<p>I'm always shocked at the cost of college-prep counseling</p>
<p>Saw that and decided to chalk it up to excessive behavior of the obsessive, overly competitive families with lots of extra cash. </p>
<p>The entrepreneurial spirit abounds, doesn't it?</p>
<p>Have you never viewed the counseling services and the comparable high costs listed on this site alone? College admissions is a big business, and it's alive and well--even here on CC.</p>
<p>Yes, Jack ... and I cannot believe how expensive it is to be able to participate in the forums of College Confidential. Of course, there is ALL this constant advertising for signing up to the countless commercial services. Dave and Sally are such bullies. </p>
<p>PS I would wager that 95% of the forum visitors are not even aware of the "darker" side of College Confidential. Such a racket!</p>
<p>from the article referencing mother's surfin on CC:</p>
<p>"Thanks for writing," momofthree wrote. "If S2 got such an e-mail, he has not mentioned it. I do know he has a complete file as his dad called to check!</p>
<p>xiggi: No need for sarcasm. I was merely commenting on the OP's statement that he/she was "shocked" at the cost of counseling services mentioned in the linked newspaper article. Simply pointing out that CC is a business, too, where people make money through books or counseling, just like in the article. I am assuming you would not disagree with that.</p>
<p>Articles of this type appear every year and are timed to coincide with the announcemnts of acceptance. It makes those who are in the game feel better or worse. These articles are timely and sell because so many families are participants. Decisions about summer programs, meetings with college advisors to prepare for next year.........this is the time when all things converge. Taxes and the costs of education.</p>
<p>The slowness is NOT just today......it has been creeping up on us again. Just in time for the new round of acceptances. hehe</p>
<p>Anyone notice the site is a little slow today? I bet it's all the NYT readers coming to check us out. Where's Cur? We need him to write one of his patented salt of the earth reports and we will hook all these new readers for sure:).</p>
<p>Just read that CC is upgrading the server so we are temporarily slowwwwwww.</p>
<p>
[quote]
xiggi: No need for sarcasm.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>xiggi, sarcasm is always welcome. :D</p>
<p>Jack, no problem at all. I did indeed use a sarcastic tone to make my point. </p>
<p>I probably could have use a better tone to point out that the forums at College Confidential have remarkably remained free of "commercials" -except for the ubiquitous Ads by Google. I, for one, am thankful that someone had the insight to start this forum and allow it to grow to its current state. Also, I would hope that the owners DO reap beneficial results from their earlier decisions. Today, the site was slow because ... of a change of server. We can look at the decision to invest as a cynical move to increase revenues, or merely be happy that it happened because CC generated the necessary revenues to accomodate our desire for speed and responsiveness. Regardless HOW it happened, we all benefit from it, especially since our price of admissions has not followed much of an inflationary pattern.</p>
<p>This said, it is undeniable that college admission is a BIG business, but one that is ultimately driven by ... demand.</p>
<p>M&Sdad,</p>
<p>LOL!</p>
<p>I completely blinked when I saw this article. I was just telling my mother a couple days ago about the Internet beyond search engines- she HAD no idea that such message boards existed!!!! I told her a bit about CC (without explicitly stating the name because I don't want her to find me out) and she was just amazed. Simply stunned.</p>
<p>Now my *secret" is out- if she actually looks it up. I'm still giving her the article anyway because she's still pretty illiterate about the fabulous world of Internet.</p>
<p>I laughed when I saw momofthree's post- only because someone here is famous and no one knows who she is except for her poster herself and anyone who knows her personally!!!! LOL</p>
<p>MomofThree, you're famous! And I can say I knew you when :D. </p>
<p>Jack....when you say "College admissions is a big business, and it's alive and well--even here on CC, " I just don't get your implication. What do you mean "EVEN HERE....on CC." What do you think CC is?? There shouldn't be college counseling services (for fees) on CC? CC is WAY more than the forums. The forums are FREE. You are using the free services that CC, who are college counselors, provide on their site. So, yes, even HERE, where this is a site run by a college counseling business, there are college counselors working for those who pay fees for services. What a concept. Where else should college counselors be but on their own website?</p>
