The World of College Consultants

Introduction

In recent years, the college admissions process has become increasingly competitive. Admission to top-tier schools such as Harvard and Stanford is more competitive than ever before. Years ago, an individual with a strong GPA, high standardized test scores and a strong resume stood a good chance of being accepted into an elite university. Those days are gone. As competition to gain entry into elite universities has increased, so have the number of individuals who help students gain acceptance into the college of their choosing, these individuals are known as college consultants.

Who they Are

College consultants are professionals whose job is helping students get into the college of their choice. Typically, these individuals come from the world of college admissions or secondary guidance, and have experience either from the inside in regard to accepting students to a selective university or from the outside, helping students gain entry into a selective university.

What they Do

College consultants help students package/market themselves to the universities of their choosing. Some of the activities of college consultants include, helping sculpt the perfect college essay, test preparation, and consultation on resume building/extracurricular activities.

What they Cost

The price of college consultants vary, but for the most part their cost is prohibitive. In New York City it is not uncommon for parents to spend upwards of $200,000 between middle school and high school graduation on college consultants.

Conclusion

It does not appear college consultants are going away anytime soon. Whether they are truly necessary or not, is another question for another time.