Does one year as an admissions counselor at a particular college make you an expert for admissions at that school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

Ok, but note to all the people stomping their heels about merit on other threads…

Umm. Who cares? I dont even read those threads. lol.

Do what’s best for your family. Don’t engage with the weirdos here and just use this place for the information you need and learn to walk away.

There’s some old ladies who spend their whole days on here. I just don’t engage. I really don’t care what anyone thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

Ok, but note to all the people stomping their heels about merit on other threads…

Umm. Who cares? I dont even read those threads. lol.

Do what’s best for your family. Don’t engage with the weirdos here and just use this place for the information you need and learn to walk away.

There’s some old ladies who spend their whole days on here. I just don’t engage. I really don’t care what anyone thinks.

Look in the mirror. You are the weirdo if you’re paying multiple people to make your kid look way more impressive than they apparently are.

[Anonymous]

All the consultants do is to ease the parents’ anxiety. None of them have the magic to make your DD a stronger applicant.

If you understand that, go ahead and let your husband hire whoever he wants. All of these is done for the mental health of the parents, nothing else. It will not make any difference in your daughter’s college admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the consultants do is to ease the parents’ anxiety. None of them have the magic to make your DD a stronger applicant.

If you understand that, go ahead and let your husband hire whoever he wants. All of these is done for the mental health of the parents, nothing else. It will not make any difference in your daughter’s college admission.

I think it depends on the type of schools you’re applying to.

If for example, the former admissions officer is from a school like Penn or Northwestern, and they know there are a few things to highlight or focus on differently in those supplementals and the way the activities are described then sure maybe that will help (obv assuming an already competitive applicant).

Maybe they’ll tell you to highlight something different in the additional information section? or prepare to do something differently in the event of an ED deferral? Yes, then maybe it’s helpful.

Do you want to tell us the school? Or create a new post?

I’ve been through this process twice now, most recently this last cycle, and only in the last year realized that certain selective schools really are looking for certain personal traits or attributes in the application. Some kids get lucky or really are a good fit or match for the school because they unknowingly highlighted those traits in their app.

[Anonymous]

What school? If MIT (which one one seems to be able to crack), maybe?

This was helpful:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MITAdmissions/s/es5n3DyHOb

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

DP. We used none. My kid got in RD unhooked to two Ivies, Hopkins, and several T20s.

I have seen them be a disadvantage. The kids not getting into any reaches/targets. Personally, I think they take the life and “realness” out of the kids. They all sound alike and manufactured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

DP. We used none. My kid got in RD unhooked to two Ivies, Hopkins, and several T20s.

I have seen them be a disadvantage. The kids not getting into any reaches/targets. Personally, I think they take the life and “realness” out of the kids. They all sound alike and manufactured.

You can go either way. But it really is dependent on the kids profile. Your kid likely didn’t need it because they were the very tippy top of the class. I’m guessing? Undersubscribed major maybe?

We used several consultants or coaches for different things last cycle. But our kid was test optional and not even at the very top of the class (private 3.84uw). Had outstanding T20 RD outcomes and I generally think it’s because of the extra set of eyes and how tailored each application was to what each selective school was looking for.

There’s absolutely no one-size-fits-all formula here. If it doesn’t feel right for you or your kid, absolutely do not do it. If it does feel right, sure do it, but read through and review everything to make sure your kid is still shining through. He was the parent actually Have a good sense and feel for who your kid is. The fact that you’re even on here asking these questions shows how involved & tuned in to the admissions process you already are.

GL. No wrong decision or answer here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

DP. We used none. My kid got in RD unhooked to two Ivies, Hopkins, and several T20s.

I have seen them be a disadvantage. The kids not getting into any reaches/targets. Personally, I think they take the life and “realness” out of the kids. They all sound alike and manufactured.

You can go either way. But it really is dependent on the kids profile. Your kid likely didn’t need it because they were the very tippy top of the class. I’m guessing? Undersubscribed major maybe?

We used several consultants or coaches for different things last cycle. But our kid was test optional and not even at the very top of the class (private 3.84uw). Had outstanding T20 RD outcomes and I generally think it’s because of the extra set of eyes and how tailored each application was to what each selective school was looking for.

There’s absolutely no one-size-fits-all formula here. If it doesn’t feel right for you or your kid, absolutely do not do it. If it does feel right, sure do it, but read through and review everything to make sure your kid is still shining through. He was the parent actually Have a good sense and feel for who your kid is. The fact that you’re even on here asking these questions shows how involved & tuned in to the admissions process you already are.

