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About Us
How is At The Core different from traditional college counselors?
We often act as a hub of information for families because they’ve connected with us early in the process and know we are a trusted resource. We offer a wide variety of support (website, newsletter, live programs, workshops, assessments, consultations, etc.) to help families, and much of it is available to you free of charge.
Students have access to school counselors via their high school. We always encourage teens to engage with their counselor for all the college planning help they can offer. Some students want more or different help than they can get at school. When families find that there are specific areas where they need additional help, we suggest they find a professional with deep expertise in that area of need (ACT/SAT, essay writing, etc.). We’ve collected up a list of folks you might turn to on our Friends of At The Core webpage.
Who are the At The Core facilitators?
The At The Core facilitators are amazing people! This growing team of professionals is carefully trained to use At The Core processes and methods. Each comes to At The Core with their own career journey, though most have backgrounds in career or school counseling, education or management.
What is the geographical area At The Core serves?
At The Core serves families nationwide. Meetings in Central Ohio and Cincinnati are typically face-to-face, and other sessions are completed online.
Where are one-on-one meetings conducted?
We typically meet with families in a public location, like a coffee shop. The At The Core resource who will lead the meeting will confirm the location prior to the meeting.
Where are the various workshops and presentations held?
Our workshops and presentations are held at multiple locations including local conference centers, community centers, college facilities, and libraries. See the details of each specific event to determine the exact location.
I heard you had a great newsletter to support parents. How can I sign up?
We do have a weekly free newsletter called “Seeds” that parents just love. It includes blogs, articles, tips, timelines, and announcements to keep you up-to-date with planning. Click here to sign up. We never sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Guided Self Assessment – For students struggling to identify potential careers and majors
Who should do the Guided Self Assessment?
At The Core helps the student who wants to determine their strengths, a possible major, or a potential career. The process was built to serve high school students (grades 10+) transitioning to college, but any student who needs direction can benefit. The timeframe for maximum usefulness for a high school student is late in the sophomore year or early in the junior year. This will also allow the resulting information to be used in scheduling classes and summer plans.
How much does Guided Self Assessment cost?
Good question! The pricing is best shared once you can see a sample of the final report. (It’s less than most people think, and families have said it’s a fantastic investment in their child.) There is no one else that does this kind of work, and because it’s so unique, we prefer to have a chance to explain the process and show you what you’d receive so that the price makes sense. If you’d really like to know pricing prior to scheduling an informational first family meeting, just call us at 614-404-0646.
Where do the interviews take place?
For Columbus (OH) or Cincinnati area students, meetings typically take place in a public location like a coffee shop. The setting should reasonably accommodate the kind of social conversation you would have with a friend. For our remote students, we use online video meeting technology for the interviews and final family meeting.
How long does it take to go through the process?
Five one-hour interviews (see Guided Self Assessment for more information) ideally take place over a two to three-week period. Interviews are scheduled based on the availability of the student and the interviewer. Given our students’ dynamic schedules, there is always flexibility in the meeting dates and times. The final family meeting is scheduled when the report is complete, approximately two weeks after the final interview.
What does the final report look like?
Sample reports are available for you to look at during the first family evaluation meeting.
Do parents participate in the interviews? Isn’t parent input needed?
The interviews are conducted with the child only. The entire focus of this process is the child’s perception of their own traits. Occasionally, parents are asked to answer a few questions during the process, but parent input is minimal.
We’d like to move forward and schedule Guided Self Assessment for our student. What do we do next?
Great! Your next step is to book a short meeting with us (30 minutes, no fee or obligation). We meet every student considering the process. In this meeting, we share a sample report with you, discuss expectations, get to know your student, etc.
To schedule this first meeting for Guided Self Assessment, click here. Once you choose a date and time that works well for your family, you’ll receive an automated confirmation of the appointment via email. The At The Core facilitator you’ll meet with will reach out to you to confirm the meeting location.
What happens next after I schedule an initial 30-minute meeting for Guided Self Assessment?
Once you book your appointment online, you’ll receive an automated confirmation of the appointment via email. The At The Core facilitator you’ll meet with will reach out to you to confirm the meeting location. If you have not received a confirmation email, please check your spam/promotions folder.
Do I need to bring anything to the initial meeting for a Guided Self Assessment?
Families do not need to bring anything to the meeting. The initial no-fee, no-obligation 30-minute meeting is for students and their parents to learn the details about the process in order to make the decision if Guided Self Assessment is right for the student.
Do you use online assessments during the Guided Self Assessment process?
Good question! As parents, we are accustomed to online assessments. We find online assessments can be tricky for teens. They cannot capture an “it depends” answer, and they can yield confusing, misleading or even humorous results. We created Guided Self Assessment as an alternative to online assessments. All input provided by the student is verbal (in five interviews) or written (in associated exercises).
Guided Career Connections – For students with a few specific careers in mind who need to dig deeper
Who should do Guided Career Connections?
