Question 1

What’s life coaching?

Accepted Answer

In life coaching, coaches help clients examine their current lives as a whole; identify desired outcomes or goals; and design concrete actions and solutions to pursue these goals. Life coaching is an incredibly empowering experience that stems from positivity. Coaches don’t tell their clients what to do or think—the dynamic is not “doctor-patient” or “lecturer-student”. Rather, coaches act as guides who help clients make their own decisions.

Question 2

How do coaching sessions work?

Accepted Answer

You and your coach will participate in regular sessions in the form of phone calls or video chat (we're big fans of Zoom). Each hour long session is simply a conversation. The only difference between your conversation with your coach versus with a friend is that your conversation with your coach will be directed towards a goal that you design at the beginning of a session.

For example, if prior to your coaching appointment you experience some tension with a friend or family member that you cannot stop thinking about, bring it up, and you and your coach can work on it! Your coach will listen to what you have to say and be genuinely interested. He or she will then ask you questions and guide you along an organic conversation that explores what you are going through. At the end of the session, you and your coach will jointly design “action steps” to address the issue. You can then try it on for size for the rest of the week and see if your objectives come to pass.

If the focus of the session is on a concrete skill, such as resume writing, then you and your coach will be both on the phone and working together in Google Docs.

Question 3

What happens in between coaching sessions?

Accepted Answer

It depends on which program you're enrolled in! If you're in high school, you could be working on your college applications essays. If you're in college or are a recent graduate, you could be working on a new draft of your resume, or searching for an internship or full-time job.

The best part of our programs is that there will be new developments week to week. You will be using the skills delivered to you in our programs and implementing those skills in the “real world", all the while receiving constant encouragement and feedback from your coach via email or text.

Question 4

How much do your programs cost?

Accepted Answer

Most of our coaching sessions at charged at a rate of $200 an hour. For some types of coaching, such as college and graduate admissions, the rate may be higher to account for more time a coach spends on supporting students in between sessions and editing materials.

Question 5

Can sessions be a la carte?

Accepted Answer

Yes, sessions can be a la carte! All of our programs were designed with the needs of a particular stage of life in mind; you'll reap the most benefits if you treat the programs as a whole. But we try to be as accommodating as possible! If you are a teen who is just in need of college applications help, or a recent graduate who needs to prepare for one upcoming interview, we're still happy to help.

Question 6

Do you only work with high school and college students?

Accepted Answer

No! Although we specialize in working with young people, we are able to coach people of all ages. Our services have been equally successful for middle school students and people in their late 50s seeking a career change, or preparing for retirement.

"Working with Elan Advising was one of the best decisions of my undergraduate career." - Wen

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