Question for Parents of Students Admitted to Top 25 Colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed that my DD (Ivy admit) and her classmates who were admitted to top schools did not need, or use, private counselors/coaches. Obviously, these kids don't need the help, but it also makes me wonder if the schools sense who is using private counselors and holding it against those applicants.

I think some of the counselors are just bad. And a kid relies on them.

Without a counselor, kid and parents are researching wording in EC lists; CEG essay frameworks etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm amused that no one on this thread has used a counselor and all their unhooked kids are at Ivies. OK. Well I'll go ahead and be the first to admit we used one. Independent, former Ivy AO. Having her set timelines was great, she seemed super knowledgeable about institutional prios at various schools, and she was very helpful with supplemental essays and common app activities. I did not love her feedback on the main essay, some of which we ignored. Anyway, DC got into a T15 ED so we didn't really get full results, and have no way of knowing whether he undershot - I didn't think DC had a real chance at any Ivy besides Cornell but admittedly, we'll never know. All in all would I say it was worth the cost ($8k)? Not quite but it was worth something,

You have not read the full thread, clearly.

[Anonymous]

You don’t need a consultant. You need a pre plan prior to highschool to align interests and academics for a full story. If you have a child with unique qualities, capitalize on that.

[Anonymous]

We did not use an outside counselor. The college guidance group at our kid’s independent school is quite strong.

[Anonymous]

Yes to test prep, no to counselor. DS was helped by his high school cc and I proofread essays. For subsequent kids we’ll still do test prep, but I’ll hire an essay coach as I don’t want to do that again. DS1 goes to a T20, but younger siblings likely won’t aim quite that high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this question has probably been asked many times before, but I wanted to reach out specifically to parents whose kids were admitted to a top 25 schools, either in the most recent admissions cycle or in the past few years.

Which college consultant (if any) did you use, and how was your experience?

Please, no snark , just hoping for genuine, firsthand recommendations or feedback from those who have real information to share.

Thanks in advance!

It's like being on Ozempic. Everyone lies about it and says they are not on it, but lost weight through disciplined diet and exercise. On this forum, no one uses a Consultant, but we know they all actually do. You do not spend all day on this forum and not fork over $$ for every resource you hear will give your student an edge in admissions. We used InGenious prep and they were helped a lot when you have a student that does not know where to start and did not have a bunch of extracurriculars to talk about. Our student is starting at UVA this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed that my DD (Ivy admit) and her classmates who were admitted to top schools did not need, or use, private counselors/coaches. Obviously, these kids don't need the help, but it also makes me wonder if the schools sense who is using private counselors and holding it against those applicants.

Agree. No private counselor or class tutoring or any of that bs for us or any of the true top kids. Both parents work full time, all we did is take days off to make time for tours on the days the kids needed to take them based on their school and AP schedule. Both have extraordinary organizational skills and managed the deadlines, interviews, demonstrated interest for the likely schools, all that. Their school also helps as they edit essays in english class after the AP Lit or language exam in 11th: a similar model is used by most public and private schools in our area. The magnet and the privates each have at least one former T25 AO working in college advising.
Both at different ivies, unhooked. Both have very high GPAs and are invigorated by the ambitious culture at each. They have however met students at each who mention loads of tutoring in high school and/or cheating in high school, and cannot keep up with ivy rigor. It is the minority for sure but that group is present at ivies. It does not go well for them because they realize they are actual imposters among a group of majority more qualified individuals. There are some hooked kids from their high school who got into different elite/ivy and struggled academically and/or mental health in recent years. TO and all the hooks will be looked back upon as a large mistake in admissions. Ivy professors openly mention TO as a negative.

[Anonymous]

This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I noticed that my DD (Ivy admit) and her classmates who were admitted to top schools did not need, or use, private counselors/coaches. Obviously, these kids don't need the help, but it also makes me wonder if the schools sense who is using private counselors and holding it against those applicants.

Agree. No private counselor or class tutoring or any of that bs for us or any of the true top kids. Both parents work full time, all we did is take days off to make time for tours on the days the kids needed to take them based on their school and AP schedule. Both have extraordinary organizational skills and managed the deadlines, interviews, demonstrated interest for the likely schools, all that. Their school also helps as they edit essays in english class after the AP Lit or language exam in 11th: a similar model is used by most public and private schools in our area. The magnet and the privates each have at least one former T25 AO working in college advising.
Both at different ivies, unhooked. Both have very high GPAs and are invigorated by the ambitious culture at each. They have however met students at each who mention loads of tutoring in high school and/or cheating in high school, and cannot keep up with ivy rigor. It is the minority for sure but that group is present at ivies. It does not go well for them because they realize they are actual imposters among a group of majority more qualified individuals. There are some hooked kids from their high school who got into different elite/ivy and struggled academically and/or mental health in recent years. TO and all the hooks will be looked back upon as a large mistake in admissions. Ivy professors openly mention TO as a negative.

I find it so fascinating how parents feel they must continue to be superior once their kids are in to a top school. Likely you dont know everyone’s story or who is struggling and why and if so … even creepier

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who on earth refers to other human beings as "dumb dumbs" because they aren't attorneys or bankers? This kind of DCUM person is so bizarre. You realize you are repugnant and embarrassing yourself, right? Or has that become an asset in MAGA world? Lots of Marjorie Taylor Greene energy on these boards.

These are the same posters who seem outraged that a black, brown, or international kid "took" their kid's spot at a selective school. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and I'm sure admissions picks up on the entitled cruelty of apps from these sorts of families and rightly doesn't want that energy on their campus.

Get back to reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

Californians are gullible enough to keep electing idiots like Newsom & Kamala, so not surprising that they fall for the college consultant scam too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

Right? How much cool-aid they were drinking.

Some comments are comical. Like this one, they speculate "if the schools sense who is using private counselors and holding it against those applicants". Hell no, every kid in our school has one, and we have > 25% in at an ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

Californians are gullible enough to keep electing idiots like Newsom & Kamala, so not surprising that they fall for the college consultant scam too.

maga idiots, go back to your hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

Californians are gullible enough to keep electing idiots like Newsom & Kamala, so not surprising that they fall for the college consultant scam too.

PP here. Not in California, but nice try making a generalization about ~40 million people. They are all the same I'm sure. /sarcasm.

If you don't feel that a college counselor will be helpful to you, great, save your money. I'm just providing a counterpoint to this thread and pointing out that at least 80%, if not more, of the families I see in my community are using college counselors. Several are local, but I personally know of families who are using counselors based in San Diego, Connecticut, Nashville and Virginia.

In our suburb, we have heard all of the horror stories about peoples' kids not getting in anywhere (I know at least one kid who took a gap year and reapplied) or getting waitlisted at all of their targets and safeties, etc. Most people who get into T25 schools in our area used college counselors and were happy to fork over the money.

Just because you pay money for services does not mean that it's "scammy."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been wild to read. I am not in DC, but my kid attends a public high school in an affluent suburb on the west coast. Everyone I know has a college counselor. Yes, everyone. It's like orthodontics; yes, occasionally someone does not need it, but I think 80-90% of parents and kids could use some help and there's zero shame around using a college counselor. That said, it's a huge industry and there are many affordable options (unlike orthos).

Right? How much cool-aid they were drinking.

Some comments are comical. Like this one, they speculate "if the schools sense who is using private counselors and holding it against those applicants". Hell no, every kid in our school has one, and we have > 25% in at an ivy.

Same.
Midwest private.
Most people though really just use essay people.

$2500 for every 650-700 words.