Are consultants effective?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they make a good living.

This is more about the parent/child relationship than anything else. If parents have time and have great relationship with child, then probably not worth it.

If parent and child don't work well together and child is not fully self motivated then a consultant can be the best thing for parents and child.

So this is why we hired one. We were clear that we needed project management and we asked how does the consultant help to motivate kids who procrastinate and are not self-motivated. At the time, they gave a reasonable answer. I will say that so far they are not living up to it and we are feeling frustrated. We're meeting with the consultant tomorrow to see what type of course correction can be made before more heavy-lifting is needed for the college apps (our kid is a junior). I do recognize that you have to work with the kid that you've got, but I offer this so other parents can go in with eyes wide open so they can ask appropriate questions and know how much they may still have to be involved.

+1
A CC telling a kid--hey you need years min of a FL for the schools you want, or you need more APs or you should add more targeted ECs will have a much better effect than the parent for many kids (because we as parents know nothing at all when our kids are teens )
In the grand scheme, if you are paying $200K+ for college, why would you not hire help for 2-4 years at only $4-5K total if you can afford it. yes, it's a privilege, but you would get your kid a tutor if they struggled, and take them for mental health therapy if they needed it, so why not help planning for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they make a good living.

This is more about the parent/child relationship than anything else. If parents have time and have great relationship with child, then probably not worth it.

If parent and child don't work well together and child is not fully self motivated then a consultant can be the best thing for parents and child.

So this is why we hired one. We were clear that we needed project management and we asked how does the consultant help to motivate kids who procrastinate and are not self-motivated. At the time, they gave a reasonable answer. I will say that so far they are not living up to it and we are feeling frustrated. We're meeting with the consultant tomorrow to see what type of course correction can be made before more heavy-lifting is needed for the college apps (our kid is a junior). I do recognize that you have to work with the kid that you've got, but I offer this so other parents can go in with eyes wide open so they can ask appropriate questions and know how much they may still have to be involved.

I think the consultant's desire to "correct" your child's course selection could be a red flag that the consultant cares more about their reputation in placing kids into top schools than about your child's interests or mental health.

We were in your position two years ago. We wanted time management and essay help. We selected someone with a lot of experienced supposedly who came with recommendations from other parents. The consultant interviewed well and claimed to understand what colleges were doing given the pandemic.

What we got was someone who cared only about their own "stats" for getting students into top schools. The consultant told our child not to pursue her chosen major and pick something else and to sign up for extracurriculars that didn't interest them so she was more likely to get into a top school. Our child was pushed to take an AP class in an area that they don't like and to cut out a class in an area they love. There was zero concern about our child's interests or wishes or even our child's mental health.

The teen years are hard enough without trying to make a child into something they aren't. As long as they meet graduation requirements, let your child take classes they want to take -- not what some consultant believes will make them look good to colleges. The consultant isn't the one taking those classes or going to that college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not use College Bound (Potomac, MD). Overcharge. Terrible. Destructive really.

Typically, everyone I know who has been happy has picked an individual college counselor---make sure they have at least 10-15+ years experience. Meet with them to ensure they fit with your goals/personalities/etc. Get references and check them out (our references were already friends, so we knew we were good)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently ran across a counseling company who claims the 9% admit rate of DS's major reach school is really more like 50% when you consider that most applicants are qualified, and further claims their clients have a historical 90% admit rate there. Wondering if it's worth the $5000+ to hire them.

No consultation worth less than $100K is worth anything. Save your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently ran across a counseling company who claims the 9% admit rate of DS's major reach school is really more like 50% when you consider that most applicants are qualified, and further claims their clients have a historical 90% admit rate there. Wondering if it's worth the $5000+ to hire them.

No consultation worth less than $100K is worth anything. Save your money.

Oh, please.

