I am of 2 minds here. We hired a former Ivy AO summer before senior year. It was very expensive (10k). She did push DC to ED at a target and I think that is par for the course with these counselors - they want to claim success. If you go that route, be prepared to stand your ground. I thought she was great with selecting activities and descriptions for the Common App and the endless "Why Us" essays - she seemed to have a very good handle on the various institutional prios and really pushed DC to get very specific (important IMO). I did not love her advice on the Common essay and thought the end result was borderline cheesy. The best part for sure was having that third party intermediary with a kid who has a tendency towards procrastination. DH and I did zero nagging and there was no negative impact on family dynamics - we got to be the cheerleaders while she was the "bad guy" who nagged about deadlines. DC said he didn't think he would have done as well in the process if it wasn't for her, because he likely would have wound up cranking out dozens of essays over Xmas break and not giving enough thought to them. That said, I think the end result would have been the same. Probably wasn't worth $10k but it was worth something. It really comes down to your expectations for the counselor and how much that $10k means to you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The counselors at our independent school have been polite about the possibility of families hiring private counselors but they made it clear that they will be the counselors of record and anything other than test prep is a waste of money and risks impeding the process. They have an essay coach on staff so I can’t really see the point of hiring anyone else other than to personally harass your kid (and we plan to task DC’s exec function coach with that).

I found this comical. Are you serious? Is exec func coach familiar with the application process and all the nuances?

We are tasking exec function coach with harassing DC to do the things assigned by the school’s counseling team. Exec function coach also isn’t familiar with calculus but is perfectly capable of helping DC stay on track to finish homework and study for tests. It’s not the subject matter, it’s the staying on track with tasks assigned by others.

You don’t have a kid, right?

Stop. Please stop with this kind of nonsense.

What a weird take. DC has ADHD. Their school’s college counselors have been fantastic and they don’t need another cook in the kitchen on college apps. They know exactly what they need to do, they just need someone to help them stay on track. Exec function coach costs about as much per year as adding a college counselor but keeps them on track on more than just college apps. If your kid doesn’t need that, that’s great. But it’s a viable option for families who do.

Users of independent consultants should understand the roles each counselor plays. We have a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each, and we utilize each person based on those strengths.

For example, our school counselor is working with lots of students in addition to other responsibilities in her role. She doesn't have time to focus on each and every step taken to craft a resume, utilize that info to populate the common app, and brainstorm essay topics. We utilize our independent consultant for those things. Our independent consultant, while very familiar with the high school, doesn't have the intimate knowledge of students' success at with certain institutions and doesn't have direct access to the admissions officers. We rely on our counselor for that kind of information. We also rely on her to get other insights, such as which teacher will give a strong recommendation, whether it is worth pursuing a particular school leadership position, etc.

Our independent consultant has done an amazing job of the following:
--helping DD compile her college list (which school counselor agrees with)
--developing resume and use that info to populate the common app
--selecting HS courses to demonstrate rigor
--brainstorming essay topics
--develop and fine tune personal narrative (which has made it very easy for her to craft her essays)

DD is very ahead of the game and already has very good drafts of her essays done and common app pretty much wrapped up (with exception of individual colleges). This wouldn't be the case without independent consultant. DD will be just about ready to hit submit by the time school starts in September.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One SAHM friend in her 40s/50s is now an interior decorator. Four (maybe 5?) SAHM/part time work mom friends in their 40s/50s are now essay coaches and college counselors. I am not making this up.

OK we heard your last comments...SAHMs who used to go into interior design now do college counseling. Now find some other thread to troll.

Feeling uneasy about the $12,000 you spent for advice from a person that has never worked a day in college admissions? Sucker.

It was $13K, and no, it was worth every single dime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One SAHM friend in her 40s/50s is now an interior decorator. Four (maybe 5?) SAHM/part time work mom friends in their 40s/50s are now essay coaches and college counselors. I am not making this up.

