college essay consultant fees

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14 Best College Essay Services for 2024 (40 Services Reviewed)

Research conducted by Emily Kierkegaard , PhD, and expert-reviewed by Kevin Wong, PrepMaven Co-founder

Not sure which college application essay coaching and editing service is the best? We compared the top 40 services, created in-depth reviews for 14 of them, and narrowed it down to the 4 best that will help guide you through the process of writing amazing college application essays.

What is the Best College Essay Service?

• PrepMaven  – best college application essay service overall
• College Essay Mentor  – best for individual consultants
• The College Essay Guy  – best for unlimited essay assistance
• College Vine  – best of the big platforms

The best of the rest:

Individual essay consultants:

• College Essay Editor  – small editing team
• Allison Karpf  – former English teacher helping students
• Your College Vision  – former journalist with more affordable rates
• The College Guru  – good on paper but unresponsive
• Sofia Zapiola – budget-friendly application assistance

Mid-size teams:

• Lotus Learning  – focus on health sciences

Large platforms:

• Study Point  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Ivy Select  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Empowerly  – larger platform with mystery editors
• BeMo  – expensive and aggressive with wrong expertise

Schedule a college essay consultation

Best College Application Essay Services in 2024

#1 – prepmaven.

Our Verdict — Best College Essay Assistance Overall Price: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package) PrepMaven’s one-on-one college essay assistance is the best option overall. Founded by brothers and Princeton grads Greg and Kevin, almost all of PrepMaven’s essay coaches have Ivy-League experience, primarily from Princeton and Harvard. All essay coaches also undergo a thorough training program in PrepMaven’s methods, developed by professional writers with deep understanding of the college admissions process, for helping students to discover the most compelling stories for their essays. Unlike other services, PrepMaven offers college essay assistance at several different price points. At the most accessible rate, students can work with current Ivy-League undergraduates who specialize in writing and have recently aced the college application process. At higher rates, students can work with coaches who are both Ivy-League grads and professional writers (screenwriters, journalists, editors) with many years of experience helping students to craft compelling essays. Interested students can even work directly with founders Greg and Kevin, who have over 15 years of experience helping students through the entire essay-writing process. PrepMaven’s services combine many of the best features of other good options into one, and it’s hard to beat their experience.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help now

Any student wanting college essay help, at any point in the process, with a range of budgets.

At a glance:

• Cost: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package)
• Writing coach qualifications: Princeton graduates and professional writers (or current Princeton students); all trained

What we like:

• Ivy League experience —most of their writing coaches are Princeton grads or current students, with some from Harvard and other Ivies
• Different pricing options to meet different families’ circumstances
• More flexible and greater capacity to take on new students compared to individual consultants

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help

#2 – College Essay Mentor

Our Verdict — Best of the Individual Consultants Price: unknown but high Some college essay consulting services consist of just one expert. Of these individual essay consultants, Chris Hunt at College Essay Mentor is our favorite. He combines writing experience as a journalist for the Economist and the Wall Street Journal with personal experience as a graduate of Dartmouth. However, he only works with a small number of students each year, and students need to apply to work with him — he only accepts students with top grades and test scores who are already strong applicants for top schools. Chris offers the option for one-time written feedback, but this only gives big-picture generalizations. (And written-only feedback is always limited.) In order for help with the essay process, students need to purchase a complete essay package.

Students with top grades and test scores who want to work with a one-person business, who have a sizable budget, and who are ready to get started early.

• Cost: $210 for a one-time written essay feedback (big picture only), then $110 per draft feedback; pricing for essay process packages unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: professional journalist, Dartmouth grad
• Professional writing experience as a journalist
• Extensive experience working with college applicants
• Partners with Debra Felix, former Director of Admissions at Columbia, for full application review

What we don’t like:

• One-on-one work is limited to very high-achieving students, who need to apply with a resume : “I limit my one-on-one work to students who I believe will be strong applicants to elite universities. As a rule, this means having high grades in challenging classes, a test score of ACT 34+ or SAT 1500+, and substantial activities outside of the classroom.”
• Works with a limited number of students (60 per year), so often no availability
• All-or-nothing packages don’t allow students to work with Chris for just a few hours or for part of the essay-writing process
• Secretive about pricing (he’ll only give pricing details once he’s reviewed the student’s resume and agreed to work with them), but we expect the minimum cost of working one-on-one to be several thousand dollars

