It does seem odd to me that post after post on CC talks about how hard it is for even a top student to get into an Ivy and then someone asks about consultants and a few posters scoff at the idea.
A kid might be the fastest athlete in her high school but she still has a coach. Top opera singers (and Mick Jagger) still take voice lessons. The knowledge, judgment and strategic suggestions that an excellent college consultant provides can make a difference when there are 30,000+ kids applying to these schools.
" than their resume merited. "
^^This the the REAL problem with your statement and thinking.
NO ONE deserves to be accepted at any particular college .
EVERY competitive college admissions office these days has stated that they receive many, many more applications from qualified students than they have openings for. That is a fact.
And NO Packaging will change the odds that a student is accepted. In fact it can do the obvious- read below
“It has become so common that the head of college counseling at my kids’ school told us that the heads of admissions at various top colleges have talked to him about how they are seeing more and more obviously “packaged” kids and they are rejecting them in favor of kids with more authentic applications”
Your brother needs to first find safety colleges that he would be happy to go to and are likely to accept him
And both you and he need to realize that an acceptance at a top college should not and cannot be expected, nor is it " deserved", but if it happens, is a gift that can then be celebrated.
What GOOD, reputable, realistic college counselors [who dont make promises they cant keep and are not out to take advantage of naive applicants] CAN do is help to help them find colleges where the applicant has a greater chance of acceptance.
All perfectly valid resources, @JustOneDad, and ones that I would hope the OP would consider. But additionally consulting an external source does not necessarily imply a lack of “initiative and intelligence”, as you seem to suggest. Bright kids may have just as much difficulty presenting their background effectively as less talented ones. Programs like the Davidson Institute which focus on highly gifted youth include educational consulting, including college planning and applications. CTY makes such a service available, as I mentioned in an earlier post. I don’t know much about it, personally, but presumably these reflect a genuine need on the part of talented kids, and not a lack of initiative and intelligence. I expect there are plenty of predatory services as well who are quite happy to exploit youthful insecurities and take their money, but some may provide a legitimate and useful service.