OK we heard your last comments...SAHMs who used to go into interior design now do college counseling. Now find some other thread to troll.

Feeling uneasy about the $12,000 you spent for advice from a person that has never worked a day in college admissions? Sucker.

Dp, you sound deranged.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on for what purpose. DC's college list should be determined between DC and CCO, I don't think private counselor should have a final say on the college list.

For essays, I don't see how a private outside counselor could make things worse.

Before junior year, you will occasionally need a private counselor when CCO has not been assigned to DC.

Final say on college list is neither CCO nor private counselor. We take the input from both and DC and parents have "final say." Got it?

Telling me you don't go to a private school without telling me.
School counselor will have to approve your list. If your snowflake put all T20 on the list without safeties and targets, it's an automatic no.

LOL, of course there will be targets and safeties. What I am saying is that neither counselor can tell us what and what not to put on the list. We decide this in the end. They can advise, but that is the extent of it. After all, the title is "college advisor."

There are cases where outside counselor thinks you should ED a level up while the school counselor thinks your kid don't have the chops.

Again, it is up to the student/parent. Everyone will have opinions, and we welcome multiple viewpoints!!

That, I agree. OP makes it sound like outside counselor is bad. But it really depends on individual counselor you chose.

NP. I chose a “good one” and they’re still bad. Proceed carefully.

Sorry. A “good one” is one that gets the result for you, not the most expensive one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on for what purpose. DC's college list should be determined between DC and CCO, I don't think private counselor should have a final say on the college list.

For essays, I don't see how a private outside counselor could make things worse.

Before junior year, you will occasionally need a private counselor when CCO has not been assigned to DC.

Final say on college list is neither CCO nor private counselor. We take the input from both and DC and parents have "final say." Got it?

Telling me you don't go to a private school without telling me.
School counselor will have to approve your list. If your snowflake put all T20 on the list without safeties and targets, it's an automatic no.

LOL, of course there will be targets and safeties. What I am saying is that neither counselor can tell us what and what not to put on the list. We decide this in the end. They can advise, but that is the extent of it. After all, the title is "college advisor."

There are cases where outside counselor thinks you should ED a level up while the school counselor thinks your kid don't have the chops.

Again, it is up to the student/parent. Everyone will have opinions, and we welcome multiple viewpoints!!

That, I agree. OP makes it sound like outside counselor is bad. But it really depends on individual counselor you chose.

NP. I chose a “good one” and they’re still bad. Proceed carefully.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on for what purpose. DC's college list should be determined between DC and CCO, I don't think private counselor should have a final say on the college list.

For essays, I don't see how a private outside counselor could make things worse.

Before junior year, you will occasionally need a private counselor when CCO has not been assigned to DC.

Final say on college list is neither CCO nor private counselor. We take the input from both and DC and parents have "final say." Got it?

Telling me you don't go to a private school without telling me.
School counselor will have to approve your list. If your snowflake put all T20 on the list without safeties and targets, it's an automatic no.

LOL, of course there will be targets and safeties. What I am saying is that neither counselor can tell us what and what not to put on the list. We decide this in the end. They can advise, but that is the extent of it. After all, the title is "college advisor."

There are cases where outside counselor thinks you should ED a level up while the school counselor thinks your kid don't have the chops.

Again, it is up to the student/parent. Everyone will have opinions, and we welcome multiple viewpoints!!

That, I agree. OP makes it sound like outside counselor is bad. But it really depends on individual counselor you chose.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One SAHM friend in her 40s/50s is now an interior decorator. Four (maybe 5?) SAHM/part time work mom friends in their 40s/50s are now essay coaches and college counselors. I am not making this up.

OK we heard your last comments...SAHMs who used to go into interior design now do college counseling. Now find some other thread to troll.

Feeling uneasy about the $12,000 you spent for advice from a person that has never worked a day in college admissions? Sucker.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Total scam.

Class of 2024. No paid, private counselors. No essay coach,

Kid wrote essay May in AP English lang class and refined it for 6 months.