#3 – The College Essay Guy

Our Verdict — Best for Unlimited Essay Assistance Price: $4900 for application to 3 schools, $8050 for application for 10 schools We’re fans of Ethan Sawyer, the original “college essay guy”— his book, College Essay Essentials , is a great guide to the essay-writing process. Ethan doesn’t work directly with many students these days, but he now has a team of consultants who help students follow his principles. Their assistance is really all-or-nothing — they prefer to work with students from the very beginning of the process, and their minimum package is $4900, which includes assistance with essays for three schools. If students are applying to ten schools (a more realistic number for students aiming at competitive colleges), the fee is a hefty $7400.

Students who want unlimited help through the entire process, who have a sizable budget.

• Cost: $4900 (supplemental essays for 3 schools) – $7400 (supplemental essays for 10 schools)
• Essay coach qualifications: mix of Ivy grads and former teachers, some writers/screenwriters; all trained
• Great free resources about the essay-writing process
• Their Matchlighters Scholars Program gives back to the community by providing admissions consulting for select qualifying students
• All-or-nothing packages have a high minimum fee and don’t work for students who want just a few hours of feedback or help with just part of the process

#4 – College Vine

Our Verdict — Best of the Big Platforms Price: $140–180/hour There are plenty of large platforms with large stables of part-time tutors and coaches available to work with students. Of these big platforms, we think CollegeVine has the best offerings. Compared to other large companies, CollegeVine provides more information about their tutors, and students can pick individual tutors to work with from their roster. However, this model is really just a way of finding individual tutors to hire. Tutors don’t receive any training and don’t share a common approach, so it’s a mixed bag. Their rates are fairly high for part-time tutors who don’t have specific expertise and training in college essay consulting. Because CollegeVine is really just a marketplace where individual tutors can find students, the quality and price will vary widely.

Students who want to work with a big company, or those who want a quick session or two to go over their essays.

• Cost: Typically $140–180/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: no specific qualifications, but a few are Ivy League graduates
• Possible to select individual editors to work with from their roster.
• Easy to schedule ad-hoc sessions with a tutor through the website.
• No training or common approach for tutors
• Editors are part-time , with no option to work with full-time college admissions experts
• Relatively expensive for this level of expertise

College Essay Editing Alternatives (that Didn’t Make the Cut)

Individual essay consultants, #5 – college essay editor.

Our Verdict — Small Editing Team Price: Roughly $5,950 for applications to 10 schools College Essay Editor comprises two graduates of Stanford. This means that they have personal experience applying to highly competitive schools. One member of the team also has a college counseling certification, which is a good background for college essays. Based on their website, they appear to focus on the editing and proofreading phase of the essay-writing process. This can be helpful to students, but we recommend working with a service who can help students to uncover their values and brainstorm really great material that allows them to really shine—and if this doesn’t happen at the beginning of the process, it’s much harder to add in later on.

• Cost: $195/1000 words for proofreading, $495/1000 words for 3 rounds of editing and proofreading, or $595/1000 words for unlimited rounds of editing and proofreading; for the purposes of comparison, complete applications to 10 competitive colleges would be around 9,650 words, or $5950.
• Writing coach qualifications: Stanford graduates, one of whom has college counseling certification
• Editors are graduates of Stanford University , and one is a member of NACAC, the national association of college counselors
• They focus on editing and proofreading only , not on the crucial earlier steps of brainstorming and strategy
• Small team with very limited availability
• All asynchronous editing so you won’t be able to cultivate a real relationship with your essay coach.

#6 – Allison Karpf

Our Verdict — Former English Teacher Helping Students Price: $385/hour or $3850 package for application to one school Another option for students looking to hire an individual consultant is Allison Karpf. Allison is a former high school English teacher and a graduate of UC Berkeley who also holds a Masters of Education from Stanford. Her rates are definitely on the higher side, especially for someone who doesn’t have a professional writing background, but she does have extensive experience working with students to craft their essays.

