<p>I know (think?) this is a hypothetical. But let's play.</p>
<p>Honor Code: what does the honor code of his high school say? My guess is that it might address the situation. One is tempted to simplify it into making "paying for help" an issue. But what about paid tutoring in Calculus for a struggling kid? Paid tutoring in Remedial Math for a struggling kid in the non-college prep category? Consultant vs. tutor can be a fine line. Ditto paid consultant vs. unpaid mom or dad effectively writing a paper.</p>
<p>Honor signature (or whatever you call signing your college app to indicate it is truthful and your own work): doesn't say you can't hire consultants, paid Guidance Counselors, etc. Again, there is a line. And the outline in the OP doesn't tell us enough. IMO.</p>
<p>Consider the following:</p>
<p>Scene 1: Kid writes essay. Submits it to consultant for help in "editing it to the point of perfection." Consultant sends it back with notation indicating where the kid has been redundant, unclear, disorganized. Flags overuse of passive voice. Comments that there is not enough variation in sentence structure. Tells kid to revise and re-submit. Repeat. Until "point of perfection" is reached.<br>
Scene 2: Kid writes essay. Consultant rewrites it "to the point of perfection." Kid slides it into envelope and submits.</p>
<p>Two entirely different scenarios. Both may violate some people's sense of ethics. I assume Scene 2 would violate all people's sense of ethics. Scene 1 does not necessarily violate mine.</p>
<p>Edit: cross-posted with CountingDown and I believe we are saying essentially the same thing</p>