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La Consejera Isabella
(Isabella the Counselor)
I am thrilled to welcome you to the home of my college counseling practice. With over five years of experience working in college access, I aspire to give back to the community my skills and knowledge about the inside-outs of the college-going journey.
Across the span of my career, my heart for all students inspires my dedication to providing the best quality guidance.
My expertise
Early in my career, I worked diligently supporting the enrollment of first-generation students at Holy Names University as well as reading 2,000+ applications for college admission at the highly selective and prestigious University of Southern California (USC).
My work as a college counselor helping high school students apply to college in the East Bay Area informs my ability to encourage students from first-generation backgrounds in a way that is educated and very honest.
Why this practice specifically is great for first-gen students
First-generation college-going students often face cultural, environmental, academic, and financial barriers to successfully enrolling in college and graduating from college. National statistics demonstrate roughly 1/3 of these students drop out of college within three years.
While I am happy to help students from all familial backgrounds with their college journey, I have special expertise in supporting those who need extra help with this process.
Introducing the “Camino” framework of college counseling
The Spanish word “camino” translates to “pathway” or “journey” in English.
Empowering students to identify the process of going to college as a journey– one that is unique to each individual student– is so important. The mental and emotional aspect of this process can be quite challenging to many first-generation students. I claim “Camino” on my services to communicate that I recognize and honor this part of the experience, as well.
My College Counseling Services
50 minutes of one-on-one guidance for wherever you are at in your college-going journey.
I lead 50 minute counseling sessions for individual students from all backgrounds and grades in high school and college. I tailor each session to where the individual student may need the most support.
Please sign up for a session via this Calendly link. One session costs $85, and there are opportunities to lower the individual price of each session through purchasing the Camino Scholar Package or applying for the Camino Scholar Fellowship.
Here are a few areas where I can offer plenty of guidance:
-Career interest exploration
-College list building
-College admissions essay writing & review
-Connect you with my network of 20+ personal admission contacts from colleges all over the United States to learn more about what individual universities are looking for
-Financial aid applications (FAFSA + CADAA) and identifying the best scholarship opportunities for you
-Navigating the potential stress, overwhelm, and pressure of the admissions process
-Preparing for the transition to college and managing the actual enrollment and housing processes
–Guidance for community college students figuring out academic goals or pursuing admission to a four-year college
-Understanding how your college works and where to go for the resources you need to succeed
-Helping identify experiences at or near your college that will help you build your resume for post-graduation
-Career/Major Discernment and decoding Academic Advising
-Managing culture shock and imposter syndrome
-And more!
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Free monthly virtual group meetings offering tips on college admissions+ Q&A about anything college-related!
College Camino Seminars give students and families the opportunity to learn some of my best advice on college admissions for free. The format is 15 minutes of guidance and 30 minutes of Q&A for whatever questions are most relevant to the Camino community.
These sessions are 100% free and you can sign up via this Event Brite link. They are on the last Thursday of each month at 7pm on Google Meet. Students’ supporters are encouraged to attend.
Exclusive virtual seminars dedicated to workshopping common challenges in the college-going process
Camino Scholar Intensives are monthly virtual group seminars for students at all stages in their college-going journey. The purpose is to address common challenges and benefit from mutual support from peers.
These intensives last a full hour and take place on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm. One ticket to attend costs $25.
Click on this Event Brite link to sign up.
Exclusive virtual monthly group meetings for parents and supporters of students on their college-going journey; bilingual translation available
Camino Parent Seminars are virtual seminars for parents and supporters of students on the college journey. They last a full hour and are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6pm. The cost to attend the seminar is $25 for each family.
Click on this Event Brite link to sign up.
Parents and supporters can exceptionally benefit from this seminar in more than a few ways, especially those who encourage their first-generation students to attend college. Here are some rewards for attending:
-Learn more about what the college admissions process entails to better understand the challenges and opportunities your student encounters
-Learn suggestions for how to support your student emotionally through a stressful process
-Receive mutual encouragement from other parents in the Camino community facing similar experiences
The Camino Scholar Package is great for students and families who would like to take full advantage of the range of my support!
The Camino Scholar Package is a monthly rate for accessing all of my college counseling services. For $300 a month, students and families will receive complimentary access to the following benefits:
-4 College Camino Counseling Sessions: 1-on-1 individualized guidance for tackling where you need the most support
-Camino Scholar Intensives: Virtual monthly group meetings with college-going students from 9th graders to college seniors addressing common challenges and providing peer-to-peer encouragement and advice
-Camino Parent Seminars: Virtual monthly group meeting for parents and supporters who want more of the “inside scoop” on college admissions and suggestions for supporting their students
-Exclusive: Access to my text support throughout any weekday for urgent questions relating to the college admissions and experience
-Exclusive: Access to a Monthly Newsletter with advice and resources for students and families, with special attention paid to first-generation student themes
An amazing opportunity to serve your community and in return receive free support for college counseling
I am thrilled to offer the chance for college-going students to apply for the Camino Scholar Fellowship. Becoming a Camino Scholar Fellow means receiving the Camino Scholar package for FREE! :)
Conditions:
-Apply via this Google Form.
-Be a first-generation college student (within the first generation in your family to apply for/attend college in the U.S. [if you have an older sibling who attends/attended college but your parent/s didn’t attend college, you STILL count!])
-If selected, you must participate in at least 2 hours of volunteer service or community engagement (ie. engaging in a club on campus). I can always help you identify opportunities!
-If you were a previous student of mine in my career, you automatically qualify! But still please fill out the Google form and you will be expected to volunteer, too.
Isabella Ordaz College Counseling 