Top Questions Students Actually Ask in Their First Meeting (and the Ones We Wish They Would)
You know that moment when a new student walks into your office — wide-eyed, hopeful, maybe a little nervous — and you’re bracing yourself for anything from “Can you change my timetable?” to “So… how do I get into Oxford?”
First meetings are magic. They set the tone for the whole counselor–student relationship. They can also be wildly unpredictable. Some students come in with a neatly typed list of 15 numbered questions. Others just plop down, sigh dramatically, and say, “So, um… what now?”
Over the years, I’ve had Harsha ask if he could “just apply to 25 universities to be safe,” Anika wonder aloud if she could skip personal statements altogether “because AI will do it,” and Tasneem — bless her — spend the entire first meeting explaining her cat’s Instagram account (which, to be fair, had more followers than my professional LinkedIn).
If you’re a counselor, you know the fun is in steering that beautiful chaos toward something productive. Here are my favorite first meeting questions to encourage — plus a few gems you’ll inevitably get whether you ask for them or not.
1. “What’s the timeline for all this?”
Music to my ears. When Harsha asked this in our first chat, I almost did a happy dance right there in my chair. A student who wants to talk deadlines early in the year? Yes, please. I pull out the Big Visual Timeline (you know the one — colour-coded, slightly coffee-stained) and walk them through when to finalise their shortlists, when to register for tests, when essays and references need to be ready, and how application dates vary across countries.
2. “How do I figure out which universities are right for me?”
Anika once started here, and it turned into a full-on personality test session, a discussion about her dream climate (“Anywhere without snow”), and a surprising obsession with campuses that have ducks. The first meeting is perfect for planting the “fit” conversation — location, size, course structure, culture — and reminding them it’s about their vibe, not just rankings.
3. “What can I do this year to make my application stronger?”
This one’s gold. Whether it’s a Year 9 student like Tasneem wondering if she should join debate club or a final-year student considering a leadership role in sports, it’s a great launchpad to talk about consistent engagement and depth over frantic last-minute résumé padding.
4. “What’s the real deal with admissions tests?”
Ah, the great test question — aka “Do I really have to do this?” Depending on where they’re applying, this could mean the UCAT, LNAT, IELTS/TOEFL, SAT, ACT, BMAT, or something no one can pronounce on the first try. The first meeting is prime time to bust myths, explain which tests matter where, and reassure them that these scores are just one part of the bigger picture.
5. “How does financial aid or scholarships work?”
Yes, it’s early. Yes, it’s worth introducing now. I’ve had students in tears in March because they didn’t know about certain scholarship deadlines that were months earlier than the course application. Plant the seed: explain the types of scholarships (merit, need-based, sports, country-specific), the difference between automatic consideration and separate applications, and the magic of starting those conversations at home now.
6. “What do you wish students would tell you early on?”
If you want to see me beam like I’ve just been handed a lifetime supply of coffee, ask me this. It opens the door for honesty — about academic struggles, family moves, health issues, or passions that might not fit neatly into a university’s drop-down menu.
7. “What do I need to avoid doing?”
Because yes, sometimes it’s easier to learn from the cautionary tales. I share the story about the student who used an email account with an embarrassing name (“doughnutlover99”) on all their applications or the one who waited until the week before deadlines to ask teachers for references.
8. The “bonus” questions you’ll hear no matter what:
“Can you just tell me the top five easiest universities to get into?”
“What if I want to study two completely opposite things?”
“Do you know if the canteen’s getting better snacks next term?”
Why These First Meetings Matter
First meetings are about building trust, setting expectations, and (let’s be honest)decoding the subtext behind every question. Whether you get Harsha’s colour-coded list, Anika’s dreamy “what ifs,” or Tasneem’s cat influencer pitch, our job is to guide them toward clarity while making them feel like they’ve just met their academic fairy godparent.
Here’s to listening deeply, laughing often, and remembering: they don’t always know the right questions to ask… but they’re looking to us to teach them how.
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