<p>No, you don’t have to trust him. This is someone who wants your money–wants more of it, apparently–who has already given you false information and misleading and overly optimistic advice. There are plenty of ways to educate yourself about the education and college application system in the USA, and they are free and open to anyone. Your library has many books that will give you a good start. You can do the research on universities yourself; if you’re smart enough to get a full scholarship to any of the schools on your list, you’re smart enough to find out about them yourself. Call the admissions office, if you doubt the people here who are telling you that the scholarships your Counsellor is touting don’t exist, or at least not in the form he is claiming. Don’t give him any more money until you have done some homework!</p>
<p>Yup … you are right … I should write my own essay … and I shouldn’t give him any more money … and research myself … Can anyone recommend me some good colleges with need based aid other than the highly selective IVYs …</p>
<p>Emory University.</p>
<p>
He proposes to write your recommendations? Your teacher recommendations? Your two teacher recommendations?</p>
<p>Anirudha, I’m afraid this sound less reputable every time you talk about it.</p>
<p>^I think she means him getting the recommendations for her, not writing the recommendations himself.</p>
<p>After reading all the comments … I too think he is a big cheat … I will ask him to refund the money … and research the universities myself … and I have sent an email to all the colleges in his list asking them if they offer full tuition aid … THANKS FRIENDS …</p>
<p>Oy, I hope so, FirstMove. But, still, I cannot imagine how it’s easier or better for a “counselor” to handle getting recommendations than it is for a student to take care of that matter himself or herself.</p>
<p>Anirudha, good luck!</p>
<p>I think this person is a BIG cheat who might get upset when you ask for the money back. Stand your ground and make sure one of your parents comes along with you. You should not have someone other than yourself write the essays. Most of the schools he mentioned he most likely has 0 contacts at. Even if he did, why would he go through all the trouble of contacting them for YOU specifically? Why not use his contacts for his children and other relatives?</p>
<p>Please get away from this person. As an international student, I KNOW the type of person you’re talking about. They’ll likely forge your entire application and get you into some really bad school/diploma mill/something like that.</p>
<p>Kayb92 - He is not an individual counselor … he is just a part of a big Consultancy firm in India ( I paid the consultancy charges to the firm and the company assigned this counselor for me, the counselor is himself a Boston University graduate and he has also worked for Princeton Review ) … This firm has offices in many cities in India and the world including New York, London, Singapore, Toronto … </p>
<p>Just this Saturday this firm held a spot admission session of few colleges from UK …</p>
<p>And yes I might not get my money refunded but I will stay away from them … I DON’T WANT TO SPOIL MY CAREER.</p>
<p>Princeton Review is a reputable company, by the way. I don’t know why he would be like that.</p>
<p>OP</p>
<p>If he’s saying he will write your essays – he’s 100% on the wrong side of ethics. If he’s saying he will edit them – it depends on what edit means. Certainly many students receive guidance (my public HS offers essay support, so I assume this is fine), but there’s a point at which it isn’t your essay.</p>
<p>Just saying …</p>
<p>If you do go through with that guy and the college EVER finds out you didn’t write your own admissions essay, your admission could be revoked. Even if you’re already on your second year or whatever.</p>
<p>So yeah, I don’t know about this firm but it sounds sketchy. It sounds a little bit less sketchy than when I thought he was an independent, but it still doesn’t sound like a good idea.</p>
<p>Anirudha, is working with this kind of consulting firm a common practice in India? (It isn’t unheard of in the US, but it is far from common.) Do you have peers who are doing this? Do you know anything about this particular firm’s reputation?</p>
<p>At this point, I would advise you to be careful, maybe even suspicious, but to make sure on one hand that they’re really cheating you before you start a big confrontation, and on the other hand that they’re really providing a legitimate service before you give them any more money. It does sound, however, as if they’re making promises about U.S. colleges and universities that they may not be able to make good on.</p>
<p>I am suspicious of almost all consultants. I had a boss once who said, “A consultant is a person who will borrow your watch to tell you the time…and then keep the watch as payment.”</p>
<p>By writing … I meant he will guide me on what the colleges want in a self statement essay … That is what he meant I guess …</p>
<p>I don’t know if he will edit the essay or not … because I have only had one counseling session 10 days back after which he shortlisted these colleges for me as per my profile and requirement of financial aid … My parents told him that they will pay the room, board and other expenses … they just need tuition waiver …</p>
<p>This what they say on their website … And this what they told me when went to them …</p>
<p>Step 1 : Student Profile Analysis</p>
<pre><code>* , we believe that a deep understanding of a student’s motivation for overseas study is the most critical step in the counseling process.
