<p>seems like most people on CC don't hire college/admissions consultants (do you?) -- wanna know why? Are the good ones too expensive? Or are most consultants "bad"?</p>
<p>Or are online sources like CC/US News/etc. <em>enough</em> already so consultants are useless?</p>
<p>I have nothing against using consultants for such a HUGE decision. They provide a needed service and get paid to do it. The Net provides a wealth of data, which is only useful if one knows what to do with it. But the Net has limitations also and misinformation and biased information so you must tread carefully. I try to get data from multiple objective sources and I rarely pay much attention to biased sources like school brochures or what not.</p>
<p>Still, despite all that, I was a bit overwhelmed/confused.</p>
<p>The thing is…chosing a college ultimately is a PERSONAL preference/decision so I am not sure you should hire someone to do something that you ultimately have to decide. Besides, as I tell my kids, I am the best damned guidance counselor either of them will ever have. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you either way.</p>
<p>^ Agree with ACCecil. One of the reasons we’re on CC is to be better educated in the college selection process. The only reason I might consider hiring a college consultant is if my child wanted to attend a specific school which needed targeting. Fortunately I didn’t have to worry about that.</p>
<p>We didn’t hire a college consultant. Even tho we would be considered full-pay almost everywhere, we really don’t have “that kind of money.” </p>
<p>Plus, I’m a little skeptical that a consultant really would be working for my kid’s best interests.</p>
<p>I have considered adding “CC certification” to my business card. :p</p>
<p>“I’m a little skeptical that a consultant really would be working for my kid’s best interests.”</p>
<p>What other interests would they be serving? Some consultants are incompetent, just like in any other profession, but I don’t see a lot of potential for ulterior motives. If a kid doesn’t get in where he wants to go, that’s going to cost the consultant money – the parents won’t hire that consultant for younger siblings or recommend him/her to other parents. So usually the interests of the consultant and the kid are aligned.</p>
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<p>Well, to be honest, I haven’t explored the college consultant market, so my opinion could very easily be unfounded. But, having said that, here are a couple scenarios that cross my mind…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The consultant puts his or her financial interests first. That is, he or she is only interested in getting paid. As soon as we’d make a deposit (or whatever) the counseling dries up, the calls go unanswered, the advice feels “canned.”</p></li>
<li><p>The consultant puts his or her success rate ahead of my kids’ best match. For example, the kid is urged to aim lower than he might otherwise, gets in everywhere, and the consultant gets to take credit for a high acceptance rate. Meanwhile, Kid is left to choose between OK, but not wonderful, schools.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My husband and I “outsource” a lot of the services some people do for themselves. College search and planning just isn’t one of them. I agree with MrZapz. Why have a consultant when there is CC?</p>
<p>Hey, the fact that you’re not interested in a consultant is a perfect reason not to hire a consultant. That’s all you need. But I want to answer your general skepticism about consultants acting in the kids’ best interests.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>This is a risk with any service or product you buy. If you don’t trust them enough to pay thousands up front, don’t do it. Buy service an hour at a time, and if you don’t like the latest hour you paid for, find a new nanny/accountant/landscaper/chef/therapist. </p></li>
<li><p>I don’t see many consultants making claims like “My students get into 99% of the schools they apply to!” without stating whether they’re all safety schools or what. If you are seeing that kind of thing, clearly, that’s not someone you want to hire. I don’t even keep track of my clients’ admit rate, because it’s meaningless for the reason you state. Most of us do not.</p></li>
</ol>