People who spend huge amounts of $ on private college consultants are wasting their money

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP is mere middle class and can’t fathom people being too busy and too rich to care. Not everyone has freetime or desire to surf college forums all day to get up to speed. Just pay someone ten grand to do it all, and added bonus of advice coming from third party, thus less family tension. It’s really about the peace of mind, less household drama, and making sure kiddo crosses T’s and dot I’s.

This is what I figured I suppose if you're wealthy, it would be nice to just pay someone to take care of the whole process for you. But it doesn't seem to me that they are doing anything to help kids get into colleges that they would not otherwise be getting into, which is what I think most people who haven't given it a lot of thought would assume that private college counselors are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is mere middle class and can’t fathom people being too busy and too rich to care. Not everyone has freetime or desire to surf college forums all day to get up to speed. Just pay someone ten grand to do it all, and added bonus of advice coming from third party, thus less family tension. It’s really about the peace of mind, less household drama, and making sure kiddo crosses T’s and dot I’s.

This is what I figured I suppose if you're wealthy, it would be nice to just pay someone to take care of the whole process for you. But it doesn't seem to me that they are doing anything to help kids get into colleges that they would not otherwise be getting into, which is what I think most people who haven't given it a lot of thought would assume that private college counselors are doing.

actually I think it's worse than that -- if the college suspects you're using a consultant they will hold it against the applicant. I think scrutiny will be heightened now after the latests scandal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is mere middle class and can’t fathom people being too busy and too rich to care. Not everyone has freetime or desire to surf college forums all day to get up to speed. Just pay someone ten grand to do it all, and added bonus of advice coming from third party, thus less family tension. It’s really about the peace of mind, less household drama, and making sure kiddo crosses T’s and dot I’s.

This is what I figured I suppose if you're wealthy, it would be nice to just pay someone to take care of the whole process for you. But it doesn't seem to me that they are doing anything to help kids get into colleges that they would not otherwise be getting into, which is what I think most people who haven't given it a lot of thought would assume that private college counselors are doing.

actually I think it's worse than that -- if the college suspects you're using a consultant they will hold it against the applicant. I think scrutiny will be heightened now after the latests scandal.

Agreed these scandals are terrible for all consultants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

They "polish" the essays, they "perfume" the essays - haven't you been reading the threads here on this? Presumably they have some valuable insider knowledge as to what the colleges are looking for or they wouldn't be able to command these high fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

I don't agree at all. This was someone who was cracking the whip to get the work done in a timely and accurate fashion. No influence at all... the facts are the facts- grades, scores, extracurriculars were submitted. There isn't a magic formula that the consultant used. In retrospect it was a waste of money. DS' chances to get into a school weren't improved by using them. They lead you to believe that the process is way more complicated than it is. My DD who didn't use a consultant got into several of the same schools that DS did and she had lower gpa and scores.

Exactly. Other than writing essays, what is so complicated about applying to college, that one would need to hire a consultant for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

I don't agree at all. This was someone who was cracking the whip to get the work done in a timely and accurate fashion. No influence at all... the facts are the facts- grades, scores, extracurriculars were submitted. There isn't a magic formula that the consultant used. In retrospect it was a waste of money. DS' chances to get into a school weren't improved by using them. They lead you to believe that the process is way more complicated than it is. My DD who didn't use a consultant got into several of the same schools that DS did and she had lower gpa and scores.

Exactly. Other than writing essays, what is so complicated about applying to college, that one would need to hire a consultant for it?

If you've been reading the above posts, you can see rich people don't want to have to worry about this process, and apparently don't trust their kid to spend the time and effort on it that will be required, so they just pay a fee to a "consultant" to do this job for them. Doesn't seem at all fair to me, and I hope they all get caught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’d be interesting to see the essays before and after the consultant got to it. It’s cheating but yes, legal.

Good consultants are definitely not rewriting essays, as that would change the voice. Are suggested edits cheating? Should seniors be submitting essays that no one else read?

How is the college supposed to know what the kid's "voice" sounds like? I've never bought this notion that colleges can tell if an essay isn't written by a student. Most professional essay writers should be smart enough to make themselves sound like a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’d be interesting to see the essays before and after the consultant got to it. It’s cheating but yes, legal.

Good consultants are definitely not rewriting essays, as that would change the voice. Are suggested edits cheating? Should seniors be submitting essays that no one else read?

How is the college supposed to know what the kid's "voice" sounds like? I've never bought this notion that colleges can tell if an essay isn't written by a student. Most professional essay writers should be smart enough to make themselves sound like a teen.

Yes! They're experts in subterfuge.
If this is all so ethical and above board why doesn't the applicant just say I received assistance from a paid professional. Answer: they know that would not go over very well with the adcom.

