Sara Harberson Application Nation

[Anonymous]

Ummm, are you also paying attention to her social media which shows inside her massive closet and Gucci shoes? And Caribbean vacations. You don't think you're paying for that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of us joined FB only for the purpose of her group. I’m glad I did. It’s not for everyone, but it was very helpful. My kids read her book and followed the advice. Found it best if they read it over holiday break junior year, bc it made them prepared to ask for teacher recs a few short months later. The FB group has so much info from her postings and zooms, and parents are very generous with their thoughts and advice.

This a is a serious question: would your kids have been unprepared to ask for the letters of rec but for the book? Doesn’t their school make it clear these are needed? If you knew enough about the college process to follow SH, I assume you’d have told your kids to make sure their request these letters. I’m just confused that was their main takeaway from the book.

I wouldn’t say it was their main takeaway from the book at all.
The school’s advice in our case was decent but not terrific, a large public.
Her advice went beyond the typical brag sheet that schools like ours provide. Their timing was a bit late too - we were new to the process and didn’t know it’s best to put the request in for teacher recs in about March of junior year.
She helped them feel more in charge of their own process, from identifying schools that were their fit, to conveying who they are through all parts of the applications, etc. Their process, not mine, which I really liked. They did not join the FB group - I was on it and found the advice from Sara and tram, and parents, useful. When I would see something on there that my kids might benefit from I’d let them know, that was the extent of their involvement with the FB group.
Yes there are many other ways to find info like this. I can only speak for us, that my two found her book, her advice, her perspective, very helpful. Some might prefer a private counselor or no counselor. This worked for us. Hope that helps 😊

Ok this is just a comment about ask in March of Junior year for recs. Yeah we saw similar advice several places and my kid did that and the teachers nicely told her to not bother them until senior year starts. She did email prior to school starting senior year but it didn’t matter. Large public school btw

Anyway as I recall she does FB Q&A sessions that are public. So before signing consider checking out on if those sessions.

My child was applying to competitive schools so her services weren’t for us.

Are her services NOT for t30?

[Anonymous]

DP. Most of the recommendations were mostly for schools in 40-150 range.

Her comment for top 20 colleges frequently was they are "pretty much impossible".

[Anonymous]

She is Kim Kardashian personified for college admissions. She is constantly selling her add on $1000 per hour services, everything is "incredible", "amazing", etc. Even simple common sense advice is a secret that she is revealing to her followers. Which is touted as "incredible powerful" by her employees.

She is a marketing machine par excellence.

These are all secondary to the fact that we wasted so much time and did not really get any useful info that we did not already know.

If you are applying with a STEM focus, she is utterly useless. Interested in going to a highly selective college? She would not be of much use.

I understood her focus is on appealing to the broadest group of people which necessarily means where most students actually end up. It looks like the peer group that she attracts are mostly looking at colleges above 75+ ranking.

[Anonymous]

I find it so weird that ppl are posting their detailed Soundbites and precise essay ideas /proposals in the FB group chat for AN25……

Anyone else in this FB AN25 group??

Am I too alarmed too easily?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She hasn't been inside an admissions office in a decade and counselors I know say they never see at national conferences meant to learn what's actually happening in admissions offices. In other words, her info is old and outdated. Buyer beware.

This is interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so weird that ppl are posting their detailed Soundbites and precise essay ideas /proposals in the FB group chat for AN25……

Anyone else in this FB AN25 group??

Am I too alarmed too easily?

Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so weird that ppl are posting their detailed Soundbites and precise essay ideas /proposals in the FB group chat for AN25……

Anyone else in this FB AN25 group??

Am I too alarmed too easily?

I was in the AN24 group. Yes, people posted their soundbites and essay topics --this is the only way SH will give you feedback on them, unless you pay extra for a private session (which I believe begins at $1,000.) We did not participate in this aspect of the group; my child would have murdered me if I had shared that information with strangers. That being said, after reading dozens (hundreds?) of posts from people who *were* comfortable sharing this and SH's feedback, I got a good feel for what to do and not do. My kid got into all their likelies and targets, and most of their reaches, so I was happy with this approach.

Side note, the things people share about their kids (and remember, it's not anonymous) made me cringe at times. I don't know how they do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ummm, are you also paying attention to her social media which shows inside her massive closet and Gucci shoes? And Caribbean vacations. You don't think you're paying for that!

