Senior Parents: if you hired a private college counselor

[Anonymous]

I would feel insane if I was looking for a college counselor for my 8th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Drake at Summit Solutions
[e-mail]

She’s down-to-earth, practical, easy to work with. Did the college counseling at a fancy STL prep school, now works on her own. Clients on the coasts but lives in rural midwest so not as expensive as DMV-based advisors. Really nice mix of expertise and value.

Can she help with WashU apps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- is it time issue, or is it you don't think you can do it yourself?

I just want to add that I felt like this was something I should do---FOMO... because everyone around me was doing it and talking about their private CC--even my boss and my best friend.

In the end, I decided against it. My husband and I and son--already had our own list. We also had the huge Princeton review guide of the 'best 388 colleges'. We did a lot of research.

He wrote his essay in English class May of Jr year. I did brainstorm topics with him. That essay he revised and re-drafted and got input from me and my husband --until around Sept/Oct . Supplemental essay/?s came easier. He just expanded on his hobbies and things from common app. I advised him to just 'be himself'. Don't think about 'crafting some phony narrative'.

He got into an Ivy, Hopkins, very selective SLAC, all in-state schools and 2 T20 privates. He did better than kids with similar stats/also no hooks who did hire the expensive counselors.

I throw that out there because I think there is the problem with stripping too much of a kid's own identity out of the applications when you use basically a stranger to help package your kid. I think then they all sound alike.

Just my 2 cents. But don't get caught up in the hype.

This is good advice….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Drake at Summit Solutions
[e-mail]

She’s down-to-earth, practical, easy to work with. Did the college counseling at a fancy STL prep school, now works on her own. Clients on the coasts but lives in rural midwest so not as expensive as DMV-based advisors. Really nice mix of expertise and value.

Can she help with WashU apps?

I’m reaching out - will repost here next week.

[Anonymous]

We definitely experienced FOMO. When our DC has a sophomore, we watched admissions from the sidelines and talked to parents of seniors. Many, many people we knew used a counselor and were more than happy to recommend a name. One friend, in particular, had so many acceptances and had a hard time choosing. Another friend was at the other end of the spectrum. The friend with the options used a counselor and so we hired the same company. It's still up in the air if it will have been worth it. Right now, I'm not sure that we would have come up with a list much different that the counselor and my DC. However, it does have more safeties and I think that's why there are so many acceptances.......We'll see. In my DC's friend group, they all have counselors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would feel insane if I was looking for a college counselor for my 8th grader.

It's worth a meeting. Certainly for finances and to have an understanding of course selection, rigor and activities. But, you wouldn't need (or want) to do more than that this early. Certainly wouldn't want to sculpt anything. But, would definitely help with expectations down the road.

--college advisor

[Anonymous]

How did your other kid manage to graduate in 3 years? Took english 11 and 12 in junior year? what about US/Va government? My kid took a lot of APs and will only have English 12 and US/VA government for senior year, wondering if she would be able to take these two in junior year and gradute early, otherwise senior year is a waste of time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did it work out for your kid so far, to date, in ED, or REA/EA? What schools/results?
If non-DMV, can you list state?

If rejected or deferred, has your counselors advice, been helpful, comprehensive and specific as your kid enters the RD process? What types of suggestions have they made and what types of schools did they add to your kid’s list?

If you have to do it all over again, would you hire that firm or company?

Yes, would do it again because they worked w/ my kids on deadlines and saved our relationship because I didn't need to nag them.

One got in ED was happy as a clam (this round).

The other was applying during covid, first round of test optional and got screwed. 36 ACT (because they took it summer between 10th/11th) and because so many got in TO they got into targets (UMD for example) that they didn't really want to go to but we made them apply. Reaches ended up WL and then rejected. They ended up at a safety with lots of merit, graduated in 3 years (lots of APs) and is now using all the money we had saved in their 529 for grad school.

It all worked out, but for that year or so I was beyond furious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Drake at Summit Solutions
[e-mail]

She’s down-to-earth, practical, easy to work with. Did the college counseling at a fancy STL prep school, now works on her own. Clients on the coasts but lives in rural midwest so not as expensive as DMV-based advisors. Really nice mix of expertise and value.

Thx for this. Where did your kid end up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would feel insane if I was looking for a college counselor for my 8th grader. [/quote]


Well, if you were in a tony private in NYC you would be doing exactly that. It is what it is. I wish I had hired one for my DD. I got smart and did for my DS. I waited too long for DD and mistakenly thought I could do it myself. It's just too complicated now

[Anonymous]

Are there any suggestions for an essay tutor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Drake at Summit Solutions
[e-mail]

She’s down-to-earth, practical, easy to work with. Did the college counseling at a fancy STL prep school, now works on her own. Clients on the coasts but lives in rural midwest so not as expensive as DMV-based advisors. Really nice mix of expertise and value.

Thx!

Where did your kid end up committing?

PP - one of the more selective SLACs. (People here seem to like it if they like SLACs lol.) Had a bunch of good options. The process is always a little crazy-making, but a good counselor can be grounding. Just make sure personality is a fit, and that you and DC both like them. Otherwise it’s just introducing yet another variable into the fray. Good luck!

Was she hood with essay feedback? Cohesive narrative?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Drake at Summit Solutions
[e-mail]

She’s down-to-earth, practical, easy to work with. Did the college counseling at a fancy STL prep school, now works on her own. Clients on the coasts but lives in rural midwest so not as expensive as DMV-based advisors. Really nice mix of expertise and value.

Can she help with WashU apps?

You don’t need one for this.

- parent of kid at WashU