- We begin with a face-to-face meeting with a student so that our couselors can learn about their specific needs and goals as well as the particular strengths and weaknesses of their profile.
</code></pre>
<p>Step 2 : Mapping Profile to Courses</p>
<pre><code>* prides itself on being able to provide real time expert advice from an international team comprised of counselors who have first-hand knowledge of the education system in the destination country.
- Working with senior counselor based in the destination country, our counselors then do a best-match of the student’s profile and capabilities with the most appropriate academic programs and institutions in the country. If necessary, an overseas counselor may schedule an interactive session with the student before suggesting courses and universities.
</code></pre>
<p>Step 3 : Documentation for Admission & Financial Aid</p>
<pre><code>* Counselors in home and destination countries work together to guide students through the application process. The key here is knowing which aspects of the student’s credentials are valued most by the shortlisted universities and programs and enabling student to effectively highlight the same.
</code></pre>
<p>Still deeply suspicious. How do you know the company has offices in those places? How do you know this person actually graduated from Boston U and worked for Princeton Review? What do you really <em>know</em>, as opposed to what they claim, about this company and what they achieve/promise/do? Confidence tricksters are successful because they sound legitimate, they sound reasonable, they make nice claims, and because people <em>want to believe in them.</em> People want to believe there is an easy way, an unknown way, a back way, some secret that can be shared only with them, and that is how confidence tricksters get their money. </p>
<p>As an international student, and one that needs money to attend college, you are in a hard position. There are many like you. You need to know that you are not in the same category as natives for the purpose of scholarships. State schools are supported by tax money; their mission is to educate residents of the state. There may be some money available to international students, but there won’t be much, and you need to realize that a school may offer full scholarships to state residents that you, as an international student, simply aren’t eligible for. Make that distinction when you do your research: what is available to international students? All the contacts in the world won’t change your fundamental status. Besides, I truly don’t believe any counselor has that kind of pull, anywhere, much less at 12 schools.
There is a great deal of information on this site that you can find by searching, even stickied threads about scholarships, schools that offer scholarships, schools that are full-need, and international applications. Don’t be a gudgeon.</p>
<p>Sikorsky … Yes 3 of my friends got admission in Coventry, University of Sussex and University of Sothampton … this saturday on their spot admission session…</p>
<p>And next Saturday representatives of Kent State University, USA are coming to this firm …</p>
<p>I think they are legal or they wouldn’t get a lisence to have an office at World Trade Center, New Delhi …</p>
<p>Marysidney … yup I think I have been duped … but I won’t make any more payments to them … and you are right I really don’t know if they have offices in any places except India … According to their website their new york office is in Empire State Building … </p>
<p>I will do my own job … research the colleges myself … I heard that private liberal arts colleges give aid to international students … so apply at those colleges …</p>
<p>Here’s what troubles me, Anirudha. There’s a wide gap between the services you’ve quoted from the company’s web site, and the “guaranteed aid” you’re saying this particular counselor promised you. What causes this? </p>
<p>Did a counselor working for the company make oral promises that differ from the services the company promises in writing, and that he or she probably can’t make good on? That would be totally unscrupulous. Or is it possible that you’ve misinterpreted or misremembered what the counselor said? (Perhaps he said something like, “It will take an SAT of at least 2100 for you to be considered for merit aid at University of Maryland or SUNY Buffalo”?) That would be regrettable, but it wouldn’t be misconduct on the part of the consulting company.</p>
<p>Sirkosky - The counselor at this firm asked my dad what his annual budget was for tuitions and he replied that it was around 4,00,000 INR ( 9100 USD ).</p>
<p>And he promised that the colleges in which he will help us get admission will be around this budget ( Total cost - Financial Aid ) … ( He took 10 days to make the shortlist of colleges according to my profile and budget )</p>
<p>Now I am thinking that is it possible or not … or he just made a false promise … because if it is not possible I will ask this firm to make a new shortlist according to my budget …</p>