Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 22:04     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:I think there’s a lot of pressure to do the add-ons in AN. So you think you are paying just the monthly fee but could end up paying much more than that.

Sara is very professional for the most part. but I didn’t care much for her conflicting advice to different ethnic groups as I felt she was being biased.


I didn’t really feel much pressure. Some in the group had great acceptances (HYPSM) even without the add-ons.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 20:50     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
She is fantastic. Highly rec. I used to be an admissions reader at a highly selective college and her advice is spot on. I have used her twice and followed for several years prior. Her guidance is very thorough and thoughtful. You belong to a FB group where you can ask questions. You get monthly zooms and step by step guidance to do it all on your own. However there are lots of add ons you can pay for beyond that basic level if want. Such as essay editing, activity list editing, college list building, supplemental essay building etc etc. Whatever level you need and want to pay for is available. She is personable and will get to know your kid. Mine had great success with no add ons. You just have to go in knowing that there are a lot of over achievers that all want ivys and you have to just tune out the noise and take what you need. The only real criticism is that the advice is aimed at the upper tiers and sometimes I think they forget that the same rules don’t always apply to everyone. You just have to go with your gut and use the advice to fit your kids situation and goals. Which isn’t hard. For the most part the FB group is very kind and supportive and they answer all questions very quickly. Highly highly rec.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 20:42     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:It is $1000 for 12 months of access to FB group.

Does she answer questions 1 on 1 in that group? Or do you post questions for all to see? Sharing so much info even in a private group seems risky.

Can anyone who used the service answer please?


You also get monthly zooms and very step by step guidance to do it on your own.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 20:29     Subject: Re:Sara Harberson Application Nation
I found some discussion on AN to be useful but I would not use it again for my second kid. If you’re going to seek help during the college admissions process and want to spend money, do 1-on-1s with a professional. The best application your kid can submit is the one that is most authentic to them, which doesn’t require AN.

My DD joined the Applying2College Discord server, where many college students (T20 and beyond) give free essay and application help. Its great, and I would recommend.

DD is in at a T10 from ED, fwiw.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 20:16     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
I think there’s a lot of pressure to do the add-ons in AN. So you think you are paying just the monthly fee but could end up paying much more than that.

Sara is very professional for the most part. but I didn’t care much for her conflicting advice to different ethnic groups as I felt she was being biased.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 16:24     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?


I was in it for older kids and will rejoin shortly for my AN28.....what do you want to know?


What did you find most helpful? I feel like it could be helpful to guide us but then we would do a lot of work on our own to make it more personal. Does that sound right? Any info you have would be helpful. It's cheaper than an individual counselor but it's still $1000 if we pay for 12 months.


DP who was part of AN26. I joined in January of junior year and left in December when DC got in early to his first choice. Since it was our first time going through the application process, I found the timeline and monthly to-dos and advice very very helpful. I didn't do any of the private ad-ons, but you can post most questions on the board and the counselors are very good about responding. I also didn't follow every single piece of advice. DC in early to HYPS so we are pleased. I'm still thinking whether to join for DC 28. I feel pretty comfortable with the process now, but I also find valuable hearing others' questions and reading the responses.


I'll also add, I thought their essay advice was pretty good in terms of finding topics and organizing supplementals. But I wasn't comfortable sharing DCs topic or doing the essay edits. I didn't want the essay to sound like something a middle aged woman would write. Some of their examples were a bit cliche. DC ended up with excellent essays on his own with feedback from writing mentors and teachers (and parents!). Still, I found the overall experience on AN very helpful!
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 16:21     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?


I was in it for older kids and will rejoin shortly for my AN28.....what do you want to know?


What did you find most helpful? I feel like it could be helpful to guide us but then we would do a lot of work on our own to make it more personal. Does that sound right? Any info you have would be helpful. It's cheaper than an individual counselor but it's still $1000 if we pay for 12 months.


DP who was part of AN26. I joined in January of junior year and left in December when DC got in early to his first choice. Since it was our first time going through the application process, I found the timeline and monthly to-dos and advice very very helpful. I didn't do any of the private ad-ons, but you can post most questions on the board and the counselors are very good about responding. I also didn't follow every single piece of advice. DC in early to HYPS so we are pleased. I'm still thinking whether to join for DC 28. I feel pretty comfortable with the process now, but I also find valuable hearing others' questions and reading the responses.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 11:16     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?


I was in it for older kids and will rejoin shortly for my AN28.....what do you want to know?


What did you find most helpful? I feel like it could be helpful to guide us but then we would do a lot of work on our own to make it more personal. Does that sound right? Any info you have would be helpful. It's cheaper than an individual counselor but it's still $1000 if we pay for 12 months.


Most helpful part of AN: quick learning process to get up to speed on the selective college application process and holistic strategy. Are you aiming for T20?

If you are so involved already that you're posting here, you will likely be involved even with a private individual counselor, too (esp if you don't have a family track record with that person and know how it works out/results).

If this is your first rodeo, I would do AN (or another similar group - I think the new guy: Dr. Hoffman now has his own group which looks intriguing) - it was helpful for me to learn what I COULD DO to help my DC - unless you are paying for a $20-45k counselor, you'd need to be involved at some basic level (for T20) anyway.... It's too much for an unhooked kid to do on their own.

Now, if your DC would be resistant to your suggestions, then maybe not so helpful? Another option is to add your DC directly to the FB group too, so they can see. My kid really thought the commentary was helpful (and helpful for them to read about other kids' activities/narratives to realize how not special they were and hit home how long the odds are really).