<p>The forums are a free service on CC. So are the many articles and the free advice column of Ask the Dean. Readers can learn and do it themselves as most of us parents do or have done, by reading CC's forums, for free. If you take away the paid counseling services, then there is no CC. CC offers these forums and other things on the site for anyone, for free. Most people do not need, nor can afford for that matter, a college counselor. But for SOME people, for whatever reason....they don't have time or know how, the inclination or effort, they opt to find someone who can help their child with the process. Many send kids to private prep schools with college counselors on staff. Others attend schools where a guidance counselor may be assigned too many students, or deals with too many other issues besides college admissions, or may not have expertise in the type of colleges their child will be applying to (ie., elite colleges, specialty programs), and thus the family wants assistance from someone who can suggest colleges or guide them through the admissions quagmire. Many, like the parents or students who frequent the free forums, are equipping themselves with this knowledge and are facilitating the process with their children. Just like with SAT prep, some hire someone to do that and others prepare on their own. That article quoted a very high priced college counselor but there are counselors out there in many price ranges with a myriad of services from just helping to suggest colleges to being there on call for 2 full years of help. I'm not advocating college counseling but to imply in almost a negative fashion that such counselors even exist on CC is a bit much since CC IS RUN by counselors (Sally and Dave). If they belong somewhere, it is on their own business' website, don't ya think? I would hope that readers would appreciate the free aspects of this site, including but not limited to the discussion forums, where many have learned to handle this process through gaining information and sharing with other knowledgeable readers. It's here for the taking for those who wish to do it themselves, though provided as a service by professional college counselors.<br>
Susan</p>
<p>PS, reiterating what Xiggi wrote, the revenues from the paid services have allowed CC to provide these free services such as the discussion forums or Ask the Dean.</p>
<p>Susan: Wow. I didn't realize my one little comment would create such a response. As I've already stated, I was merely responding to the OP's original statement, where he said that he is "always shocked by the cost of college-prep counseling." Yes, I agree. I think the cost is shocking as well, and while that advice/counseling is something I personally would never pay for, nor encourage anyone in that direction, I certainly have no problem with others doing so, nor with those who do it for a living. There are tons of jobs/careers I wouldn't want to do-- and services I would never spend money on-- but that's my preference and my choice. </p>
<p>You asked "what do you think CC is." I am well aware that "CC is more than forums." As you point out, CC has its own counselors and they charge a fee. Isn't that what I said? I believe you announced you are one of the counselors for CC, and so that's great. I'm confused by your defensiveness as we both seem to agree. And I think everybody in a profit-making business should have a web site. Absolutely. I'm sorry I obviously hit a nerve. Carry on.</p>
<p>Jack, </p>
<p>I understand that you were saying that CC has counselors. It was the way you put it and the way I read it, I suppose. The "even on CC" seemed odd to me because that is what CC IS. It is a site owned and operated by College Counselors. So, it makes sense that they are indeed ON CC as it is THEIR site. I guess it implied to me that here on these forums, we actually have counselors, whereas the forums are a free service run by the counselor's business paid for by the counseling fees. So, while one can debate the cost of counseling fees for those who opt to go that route, and I understand your take and preferance on that issue and respect it, it was the way the statement came across as they even exist here on these forums and I think that readers who often visit CC think that CC is just forums and may not even know it is owned or operated by professional college counselors. Their services are not pushed on the forums and the forums themselves are a service for readers who may wish to figure it all out on their own, as I and many others did when our kids looked into college admissions. The Ask the Dean service is another way to get questions answered by a counselor for free. </p>
<p>My point is NOT to defend college counselors. I respect the option to not use one and many do NOT need one. Most CC readers who frequent the forums on a regular basis are the ones who often do not need that kind of assistance. As I said, some do want it for reasons I outlined. My point isn't "yay college counselors". I was ONLY reacting to the statement that they exist "even on CC", lest you forget that CC is a free service where you can even "complain" about college counselors, lol, that is available to you as a free forum courtesy of those college counselors, that's all. We very well may agree, as you say, no problem. I was just commenting about that particular notion and how I read your comments and you have explained yourself and I am simply doing the same. I am not defending the practice of college counseling but only that CC is a place that shoud be fine to have paid counselors because afterall, it is owned by counselors who are providing the forums for readers at no charge, where they can learn and do for themselves with no counselor. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Hey, I started a whole thread congratulating Momofthree, four minutes before this one started! </p>
<p>I guess timing is everything! :)</p>