• Cost:  $385/hour or $3850 unlimited counseling (includes supplemental essays for one college)
• Essay coach qualifications: former high school English teacher; Berkeley grad, Stanford MEd
• Lots of experience helping students improve their college essays
• Very quick to respond to client requests
• No professional writing experience or Ivy-Plus undergraduate experience
• High rates relative to other options
• Limited availability , since she works alone

#7 – Your College Vision

Our Verdict: Former Journalist with More Affordable Rates Price: $180/hour, or packages starting from $3500 Laurie Lande is another individual consultant who helps students through the essay-writing process. She comes recommended by other consultants like Chris from College Essay Mentor . Laurie did not herself attend a highly competitive school, so she doesn’t have that personal experience of going through the selective admissions process, but she does have a professional writing background as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.

• Cost: $180/hour or packages starting at $3500
• Essay coach qualifications: journalism background
• Affordable pricing , relative to other options
• Not a graduate of a highly selective school

#8 – The College Guru

Our Verdict — Good on Paper but Unresponsive Price: unknown Yet another individual essay consultant is Geanine Thompson from The College Guru. Geanine attended Dartmouth as an undergraduate and also holds an MBA from Duke. She also has a professional writing background as an assistant book editor at Berkley Publishing Group. Like Greg and Kevin at PrepMaven , she combines experience in the business world and at Wall Street firms with experience in education.

• Cost: unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: former assistant book editor; Dartmouth grad, Duke MBA
• Dartmouth graduate and former book editor
• Not responsive to emails and client requests

#9 – Sofia Zapiola

Our Verdict — A budget-friendly, personal essay editor. Price: $80/hour Yet another individual essay consultant is Sofia Zapiola, who offers a mix of essay editing and college application counseling services.

• Cost: $80/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: M.A. from Harvard; certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego.
• Individual approach, budget-friendly rates, commitment to working within families’ budgets.
• Very few testimonials, so it’s difficult to evaluate how effective she is.

Mid-size Teams

#10 – lotus learning.

Our Verdict — Expensive for Tutor Background Price: $165/hour Founded by a Harvard grad who is a former teacher and veteran of the publishing industry, Lotus learning offers college essay help in the Boston area. They have a small team of tutors, mostly recent grads from good but not Ivy-Plus colleges, and mostly with focus in health sciences.

• Cost: $165/hour (minimum 8 hours)
• Essay coach qualifications: tutors are recent grads, but not Ivy-Plus schools
• Reasonable pricing with flexible packages
• Essay editors aren’t graduates of Ivy-Plus schools and don’t have professional writing experience

Large platforms

#11 – study point.

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: Rates Between $60 and $120/hr Study Point is a larger essay editing service. They claim to have several decades of experience helping students to craft their college essays, but they do not give information about who their essay coaches are and what qualifications they might have.

• Cost: $60-120/hr, depending on tutor experience
• Essay coach qualifications: unknown
• Larger company with several decades of experience
• Unclear who the essay coaches are
• Lack of statistics about their results

#12 – Ivy Select

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: unknown Ivy Select makes a lot of big promises on their website about having the best college essay consultants in the business, but they offer no information on who these consultants are, or on their backgrounds. They also brag that each consultant “only” works 20 students in one application cycle, but in our experience, that’s quite high.

• Long list of impressive (but anonymous) testimonials
• Only work with “top students”
• No information on their website about who the editors are
• Each essay coach works with up to 20 students at one time

#13 – Empowerly

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: High, from $6000/year Empowerly has over 60 college counselors who each work with an average of 5 students per year, in order to have more time to devote to each student. Their counselors come from “different educational backgrounds,” and while they do not provide specific biographical details we can assume that most of their essay coaches did not attend highly selective schools.

• Cost: typically from $6000/year
• Essay coach qualifications: college counselors
• Counselors work with just a few students per year
• You have to upgrade to “Empowerly Elite” to guarantee a counselor with a more selective educational background
• No professional writing experience

#14 – Prepory

Our Verdict — Expensive but with Good Expertise Price: $325/hr Prepory is a college application and career counseling service that offers a comprehensive program for college applications at any stage of the process (including as early as 9th grade). They make a lot of impressive claims about the expertise of their coaches, but it’s quite difficult to actual find much information about their essay coach qualifications.

