Any thoughts on getting a college application counselor?......
My son is in 10th grade. A number of older kids we know have obtained outside counselors to assist with the college application process. Any thoughts from the Lounge on this? Generally speaking, he has good grades, tests well and has good extra curriculars. His first choice "reach" school (as of right now) is MIT. He sees himself as an engineering major type of kid. I can devote a bunch of personal time but he won't listen to me as much as he would an outside person. Was wondering if anyone here had used a counselor. Input would be appreciated.
33 Replies
2y
Biggest help was getting him to look at schools that he (or we) wouldnt have ever considered. Both kids ended up at small nerdy privtate schools (sub 4000 kids each) that with schollys ended up cheaper than our large in-state schools. We wouldve never considered without this consultant opening our eyes.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
We got one for our son.
First, she helped him with SAT prep this spring. He has great grades but hadn't done well with standardized tests. She helped him increase his scores on both parts.. big help.
Then, she switched to assistance with essays this summer (and the VT prompts). It was a great experience because it wasn't us, his parents, giving him advice, so it was received a little more easily. She helped focus him on how to put his thoughts together.
There are tons of companies making big money off this. We "interviewed" one or two: they couldn't wait to tell us about all the qualifications their personnel had, but were vague on results. Definitely talk to friends and get recommendations; you'll likely save a bunch of money and get better results.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
Seriously I have four kids and none have used a counselor.
There’s a whole industry out there trying to convince parents their kids are going to end up at a community college if they don’t pay to use them to get into the college of their dreams.
Let the kids do it themselves. It’s a good learning experience and a lesson in putting effort and quality work forth to get where you want to go.
Save the money and take your family somewhere for a weekend. Money better spent.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
it wasn't something I wanted to do but I really felt like she would have been at a disadvantage without one. It is so freakin hard to get into a decent school when you live in Loudoun or Fairfax County (and some others I am sure) that I wanted to give her the best possible chance. Her counselor is someone we know and she used to work in admissions at JMU so she knows what she is doing. She did a fantastic job helping with the essays and that is probably what I felt was most 'worth it' because those services aren't cheap. However, she had my daughter basically just brain dump on all of the topics and then worked with her to make it coherent and cut it down to the maximum word limit (which was difficult).
IMHO the entire process is really bad now. It was much easier without so many weighted grades and multi-level admission quotas instead of rewarding those with the best GPAs and test scores but Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. Very thankful she is my youngest and I don't have to go through all of this again.
** Edited by vt90 at 10/24/2023, 8:52:29 AM
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
brainwashing successful.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
My kids aren't near college yet but it was an interesting listen, you may want to check them out.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
E
EDGEMAN
2y
Although I'm not anti-carburetor, I prefer FI.
(In response to this post by Hokies1215)
I hired one for my nephew
It wasn’t cheap, like $12k maybe? My brother is blue collar and so is his wife, and they didn’t know anything about college, so this is a very different situation than you.
I thought what the hell and hired a pretty pedigreed guy for my nephew, and now my nephew is a soph at Colorado School of the Mines. Overall, my brother and my nephew liked the process and the help.
I think it was really good for them, but I am not sure I would recommend this for a dad like you honestly. But I get it, my kids don’t listen to me either. 😀
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
That school sucks #MinEVT
(In response to this post by MrBayAreaHokie)
2y
The dad thing is the problem. Not sure I want to spend $10k+ to have someone duplicate what I would do but the concern remains.
(In response to this post by MrBayAreaHokie)
2y
less than $700 but this was strictly for the application process. There was a free course for SAT that was offered by the county. She took that and raised her scores by 80 points.
Sounds like California must tax those rates at 99%. :)
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
he did a lot
i would say he spent somewhere around 60 hours with my nephew…again my brother’s family is basically the Conner’s from Roseanne so there was a lot of education and expectation setting. Lots of patience and explaining how the world works.
i talked to the guy as i hired him. He said something very interesting. He said there are really only 50 hard schools to get into but everyone wants the same 50.😜
(In response to this post by vt90)
H
Hurley09
2y
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
(In response to this post by Hurley09)
2y
(In response to this post by HokieGator)
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KCHokie2
2y
(In response to this post by ACCWatcher)
2y
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
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KCHokie2
2y
(In response to this post by bigbadbird)
2y
The Lounge is full of posters with small, trivial things. TIC
(In response to this post by KCHokie2)
2y
TIC
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
E
EDGEMAN
2y
In a sport they didn't play?
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
2y
Unfortunately for Aunt Becky, she was also accepted to State.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
Go the Kirk Lazarus route. Skin pigmentation surgery.
This is just me, but if MIT is his reach school, he’ll end up at a great school regardless.
(In response to this post by CrystalCoveHokie)
2y
If he keeps doing what he's doing, I agree with you. I'm thinking that there are some great choices out there. He'll get into one. Hopefully.
(In response to this post by RoswellGAHokie)