Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find more information about this program?

Start here, on your NVIDIA benefits page. 

What is included in my Collegewise benefit?

  • One-on-one meetings with an expert Collegewise counselor, where you can ask questions and strategize on any aspect of the college admissions process (essay support, application assistance, school list guidance, interview skills). Collegewise does its best to make sure your family works with one counselor throughout the process, so there is continuity for follow-up meetings.
  • Unique login access to Collegewise’s online admissions management portal. Through our proprietary software, Wise(r)net, students and parents will have access to resources and guidance that will allow them to make more informed decisions:
    • view student’s progress and clear direction on next steps
    • access to our proprietary data during the college research process to facilitate list building
    • communicate with your counselor
    • view your current counseling hours tracker
    • review session notes and tasks
    • schedule new sessions

  • Live events, including:
    • Quarterly live webinars hosted by a Collegewise admissions expert on timely and relevant topics for NVIDIA employees
    • Quarterly AMA’s sessions (Ask Me Anything) where employees can have their college questions answered on the spot by an admissions expert
    • Office Hours to sign-up in advance to meet one-on-one for 20 minutes with a Collegewise counselor to ask questions and strategize 
    • Annual seminar presented by an industry-renowned speaker and member of Collegewise’s leadership team

  • Best-in-class resources:
    • Newsletters with analysis and deep dives into admissions topics
    • On-Demand, recorded webinars
    • Guides on a variety of topics, such as the Common App, STEM, and Women’s Colleges
    • Blog posts each week on smart, sane college admissions
 
I created a Collegewise portal account. What now?
  • Each employee who creates a Collegewise account will be asked a few questions and then matched with a counselor
  • The Collegewise counselor will then reach out to the employee within 2 business days, and schedule a time for their first meeting
  • Let the fun begin!

 
I want more services than what NVIDIA offers, what are my options?

After your complimentary hours have been exhausted, you can choose to continue working with Collegewise and receive 10% discount on any full package. Depending on availability you can either choose to continue working with your current Collegewise counselor or be matched with another counselor.

 
Are there options for tutoring and test prep?

Yes, you are able to take advantage of discounted rates on academic tutoring and small group learning options. Learn more here.


When is the best time to start a college counseling program?

Through 21 years of experience, Collegewise has found that the most beneficial time for most students to begin the counseling process is during sophomore year of high school. Ultimately, the best time to start a college counseling program is when you begin to have questions or concerns that you’d like to have addressed by a professional. We begin working with students as early as second semester of eighth grade, so if you’re thinking about hiring a college counselor and your student is an eighth grader or older, you’re in the right place!

 

What is your success rate?

At Collegewise, we define a successful college match in three parts:

  • One that the student is excited about and fits the student’s interests and career goals
  • One where the student will be admitted
  • And one that the family can afford 

Collegewise counselors work with each of their students to conduct a thoughtful college search and to build a college list that takes into account the criteria listed above. The results of this process are clear:

  • 95% of Collegewise class of 2020 seniors were admitted into one of their top three college choices
  • Our seniors received a total of over $66 million dollars in merit aid 

Not convinced? Check out our testimonials, which you’ll find below. You’ll find that our students leave for college more confident and prepared than when they started their college search process, and their younger siblings (and friends) are often next in line to work with our counselors.

 

Where does my counselor’s college admissions expertise come from?

The Collegewise team includes former admissions officers from schools like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UCLA, USC and Pomona. Many are former high school counselors, professors, teachers, and graduate degree holders. Each counselor goes through a rigorous training with members of the Collegewise leadership team, and engages in ongoing professional development. Their counselors also take advantage of what they call the “Hive Mind”—their international network of admissions experts that address counseling questions around the clock. While families will work one-on-one with the counselor who knows them best, students benefit from the collective experience of more than 70 Collegewise admissions experts.
 

How will I be matched with my best-fit Collegewise counselor?

We know our counselors: their strengths, personalities, counseling styles, and experience. Getting to know your student is equally important, as we believe the fit between counselor and student is crucial to making this journey successful. While we will have a team of counselors dedicated to helping NVIDIA families throughout the admissions process, should a family want to enroll into one of our full programs with another counselor, parents will have the opportunity to meet with a Program Advisor who will spend time getting to know the family and identify which counselor would be the best fit moving forward.


This all sounds great, but I have more questions. Who should I reach out to?

You have a dedicated email to contact at any time: nvidia@collegewise.com

What are people saying about Collegewise?

Collegewise, for me, was much more than test-prep and college counseling. After freshman year, [my college counselor and tutor] inspired me to be a more engaged member of my community, and for all that I thank you. I truly believe, without a doubt in my mind, that Collegewise played an integral role in getting me to where I am today. I hope that Collegewise continues to inspire students as it did me. Thank you so much!
Warren, New Jersey

One of my daughters says that she has never had a better math teacher in her life, and my other daughter comes out of Skype tutoring sessions for her least favorite subject saying, “That was so much fun!” Thank you for all of the support for our whole family.
Lausanne, Switzerland

Collegewise was perfect for the help I needed with my applications! My essays were always sent back to me within a timely manner, and I never felt like I was forgotten about. I also loved that I was encouraged to never submit an essay that I was not proud of or happy with. I had a great college application process.
Alexandra
Vanderbilt University

 

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