• Cost: $325/hr
• They have a comprehensive college application program that begins as early as 9th grade.
• Limited information about essay coaches
• High prices

Top 40 College Essay Services Considered

• College Essay Editor
• The College Essay Guy
• College Vine
• College Essay Mentor
• Study Point
• Allison Karpf
• The College Guru
• Lotus Learning
• Summit Prep
• Sofia Zapiola
• Ivy Global / New Summits
• College Essay Solutions
• Your College Vision
• Essay Edge*
• ServicEscape*
• PapersForge*
• QuickWriter*
• JustEditMyEssay*
• JustDoMyEsssay*
• ExpertWriting*
• SpeedyPaper*
• GradeMiners*

* A number of services will edit essays directly for students, or even write portions of the essay for students. We do not condone this. Admissions officers can tell when essays have been written or edited by adults and this can have severe consequences. We have excluded these services from our reviews.

Why are college application essays important?

Can a great college essay alone get you into Harvard?

No. You’ll need your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities (as well as letters of recommendation and interview) to be outstanding.

But can a mediocre essay be the reason you didn’t get into Harvard?

Yes. There are thousands of amazingly-qualified students who graduate from high school each year. Great grades and test scores might be a prerequisite for admission to a competitive college, but they alone aren’t enough.

College essays are a key component of a student’s application . When done well, they transform a collection of numbers—GPA, class rank, SAT or ACT scores , number of AP classes taken, AP scores—into a glimpse of a real, individual person.

Essays do many things. Good college essays can highlight extracurricular achievements which otherwise would be overlooked in a sterile list. Strong essays often indicate the student’s future plans —how they plan to leave a mark on their college campus and on the world. They can shine a light on unique challenges that a student may have had to face on their journey.

College admissions officers only have a few minutes to spend on each application. College essays need to be original, interesting, and memorable . They need to grab the attention of the admissions officer and persuade them that this is the student out of hundreds or thousands of other similarly-qualified applicants who should be admitted.

College admissions essays are usually unlike any other kind of writing that students have done before. They’re a combination of memoir and marketing pitch, and they need to be creative but also highly strategic. That’s a tough assignment!

What’s more, students are left to figure this assignment out on their own. A thoughtful and generous high school English teacher may provide guidance or offer to read essays and give feedback, but these teachers are responsible for many students, and they’re (usually) not experts in admissions strategies.

There’s another reason college essays are especially important from 2024 on. After the recent Supreme Court decision, the application essay has become one of the main ways that you can communicate how your racial identity has affected your life.

In fact, the New York Times published an article about how important it can be for students to discuss race in their college application essays!

Why work with a college essay service?

You may want to consider a college essay service if:

• You have no idea where to start in order to write your college application essays
• You feel overwhelmed by all of the different ideas you have and don’t know what would be the most strategic for college admissions—and what topics to definitely avoid for college essays
• You don’t know how to craft a compelling stor y
• You’re not sure how to edit and refine what you’ve written
• You have a hard time keeping yourself on track and want an external structure to hold you accountable
• You’re tired of conflict between students and parents about college essays
• You’re aiming at a competitive college (not just the Ivy League!) and know that you need your essays to be outstanding
• Your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars aren’t exceptional, so you need your essay to make your essay stand out from the pack
• You’re unfamiliar with the US college admissions process (a common situation for international students and first-generation families in the US)

Any of these are strong reasons to consider working with a college essay service!

It’s also worth remembering that a lot of the free advice on college’s website isn’t always very clear. For example, NYU’s admissions Senior Assistant Director of Admissions says that “There is no right or wrong way to answer as long as your answer is genuine to you.”

While that’s true, that doesn’t offer much guidance on how to actually write the essay!

Though many college applicants might not mention it, more and more students are using professional college application consultants. Research at the University of Chicago has shown that over a quarter of high-achieving seniors employed private specialists to help with the college application process.

In fact, according to NPR , some companies are even offering college admissions counseling to their top employees as an incentive–that’s just how important professional help can be in the current landscape of college admissions.

It’s important to note that a good college essay service will not write your college application essays for you . This is unethical and illegal. That’s not just coming from us: take it from a school like Princeton, whose website insists on the importance of writing your own application essays.

A good college essay service will guide you through each step of the process , teaching you how to self-reflect and write well while sharing insider insight about admissions strategy .

