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My College Fit: How to Find the College That Is Right For You
December 2014
By Taylor Rawls
It can be a challenge to know what to do when applying to college, but My College Fit is here to help. Amy Jasper, the owner of My College Fit, helps students and parents navigate the college admissions process.
Amy finished college 25 years ago and she said that the admissions process was a very different experience from today. She called the admissions process “a beast” and said that colleges expect a great deal out of 17- and 18-year-olds. Amy’s goal is to help students manage the college admissions process. It can be an emotional experience, for both students and parents, and she helps students decide what college fits them best.
Amy gives all of her clients’ self-assessments to help them determine who they are. She wants to understand their personality and their interests. She takes into account the size, location, costs, and offerings of schools and helps the student pick some that they feel would be a good fit for them. She also takes into account the feelings of the parents. One thing Amy feels is incredibly important is for the student to figure out what he or she doesn’t like. Once they figure that out, there are some schools they can eliminate quickly. Amy also encourages her clients to go on college visits and tours and she helps them ask the right questions.
Students need most help with the essay portion of the application, Amy said. She helps them brainstorm and find their voice. Amy said that a college essay “needs to be a personal statement, a story.” It can be difficult for students to write about themselves and they often do not want help from their parents. Amy can be an objective third party and give advice without being too personal.
It can be a challenge to know what to do when applying to college, but My College Fit is here to help. Amy Jasper, the owner of My College Fit, helps students and parents navigate the college admissions process.
Amy finished college 25 years ago and she said that the admissions process was a very different experience from today. She called the admissions process “a beast” and said that colleges expect a great deal out of 17- and 18-year-olds. Amy’s goal is to help students manage the college admissions process. It can be an emotional experience, for both students and parents, and she helps students decide what college fits them best.
Amy gives all of her clients’ self-assessments to help them determine who they are. She wants to understand their personality and their interests. She takes into account the size, location, costs, and offerings of schools and helps the student pick some that they feel would be a good fit for them. She also takes into account the feelings of the parents. One thing Amy feels is incredibly important is for the student to figure out what he or she doesn’t like. Once they figure that out, there are some schools they can eliminate quickly. Amy also encourages her clients to go on college visits and tours and she helps them ask the right questions.
Students need most help with the essay portion of the application, Amy said. She helps them brainstorm and find their voice. Amy said that a college essay “needs to be a personal statement, a story.” It can be difficult for students to write about themselves and they often do not want help from their parents. Amy can be an objective third party and give advice without being too personal.
Groups can also schedule workshops with Amy, where she gives a brief overview of the process and helps students figure out what colleges look for and what they should do to put themselves in the best light. She has worked with different churches, public libraries, and Amateur Athletic Union teams. She even led a NCAA workshop to help student athletes understand the changing rules and what they should do if they want to be athletes in college.
Amy was part of undergraduate admissions at Duke University, The College of William and Mary, the University of Richmond, and Dickinson College. She left so she could start her own family and then later began working as a college counselor at St. Catherine's in Richmond. She wanted to be able to do things her own way, so she left St. Catherine's and began her own business.
Amy works with a wide spectrum of students, not only those with honors class or those who are high-achieving. She also tries to help students branch out, so the students she has helped in the past have been accepted to colleges all across the country.
When Amy began her business, she had a family, but her daughter is now a sophomore in college. She said going through the college admissions process as a mother was an eye-opening experience. She has now seen the process from all perspectives, as a mother and as an objective third party. Amy works with about 20 students each year, giving them each the personalized attention that they need.
Her favorite part about her job is getting to know the students and helping them find their way, Amy said. She often gets emails from former clients, and their parents, letting her know how they are doing. My College Fit is the way to find the perfect college.
Amy was part of undergraduate admissions at Duke University, The College of William and Mary, the University of Richmond, and Dickinson College. She left so she could start her own family and then later began working as a college counselor at St. Catherine's in Richmond. She wanted to be able to do things her own way, so she left St. Catherine's and began her own business.
Amy works with a wide spectrum of students, not only those with honors class or those who are high-achieving. She also tries to help students branch out, so the students she has helped in the past have been accepted to colleges all across the country.
When Amy began her business, she had a family, but her daughter is now a sophomore in college. She said going through the college admissions process as a mother was an eye-opening experience. She has now seen the process from all perspectives, as a mother and as an objective third party. Amy works with about 20 students each year, giving them each the personalized attention that they need.
Her favorite part about her job is getting to know the students and helping them find their way, Amy said. She often gets emails from former clients, and their parents, letting her know how they are doing. My College Fit is the way to find the perfect college.