[Anonymous]

If it’s a few grand, maybe it’s worth it. Even if it’s just for someone outside to give you an unbiased review of your essays. But some people are spending hundreds of thousands. I saw an article that some parents are spending as much as $750k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous[b wrote:]If it’s a few grand, maybe it’s worth it.[/b] Even if it’s just for someone outside to give you an unbiased review of your essays. But some people are spending hundreds of thousands. I saw an article that some parents are spending as much as $750k.

Ours was only $3K and worth every penny. RichardMontauk.com. He charges by the hour

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they make a good living.

This is more about the parent/child relationship than anything else. If parents have time and have great relationship with child, then probably not worth it.

If parent and child don't work well together and child is not fully self motivated then a consultant can be the best thing for parents and child.

So this is why we hired one. We were clear that we needed project management and we asked how does the consultant help to motivate kids who procrastinate and are not self-motivated. At the time, they gave a reasonable answer. I will say that so far they are not living up to it and we are feeling frustrated. We're meeting with the consultant tomorrow to see what type of course correction can be made before more heavy-lifting is needed for the college apps (our kid is a junior). I do recognize that you have to work with the kid that you've got, but I offer this so other parents can go in with eyes wide open so they can ask appropriate questions and know how much they may still have to be involved.

I think the consultant's desire to "correct" your child's course selection could be a red flag that the consultant cares more about their reputation in placing kids into top schools than about your child's interests or mental health.

We were in your position two years ago. We wanted time management and essay help. We selected someone with a lot of experienced supposedly who came with recommendations from other parents. The consultant interviewed well and claimed to understand what colleges were doing given the pandemic.

What we got was someone who cared only about their own "stats" for getting students into top schools. The consultant told our child not to pursue her chosen major and pick something else and to sign up for extracurriculars that didn't interest them so she was more likely to get into a top school. Our child was pushed to take an AP class in an area that they don't like and to cut out a class in an area they love. There was zero concern about our child's interests or wishes or even our child's mental health.

The teen years are hard enough without trying to make a child into something they aren't. As long as they meet graduation requirements, let your child take classes they want to take -- not what some consultant believes will make them look good to colleges. The consultant isn't the one taking those classes or going to that college.

I would ditch a consultant that "tells my kid to change majors". However, the purpose of a CC is to get help with planning courses. So ours told my kid that 4 years of a FL will help with T20 schools, if that's what your interested in. Also suggested doing more AP Humanities (Eng/USH/ etc). My kid however made the choice that FL was done after 3 years (2 in HS, the MS year is on the transcript) because FL4 was not being offered and the AP FL teacher SUCKS....been there and done that with FL2. So not willing to subject themselves to that especially during covid while doing junior year all online from their bedroom. Same for AP Eng and APUSH. My kid instead chose to take 4 AP courses each year (11/12) but 3 or 4 of them were STEM based (7 STEM and AP Psych). Knowing full well that might affect the T25 admissions--who knows if it did---might have as only got WL or rejected at those, but got into all targets and safeties.
So my kid heard what the CC said, and we still chose to do what was right for our kid. And the CC did NOT continue to harp on it. They just let us know their recommendations of what could impact college admissions. Once we made a choice, we worked within the realm of what my kid wanted to take---hard to argue with a kid who wants to take AP Chem, AP CS A, AP CalcBC and AP Phcysic C. They took rigor, just in what interested them. Ultimately the others could not be used for core curriculum where they ended up so it worked out well.

But if a CC tells you what major to do and doesn't listen to our kid, then I'd fire them and demand a refund for the unused portion. Quite simple---if they dont' want an accurate review online they will give you the $$$ back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently ran across a counseling company who claims the 9% admit rate of DS's major reach school is really more like 50% when you consider that most applicants are qualified, and further claims their clients have a historical 90% admit rate there. Wondering if it's worth the $5000+ to hire them.

No consultation worth less than $100K is worth anything. Save your money.

This is the exact opposite of the truth.

There are no secrets, no (legal) inside tracks, no shortcuts, and no consultant that has those, no matter what they charge.