GL. No wrong decision or answer here.

DP. Was your kid an active participant in this process, or was he just off at sports practice while a bunch of adults put his package together?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

NP. So why the heck would you need not one, but two paid consultants?

Np:
We paid multiple ppl too. Better safe than sorry imo.

Is it a lot of $$$$?

DP. We used none. My kid got in RD unhooked to two Ivies, Hopkins, and several T20s.

I have seen them be a disadvantage. The kids not getting into any reaches/targets. Personally, I think they take the life and “realness” out of the kids. They all sound alike and manufactured.

You can go either way. But it really is dependent on the kids profile. Your kid likely didn’t need it because they were the very tippy top of the class. I’m guessing? Undersubscribed major maybe?

We used several consultants or coaches for different things last cycle. But our kid was test optional and not even at the very top of the class (private 3.84uw). Had outstanding T20 RD outcomes and I generally think it’s because of the extra set of eyes and how tailored each application was to what each selective school was looking for.

There’s absolutely no one-size-fits-all formula here. If it doesn’t feel right for you or your kid, absolutely do not do it. If it does feel right, sure do it, but read through and review everything to make sure your kid is still shining through. He was the parent actually Have a good sense and feel for who your kid is. The fact that you’re even on here asking these questions shows how involved & tuned in to the admissions process you already are.

GL. No wrong decision or answer here.

That’s not how OP described the kid. They described kid as having the grades/scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you trust the judgement of the "full time consultant" hiring someone else is bananas. Too many cooks in the kitchen.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

How does this alleviate pressure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband wants to engage a college consultant specifically for college specific essay and application review for my daughter. We are already have engaged a consultant full time, but DH really wants this guy to look over her common app essay and supplementals for this specific top college, which is my daughter's dream school.

I agreed to meet with him this week, but after looking at his LinkedIn, it appears he was indeed admissions counselor at this particular college -- in 2014 for only one year!! I don't think this in any way qualifies him to be an expert for this school considering he has so little experience. Most recently he worked as a HS college counselor at a couple of private prep schools on the west coast before he started his company a few years ago.

I am hesitant to write checks for this person's guidance considering his lack of recent knowledge/experience at said college, especially considering that we are getting guidance already from a very good consultant.

Just venting here as I am going to have to confront DH with my concerns later today.

I think I know who you're referencing and it was 9 months in 2012.

He has a huge following on social media and his message has change a little over time, but it's still really weird that he references his first job like it's relevant at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for your kid. So much pressure.

Thanks for your concern. She is fine.

Uh huh. She has a father who wants to hire not one, but two consultants. And she's so focused on a "dream" school that it's being considered. But ok, she's not feeling any pressure.

LOL I really do appreciate your concern. She isn't feeling that much pressure because she has really good test scores and grades AND she has targets and safeties she loves.

How does this alleviate pressure?

Loving your safeties and targets alleviates pressure because you can't lose. And having the good grades/scores is half the battle for admissions to these schools.

Not having the grades/scores and/or not liking any of your other school choices is definitely a stressful situation, and thankfully DD is not in that place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband wants to engage a college consultant specifically for college specific essay and application review for my daughter. We are already have engaged a consultant full time, but DH really wants this guy to look over her common app essay and supplementals for this specific top college, which is my daughter's dream school.

I agreed to meet with him this week, but after looking at his LinkedIn, it appears he was indeed admissions counselor at this particular college -- in 2014 for only one year!! I don't think this in any way qualifies him to be an expert for this school considering he has so little experience. Most recently he worked as a HS college counselor at a couple of private prep schools on the west coast before he started his company a few years ago.

I am hesitant to write checks for this person's guidance considering his lack of recent knowledge/experience at said college, especially considering that we are getting guidance already from a very good consultant.

Just venting here as I am going to have to confront DH with my concerns later today.

I think I know who you're referencing and it was 9 months in 2012.

He has a huge following on social media and his message has change a little over time, but it's still really weird that he references his first job like it's relevant at this point.

Stanford? If so, don’t!!!

[Anonymous]

IMO 2014 is entirely irrelevant at this point. Not only has the national landscape for college admissions changed since then, unless the admissions staff is identical to 2014, he has no idea how the school processes applications and prioritizes candidates.