Selecting a college is one of those forks in the road where a right or left turn could change the course of one's life.

Many high school students and their parents choose to navigate through the college admissions process themselves, maneuvering quite well through the complexities of applications, financial aid and deadlines. But since the college admissions process is becoming more competitive, a new type of consulting business has emerged. Some busy parents are turning to independent educational consultants, who act as a compass for families, helping them identify, gain admission to and then pay for college.

Having any type of help even sound advice from high school guidance counselors can make the admissions process less time-consuming and stressful for families. Many high schools require that the parents of rising juniors planning to attend college come to a conference with a guidance counselor, who can offer a great deal of information and advice about the entire college process.

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Independent educational consultants are becoming more common, especially in larger urban areas. Services vary depending on the consultant, but most help families develop a list a potential colleges, and then the consultants guide them through the application and interview process. Some also assist with career planning or applying for financial aid.

There are several reasons why families are turning to such consultants. First, many parents are just too busy to navigate the college admissions process on their own while others hire a consultant to reduce the anxiety. Still others are hoping the expertise offered by a consultant will give their student an edge over the competition.

"It's not that people can't figure out how to apply for college or financial aid all the information and tools are out there but does the family feel more comfortable and have less stress by having someone take over that important process for them," asked Thomas Leahy, founder of Campus Financial, a Richmond-based firm that specializes in college planning.

"The cost of education is continuing to rise, competition is steadily increasing, our students are better test-takers and they get higher scores, and they're more involved in extracurricular activities and community service," noted Leahy. Because online applications are so much easier to complete, schools are inundated. "It becomes more important to stand out from the crowd," said Leahy.

The best time to talk to a consultant is at the beginning of a student's junior year. Leahy's company, Campus Financial, offers both college planning and financial aid assistance. Fees range from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on which services a family chooses.

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College Connections, a consulting firm, was founded in 2000 by Christel Milak-Parker, who had operated a college and career center at Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield. She helps families narrow their choice of colleges and then oversees the application and interview process. "I try to create a package that promotes the student's strengths," she explained.

She does not offer financial planning but often partners with Bonnie Miller, a licensed professional counselor from The BrownMiller Group, to offer career counseling.

"I offer an assessment process by which we look at interest patterns and personality preferences and how they relate to possible careers, and then we loop that back to how possible careers might link to possible majors," explained Miller. "It helps them narrow down what schools to apply to because they may be looking for fairly specific majors, and it also helps them once they get to school to decide what classes to take in order to test out their interests."

There's also a third partner who offers SAT preparation. The entire three-part college counseling package costs around $2,100, but any of the services can be purchased a la carte.

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While parents seem fairly supportive of using these types of consultants so far, the verdict is still out at most colleges.

"You're going to find differing opinions," said Anita Garland, dean of admissions at Hampden-Sydney College. "I think they can be useful. If people don't have the time to do it themselves, these outside services might be helpful to them."

But other college admissions personnel are not as encouraging. "I've read that sometimes universities frown upon these outside aids, thinking that the child is not doing the work themselves. I've read stories that say universities throw applications out if they suspect it," said parent Marilyn Nicol.

But, that didn't keep Nicol from hiring Campus Financial to help her daughter, Casey, with the college admissions process. Casey is now in her second year at the University of Virginia.

"I needed someone else's opinion on how to tackle the job, and I also wanted to be friends with my daughter when it was all over," said Nicol. "I'd recommend using a service like that for any parent who feels lost or doesn't have enough time."

Garland sends out a warning to parents, however. Since college planning consulting is an emerging industry, it's also largely unregulated. There are some unscrupulous firms who promise entry into a particular college or guarantee a certain amount of financial aid. "Let the buyer beware," cautioned Garland. "People need to be wary of the promises and the prices they're asking."