Hire a consultant like you would an accountant or other professional service. A more expensive accountant can't make your taxes any less than a competent median priced one, and a more expensive college consultant can't get your kid into a college that wouldn't admit him without one. But if it helps your kid get the job done and polish the application to present the best version of themselves, give it a try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not use College Bound (Potomac, MD). Overcharge. Terrible. Destructive really.

Typically, everyone I know who has been happy has picked an individual college counselor---make sure they have at least 10-15+ years experience. Meet with them to ensure they fit with your goals/personalities/etc. Get references and check them out (our references were already friends, so we knew we were good)[/quote

While experience and credentials and recommendations are helpful they don’t guarantee good service.

We hired a highly experienced consultant that was recommended by a friend. They clearly were resting on old information and had no idea what was going on in post/pandemic college admissions nor did they know much about or even respect DC’s choice of majors.

The result was a consultant who tried to mold DC to fit what the consultant thought would get DC into a college the consultant could brag about. They tried to change DC’s choice of major and essays to accomplish that. Very expensive and complete disaster.

Like colleges, with consultants it’s all about fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not use College Bound (Potomac, MD). Overcharge. Terrible. Destructive really.

Typically, everyone I know who has been happy has picked an individual college counselor---make sure they have at least 10-15+ years experience. Meet with them to ensure they fit with your goals/personalities/etc. Get references and check them out (our references were already friends, so we knew we were good)[/quote

While experience and credentials and recommendations are helpful they don’t guarantee good service.

We hired a highly experienced consultant that was recommended by a friend. They clearly were resting on old information and had no idea what was going on in post/pandemic college admissions nor did they know much about or even respect DC’s choice of majors.

The result was a consultant who tried to mold DC to fit what the consultant thought would get DC into a college the consultant could brag about. They tried to change DC’s choice of major and essays to accomplish that. Very expensive and complete disaster.

Like colleges, with consultants it’s all about fit.

Yes definately about fit. That's why you interview them and ask questions about how they run the process. I would run from a Consultant that tried to mold my DC into anything. A good one will work with your child, their interests and your family's concerns/interests. Ask about where kids they've worked with go---it should include a balanced list of schools in your area as well as around the country, it should not be all top tiered schools (nobody can ensure that will happen), they should have English majors, CS, engineering, etc. a wide variety of students. A good one works with what they are given (IE your DC) and helps your DC find the best fit for them (including all aspects---major, size, location, price, ranking, etc. ). I know I can do about 80-85% of what a CC does---however they have been doing it for years, and a good one will keep up with the trends and what's expected. They know which schools were TO/moving that way pre-covid and which ones are still that way, etc. They build their database of knowledge from previous clients and their success and happiness at the schools they choose to attend. Ours was a great fit and provided a lot of useful information so I did not have to do all the research myself. And she added several schools to the list that I was not aware of initially and ultimately those were 4 of our top 5 acceptances. So well worth every penny/.
But interview and ask for references if needed. If your kid does not like them, keep searching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not use College Bound (Potomac, MD). Overcharge. Terrible. Destructive really.

Can you please explain why you called CB destructive??

[Anonymous]

Are they going to show you all the details for all of their clients, including decisions?

No.

So how will you ever know they're telling you the truth about their 90% success rate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not use College Bound (Potomac, MD). Overcharge. Terrible. Destructive really.

Can you please explain why you called CB destructive??

More concerned with stats and # of APs. Previous poster who discussed someone who did this is correct. Didn’t zero in on what my particular child needed for mental health and her likes/ dislikes. Really didn’t help with choosing a college. Just sent out scattered mass emails on what to do. I had to do everythin and the person from CB remained uninvolved. Certainly no consulting with child. Did not alleviate stress of the process. Added to it.

[Anonymous]

Per the above- counselor gave a list and that was nice but didn’t help pinpoint when decision time came. Collected $ and remained uninvolved.