Outcome: multiple T20
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:56     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This thread has taken an awful turn but I think it's important to note that her daughter applied ED to Dickinson - she wanted to go there and didn't settle. Application Nation is about setting expectations - they do provide plenty of advice for Ivy plus schools but they also reiterate the message that "Ivy or bust" is not healthy, there are tons of other schools out there, etc. And top rigor, very strong grades, and very strong SAT/ACT scores are all needed in order to even have a chance of applying to elite schools according to them - they DO not teach you "tricks" for having essays and/or ECs that will "make up" for the lack of rigor/grades/test scores.


Our HS counselors are very much into you have almost zero chance at an Ivy, everyone wants the same 20 schools, etc etc. They do steer to other colleges. But- with kids with Ivy stats if you know that and want to buy the lottery ticket go for it. My unhooked kid got into one RD, as well as Hopkins and Pomona and Georgetown. As long as you meet the 75% of their score/gpa unhooked- and know it’s not personal, “just business” and can afford the $75-90 app fees—why not go for it?? My kid was pleasantly surprised with the outcomes. He didn’t want to ED anywhere.


This is why I’m leery of paid private counselors. They need to get your kid in somewhere so they always take the safe route…Ed, ed2, etc. They are less likely to advocate risk because the paying customer will blame them so they look for a school they can push and make it sound appealing.


We're using a private counselor, not AN, but this tracks. Kid has incredible stats (great academics, 1600, national recognition, leadership, internship) and the counsellor still says "don't apply T1-5, don't apply to this major, don't apply there ED." While we fully understand that even the most accomplished kid still isn't above a 40% shot at a top school, it's absurd to say "no" to their dream if it's a possibility. We plan to let DC apply early where they actually WANT to go, knowing it's not likely to work out, and will take the counselor's advice about general list, major, applications, essays, etc...
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:56     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?


I was in it for older kids and will rejoin shortly for my AN28.....what do you want to know?


What did you find most helpful? I feel like it could be helpful to guide us but then we would do a lot of work on our own to make it more personal. Does that sound right? Any info you have would be helpful. It's cheaper than an individual counselor but it's still $1000 if we pay for 12 months.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:54     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?


I was in it for older kids and will rejoin shortly for my AN28.....what do you want to know?
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:51     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This thread has taken an awful turn but I think it's important to note that her daughter applied ED to Dickinson - she wanted to go there and didn't settle. Application Nation is about setting expectations - they do provide plenty of advice for Ivy plus schools but they also reiterate the message that "Ivy or bust" is not healthy, there are tons of other schools out there, etc. And top rigor, very strong grades, and very strong SAT/ACT scores are all needed in order to even have a chance of applying to elite schools according to them - they DO not teach you "tricks" for having essays and/or ECs that will "make up" for the lack of rigor/grades/test scores.


Our HS counselors are very much into you have almost zero chance at an Ivy, everyone wants the same 20 schools, etc etc. They do steer to other colleges. But- with kids with Ivy stats if you know that and want to buy the lottery ticket go for it. My unhooked kid got into one RD, as well as Hopkins and Pomona and Georgetown. As long as you meet the 75% of their score/gpa unhooked- and know it’s not personal, “just business” and can afford the $75-90 app fees—why not go for it?? My kid was pleasantly surprised with the outcomes. He didn’t want to ED anywhere.


This is why I’m leery of paid private counselors. They need to get your kid in somewhere so they always take the safe route…Ed, ed2, etc. They are less likely to advocate risk because the paying customer will blame them so they look for a school they can push and make it sound appealing.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:48     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:This thread has taken an awful turn but I think it's important to note that her daughter applied ED to Dickinson - she wanted to go there and didn't settle. Application Nation is about setting expectations - they do provide plenty of advice for Ivy plus schools but they also reiterate the message that "Ivy or bust" is not healthy, there are tons of other schools out there, etc. And top rigor, very strong grades, and very strong SAT/ACT scores are all needed in order to even have a chance of applying to elite schools according to them - they DO not teach you "tricks" for having essays and/or ECs that will "make up" for the lack of rigor/grades/test scores.


Our HS counselors are very much into you have almost zero chance at an Ivy, everyone wants the same 20 schools, etc etc. They do steer to other colleges. But- with kids with Ivy stats if you know that and want to buy the lottery ticket go for it. My unhooked kid got into one RD, as well as Hopkins and Pomona and Georgetown. As long as you meet the 75% of their score/gpa unhooked- and know it’s not personal, “just business” and can afford the $75-90 app fees—why not go for it?? My kid was pleasantly surprised with the outcomes. He didn’t want to ED anywhere.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 09:43     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anyone signed up for AN 27? Any newer thoughts on becoming a member?
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 20:33     Subject: Sara Harberson Application Nation
Anonymous wrote:I will probably get pilloried for this, but if you are an intelligent, engaged parent, with a high performing kid who doesn't have to get into a T20, and can accept acceptances in the T30 to T100 range, you can do it yourself with your kid.

If you and your kid can identify a range of 8 to 12 schools with reaches, targets and likely safeties, schools that fit with your kid's values and academic objectives, you and your kid can make good decisions that will get them accepted at a school that suits them. Being realistic goes a long way.

We did it. It is laborious, but as long as your kid is honest, sincere and thoughtful, having identified schools that are good fits, there should be some acceptances. AOs recognize candor and a lack of exaggeration seems to be appreciated. I agree with the parents here who utilized Sara through her social media presence, I did the same with a number of other CCs.

If you have editing skills where you can exercise a soft touch, and tighten up their essays while allowing them to pick their questions, draft the answers and retain their voice, that is hugely helpful. We emphasized showing some of the personality that goes along with the academic and EC record.





We took a similar approach with our kid. Only thing different was that we didn’t help with the essays. We did take on an active role in planning visits/tours of targets and likelies. Kid found several targets in the T-30 to T-100 range, that fit their academic interests, and ended up with some good choices.