So many kids at top private schools have private college counsellors?

[Anonymous]

We just paid an essay coach.

[Anonymous]

CA parent here, DC in private school. No parent I know is using an independent counselor. And no one is hiding it, namely because their kids couldn’t keep that quiet 😂

We don’t need someone else in the mix. Both of us parents are college grads who are more than knowledgeable in the process.

If you need a private counselor and have the $$ go for it but didn’t feel it was for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on who your counselor is? My kids ended up at lower tier Ivies from a local private and don't think they would have made it without additional counseling.

Why not? What did the private counselor do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dd was at a NOVA public. We got a college counselor- she is at Hopkins with merit.

can you share the name of your counselor?

[Anonymous]

I think there should be a distinction here between hiring a college counsellor for $25K (the high end ones in NY are $75K and up) versus hiring an essay coach for $3K or hiring a local counsellor who takes on dozens of kids for $5K who provides a general framework for admissions.

I know of people who hired the counselors in the range of $25K, and it has generally helped when the kids were already hard-charging and the "narrative" they helped crafted really seemed (or was?) authentic and resonated with the kid. The kids already seemed to have a great mix of stuff; the counsellor seemed to help them focus on a "narrative." In one case, it was "data science," in another case, "sustainability/business." The counselor helped the kid take a general interest (business; math) and make it more niche, and then helped find/brainstorm/identify/encourage supporting activities. Some of the activities were very banal and not fancy, but neat ideas that were the result of creative brainstorming.

I've also heard of kids who hired counsellors in that same range where it didn't really pan out, and I wonder, if in those instances, the "narrative" ended up kinda stilted and did not really match the kid's natural passions (another kid who did "sustainability/business" - different from the other "sustainability" kid cited in prior paragraph- but although the kid did stuff in that area, not sure if this really was perceived as a "true passion"; the kid's personality is more of a country club kid and so not sure if the kid could write about this topic in a way that seemed authentic?)

The counsellors in the $25K range and above, they start by having your kid answer a bunch of questions, and then they help to refine their interest into a "narrative" that fits an "undersubscribed" area/major. But some of these companies have a VERY large staff/high turnover and so question whether your assigned counselor will really "get" your kid, and if not, then the money is somewhat of a waste.

Plus, if your kid already has authentic interests, not sure that you need to hire an outside counselor to make them pointy.

So, I am not sure when people are saying everyone at the school has a counselor, do they mean the $25K and above kind, or do they mean the $5K local person who guides your kids along (but is not really molding their interest)?

[Anonymous]

Lots of 35-75k (or more) types at our private.
Your assessment above is accurate.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid at Horace Mann in NYC, and we're pretty happy with their college counseling program. However, we have decided to hire a private counselor to help us with the sports recruiting end of things. It's the weak spot in a school with intense academics, and it has been helpful to have someone on board who understands the process and has relationships with the college coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CA parent here, DC in private school. No parent I know is using an independent counselor. And no one is hiding it, namely because their kids couldn’t keep that quiet 😂

We don’t need someone else in the mix. Both of us parents are college grads who are more than knowledgeable in the process.

If you need a private counselor and have the $$ go for it but didn’t feel it was for us.

same. VA parent, private school. no top kids use them. above average ones do, typically when the private school tells the parent at the end of sophomore meeting that their kid is not on track to be able to get in to UVA based on grades or rigor or both.
there is a bit of funneling to push the best/brightest to the best path and encourage the average or above ones to not overload, no need for all AP/honors. Yet the top kids are told to take the hardest. Having a kid a little above average for the school, 1350, mostly honors, 7 APs total, finished with calc AB (middle math path of 5) then seeing how differently the top kids were cultivated and encouraged was surprising. had no clue there were kids taking very difficult APs in 10th grade who ended up with 7APs by the end of junior year, 12 total, until we had one get invited in 9th to be on an intense stem track leading to multivariable in 12th with 15 other kids. These same kids were almost always award winners, gov school nominees, Morehead/Belk/etc nominees. You think a 3.9 uw with 7APs must be great until you see there is a group taking almost an entirely different curriculum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a private counselor and have worked with many families from top private schools.