Guided Career Connections was created for students who have 2 or 3 careers in mind but need to learn more. The process was built to serve high school students in grades 10 and up.
How much does Guided Career Connections cost?
Good question! The pricing is best shared at our free family meeting. Families can only understand the value after hearing about the service face-to-face. There is no one else that does this kind of work, and because it’s so unique, we prefer to have a chance to explain the process so that the price makes sense. (It’s less than most people think, and families have said it’s a fantastic investment in their child.) If you’d really like to know pricing prior to scheduling an first family meeting, just call us at 614-404-0646.
How long does it take to go through the process?
Students initially gather in a small group workshop to practice informational interviewing and to create a professional LinkedIn profile. Over the following weeks, students conduct three informational interviews with professionals (connections made by At The Core). Students return to their small group workshop to share their new knowledge and action plan. The time from the first workshop to the final workshop is typically five weeks.
The first and final small group workshops are specific scheduled dates; however, families have flexibility in their schedule for the weeks in between.
Students should expect to spend about 10 to 12 hours over the course of the whole process.
Do parents participate?
Not in the first workshop or the informational interviews. The entire focus of this process enables the student to gain knowledge about the careers they are interested and develop their informational interviewing skills on their own. Parents are asked to join us for the closing workshop.
I’m thinking that my student’s career ideas are not as solid as we thought. Now what?
For Guided Career Connections, the student needs to have 2 or 3 careers in mind. If your student doesn’t have that clarity, they may be a better candidate for Guided Self Assessment. The Guided Self Assessment process helps student dig deeper into their skills, values, interests, personality and work preferences with the added insight of trained facilitators who develop career ideas for students after analyzing the information the student provides. Learn more about Guided Self Assessment here.
Is this really a new service for At The Core? I thought that there were "career connections" already.
Good catch! Every student who completes Guided Self Assessment is offered a first “career connection” – we’ve done this for years, and that won’t change. Guided Career Connections takes that idea and magnifies it tremendously. Students get connected to three individuals for informational interviews plus the preparation and post-interview support they need to really consider what they have learned.
Who teaches the Guided Career Connections workshops?
Two seasoned career consultants will lead both workshops and experienced At The Core facilitators will coach students through the informational interviewing process.
My student is able to attend both workshops; however, we will be taking a family vacation in the middle of the two workshops. Is this an issue?
No, that is fine. We build in an extra week for this reason. However, we will want each student to complete the process in the same small group they joined at the beginning.
My student can only attend one of the workshops. Should he/she still register?
No, students will be required to attend both the kick off and closing workshops. We will offer additional programs throughout the year. Please keep checking back for more information. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch.
What is the time requirement for my student?
Each workshop is about 2 hours long. Prep and time to conduct the informational interviews is estimated at 3-8 hours, and completing the action plan would take around 1-2 hours. In general, the time commitment is about 10-12 hours spread over a month’s time.
We do not live in or near Columbus, Ohio. Can my student participate?
At this time, it is best for students to be able to attend the workshops in person. We will explore offering a virtual option in the future. For now, we will continue to add more workshops throughout the year. Students who do not live in the Columbus area should expect to engage in phone interviews with career professionals.
Are all informational interviews conducted in person?
Students should plan for a mix of in person, phone, and online meetings. Phone and online meetings can benefit the student by providing experience with the challenges and benefits of these forms of communication. As parents, we all know the trouble our kids have talking on the phone today! 😉
Does my student need to find his/her own transportation to their informational interviews?
Yes, students will be expected to meet with the career professional at the professional’s workplace. In some instances where a career professional is not local, students should expect to conduct the informational interview over the phone or via SKYPE, Facetime, etc.
Is a family meeting required?
Yes. Even if you are confident that Guided Career Connections is a good fit for your student, we ask every family to spend 30 minutes with our expert to understand the process and how it will work. Click here to book your meeting.
How do I get started?
We’re so excited you see the value in Guided Career Connections and want to provide this lifelong gift to your student. To get started, please book a family meeting. Even if you are sure you want your student to participate, we ask for every family to spend 30 minutes with our expert to understand the process and how it will work. Click here to reserve your free meeting.
Private Consultations
How far in advance can I schedule a Private Consultation?
We generally make appointments available four to six weeks in advance.
How do I schedule a Private Consultation?
To schedule a Private Consultation, click here. These appointments are one hour in length, with an option to book an additional 30 minutes. The agenda is customized to answer your questions and provide tools/resources for your family.
In the fall, we also offer Private Consultation for seniors. These special appointments are 1.5 hours to accommodate the material we’ll cover.
You’ll receive an automated email confirmation once you book your appointment. The At The Core facilitator you’ll meet with will also confirm via email and share meeting location details with you.
What happens next after I schedule a Private Consultation?
