Advice on Starting a College Admissions Counseling Business

[Anonymous]

I am a stay at home parent who is thinking about starting my own business. I graduated from an Ivy League school (honest) and have done interviews for that school for decades, so I've seen lots of great applicants over the years.

Has anyone here used/considered a consultant to help them with college admissions? If so, do you mind answering some questions? I am NOT soliciting any business here - just trying to see if such a business is quasi-viable.

1. How much did this person charge? Was it on time & materials, or a fixed-price proposition?

2. Did you end up using his/her services? Why or why not?

3. What services did this person offer for your money?

4. Were you please with the services offered?

5. Did you get a "rebate" if you weren't please with the results?

6. Any other comments about the experience?


I'm not looking to gouge people; just wanted to see if it's realistic to get a few client and make some side money. I know a decent amount about the process, and can help someone with the application, essay and sources for testing help. Just trying to see if it's worth putting up a few signs (yes, I recognize the best litmus test is actually putting a few signs up).

Thanks for any input out there.

[Anonymous]

Most (maybe all?) folks in this business were former college guidance counselors at schools. They not only knew the process inside and out but had specific knowledge of the admissions departments at various schools.

I'm not sure what you would have to offer. You may have some insight into the process for your particular school (but, then again, you didn't participate in admissions decisions, did you?). But you don't have the breadth of college relationships nor do you have experience with a broad variety of applicants. The pool you've been interviewing is pretty limited. So I guess I'm curious what you bring to the process.

I think if you want to really do this you should work for one of the established services first.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your honest feedback. My target audience would be people who want help with the process and are at a price point lower than your typical "established services".

I obviously wouldn't be promising any inside connections (though I know the admissions office for my alma mater very well). I personally don't think those connections necessarily help the applicant in most cases.

Any other thoughts out there would be great. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Doing a quick google search for college advisors comes up with no less than 20 in the dc region.

Most seem to have worked in admissions at colleges or universities or were college counselors at schools.

While you may not think the connections are valuable, college counselors that have experience inthe field really know what all the schools are looking for, not just one. They also understand the process both when the application goes in and the decision making process that goes into looking at applications.


You are not really bringing and credentials to the table. Just being able to guide the process (not the hard if you do some research) or a lower price does not make you valuable. Helping with essays can be good but so many people are out there that do this, you may have trouble attracting clients since you have no connections from past work at a school.

As someone suggested, you may want to start at a company that is already doing this to gain experience and find a niche that will make you valuable to an audeince willing yo hire you.

[Anonymous]

As someone who wouldn't pay for any kind of service, I think you could offer a lot. People get overwhelmed so helping them sort it out could be an angle, kids need help with essays, some people don't need help with anything but they want to pay someone to tell them what to do. I don't know what else because I am not the type of person who would use this, but I know others would just based on you going to an Ivy.

You have to find your niche. The net makes this a global economy. You are not limited to DC.

[Anonymous]

Check out the website for the Independent Educational Consultants Association. It has a lot of info for people interested in being a consultant. www.iecaonline.org

HTH

[Anonymous]

We considered hiring a college counselor because DC is in a big area public where the counselors have caseloads of a hundred or more kids. In the end, we decided we knew enough about admissions to go it alone, given our own experience at competitive universities, our engaged DC and doing lots of our own research (including on DCUM, with a grain of salt!). (It turned out well, DC was just accepted ED into an ivy.) I think your strengths might be to play to people who (a) are first generation college-goers and need help navigating, or (b) need a neutral third party to coax a reluctant kid through the applications and decision-making process. Do you have any special skills in helping with essays, for example?

[Anonymous]

We have been through the process once and doing it again now. One kid in private and one in public. We are considering a consultant for the public school kid but that would be to get advice on schools to apply to, not on the application process. The private school counselor provided a lot of this input, not sure we will get quite as much from the public school counselor. That being said, our public school has provided a lot of guidance on test prep, timing, etc. No need for a consultant for that.

I have a friend who became a college counselor a few years ago (also an Ivy grad FWIW). She did a fairly intensive training program and got some kind of certification. She also visits at least 15-20 colleges every year to stay current. Unless you do something like that I don't see how you can bring much to the table. However I suspect I am not your target audience (I also went to an Ivy, and have done admissions interviewing in the past). But I have money to spend on college admissions. I wonder if your target audience will be willing to spend money for what you are able to offer.

I agree with others that working for someone else, or getting some certification or broader experience, is probably a good first step.

[Anonymous]

people who want help with the process and are at a price point lower than your typical "established services"

Those types of people would probably just do it on your own. It's not like a car, where you can get a Toyota or a BMW. It's like lawn care, where you either mow your own lawn or get someone else to do it.

[Anonymous]

"just do it on their own"

[Anonymous]

Hi. I am the OP. Thanks for all the comments.

For those who have employed such individuals, can any of you comment on my other questions (e.g. costs paid, services rendered, etc.)

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi. I am the OP. Thanks for all the comments.

For those who have employed such individuals, can any of you comment on my other questions (e.g. costs paid, services rendered, etc.)

Thank you.

Prep Matters, who we are using for SAT prep, charges $250-450/hour for college counseling and application help. We will probably use them for some essay help.

You may want to start by researching your potential competitors. A lot of pricing is available on websites, including Prep Matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi. I am the OP. Thanks for all the comments.

For those who have employed such individuals, can any of you comment on my other questions (e.g. costs paid, services rendered, etc.)

Thank you.

All of this is on the internet. It sounds like you haven't done any research at all, and that you are taking the easiest path (as opposed to what PP suggested of looking into training, traveling to schools, etc . . .) I don't mean to be snarky, but how can you consider starting your own business if your asking anonymous strangers on the internet for this info, instead of looking for it yourself.

[Anonymous]

you are, I meant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi. I am the OP. Thanks for all the comments.

For those who have employed such individuals, can any of you comment on my other questions (e.g. costs paid, services rendered, etc.)

Thank you.

All of this is on the internet. It sounds like you haven't done any research at all, and that you are taking the easiest path (as opposed to what PP suggested of looking into training, traveling to schools, etc . . .) I don't mean to be snarky, but how can you consider starting your own business if your asking anonymous strangers on the internet for this info, instead of looking for it yourself.

I knew it was a matter of time before I received such a comment. Of course, I have researched local firms and recorded what they have published publicly. There are other firms that don't publish their rates, as well as individuals who operate on a smaller scale.

That anecdotal data, big or small, is appreciated. Despite what you may think, my research is not derived exclusively from this thread.