Georgia Irvin and Yield per Admission

[Anonymous]

Responding to the points raised by 11:08, as an EC client:

A) This is false. Access is not limited by the ability to hire a consultant. Access is shaped by many, many factors. Working with a consultant is among the least important.

B) A consultant does not provide a distinct advantage. (BTW, there is no such thing as a "level playing field" when it comes to school admissions.)

C) Many people who use a consultant are in fact very busy. They are not necessarily non-Internet-savvy. They are looking for as much information as possible, and a consultant is just one source.

There's really no need for all this mystery. I think the analogy to a decorator or a wedding planner is a pretty good one, although the wedding planner/decorator may actually deliver more measurable benefits (trade discounts, e.g.). A consultant provides information and advice and helps keep you organized. It's one-stop shopping, instead of relying on other preschool parents for information, close friends for advice, your spouse for organization, etc. She does not promise to get your child into a school. There's no voodoo involved.

I think many people expect there be to more to the process because the fees are steep. They think, "I wouldn't pay that much money unless I were getting some kind of secret handshake." But I suspect that for most people who use a consultant, the fees don't represent a huge amount.

[Anonymous]

I know an admissions director in California, she says that EC lobbying is mostly ineffective and often counterproductive for an elite school. She thought it might be more helpful for a special needs student needing to get into a specialized program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know an admissions director in California, she says that EC lobbying is mostly ineffective and often counterproductive for an elite school. She thought it might be more helpful for a special needs student needing to get into a specialized program.

With respect, we used an EC and we got offers from very elite schools so using her was definitely NOT counterproductive. Cannot swear she made the difference wrt to acceptance (I guess we'll never know) but she certainly helped to make the application process easier for us. I would use one again in a heart beat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

With respect, we used an EC and we got offers from very elite schools so using her was definitely NOT counterproductive. Cannot swear she made the difference wrt to acceptance (I guess we'll never know) but she certainly helped to make the application process easier for us. I would use one again in a heart beat.

I wasn't talking about using an EC in general. I was talking about whether an EC actually writing, calling, visiting, or emailing an admin. director actually helps.

Of course an EC can help with the application process, make recommendation for schools to apply for, help you avoid common pitfalls, and help you to emphasize your child's strengths. I was talking about the belief that many parents, and some EC imply, that EC have influence with admissions directors at elite schools. They generally don't.

My friend said that she was bombarded with trustees, staff, current parents, and alums trying to get their friends' children in, so a call from an EC (even a former colleague) isn't really going to do much. She actually said that none of the lobbying really works (at least at her school, which gives her lots of leeway), unless it is a virtual tie for the last few spots.

[Anonymous]

My point simply was that it did not work against us. As I stated we will never know if she helped with DC being admitted but using her certainly was not counterproductive as your post implies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Responding to the points raised by 11:08, as an EC client:

A) This is false. Access is not limited by the ability to hire a consultant. Access is shaped by many, many factors. Working with a consultant is among the least important.

B) A consultant does not provide a distinct advantage. (BTW, there is no such thing as a "level playing field" when it comes to school admissions.)

C) Many people who use a consultant are in fact very busy. They are not necessarily non-Internet-savvy. They are looking for as much information as possible, and a consultant is just one source.

There's really no need for all this mystery. I think the analogy to a decorator or a wedding planner is a pretty good one, although the wedding planner/decorator may actually deliver more measurable benefits (trade discounts, e.g.). A consultant provides information and advice and helps keep you organized. It's one-stop shopping, instead of relying on other preschool parents for information, close friends for advice, your spouse for organization, etc. She does not promise to get your child into a school. There's no voodoo involved.

I think many people expect there be to more to the process because the fees are steep. They think, "I wouldn't pay that much money unless I were getting some kind of secret handshake." But I suspect that for most people who use a consultant, the fees don't represent a huge amount.

11:08 here - As I mentioned, it's not necessarily about the reality of what the consultants do or don't do. It's all about the perception, which are not false. For those not using the consultants, perception is the reality. Someone asked why those not using a consultant pooh pooh on the idea. This is why. In terms of limiting access, I didn't mean to imply that the door is closed if you don't use a consultant. Clearly it wasn't for us, as our child did quite well without the "benefit" of a consultant. I meant that use of a consultant seemingly (again, perception) becomes one of many limiting factors. And you're right...folks using avenues like educational consultants create one of many situations where the playing field is no longer leveled. BTW, folks who don't use consultants are quite busy as well, but manage to navigate the admission process.

[Anonymous]

What frustrates me is that you can read right here about what consultants do, and yet the mystery and the negative connotations persist.

[Anonymous]

We are considering using a consultant because we feel that pre-k - 12 at twenty to thirty thousand a year warrants as much research and preparation as possible! Perhaps it will prove to be a waste of time, but considering how much money we are putting down if our child is fortunate enough to get in, the amount seems diminimus.

[Anonymous]

To those who used her and feel that it helped, maybe you could share the details of what she did so we can get some free advice. Tell us what she told you to write on the application and so on. It is anonymous.

[Anonymous]

She did not tell us to write anything on the application. There's no secret handshake! Go back and read what other PPs have said about their experience with Georgia and other consultants.

[Anonymous]

We got into the schools we tried hard to get into without a consultant. The schools we did not get into, we know what went wrong. We did not really want to get in there and it showed. Seemed like a no brainer.

[Anonymous]

PP, can you explain how exactly you "tried hard" to get into some schools but not others? I'm not trying to criticize. I just don't understand the statement.

[Anonymous]

Not the PP but I completely understand what the PP is talking about. For example we applied to Sidwell and never attended an information session. On the other hand we put a lot of effort into our applications for Maret and Beauvoir. Thank-you letters, contacting school admissions directors, and attending more than one open house.

[Anonymous]

Okay, that makes sense. We had our preferences, too, but I think we put as much effort as we could into each one. (I didn't know you could apply to Sidwell without attending an information session.)

[Anonymous]

22:17,

Did your extra efforts for Maret and Beauvoir pay off?