[Anonymous]

^ except maybe at ASU. I don't think they would care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

They "polish" the essays, they "perfume" the essays - haven't you been reading the threads here on this? Presumably they have some valuable insider knowledge as to what the colleges are looking for or they wouldn't be able to command these high fees.

Ok, but to what extent do they "polish" these essays? I have been reading the threads. You have parents insisting that the counselors are doing nothing more than simply editing or providing basic advise. If that is true, there's really no value. If it's not true and they are more actively involved in the essay writing, it offers value, but it's unethical. So which is it? And if they are providing enough help on the essay to make it valuable albeit unethical, can't you simply pay for that service alone? Why pay for the whole $5,000 plus package that doesn't provide any other advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

They "polish" the essays, they "perfume" the essays - haven't you been reading the threads here on this? Presumably they have some valuable insider knowledge as to what the colleges are looking for or they wouldn't be able to command these high fees.

Ok, but to what extent do they "polish" these essays? I have been reading the threads. You have parents insisting that the counselors are doing nothing more than simply editing or providing basic advise. If that is true, there's really no value. If it's not true and they are more actively involved in the essay writing, it offers value, but it's unethical. So which is it? And if they are providing enough help on the essay to make it valuable albeit unethical, can't you simply pay for that service alone? Why pay for the whole $5,000 plus package that doesn't provide any other advantage.

Well look at your own words. What does "editing" mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

They "polish" the essays, they "perfume" the essays - haven't you been reading the threads here on this? Presumably they have some valuable insider knowledge as to what the colleges are looking for or they wouldn't be able to command these high fees.

Ok, but to what extent do they "polish" these essays? I have been reading the threads. You have parents insisting that the counselors are doing nothing more than simply editing or providing basic advise. If that is true, there's really no value. If it's not true and they are more actively involved in the essay writing, it offers value, but it's unethical. So which is it? And if they are providing enough help on the essay to make it valuable albeit unethical, can't you simply pay for that service alone? Why pay for the whole $5,000 plus package that doesn't provide any other advantage.

Well look at your own words. What does "editing" mean?

I don't know. What does it mean? You have parents who use college counselors who claim that the essay help given is all rather innocent. If that is true, what's the point of paying big bucks for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spent $8K on a consultant for our DS and he got into every school he applied to. She didn't have him aiming too high- no real reaches. She got him to focus, write his essays and get everything done and submitted in a 30 day period. We didn't use her for DD- it seemed like too much $ for what would have likely been the same results. DD wrote her essays- we spent $100 to have them reviewed by a writer and then she submitted all her apps. She too got into all of the schools she applied to except for one. I don't think a consultant is needed- the online applications are pretty straight forward and there are a bunch of good youtube videos that demonstrate completing applications, essay writing, etc. I do think that having essays reviewed is worth spending money on because sometimes the writer (and parents) don't see grammatical mistakes, etc.

The colleges have no way of checking on this, but they would disapprove if they knew for sure an application was substantially influenced by a paid professional. It's a mini-scandal, but not on the order of the blatant bribery scandal in the news the last couple of days.

Why would a college care whether it was a parent. guidance counselor or paid consultant got him to focus and write his essays

they wouldn't, but that's not what the consultants do. You are being disingenuous.

Then what real value do college counselors offer? That's really the only thing they could do that might help a kid get into a college that they otherwise might not get into. Outside that they're only facilitating the process of having kids apply to schools that they are already matches for.

They "polish" the essays, they "perfume" the essays - haven't you been reading the threads here on this? Presumably they have some valuable insider knowledge as to what the colleges are looking for or they wouldn't be able to command these high fees.

Ok, but to what extent do they "polish" these essays? I have been reading the threads. You have parents insisting that the counselors are doing nothing more than simply editing or providing basic advise. If that is true, there's really no value. If it's not true and they are more actively involved in the essay writing, it offers value, but it's unethical. So which is it? And if they are providing enough help on the essay to make it valuable albeit unethical, can't you simply pay for that service alone? Why pay for the whole $5,000 plus package that doesn't provide any other advantage.

Well look at your own words. What does "editing" mean?

I don't know. What does it mean? You have parents who use college counselors who claim that the essay help given is all rather innocent. If that is true, what's the point of paying big bucks for it?

To put it another way. If private college consultants are really providing a service that helps kids get into schools that they most likely wouldn't have gotten into, they are doing something unethical. If they are simply taking care of the paperwork involved for getting a kid into a college that they would have gotten into otherwise, then let's not kid ourselves, how many people would pay a significant amount for that. These companies are either doing something unethical or they are overselling their value.