Not only her! Her youngest daughter is always out in Fendi outfits and whatnot. ANd this is exactly my thought - she must be doing SO well to be able to afford her lifestyle (I think her hubby is a medical professional so much make good income too. But just the fact that she *can* buy all high end name brands must mean their income is really, really good).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so weird that ppl are posting their detailed Soundbites and precise essay ideas /proposals in the FB group chat for AN25……

Anyone else in this FB AN25 group??

Am I too alarmed too easily?

I was in the AN24 group. Yes, people posted their soundbites and essay topics --this is the only way SH will give you feedback on them, unless you pay extra for a private session (which I believe begins at $1,000.) We did not participate in this aspect of the group; my child would have murdered me if I had shared that information with strangers. That being said, after reading dozens (hundreds?) of posts from people who *were* comfortable sharing this and SH's feedback, I got a good feel for what to do and not do. My kid got into all their likelies and targets, and most of their reaches, so I was happy with this approach.

Side note, the things people share about their kids (and remember, it's not anonymous) made me cringe at times. I don't know how they do it.

My kid would murder me too. People will do anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm, are you also paying attention to her social media which shows inside her massive closet and Gucci shoes? And Caribbean vacations. You don't think you're paying for that!

Not only her! Her youngest daughter is always out in Fendi outfits and whatnot. ANd this is exactly my thought - she must be doing SO well to be able to afford her lifestyle (I think her hubby is a medical professional so much make good income too. But just the fact that she *can* buy all high end name brands must mean their income is really, really good).

IG handle for both??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She hasn't been inside an admissions office in a decade and counselors I know say they never see at national conferences meant to learn what's actually happening in admissions offices. In other words, her info is old and outdated. Buyer beware.

This is interesting.

There are a lot of "I worked in admissions once" people out there. She's really good at marketing herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm, are you also paying attention to her social media which shows inside her massive closet and Gucci shoes? And Caribbean vacations. You don't think you're paying for that!

Not only her! Her youngest daughter is always out in Fendi outfits and whatnot. ANd this is exactly my thought - she must be doing SO well to be able to afford her lifestyle (I think her hubby is a medical professional so much make good income too. But just the fact that she *can* buy all high end name brands must mean their income is really, really good).

$69-79 per person per month in each AN group. IIRC AN2024 had 400+. Conservatively, that's $27,600/month just for that group - not to mention AN25/26 and the private sessions.

That being said, I don't begrudge her her lifestyle and I'm not one to judge people for the clothes they buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so weird that ppl are posting their detailed Soundbites and precise essay ideas /proposals in the FB group chat for AN25……

Anyone else in this FB AN25 group??

Am I too alarmed too easily?

I was in the AN24 group. Yes, people posted their soundbites and essay topics --this is the only way SH will give you feedback on them, unless you pay extra for a private session (which I believe begins at $1,000.) We did not participate in this aspect of the group; my child would have murdered me if I had shared that information with strangers. That being said, after reading dozens (hundreds?) of posts from people who *were* comfortable sharing this and SH's feedback, I got a good feel for what to do and not do. My kid got into all their likelies and targets, and most of their reaches, so I was happy with this approach.

Side note, the things people share about their kids (and remember, it's not anonymous) made me cringe at times. I don't know how they do it.

My kid would murder me too. People will do anything.

Mine too, but why would you sign up with your own name? I have two FB accounts that I set up with fake names that I use for things like this. Both are 'well groomed' accounts, been around for 10+ years, with a photo (not me), friends and occasional posts. I can post all kinds of personal info. (non identifying) and no one will know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm, are you also paying attention to her social media which shows inside her massive closet and Gucci shoes? And Caribbean vacations. You don't think you're paying for that!

Not only her! Her youngest daughter is always out in Fendi outfits and whatnot. ANd this is exactly my thought - she must be doing SO well to be able to afford her lifestyle (I think her hubby is a medical professional so much make good income too. But just the fact that she *can* buy all high end name brands must mean their income is really, really good).

$69-79 per person per month in each AN group. IIRC AN2024 had 400+. Conservatively, that's $27,600/month just for that group - not to mention AN25/26 and the private sessions.

That being said, I don't begrudge her her lifestyle and I'm not one to judge people for the clothes they buy.

+1. There are people paying $500+/hr for this type of service. How do you think those counselors live?