as well as introspect on what they have to offer a college community.
COLLEGE SEARCH
Magellan counselors work with students to identify good-fit colleges in all probability categories: reach, target and likely.
PREPARE
With consultation services starting in 9th grade, Magellan counselors help students and parents map out their high school curriculum, as well as optimize extra-curricular and summer activities.
APPLY
Our online college application management system helps students stay organized and on-task! Magellan counselors help students get all the details right with this crucial part of the college application process.
Of course, there's a long list that goes into each one of those items. More than anything, we help our students and parents get through the process successfully and with less stress and more peace of mind.
College Applications Open!
The UC Application and the Common Application open August 1!
Log In to your Magellan Account
Students! Log in here to access your Magellan College Counseling account. If you don't have an account yet, contact us and let's begin working on your future in college!
Class of 2018 News
Completing the Common App – a Step-by-Step Guide
Class of 2019 News
A Practical Approach to Getting College Scholarships
Latest Blog Posts
What’s FERPA and Why Should I Waive It?
College Visits: What Do We Need To Know?
When Should I Take the SAT or ACT?
What Our Clients Say
Here's what our clients are saying about Magellan Counseling.
Evelyn was a masterful college counselor on so many levels… She developed an application plan with our daughter, kept her on track with deadlines and gave positive encouragement and support throughout the process. We are thrilled that the college search was completed most successfully with many wonderful options from which our daughter will choose!
Michael and Marla
Thank you again for all your help, guidance and personal involvement….it made all the difference in the world for both of us.
Leslie
When my wife first suggested that we hire Magellan for our daughter’s college counseling needs, I was a little skeptical. Was this a necessity? Having worked with Debbie and the Magellan team, the answer is a resounding YES. The college application process can be daunting, confusing, and at times overwhelming. Magellan took the pressure off of us and beautifully navigated every step. Debbie truly got to know our daughter as a person and learned about her ambitions and life goals. This personal investment led to incredible suggestions for universities that would best meet her needs. Our daughter was accepted to all her top choices and we couldn’t be happier. We strongly recommend Magellan to anyone with college-bound kids.
Matt
Frequently Asked Questions
These are just a few questions we are asked regularly by parents and students.
The short answer is that the earlier you begin working with a college counselor, the less stress you will have when applying to college. That's because you will have had an opportunity to build a personal history through high school that is geared towards the colleges you want to get into. Learn more about our college counseling services for 9th, 10th and 11th graders here, and our college counseling services for high school seniors.
On average, counselors in California public high schools need to divide their time between 822 students. Since they are spread so thin, these counselors often start their college counseling for their students far too late. Learn more about high school college counselors here.
No matter how well qualified you think your child is, nothing is ever a sure thing. We advise your child to have about 8-10 colleges on his or her list. But not just any schools. They should be divided into three groups to make a balanced list. Read more about making a college list here.
The short answer is YES! We've had students with much lower GPAs get into the schools of their choice. These days, getting into a good college depends on more than just a GPA. Read more about some of our low-gpa college admissions success stories here.
About Magellan College Counseling
Magellan College Counseling has offices in Los Angeles (including the San Fernando Valley, West LA, Beverly Hills, Thousand Oaks) and Boston, and anywhere you are.
Our services include helping to plan high school classes and extra-curricular activities, helping families plan their standardized testing timeline, creating a balanced college list, help with college essays, and assistance with the all stages of actual college applications.
And we're still with you when the acceptance letters start coming in.
While we're known for our college counseling in Los Angeles and Boston, we also serve clients all over the country with our remote counseling service. So if you're looking for "college counselors near me" and you are not in LA or Boston, don't worry. We can help no matter where you are, and we do it every day.
Learn more about all our college counseling services here. Or if you're thinking about relying on your high school college counseling services, read this first.
And if you've just got questions, call or contact us by email. We're happy to answer them for you.
