Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 08:51     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:And I realize that’s not even what the most expensive charge. Just wondering what kind of income level / net worth makes people comfortable spending this amount


Never and I’m the 1 percent.

Absurd to do this
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 08:50     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
I wouldn't spend a cent on private consulting no matter how much I made. I'm a professor and know what my industry is actually worth!
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 08:26     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Net worth would be the more relevant consideration for me.

$30m+ NW.
We did application nation and essay coaches.


Where did your kid get in?


Higher NW. And we also did AN.
Private HS.
4 top 20 schools and WL at a few more.
Kid is at an Ivy.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:50     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just saw it today, 300K for a college campus visit tour.
https://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/private-jets/300k-luxury-college-admissions-tour-includes-private-jet-ivy-league-visits

Honestly, I don't think you will be getting any useful "guidance" from these counseling service if you are on a 40k budget. Whatever advices you got from them will be generic. Just self-study the application process.


I have so many questions after reading that. Students -- who think they are ivy league material -- need to be provided "custom" questions to ask during college information sessions in order to supposedly impress the admissions staff. Shouldn't smart kids be able to come up with their own questions? And in a large information session, there's zero chance that anyone knows or cares who is asking what question.


+++ they of course are not
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:49     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:Infinite, that's an absurd amount of money. Spend ~$25 on "Who Gets In and Why" and listen to a number of informative podcasts for free. You'll equal, if not exceed, the results.


GOLDEN advice. And read MIT's applying sideways.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:48     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have a seven figure HHI and I would not consider paying anything like that.

+2
We’re at 1.5m (though we have multiple kids) and wouldn’t consider it.


That was my post, we're about the same at around $1.5M. It's not about the money, we can afford it without issue. I just don't see the value. If a kid needs that much 'polishing' to get too a certain level of school then maybe it's about the parents more than the kid. And, it should be about teh kid.


This. Complete waste of $. Both of ours at different ivies. If the student is among the top 2-3 overall students at most good privates or good publics, they can get in to top15/ivy schools. At some feeder schools (TJ, top privates) then can get in as long as they are top 15-25% on rigor and the rest.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:39     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Infinite, that's an absurd amount of money. Spend ~$25 on "Who Gets In and Why" and listen to a number of informative podcasts for free. You'll equal, if not exceed, the results.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:37     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
If they could guarantee me a four year scholarship with a money back guarantee, I'd be all in.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:31     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
I think anybody who could afford a $40,000 consultant is too smart to fall for the scam.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:12     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Net worth would be the more relevant consideration for me.

$30m+ NW.
We did application nation and essay coaches.


Where did your kid get in?
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:10     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:Just saw it today, 300K for a college campus visit tour.
https://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/private-jets/300k-luxury-college-admissions-tour-includes-private-jet-ivy-league-visits

Honestly, I don't think you will be getting any useful "guidance" from these counseling service if you are on a 40k budget. Whatever advices you got from them will be generic. Just self-study the application process.


I have so many questions after reading that. Students -- who think they are ivy league material -- need to be provided "custom" questions to ask during college information sessions in order to supposedly impress the admissions staff. Shouldn't smart kids be able to come up with their own questions? And in a large information session, there's zero chance that anyone knows or cares who is asking what question.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 07:09     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
We spent slightly less than $20k for essay help as we were faced with a crisis that no kid should ever deal with. However essay help had a hard end date, and after DC was rejected REA, DH and I had to help DC revamp applications, including most essays, for RD. Was admitted to a couple of HYPSM schools RD. We were shocked at how useless the essay help was in terms of producing effective essays even after trying to use one of the best. The only thing that was done was that the essays were completed. Waste of money!
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 06:02     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:And I realize that’s not even what the most expensive charge. Just wondering what kind of income level / net worth makes people comfortable spending this amount

It's not so much about income. I would spend the money if I saw the value. This kids really needs it or the parents believe in the value of it.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 05:44     Subject: Re:How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
OP has not shared enough information regarding what the $40,000 fee covers. Is it $40,000 for one year of counseling or for 4 years ?

Assuming that the $40,000 fee can be paid from savings, not from borrowed funds, the issue is not one's net worth, the issue is why is this family in need of a college counselor and what is expected by the customer.
Anonymous
Post 07/18/2025 00:56     Subject: How much would you have to make to be comfortable spending $40,000 on a college consultant?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have a seven figure HHI and I would not consider paying anything like that.

+2
We’re at 1.5m (though we have multiple kids) and wouldn’t consider it.


That was my post, we're about the same at around $1.5M. It's not about the money, we can afford it without issue. I just don't see the value. If a kid needs that much 'polishing' to get too a certain level of school then maybe it's about the parents more than the kid. And, it should be about teh kid.