Ivy Dean, Ivy Wise, College Counselors

Parents Forum
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The information that I found on the internet, plus the advice that I got on this website, worked out very well for my son’s application process. But he had a pretty good GPA, was willing to self-study for the ACT, and was willing to accept guidance on the process from his parents.

I agree with the observation made above, that if the dynamic between the student and the parents is not ideal, or if the parents and student are not able to find the needed information on the internet, then yes, paying for it might be beneficial.

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There are a lot of consultants out there. I would think of them in 2 buckets based on your needs: 1) someone who knows the process and can guide your child through it in an organized, detail-oriented way so that you don’t have to do it. 2) someone with expertise and knowledge of actual college admissions processes who can help you understand what actually makes a difference. For these experts, I would expect them to have been an admissions officer at a college prior to becoming a consultant. If your child is trying to get into the most selective schools, the latter might be what you need. I did not use one and am still hoping that my D will get into some of those schools, but I enjoyed using a lot of free resources and doing my own research, as well as having a self-motivated kid. Best of luck!

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I have used a combination of multiple books on the topic and this site over the past few years (did not go to school in this country and the process is very different than where I went to university - even American parents didn’t have the same application landscape that their kids have today). We are a few years off until applications, too.

@itsallgood123 suggested web sites with blog posts from professional counselors that specialize in college admissions. Read up on the topic so that you are educated on the current academic landscape. The responses thus far on this thread have been incredibly helpful.

@collegemom3717’s questions are great ones to ask in your family. A lot depends on how many years are left before your kid applies to colleges, what their academics are, and where they would like to attend school. Some paths are more competitive than others.

You do not necessarily need to spend a lot of money on counsellors - but you may spend a lot of money on your child’s education and extra-curriculars as they build on their interests throughout the school years. Personally, we are currently not using a counsellor, in order to pay for my kid’s experiences and save for college tuition.

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They can’t really guarantee a client admission to highly selective schools.

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If you do use one, make sure the company is transparent about who they are and what they are offering you. Do your homework before paying lots of $$$, especially ridiculously large sums, which should be a red flag anyway. Just because it’s expensive, doesn’t mean it’s good or that your consultant is knowledgeable or reputable.

The consultant should be transparent about everything, their backgrounds, credentials, etc. You have the right to ask about all this stuff at any point during their services. If the consultant’s background isn’t fully disclosed on their website (i.e. missing the names of universities they attended on bios, no obvious work experience in the field, general lack of credentials, inadequate backgrounds), then run. If a consultant went to Harvard, then they’d surely tell you that info upfront since there’s nothing to hide. If it seems like they may not have gone to college at all or refuse to openly disclose where they went to school themselves, then that missing info should tell you something. I’d also do a deep search online before using any high dollar consultants. Do checks on the companies. Look for any outstanding or pre-existing complaints as well as any criminal behavior. Have there been lawsuits? Obtain those legal records and read them. Negative reports? Listen to them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck.

If you don’t do your homework, you could wind up in the middle of a mess. Operation Varsity Blues happened back in 2019. Consultants still out there could potentially be even worse. Don’t fool yourself and assume OVB was an isolated event with just one crooked consultant. If someone is ghostwriting your kid’s essays or making up a bunch of stuff that never happened, then your involvement with them could get you in some serious trouble later. You have the right to ask what type of services you’re getting for your money and if the people you’re paying are above board.

Lastly, make sure the consultant is willing to do what’s best for YOU. Taking large sums of money, then forcing you to apply where you really don’t want to go, isn’t okay. Also, any consultant who is trying to force you to apply binding early decision to a school you would have gotten into without their help, isn’t okay either. All that does is make their lives easier, but is that really the best thing for you? If you want to aim high in order to see what happens, then you have every right to do so. That’s not really anyone else’s business because it’s not their life. If you ask for their help in determining a school list, then fine, but make sure they are being straight with you about what really is obtainable, not just taking you for a ride with a lowball early decision school.

Before you sign up, ask lots of questions. If the consultant doesn’t seem to really know about IB programs, doesn’t understand that your IB Physics class lasts two years instead of one, doesn’t know about foreign schools and you’re at one, or thinks they can help you get into a grad school program and they’ve never even been to grad school, then there may be something freaky going on. A reputable consultant shouldn’t get defensive when they’re being asked about their knowledge and credentials. If they do, there’s something amiss.

You don’t need high dollar consultants to get into an Ivy or highly competitive university. I’m living proof of that. Read this forum. It has all the info you could ever need.

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I think a good college counselor might talk with your daughter about her desire to go to the most competitive colleges with the “tiniest” admission numbers, to make sure of fit. Getting in isn’t the point, the experience of those 4 years is. Does she like large lectures with grad student TA’s or would she prefer a liberal arts college with smaller classes? Location, urban, rural, suburban, snow or warm weather? Size of school, size of classes? What major does she favor and is there a school that matches that well? What “vibe” appeals to her?

If your daughter wants a competitive college, the counselor can educate her on the differences among them. Anyone who applies to many Ivies, for instance (and not saying this is your daughter), is neglecting those differences.

I think helping to find the best fit, rather than helping gain admission to a prestigious school, is the mark of a really good counselor. And if that best fit is Harvard or Stanford or whatever, great, apply, have reasonable expectations, and a good list of schools to be happy at regardless.

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Her best chance is having a well balanced list of safeties/matches/reaches. A good counselor will focus on that so your child has acceptances to choose from that they are excited about.

My D went to a private school with excellent advising. First part of the process was talking budget and then identifying the safeties.

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I don’t think any college counseling service is worth that kind of money, but some students, especially international students, routinely pay exorbitant amonts for such services. Here’s an article in Inside Higher Ed reporting on a lawsuit filed by Ivy Coach against a Vietnamese woman for failing to pay half of $1.5m she owed for its service:
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2018/02/12/suit-reveals-elite-college-consultants-charged-family-15-million#:~:text=A%20lawsuit%20filed%20last%20week,worth%20it%2C%20the%20lawsuit%20says.

Another article in Forbes describing a Yale humanity grad with no obvious job prospect here went to China and became rich charging a year’s worth of tuition for his college counseling service:

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Hey, do you have any recommendations for a college consulting service? I’m new to the process, and I’m looking through the many options to find one for my son.

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No one on here will recommend anyone by name as it violates the TOS. The best way to find a reputable one is to network with parents in your area to see what they have done. They will be aware of people or small companies in your area and be able to offer information about their experience.

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@AdmissionsNewb Just to give you an idea of the fees, the college counselors in our area, NJ upper middle class suburb, charge around $5K for a college application package. Some also offer hourly consulting. Our experience: For DS1, I helped my kid with the process, because it was straightforward and he didn’t apply to any competitive schools. For DS2, a rising senior, I have hired a counselor at hourly rate to give feedback for his essays. He wants to apply to competitive schools where the essays are a major part of the package.

At this point, the student’s portfolio is already baked in. A good counselor will give feedback and advice, and help you navigate the process. Our counselor is local, and I would follow the advice already given here about finding someone local through networking with other parents. If you’re in a competitive school district, the local counselors will have a much better handle on the types of universities that students with a similar profile have gotten into, and some back stories that Naviance can’t provide.

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For about 95% of candidates, this is a complete waste of money. Most HS AP English class teachers will work with your kid on essays and supplements. Much of what a paid counselor will tell you can be found for free on Common Data Set, by visiting a few forums, and speaking to a handful of alums from target schools. Want more? There are some excellent “free” podcasts from HYPSM type schools that discuss just about everything one might need to know about admissions.

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