What makes a good college essay service?

We strongly believe that students need to write their own college essays , and we do not condone plagiarism or “buying” a college essay.

However, writing college application essays requires a completely new set of skills that is rarely taught in high school!

Writing a personal essay is much more creative than simply writing a good paper for English class. It requires a compelling narrative and a great deal of writing craft . A good essay service will teach how to do this kind of writing.

There are many college essay services that will provide only written feedback to students, usually in the form of comments added to an essay draft. (Remember, it’s important that students write their own essays, so avoid any college essay service that will make edits directly to an essay document .)

Written comments can be an effective component of good essay coaching. However, writing college essays is a deeply personal process , and it’s incredibly difficult to guide a student through the process of self-reflection, brainstorming, and planning purely through written comments.

In addition, a great college essay coach will teach students how to do this entire process of brainstorming, planning, outlining, writing, and revising . It’s difficult to learn why an essay coach is advising certain changes through written comments alone.

For these reasons, look for a college essay service with live, one-on-one services , not just written feedback. These days, it’s easy to work with the best college essay consultants in the country over Zoom!

Students need to reflect on their goals, their passions, and what drives them to be the person they are. This requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-analysis . An experienced college essay coach can help draw these ideas out of students through tested introspection techniques and brainstorming exercises .

On top of all of that, students need to be cognizant of which traits and accomplishments will be most appealing to colleges , and which stories will be cliche and boring. Personal statements and supplementary essays need to fit together to tell a cohesive story, and they need to work together with the rest of the student’s application (extracurriculars, grades, and other accomplishments).

In other words, there’s a great deal of strategy here! An experienced college essay service can help students decide how to present themselves in the best possible light .

Furthermore, most students don’t know how to edit effectively . A really top-notch college essay service will also teach students how to edit their own writing —how to reorder sections for better flow, cut unnecessary words to meet a word count, eliminate passive verbs, and make their writing vivid and exciting. Our students are routinely amazed by how transformative this step can be, and how much they learn by doing it together with the essay coach.

Finally, the best college essay services can also help students to make a writing plan and keep them on track , so that parents don’t have to be involved directly.

Ready to work on your college essays? Schedule a free 15- to 30-minute consultation with Jessica or one of our founders.

Best overall: PrepMaven’s tutors offer the highest quality at the best price. With three tiers of tutors, they make it easy to work with an Ivy League undergraduate for as little as $79/hr. Or, families can work with education professionals or Ivy League graduates from $150/hr. PrepMaven’s track record means that you can be sure every hour is being spent productively, so that you can expect real results from the work.

Best for individual consultants: College Essay Mentor. In theory, College Essay Mentor would offer an unparalleled level of individual attention and guidance: his website boasts of some very impressive results. You might find it hard to actually schedule with him, however, since he’s very selective about his clients.

Best for unlimited essay assistance: The College Essay Guy might not offer that personalized attention you get from live, face to face essay coaching, but they do offer unlimited essay editing for up to 10 schools (if you’re comfortable paying a hefty package price).

Best of the big platforms: College Vine will always be a bit of a gamble. Because it’s a tutor marketplace, your results (and costs) will really depend on how lucky you get with your consultant. From our research, however, many of their essay coaches look to have solid track records.

Ready to work on college essays with one of our experienced writing coaches? Schedule a free test prep consultation with Jessica (Director of Tutoring) or one of our founders to see what would be the best fit for your family.

It’s always best to start early and not wait until the last minute to write your college essays! Remember that essays can be used to earn scholarships as well as college admission, so a few months of writing now can pay off with up to $300,000 in tuition saved later. 

We work with students at all stages of the writing process, from I-have-no-idea-what-to-write to final edits. To start working with an Ivy-League writing coach today, set up a quick free consultation with our team.

Schedule a free college essay consultation

Top College Essay Posts

• 14 Best College Essay Services for 2023 (40 Services Reviewed)
• Qualities of a Successful College Essay
• 11 College Essays That Worked
• How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions
• How Colleges Read your College Applications (A 4-Step Process)
• How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays
• The Diamond Strategy: How We Help Students Write College Essays that Get Them Into Princeton (And Other Ivy League Schools)
• What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 202 4
• College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start
• How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays
• How to Format Your College Essay

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Essay Coaching and Review

Designed for rising and current 12th graders.

