College Coach Chosen by BNP Paribas to Provide College Counseling Services for Employees

WATERTOWN, Mass., May 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- College Coach®, a work/life solution offered by Bright Horizons Family Solutions®, announced that it has been selected by BNP Paribas to provide college counseling as a benefit to the company's 3,400 employees based in the U.S.  The service will also be available to BNP Paribas employees outside of the U.S. who are seeking admission to U.S.-based colleges and universities.

College Coach will provide BNP Paribas employees guidance during what can be some of the most challenging and stressful periods in parents' lives: preparing for, applying to, saving for and paying for college.  BNP Paribas employees with children from infants to the college years will have access to College Coach's expert advice on everything from starting a college savings plan, to building homework and study skills, to navigating the college admissions process, to financing higher education.  Employees at BNP Paribas will be able to participate in group seminars, visit the College Coach Virtual Learning Center, and obtain one-on-one individualized counseling provided by College Coach's team of former college admissions officers.

Elia Mendiola, Director, U.S. Benefits of BNP Paribas, said, "We were seeking to expand our benefits package to include a larger section of our employees and to reach employees with children of all ages.  We chose College Coach because its benefit covers a broad spectrum of families with financial planning advice for parents of newborn children, study tips for middle school students and college admissions advice for high schoolers."

The college admissions process has become increasingly more difficult and expensive in recent years, impacting the well-being of employees with children.  In 2012, many colleges had a record number of applicants, prompting some of the most selective colleges to accept less than 10 percent of all who applied.  College costs continue to rise, and financing options are more complex.  Many families rely on high school guidance counselors, who have become more and more stretched for time and attention.  The average U.S. high school guidance counselor works with 450 students annually on a wide range of issues, not exclusively college admissions. 

Patrick Donovan, General Manager of College Coach, said, "The cost and complexity of the college process make it very stressful for today's parents and students.  Employers like BNP Paribas recognize this stress and are proactively addressing it by offering a compelling benefit to their workforce.  College Coach delivers expert guidance and content through a variety of methods to most efficiently and effectively give employees the help they need.  Our clients have found it to be a powerful recruiting and retention tool that also helps the employee's productivity and well-being."

College Coach® (www.getintocollege.com) is the nation's leading provider of educational counseling, working with families both independently and through employers to help students achieve their educational aspirations.  Founded in 1998, it became part of the Bright Horizons® suite of work/life solutions in 2006.  Today, more than 75 organizations offer College Coach to their employees as a way to retain talent, enhance productivity, and improve employee well-being during a stressful and time-consuming endeavor -- the ongoing education of their children.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions® (www.brighthorizons.com) is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education, and work/life solutions.  Bright Horizons® serves more than 900 clients across the U.S., Europe, Canada, and India with programs including child care and early education, back-up care, elder care, college counseling, and work/life consulting.  Bright Horizons was named for the 13th time as one of FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work for in America."

SOURCE Bright Horizons Family Solutions