Twenty years ago, I sat across from my first client family in South Carolina and tried to explain why the college planning process did not have to be as stressful as everyone assumed.

That family’s son is in his mid-thirties now. He went to Clemson, graduated on time, landed a job in engineering within three months of graduation, and has never once told me he wished he had gone somewhere more prestigious. He tells me he is glad someone helped his parents stop chasing rankings and start thinking about fit.

That conversation — and hundreds like it since — is the foundation of everything we do at College Planning Centers.

This spring marks 20 years since I started this work. I want to share what those years have taught me, not because the lessons are complicated, but because families keep needing to hear them.

How College Admissions Has Changed

When I started in 2006, the college admissions landscape was already competitive. But compared to today, it was a different world.

Application volume has exploded.

The Common Application has made it easy for students to apply to 15 or 20 schools instead of 5 or 6. This is great for access, but it has driven acceptance rates down at selective schools — not because the schools got better, but because they got more applications. A school that accepted 35 percent of applicants in 2006 might accept 15 percent today, even though the academic quality of admitted students has barely changed.

This creates panic among parents. I spend a significant part of my time helping families in Myrtle Beach and Mount Pleasant understand that lower acceptance rates do not mean their student’s chances are worse. It means the strategy needs to be smarter.

Test-optional changed the game (and then it got complicated).

The COVID-era shift to test-optional admissions was one of the biggest changes I have witnessed. Many schools adopted test-optional policies out of necessity in 2020, and a significant number have maintained them. But the landscape is mixed:

• Some highly selective schools have returned to requiring test scores
• Many schools remain test-optional but still consider scores when submitted
• A few schools have gone fully test-blind

My advice has stayed consistent: if your student can score well on the SAT or ACT, submit the scores. A strong test score is still an advantage at the vast majority of schools. We offer guidance on standardized test preparation because preparation still matters.

Financial aid got more complex — and more important.

The cost of college has increased far faster than family incomes. When I started, a year at a South Carolina public university ran around $8,000 in tuition. Today it is $12,000 to $16,000, and private colleges routinely charge $55,000 or more.

The result is that financial planning is no longer a secondary consideration in college selection. It is central. I have watched the financial aid conversation go from “we will figure it out” to “this is the first thing we need to address.” That shift is healthy.

What Has Not Changed

For all the changes in college admissions, some truths have remained constant across every one of the 20 years I have been doing this work.

Fit still matters more than prestige.

I have written about this extensively, and I will keep writing about it because it is the single most important principle in college planning. The students who succeed — academically, socially, professionally — are the ones who attend schools that match their needs. Not the ones who attend the school with the best ranking.

Starting early still produces the best outcomes.

Families who begin working with us in 9th or 10th grade have more options, less stress, and better financial outcomes than families who come to us in the spring of junior year. The early start allows us to:

• Build a strong four-year course plan
• Identify and pursue meaningful extracurricular activities
• Plan for standardized testing at the right time
• Research schools thoroughly instead of rushing
• Position the family for maximum financial aid

Parents need to be involved, but not in control.

This is the most delicate conversation I have. Parents are footing the bill — they have every right to set financial boundaries and express preferences. But the student is the one who will live on that campus for four years. When parents make the final decision over their student’s objections, the outcomes are consistently worse.

My role is often to be the neutral party who helps the family find alignment between what the parents want, what the student wants, and what the finances allow.

The essay still matters.

In a world of inflated GPAs and optional test scores, the college application essay is more important than ever. It is the one place where your student’s voice, personality, and perspective come through. I have seen essays about seemingly mundane topics — working at a Pawleys Island ice cream shop, coaching younger siblings in Socastee Little League, volunteering at a Georgetown County food bank — connect more powerfully than essays about exotic travel or impressive achievements.

Authenticity wins. Every time.

The Hardest Lessons

You cannot save every family from themselves.

Some families come to me with their minds already made up. They want their student at a specific school, regardless of fit, regardless of cost, regardless of what the data says. I give them my honest assessment, and sometimes they listen and sometimes they do not.

The hardest calls I get are from those families, two years later, when their student is transferring or dropping out. I do not say “I told you so.” I help them figure out the next step. But I wish they had listened.

The system is not fair.

Students from wealthier families have advantages — better-resourced high schools, access to test prep, ability to visit campuses, connections that open doors. I have worked with students from Title I schools in Horry County who were every bit as talented as students from elite private schools, but who had a fraction of the support.

This is one of the reasons I do this work. Every family deserves guidance, not just the ones who can afford a $10,000 private admissions consultant.

Saying “I don’t know” is a strength.

Early in my career, I felt pressure to have an answer for everything. Twenty years later, I know that the most valuable thing I can say is “I am not sure, but I will find out.” Admissions policies change. Schools evolve. New programs emerge. No one person can know everything, and pretending otherwise does families a disservice.

What the Next 20 Years Look Like

The admissions landscape will keep changing. AI will affect how applications are evaluated. Demographics will shift — the number of high school graduates is projected to decline in many states, which will create new opportunities for students. The cost question will intensify.

But the core of this work will stay the same: helping families make one of the most important decisions of their lives with clarity, data, and confidence instead of fear, guesswork, and hype.

That is what College Planning Centers was built to do. And after 20 years, I am more committed to it than ever.

Work with Christopher Parsons

If you are a South Carolina family beginning the college planning process — or in the middle of it and feeling overwhelmed — I would welcome the chance to help. We serve families from our offices in Murrells Inlet and Mount Pleasant, and we work with students throughout the Charleston metro, the Grand Strand, and across the state.

Schedule a free consultation to get started. You can learn more about our approach on our services page, read what other families have to say on our testimonials page, or pick up a copy of our guide in the bookshop.

Twenty years of experience is only valuable if it is put to work for the families who need it.

Christopher Parsons is the founder of College Planning Centers, with offices in Murrells Inlet and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He is a member of IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) and has helped hundreds of families navigate the college admissions process.