college adviser consultant-ever had one?

[audrey1962]

As driven as DS is to succeed, and all the merits he has earned on his own, I do not want another child to obtain the same benefits just because their parents paid for it over their child's lesser work ethic.

I have to say, that comes across as rather ... honestly, as rather snotty. Some people have more money than time. It may be worth it for a parent to pay someone else to do this so their child can concentrate on academics, have time for extracurricular activities, help with siblings, hold down a job, volunteer, or any number of things.

From another perspective: that's life. There will always be someone richer, prettier, smarter and more talented than us. Realizing that, and dealing with it in a healthy, positive way, is one of life's lessons.

[Zilla]

These consultants have been around at least since I was applying to colleges over a decade ago. I didn't use one, but I know people who did. In my experience, they are most useful for kids whose schools don't offer much in the way of college counseling services. If your kids' school has college advisers who are able to meet with them individually a few times during the admissions process, a private consultant is probably not going to provide much additional help.

They are not recruiters in the sense of advocating for clients. They don't have any pull with colleges or any insight into specific admissions decisions. They help with things like deciding where to apply and tailoring applications to emphasize the accomplishments schools are looking for. Basically, they're more comparable to career counselors than recruiters.

Exactly.  Based on your child's grades, activities and field of study, they can guide you to the right college as well.  It isn't an edge but more of a customized plan specifically tailored to your child.  I know when my sister had her consultant, she was surprised to find out that her grades and field of study made her perfectly suited for a university she hadn't considered.  She applied and got early acceptance as there was a need for her field there.  The following snipped, I don't think you quite understood what an adviser or consultant does.  They can only steer you in the right direction, and what to apply for.  The child still has to get it on their own merit.  The parents don't "pay" for the kids to be accepted. 


Snipped:
As driven as DS is to succeed, and all the merits he has earned on his own, I do not want another child to obtain the same benefits just because their parents paid for it over their child's lesser work ethic. But, that may be how the world works.  sigh...

[Kiara]

As driven as DS is to succeed, and all the merits he has earned on his own, I do not want another child to obtain the same benefits just because their parents paid for it over their child's lesser work ethic.

I have to say, that comes across as rather ... honestly, as rather snotty. Some people have more money than time. It may be worth it for a parent to pay someone else to do this so their child can concentrate on academics, have time for extracurricular activities, help with siblings, hold down a job, volunteer, or any number of things.

From another perspective: that's life. There will always be someone richer, prettier, smarter and more talented than us. Realizing that, and dealing with it in a healthy, positive way, is one of life's lessons.

Ditto.  And in all honesty...is there a lot of solely merit-based stuff out there?  I hate to be a downer, and admittedly this was 15 years ago, but I was salutatorian, and I got zero for my chosen private college.  I got scholarships for two public schools, one from the school, and one from the state.  Most scholarships I saw were needs based in some form, and I didn't qualify.

Also, if the scholarships are nationally based, you and your son don't know who he'll be competing against.  If he loses a scholarship, it's not necessarily because someone else paid for help.  Maybe they have more of what the scholarship people are looking for.  Audrey has it exactly right.  There's always someone out there better than us.  In many threads people have said your son is a perfectionist, and he and you need to learn that coming in second isn't the worst thing.  And he needs to learn it before he leaves for college.

[kareng57]

*snip*
My junior son is most likely going to be valedictorian, and will apply early acceptance to a private college.
*snip*

Wow! That's pretty exciting. How did you find out so soon? Most schools don't choose their valedictorians until a little before graduation.

I too have never heard of a valedictorian being chosen two years in advance.  OP's son may indeed be very bright - but likely there are other kids at the school who would be just as qualified.

[Yvaine]

As driven as DS is to succeed, and all the merits he has earned on his own, I do not want another child to obtain the same benefits just because their parents paid for it over their child's lesser work ethic.

I have to say, that comes across as rather ... honestly, as rather snotty. Some people have more money than time. It may be worth it for a parent to pay someone else to do this so their child can concentrate on academics, have time for extracurricular activities, help with siblings, hold down a job, volunteer, or any number of things.

From another perspective: that's life. There will always be someone richer, prettier, smarter and more talented than us. Realizing that, and dealing with it in a healthy, positive way, is one of life's lessons.

Ditto.  And in all honesty...is there a lot of solely merit-based stuff out there?  I hate to be a downer, and admittedly this was 15 years ago, but I was salutatorian, and I got zero for my chosen private college.  I got scholarships for two public schools, one from the school, and one from the state.  Most scholarships I saw were needs based in some form, and I didn't qualify.

Some are. It depends on the school. The school I went to, I got a pretty good merit-based deal for being a National Merit finalist; essentially, it knocked the cost down from the out-of-state rate I'd ordinarily have had to pay, and made me the equivalent of an in-state student. Need-based aid took care of most of the rest. Another school I applied to, I could only have gotten a merit-based scholarship as a valedictorian or salutatorian--I was fourth, but no cigar.  (Another school--I think of it as the one that got away--was prepared to give me a really good deal because they wanted more people to major in what I wanted to major in. I didn't go there because I was trying to avoid that geographical area, and I've regretted it. They recruited me pretty intensely and probably would have valued me more than the place I did go.)

[Yvaine]

*snip*
My junior son is most likely going to be valedictorian, and will apply early acceptance to a private college.
*snip*

Wow! That's pretty exciting. How did you find out so soon? Most schools don't choose their valedictorians until a little before graduation.

I too have never heard of a valedictorian being chosen two years in advance.  OP's son may indeed be very bright - but likely there are other kids at the school who would be just as qualified.

Yeah, unless it's one of the schools with a lot of valedictorians--which I've heard of occasionally--those rankings can fluctuate throughout the years. As mentioned above, I ended up fourth, after having spent time being 15th, 7th, and probably a bunch of other rankings I don't remember. We had a little knot of intensely competitive people at the top!