They realize that the process is much more competitive than 30 years ago; want the best and most accurate advice; and realize that their school might prioritize families who have athletes, legacy connections, and who are VIP in comparison.

Is there a way to workaround how the private schools that prioritize families with hooks (recruited athletes, legacies, etc).

or are the rest of us just have to deal with what's left after those hooked families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a private counselor and have worked with many families from top private schools.

They realize that the process is much more competitive than 30 years ago; want the best and most accurate advice; and realize that their school might prioritize families who have athletes, legacy connections, and who are VIP in comparison.

Is there a way to workaround how the private schools that prioritize families with hooks (recruited athletes, legacies, etc).

or are the rest of us just have to deal with what's left after those hooked families?

What do you mean workaround??
Those priorities are always there. Maybe the best thing you do is not apply to a college where a lot of legacies exist at your school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Is there a way to workaround how the private schools that prioritize families with hooks (recruited athletes, legacies, etc).

or are the rest of us just have to deal with what's left after those hooked families?

What do you mean workaround??
Those priorities are always there. Maybe the best thing you do is not apply to a college where a lot of legacies exist at your school?

That was my question - I guess at one of those private schools with these priorities, the kids that DON'T have any hooks just have to settle for the lesser schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Is there a way to workaround how the private schools that prioritize families with hooks (recruited athletes, legacies, etc).

or are the rest of us just have to deal with what's left after those hooked families?

What do you mean workaround??
Those priorities are always there. Maybe the best thing you do is not apply to a college where a lot of legacies exist at your school?

That was my question - I guess at one of those private schools with these priorities, the kids that DON'T have any hooks just have to settle for the lesser schools?

What do you mean by "lesser schools"?

If your school has a lot of HYPS legacies, I wouldn't personally waste a REA there. Esp if your kid is strongly interested in another school (that has ED) like Brown, Dartmouth, or XYZ as a 2nd choice AND would be a strong applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Is there a way to workaround how the private schools that prioritize families with hooks (recruited athletes, legacies, etc).

or are the rest of us just have to deal with what's left after those hooked families?

What do you mean workaround??
Those priorities are always there. Maybe the best thing you do is not apply to a college where a lot of legacies exist at your school?

That was my question - I guess at one of those private schools with these priorities, the kids that DON'T have any hooks just have to settle for the lesser schools?

If there are multiple hooked kids applying to your kid's top choice, it's unlikely your kid gets in. They just have to be okay with that. Truthfully, they are unlikely to get in anyway - just based on the percentages.

[Anonymous]

I secured one as this process was stressful and I wanted the best for my child. We did this her junior year to get her ready, prepped and polished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CA parent here, DC in private school. No parent I know is using an independent counselor. And no one is hiding it, namely because their kids couldn’t keep that quiet 😂

We don’t need someone else in the mix. Both of us parents are college grads who are more than knowledgeable in the process.

If you need a private counselor and have the $$ go for it but didn’t feel it was for us.

same. VA parent, private school. no top kids use them. above average ones do, typically when the private school tells the parent at the end of sophomore meeting that their kid is not on track to be able to get in to UVA based on grades or rigor or both.
there is a bit of funneling to push the best/brightest to the best path and encourage the average or above ones to not overload, no need for all AP/honors. Yet the top kids are told to take the hardest. Having a kid a little above average for the school, 1350, mostly honors, 7 APs total, finished with calc AB (middle math path of 5) then seeing how differently the top kids were cultivated and encouraged was surprising. had no clue there were kids taking very difficult APs in 10th grade who ended up with 7APs by the end of junior year, 12 total, until we had one get invited in 9th to be on an intense stem track leading to multivariable in 12th with 15 other kids. These same kids were almost always award winners, gov school nominees, Morehead/Belk/etc nominees. You think a 3.9 uw with 7APs must be great until you see there is a group taking almost an entirely different curriculum

Is this Potomac or SSSAS?