Only $ spent wad 4 sessions with a private ACT prep tutor.

Accepted 2 Ivies RD, Hopkins, Williams, Georgetown, Pomona RD.

I truly believe they can be a detriment. They lowball kids to get them in somewhere and strip all of the creativity “own voice” out of their apps.

+100

My kid did better than all the friends that hired a private counselor.

I think they do strip the kids of any originality and suggest stupid stuff.

My kids did what they loved. They enjoyed HS. They were well-rounded, had summer jobs, played a sport, did some community service, etc. Nothing was done with the idea of what would get them into an Ivy. Neither son even started thinking about where they wanted to go to college until spring of junior year.

The stuff I see these counselors suggest in their blogs and podcasts…barf. It plays on parents and students’ fears.

My kid did better than kids who didn't use an outside consultant. See how anecdotal information works?

Anonymous wrote:One SAHM friend in her 40s/50s is now an interior decorator. Four (maybe 5?) SAHM/part time work mom friends in their 40s/50s are now essay coaches and college counselors. I am not making this up.

OK we heard your last comments...SAHMs who used to go into interior design now do college counseling. Now find some other thread to troll.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on for what purpose. DC's college list should be determined between DC and CCO, I don't think private counselor should have a final say on the college list.

For essays, I don't see how a private outside counselor could make things worse.

Before junior year, you will occasionally need a private counselor when CCO has not been assigned to DC.

Final say on college list is neither CCO nor private counselor. We take the input from both and DC and parents have "final say." Got it?

Telling me you don't go to a private school without telling me.
School counselor will have to approve your list. If your snowflake put all T20 on the list without safeties and targets, it's an automatic no.

LOL, of course there will be targets and safeties. What I am saying is that neither counselor can tell us what and what not to put on the list. We decide this in the end. They can advise, but that is the extent of it. After all, the title is "college advisor."

There are cases where outside counselor thinks you should ED a level up while the school counselor thinks your kid don't have the chops.

Again, it is up to the student/parent. Everyone will have opinions, and we welcome multiple viewpoints!!

One SAHM friend in her 40s/50s is now an interior decorator. Four (maybe 5?) SAHM/part time work mom friends in their 40s/50s are now essay coaches and college counselors. I am not making this up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on for what purpose. DC's college list should be determined between DC and CCO, I don't think private counselor should have a final say on the college list.

For essays, I don't see how a private outside counselor could make things worse.

Before junior year, you will occasionally need a private counselor when CCO has not been assigned to DC.

Final say on college list is neither CCO nor private counselor. We take the input from both and DC and parents have "final say." Got it?

Telling me you don't go to a private school without telling me.
School counselor will have to approve your list. If your snowflake put all T20 on the list without safeties and targets, it's an automatic no.

LOL, of course there will be targets and safeties. What I am saying is that neither counselor can tell us what and what not to put on the list. We decide this in the end. They can advise, but that is the extent of it. After all, the title is "college advisor."

There are cases where outside counselor thinks you should ED a level up while the school counselor thinks your kid don't have the chops.

Anonymous wrote:Total scam.

Class of 2024. No paid, private counselors. No essay coach,

Kid wrote essay May in AP English lang class and refined it for 6 months.

Only $ spent wad 4 sessions with a private ACT prep tutor.

Accepted 2 Ivies RD, Hopkins, Williams, Georgetown, Pomona RD.

I truly believe they can be a detriment. They lowball kids to get them in somewhere and strip all of the creativity “own voice” out of their apps.

+100

My kid did better than all the friends that hired a private counselor.

I think they do strip the kids of any originality and suggest stupid stuff.

My kids did what they loved. They enjoyed HS. They were well-rounded, had summer jobs, played a sport, did some community service, etc. Nothing was done with the idea of what would get them into an Ivy. Neither son even started thinking about where they wanted to go to college until spring of junior year.

The stuff I see these counselors suggest in their blogs and podcasts…barf. It plays on parents and students’ fears.