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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
With enough research on your own, you and your kid can do your own packaging. I'm fully convinced that's partially how my kid got into a USNWR top 5. Kid was in public school and the counselor really only understood and pushed UMD, so we realized we needed a little extra help. So DC and I read up on College Confidential and got a few books (DC was really into it and drove a lot of this). There are a few obvious things, like don't write your essay about your inspirational grandma or your service trip, if it's in a major city don't wax eloquent about the city at the expense of the college, present yourself as a kid with a "passion" rather than the "well-rounded" kid colleges were looking for in our generation. DC's grades and stats were great (that's basically a pre-requisite) and DC's EC's and awards naturally pointed to a passion. So DC knocked the essays out of the park with a consistent theme about pursing the passion at the college. The "why do you want to attend our college?" essay was basically all about how DC could only really pursue that passion at that college, which was actually true, so it was all the more convincing (colleges love kids who love them, because it helps yield).

Of course, if you don't have the time but you do have the money, then pay an advisor.[/quote]

We made the choice to have an outside counselor and ours does have relationships with the colleges, goes on regular visits, knows our HS and does a real deep dive to know the student/client. We didn't hire the counselor to get our kid in anywhere but wanted the expertise to guide the process. Once I realized how much it had changed, I just didn't want to do it. I especially didn't want to put stress on my relationship with my kid.  It definitely can be done without paying for a counselor but it is a big task - helps significantly to have a motivated kid.[/quote]

PP here, and I should have mentioned this. Another reason to get a counselor is if you suspect the process won't be a rosy journey of self-discovery and parent-child bonding, but rather a series of tussles over deadlines and essay drafts.[/quote]

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