This issue does not come up too often, but when it does, it can have significant impacts on the University Counselling process for students.

First of all, Brentwood's University Counselling office provides world-class service to students, leveraging our deep well of expertise and global reputation to ensure that they are getting the absolute best guidance and support. 

In addition to that, given Brentwood's boarding program, we view our responsibility in University Counselling as being all-in. In fact, our policies and, more importantly, our philosophy are rooted in that all the work that students must do in the post-secondary planning process must be done under the supervision of Brentwood University Counselling. We are not passive observers; Brentwood University Counsellors are driven by a passion to work alongside students through every step of this process.

What this all means is that there is little need to engage outside resources such as consultants or college counsellors. There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on all of the same services that are available in the Brentwood University Counselling office. It is not uncommon for our students to spend cumulative totals of many hours with our University Counsellors as they work through their applications, so the service they are experiencing is consistent and well-informed.

Yes, external consultants or college counsellors can provide additional insights or voices to school choice or the admission essay writing process. The caution comes when those resources are leaned on INSTEAD of those available in our University Counselling office. Universities expect US to be the primary resource for information and perspective on the applicants from our school. We can only provide that when we intimately know our students, and that happens through full immersion in our University Counselling processes. Trying to make connections with external consultants while working very closely with Brentwood University Counselling can be challenging for students. And when students limit their time with us in favour of working with external resources, we cannot be as effective in being the leads in the process, just as universities expect us to be.

Let me be clear: we would not tell families that they cannot access external resources. What is important, however, is that outside consultants/counsellors must be employed judiciously. They can be effective resources during times away from Brentwood, such as during the summer. But during the time when application work is being completed in Grades 11 and 12, it is critical that Brentwood's University Counselling office is the primary resource for students. That ensures that students are best positioned as applicants from Brentwood College, supported by a University Counselling team that is amongst the best, most passionate, and most committed in the world!

Often parents can be driven by a notion that if you need to pay for it, the quality of the service provided by external resources must be superior. What I say is this: you are already paying for premium service through the Brentwood tuition. I am absolutely confident that the service that our University Counselling team provides is world-class and inherently more comprehensive than any service from an external source. In the end, families must do what they feel is best, but my advice is to have faith in the depth and breadth of our work, the strength of our global reputation, and our absolute commitment to your children and helping them to reach their post-secondary goals.

Sincerely,

Rick Rodrigues