We bill for time spent on all services listed above, which includes up to 2 hours developing the preliminary college list and time spent reviewing essays in our team essay-review meetings, which will not usually exceed 15 minutes. We also bill for time spent on targeted research, email and other correspondence, and any necessary meetings via video call or phone, to discuss with and inform the student and parents about specific questions and overall student progress. We track time in 5-minute increments for tasks that exceed 10 minutes.
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Returned Payment Policy
Please ensure that there are sufficient funds in your account before making payments to Capstone Education Advisers LLC. If you need additional time to make a payment, please contact us. Returned checks and ACH bank transfers that fail to process will result in a $75 charge to cover bank and administrative fees.
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Deadlines
Capstone has established internal application submission deadlines which are one month prior to the college application deadline. These deadlines are fully achievable if the student meets all interim deadlines assigned by the Consultant. Therefore, the deadlines will only be extended for extraordinary circumstances.
College deadline Nov. 1 — Capstone deadline Oct. 1 College deadline Nov. 15 — Capstone deadline Oct. 15 Dec. 1 — Capstone deadline Nov. 1 Dec. 15 — Capstone deadline Nov. 15 College deadline After Dec. 15 — Capstone deadline Dec. 1
For clients starting services with Capstone after August 15 of their senior year, your Consultant will establish your internal college application deadlines.
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Thanksgiving Weekend
Please note that Capstone Consultants and Essay Specialists may be unavailable to meet or review applications and other materials over the Thanksgiving weekend (Wednesday-Sunday). However, students are expected to make progress on application materials during the Thanksgiving break if they have not yet completed all applications that have a Capstone deadline of December 15.
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Expectations
We greatly respect our students and families, and our goal is for each of our students to matriculate to a college where they will thrive and form the solid foundation they need to achieve their educational, career and developmental goals. Experience has shown us that students are more likely to achieve this outcome if they take the process seriously by setting aside enough time each week to complete tasks in a thoughtful way and meet all internal and external deadlines. By taking this measured approach, students develop the skills and confidence to successfully manage a large, long-term project, while producing high-quality applications that are more likely to be successful.
We have developed a structured process and established specific expectations that we have observed, year after year, will result in the most calm, productive, and rewarding college-counseling experience. Parents also play an important role in this process, as outlined below.
It is important to note that college admissions outcomes are impacted by factors beyond the student's application, including the number and strength of applicants to that college, which can change from year to year. Depending on the college, admissions office may also consider legacy status, athletic talent, donor status, program or major, geography, first-generation status, finances, and other factors known only to the institution. Applicants are evaluated using multiple factors that may include GPA, rigor of coursework, grades in specific courses, test scores, essays, activities, letters of recommendation, and artistic or other talent. Your Capstone Consultant will help you build a balanced list, and we require students to apply to at least two colleges that your Capstone Consultant has identified as “likely” colleges for the student (e.g., colleges that the student is more likely to be admitted to than to be denied from).
All parties are expected to interact with each other respectfully whether by phone, text, email, or video call.
Expectations for students
Create a dedicated email account for sending and receiving college-related email (see Email Policies & Instructions, below).
Set aside enough time to complete each assigned task thoughtfully.
Meet all task deadlines developed collaboratively with the Capstone Consultant.
Maintain their own list of all application deadlines and meet Capstone's internal deadlines and the colleges' deadlines.
Attend all scheduled meetings. For specific meeting activities, such as reviewing the Common Application or UC Application, the meetings may be longer.
Provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice if needing to reschedule a meeting (see Cancellation Policy, below).
Comply with high school or transfer deadlines set by the school or college counseling office.
Inform the school or college counseling office in a timely manner about the colleges the student will be applying to, using the school’s preferred method (e.g., Naviance
Commit that all essays will be the student’s work.
Request and monitor the status of teacher recommendation letters.
Set up and monitor individual college application portals and emails.
Maintain ongoing efforts to “demonstrate interest” in colleges.
Apply to at least two schools where the student is likely to be admitted, as determined by their Consultant.
Expectations for parents
Read all communications from the Consultant.
Attend scheduled “family” meetings with the Consultant.
Monitor their student’s progress on the timesheet.
Commit that all essays will be the student’s work.
Check in regularly with their student to ensure progress on tasks and compliance with high school deadlines.
Help students schedule college visits and tours, both in person and virtually.
Expectations for Consultants
Respond to email and text communications, typically within 24 hours for weekday communications or on Mondays for weekend communications.
Provide regular updates to students and families.
Educate themselves on the latest developments in college admissions and use this information to inform their guidance practices.
At all times, treat the student and family with respect and prioritize their needs.
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Cancellation Policy
Meetings
Clients are expected to provide 24 hours notice for the cancellation of a meeting with a Capstone Consultant, including Essay Specialists. Failure to provide 24 hours notice of cancellation will result in a timesheet entry equivalent to half the time allotted for the meeting. For example, for a 1-hour scheduled meeting, failure to cancel within 24 hours will result in the addition of a 1/2 hour of time to the student’s timesheet. Exceptions to this policy will be granted for cancellations caused by illness or an emergency.
Contract
Either party may terminate the contract at any time but payment for services rendered to that point will be collected.
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Email Policies & Instructions
The first task that Capstone students must complete is to create an email account dedicated to sending and receiving college-related emails. Capstone uses Google Docs, Spreadsheets and Forms to provide many of our services, so we ask you to please create a Gmail account.
Capstone will contact you at this address to send you critical information and stay up to date with you on your application progress. Please get in the habit of checking this email account at least once every day.
The email should include your first and last name and your high school graduation year, like this: firstlast2024@gmail.com
Please enter your new dedicated college email address here:
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Capstone Bulletins & Alerts
Capstone will regularly send you emails with information and instructions in the form of Bulletins and Alerts.
Bulletins are informational emails with insights, news, updates, and things you should be aware of as you navigate the college application and admissions process.
Alerts are time-sensitive, critical emails that keep you updated about deadlines, opportunities, and progress milestones. Every Alert contains a task to complete.
Please read every Bulletin and Alert when they come to you. The information they contain is carefully prepared by Capstone to give you unique insights, information, and reminders beyond what we have time to cover in our regular meetings.
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LinkedIn (Juniors & Seniors Only)
It is a good strategy for our students who are 16 or older to create LinkedIn profiles because it is an important networking tool for professionals and college students. In addition, LinkedIn can create professional résumés from the profile information.
With your permission, the consultant will make recommendations and suggestions regarding the content of their profile, including descriptions of their activities. Agreeing to this provision is recommended but not required.
Consent to LinkedIn use
If you agree, please ask your student to create a LinkedIn account and complete as much of the profile information as possible before the first meeting with their consultant.
Capstone Education Advisers LLC has no affiliation with LinkedIn and takes no responsibility for what happens, directly or indirectly, from your student’s LinkedIn activity.
Disclaimer
It is understood that the Client and their student are responsible for:
Verifying the accuracy of the information submitted in the student’s applications.
Ensuring that all components of each application are submitted by the application deadline.
Educating themselves about the ability to afford college and the financial stability of the college that their student has chosen.
Clients are not permitted to use the intellectual property owned by Capstone Education Advisers LLC for any reason other than to directly support their own student’s college applications while contracted with Capstone Education Advisers LLC.
Client and student are responsible for meeting all application requirements and deadlines established by the colleges. Client and student understand and agree that services provided come with no guarantee that the student will be admitted to any particular university, college or institution.
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Once signed by the Client, this contract is considered signed by both parties.
