The American Educational Guidance Center is offering free college admissions counseling, until August 15th, to the first 300 students who request it. There is just one catch. Students must agree to perform two hours of community service (in any setting they choose).

"About a week ago, after blogging about an independent college admissions counselor who charges up to $6,500 the idea came to us," said AEGC spokesperson Mary Rosenfield.  "We spend so much time on our websites and our blog that we can't offer comprehensive counseling to 300 students, but we can provide them with a list of colleges to explore which may be a good match for them based on their academic achievements, goals, and preferences.  And, after we assist them, they'll spend two hours helping someone else and experiencing community service."

The American Educational Guidance Center has created and maintains several websites offering free information on post-secondary education, including College Scholarships, Colleges, and Online Degrees http://www.college-scholarships.com and Online Degrees and Scholarships http://www.online-degrees-and-scholarships.com.

Students who wish to take advantage of their free college counseling offer need only complete and submit by email a brief questionnaire.

To request the questionnaire, students may email freecollegecounseling@gmail.com.

"If other educators with appropriate experience are willing to help us, perhaps we can expand our offer of free counseling to even more students," Rosenfield said. "That would be really great."

Rosenfield emphasized that the limited counseling her organization is offering is not a substitute for the 'beginning to end' college counseling offered by independent and school-based counselors. "It's a supplement, not a substitute", she added.