Write Your Way In With Essays That Leave An Impression.

Whether you have a good start on your essay and you want to take it to the next level, or you need some coaching to craft the perfect piece from the ground up, we’ve got you covered!

Of our students are admitted into at least one of their top choice schools.

Full Essay Coaching

The best option if you want to craft the ultimate essay from the ground up or need to discuss your current draft’s narrative. Your admissions consultants will take you from topic planning to final draft.

Price Option Pulldown

Essay Review

A great option if you already know what you want to write about and you’d mostly benefit from an expert admissions consultant helping you perfect your style, tone, and message.

You’re a unique person, with unique experiences and ambitions, but how do you best show this in a response to an essay prompt? With Full Essay Coaching, your expert Admissions Consultant will guide you from beginning to end and make sure your strongest attributes come through clearly and concisely.

This is a great option for the Common App personal statement, reach schools, and other high-stakes situations.

Highlights:

How it works:

We get to know you in detail and match you with the perfect consultant

We brainstorm and strategize your essay topic during live, face-to-face calls

We work with you to edit and improve your draft – as many times as it takes

We help you finish with a perfect stand-out essay

You have a good start on your essay, but you want an expert to help you perfect it? PrepScholar Admissions Consultants are top-notch writers who know exactly what colleges are looking for. No matter your background or school choices, they’ll help you wordsmith and perfect your essay so you can present your thoughts in the best possible manner.

This is an affordable option for lower-stakes situations and almost-ready essays that require some polishing before they’re submissions-ready.

Upload your rough essay draft

Receive a complete evaluation and revision – Up to 5 rounds

Finish with a completely polished essay, see for yourself.

Curious to see the process in action? See two samples of our essay review and revision process for real essays. SAMPLE ONE | SAMPLE TWO

Pricing Tiers

The Full Essay Coaching and Essay Review services are priced by number of essays.

To choose the right tier, identify the number of essays you would like to work on and select the corresponding option. We recommend fitting multiple essays into one package to save!

*We can also help you with the Common App activities list. All you need to do is count it as an essay.

(or a total of up to 650 words)

$595 full coaching

$195 review only

(or a total of up to 1000 words)

$995 full coaching

$295 review only

(or a total of up to 1500 words)

$1375 full coaching

$435 review only

(or a total of up to 2000 words)

$1735 full coaching

$565 review only

(or a total of up to 2500 words)

$2075 full coaching

$685 review only

(or a total of up to 3000 words)

$2395 full coaching

$795 review only

(or a total of up to 3500 words)

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$900 review only

(or a total of up to 4000 words)

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(or a total of up to 4500 words)

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We Hire Only The Best

Leverage experienced admissions consultants.

At PrepScholar, you have access to the nation’s best storytellers, profile-builders, and application crafters. By working one-on-one with one of our expert Admissions Consultants, students build their profiles and develop their unique story resulting in a standout application.  

The Perfect Consultant, Hand-Picked For You

We personally and thoughtfully recommend the best consultant based on your profile.

We start our work by getting to know you in depth. With the help of our Student Profile Questionnaire, we ask relevant questions about your academic profile, challenges, and admissions goals. To gain a deeper understanding, we also ask thought-provoking questions to get your insights about your formative years, personal interests, hopes, and dreams.

Your questionnaire is personally reviewed by our Head of Admissions, a Harvard and Yale graduate with 10+ years of counseling experience. They have worked closely with all the consultants on our team and understand their areas of specialization and track record. Based on your answers, our Head of Admissions matches you with the best consultant to help you reach your goals.

Our matching process is carefully designed and consistently leads to successful consultant and student matches; as a result, reassignment is virtually never necessary. However, if the need for a reassignment arises, we are happy to accommodate such a request.

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The flexibility and availability offered to me by my selected tutor as well as her willingness to work with me until we perfected the things needed for my college journey. I would Highly recommend prepscholar to anyone looking for help or improvement in high school.