[RegionMom]

artk2002-
thanks for the article!

Other posters- yes, I had no idea what a consultant did.  At a recent parent info for college meeting, we were strongly cautioned NOT to write our child's essays or to pay some one else to  do their work for them.  I had never even considered the thought, and found it unsettling that this was mentioned and stressed a few times. 

I guess I thought the cautionary e-mail concerning a consultant coming on the heels of warnings about letting your child do their own work felt like I woke up in richy-rich land and was way behind in thinking that merit was all DS needed.

He does do volunteer work and has a job plus extracurricular activities.  We make him go to bed because he is still studying. 

As far as DS's GPA, there are less than 100 students in his class.  Only 13 are ahead in a foreign language for AP points a year ahead of their peers, and out of that 13, he is the only one a year ahead in AP credit for math. 

The past several years of valedictorians have only been the ones that took this one language because you can advance up and skip ahead as opposed to other language courses. 

So, simply by crunching the numbers, plus the additional news that only one student ever so far has graduated with an unweighted 4.0 (two years ago) and that DS is only two hairs away from that, odds are very much in his favor unless he just bombs out. 

We have been at this school since DS was first grade.  Classmates learn who the nerds are. 

In fact, last year in DD's advanced math class, the teacher asked a question that involved another type of math taught the year before.  DD recalled the formula and gave the correct answer.  Her one year older classmates chuckled when another student exclaimed, "hey, that's not fair, she is a Regionite!"

Yes, I know DS needs to chill on the perfectionism.  He came out of the womb that way.  I have been trying to relax him since preschool!

He is a bit like Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, but with muscles and a girlfriend.   

[Yvaine]

Wow, so if you pick the right language you end up with a better GPA than if you pick the "wrong" one, even if you do well? Yikes. Do people know that going in?

[Wonderflonium]

I'm sure your children are lovely and talented, but there are lots of children who are lovely and talented. And children can transfer schools. The basic message is "don't count your chickens before they're hatched."

I'm unclear on some of your posts; do you think these consultants apply for scholarships for kids? Only the seediest, shadiest ones would do something like that. They just help find the scholarships; the kids still do all of the work involved in applying.

[Zilla]

Being there are only 100 kids (wow that is a tiny graduating class!) 2 college advisers are pretty good.  High schools around here with 1000+ kids share often 3 advisers.  I would also meet with them now and see what else he can do to get an edge over other kids, ie an extracurricular activity, joining a national academic competitive team etc.  I thought he was a senior, I didn't realize he was still a junior.

[RegionMom]

I was unclear on what consultants did.  I thought it was like a personal valet paid to get your child into the best college that could be arranged.  I now know that is incorrect.  E-hell has schooled me!   

As far as taking one certain language, I did not even know the extreme advantage, until my son told me he was skipping ahead and would get AP credit a year earlier than his peers in other chosen languages.

At this school, it is required to take this language before high school.  So, as a freshman, you begin in Year Two if you continue to study it.  Other languages are not offered until high school, so you must take Year One. 

DS tested out of Year Four, and is actually taking Year Five as a junior, with a small number of other classmates.   He plans to take Year Six next year. 

Other languages only go to Year Four.  Only Years Four and Up offer AP credit.

Zilla-
In college, a friend of mine graduated from a class of 17.  A local school similar to ours here graduated FOUR last year.  My class was over 500.  I never even met my adviser.   

Yes, I know there are awesome kids out with amazing resumes and stories that make them incredible college material.  There are other schools that I have no experience with.  So, maybe a consultant with a wider world view could help!

[Moray]

It is clear that you expect your son to excel, that you feel your son is virtually guaranteed top rank, and that you've been pushing the get him the perfect "get into the perfect college" resume. That seems like an awful lot of pressure to surround a child with; even a brilliant one.

Hypothetical question, here: What's going to happen if he doesn't end up valedictorian, or doesn't get into his dream college? Are you prepared to accept that as a potential reality?

[RegionMom]

Good questions.  We are trying to get him to look at other colleges.  He does not want ivy league, and at least he wants to go in-state.   
$$ $$

It is more that he is the one that has to accept whatever reality he gets.  He is applying early acceptance so he would know in December next year if he is chosen by the college he has wanted for years.  That still gives him time to apply elsewhere if he does not get it. 

[Kiara]

This may be REALLY pedantic, but I'm confused.  When you say AP credit, that means it's an advanced course that gets weighted more for his GPA, or the official AP class plus the test at the end for college credit?  I keep thinking it's #2 and getting confused, but I think you mean #1. 

(And Yvaine...we had 4 valedictorians.  I'm trying to remember if they all gave speeches.)

[fountainsoflettuce]

You should really consider hiring such a consultant.  Just b/c he's top of his class, has some smarts and has some extracurricular activities is absolutely no guarantee of immediate acceptance into any of the Ivies or second tier schools.  He's just not competing against his classmates, he is competing against the entire nation and overseas of just as talented - or even more talented - prospective students.   The other parents recognize this fierce, world-wide competition and will gladly spend the money on a consultant.  The process of being accepted into selective colleges is a job in itself.  If you really want the best opportunities for your children, hire the the consultant.  Hopefully, it is not too late for your son.  Most parents start early in hiring and using the consultant.

 The consultant can also do an objective evaluation of your children's talents.  It just might be that your children are not cut out for the Ivies or second tier schools.  Good thing you found out early before wasting money on college tuition.  The consultant might even be able to recommend schools more appropriate for your children's selected careers.  Some of the best programs are not at the top schools. 

Modify: my graduating class had 4 V's.  None were accepted into any of the Ivies.  Actually, a girl who was ranked 9th was accepted into Brown.