Once you book your appointment online, you’ll receive an automated confirmation of the appointment via email. The At The Core facilitator you’ll meet with will reach out to you to confirm the meeting location. If you have not received a confirmation email, please check your spam/ promotions folder. Your facilitator may also ask you additional questions to help them prepare for your family’s meeting.
How often do you recommend families schedule a Private Consultation?
Families choose the frequency of the Private Consultations based on their needs. Some families meet a few times per year and others just need one meeting to get their questions answered. Private Consultations can be scheduled at any time throughout the year. Click here to view the calendar with available appointments.
What do I need to bring to a Private Consultation?
Just you and your student! Your facilitator will communicate with you to ask anything they need to know prior to the meeting.
Will we meet with the same facilitator if we schedule multiple Private Consultations?
We will make every effort to have families meet with the same facilitator for each consultation. However, the information shared in previous meetings will be provided to a different facilitator if necessary.
Tips for the College-Bound
Who is the ideal audience for this presentation?
We created this presentation for families with 8th-11th graders. We encourage parents and students to attend together.
If you have a senior or a second semester junior, we recommend a Private Consultation. That meeting will give your family the targeted information you need now, because the runway to the application process is shorter for you.
I attended Looking Ahead. Should I attend Tips for the College-Bound too?
YES! In fact, think of Tips for the College-Bound as the natural follow-up to Looking Ahead. Tips for the College-Bound is vital for families as the student gets a little bit older.
Like Looking Ahead, it covers high school topics, but the focus is more on the college search and application process. Information about the financial aspects of paying for college is also included in the Tips presentation–certainly a topic to tackle sooner rather than later. When you are ready, we will see you at Tips!
How do I find out when and where the next Tips for the College-Bound presentation will be held?
We schedule Tips for the College-Bound (and all of our other great programs) throughout the year. Please see our Events webpage for an up-to-date listing of all of our upcoming presentations.
The best way to stay informed about everything At The Core is doing is to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. You’ll be the first to know about everything we announce, right when we announce it! Our newsletter also includes blogs, articles, tips, timelines, and more to keep you up-to-date with high school and college planning. Click here to sign up. We never sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Looking Ahead™ : Planning for Success in High School and Beyond
Who is the ideal audience for this presentation?
We created this program for 8th grade parents, and we typically deliver it during the winter/spring of each year. We find that students are well-supported by their school districts, but PARENTS need some support too! If you have to or want to bring a student, feel free to do so.
What’s covered in this program?
This presentation encourages parents to consider their student’s future high school experience as they enter high school. We’ll talk about what you can expect each year, choosing courses, the value of pre-planning, extracurricular, and understanding all the options available (like honors classes, AP classes, College Credit Plus, etc.)
Also, we’ll start to dig into college prep considerations and give you some foundational knowledge about how it works (applications, ACT/SAT testing, etc.). We ask a real, live high school student to join us too to answer questions that are really geared toward students.
Can I attend one in another school district’s area?
Yes. We will focus on the local district and use their information in the presentation (ex. some districts offer International Baccalaureate classes, but not all do). However, much of the information and the general concepts are universal, so feel free to come.
I have an 8th grader. Should I attend Tips for the College-Bound too?
Tips for the College-Bound is vital for families as the student gets a little bit older. Like Looking Ahead, it covers high school topics, but the focus is more on the college search and application process. Information about the financial aspects of paying for college is also included in the Tips presentation–certainly a topic to tackle sooner rather than later.
Looking Ahead is a prequel to Tips, so you’ll be ready to attend Tips after joining us for Looking Ahead. When you are ready, we will see you at Tips!
How do I find out when and where the next Looking Ahead presentation will be?
We schedule Looking Ahead (and all of our other great programs) throughout the year. Please see our Events webpage for an up-to-date listing of all of our upcoming presentations.
The best way to stay informed about everything At The Core is doing is to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. You’ll be the first to know about everything we announce, right when we announce it! Our newsletter also includes blogs, articles, tips, timelines, and more to keep you up-to-date with high school and college planning. Click here to sign up. We never sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Other Questions
We have lots of college money questions! Can you help with that?
Funding college education can be complex (to say the least!). It’s critical for you to connect with a trusted resource. Please see our Friends of At the Core webpage for resources that we trust.
Do you offer assistance with ACT/SAT prep?
The best, first place to visit is our ACT/SAT webpage. You’ll find dates and details to get you started.
We cover a lot about college admissions testing in our Private Consultations (and you can ask all that is on your mind!). Although we do not offer any tutoring or test prep, please visit our Friends of At the Core webpage to see the resources we know and trust.
How do I find out when and where your presentations will be held? I don’t see the one I’m interested in listed on the webpage.
We schedule a variety of programming throughout the year. Please see our Events webpage for the always up-to-date listing of our upcoming presentations.
To stay informed of upcoming events and more, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter. We announce and post the information for each of our presentations and workshops in it. Our newsletter also includes blogs, articles, tips, timelines, and other announcements to support your family. Click here to sign up. We never sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
614-404-0646