I really liked the personalized support for my essays and how my consultant took the time to understand me as a person to know how to best reflect myself in my essay. She was also very understanding when I needed more time to work on the draft before another round of revisions

Many of the people that reviewed my essay told me the same thing: show don’t tell. However, they never explained what they meant or how to accomplish that. Lily was really nice and helpful in demonstrating what I needed to change instead of just saying it needed improvement. She was also really nice!

Through the consulting sessions, Laura was able to hone in on Mike’s true values, and the best positioning to colleges.  She helped pick the best activities and way to word the activities on the applications.

After many sessions, the application and essay writing became more natural for Mike. I’m glad to say that his voice fully shines through the essays. His consultant just helped him cut out unneeded information, and help hit the word limit and make the most important points. Shewas an expert at knowing how to position clubs and activities as well.

My consultant did an excellent job helping me tell my story. Over our first week, he provided very helpful feedback on my topic ideas and quickly identified a concept that ended up leading to a well-formed essay. He was also very helpful and encouraging throughout the process, and he provided accurate and specific feedback that helped me create an essay that felt very true to myself. Paradoxically, the essay we created together felt much more genuine than any of the attempts I had made at drafting an essay on my own beforehand!

Prepscholar’s personalized approach to the admissions process is invaluable. Eric’s “show, don’t tell” philosophy is practical and proven. Allen and the Prepscholar team embody this essential value with their own degrees and educational accolades. I trust them with my collegiate future. I would suggest that anyone needing guidance through the admissions process do the same.

From Our Blog:

177 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

How to Write a Perfect “Why This College” Essay

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College Essay Advisors : The #1 College Essay Consulting Service

Looking for help with your college admissions essays? You’ve come to the right place.

Contact us  for an evaluation of your college essay needs.

Read more about  the college essay advisors process ., see  what our clients have to say  about cea..

Stacey Brook is an accomplished writer and admissions expert who has spent the last decade helping students conceptualize, edit and refine their college essays. After aiding her friends, and then her friends’ siblings, and then her friends’ siblings’ friends with their college admissions essays during her college years, Stacey discovered she had both a knack for consistently reinventing the creative personal statement and a perverse love of bridging the gap between stressed-out teenagers and their parents. Stacey culled her admissions expertise in the Dean’s Host admissions program at Boston University’s College of Communication, serving for two years as the program’s coordinator. She was also the ’04 commencement speaker for BU’s College of Communication, winning a coveted scholarship from Burston-Marsteller public relations in the process. Her own college admissions essay involved a contrived Wizard of Oz metaphor comparing her life journey at 17 to the yellow brick road. Though it successfully secured her admission, in retrospect she kind of wishes she had hired an essay consultant.

Have a question?  Contact us  for more information about our services and how to start with CEA.

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“ Ivy Coach Is Highway Robbery. But They’re Good.” — Richard Moll Former Director of Admissions, Yale University

IVY COACH’S COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TRACK RECORD

The percentage of Ivy Coach’s package clients over the last 10 years who earned admission to the following schools in the Early round.

At most of these schools, we typically have 1-4 applicants annually .

During this span, 7 students were excluded from this tally for not heeding our advice on their Early choice and/or making unapproved application changes.

Early Action/Early Decision

in a row Ivy Coach’s ED applicants ALL got into Dartmouth (they don’t call us The Dartmouth Whisperer for nothing!)

in a row Ivy Coach’s ED applicants ALL got into Duke

Deferred or Waitlisted?

of students who first come to Ivy Coach after being deferred earn admission to their Early school

of students who first come to Ivy Coach after being waitlisted by Harvard earn admission

THE IVY COACH DAILY

“Way To Tell It Like It Is, Ivy Coach.” —The Dartmouth

How to Get Into MIT: The Ultimate Massachusetts Institute of Technology Admissions Guide

May 12, 2024

5 Lies Perpetuated by College Admissions Officers

Debunking the Need-Blind College Admissions Myth

May 11, 2024

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT GRADES & SCORES

It’s about presenting compelling,
truthful narratives in essays and activities that showcase a singular hook, rather than well-roundedness.

IVY COACH’S COLLEGE COUNSELORS HELP STUDENTS:

COME BE WEIRD WITH US

In the press, ivy coach’s brian taylor discusses the varsity blues college admissions scandal on abc’s nightline.

Jayson Weingarten of Ivy Coach on Spectrum1

IVY COACH’S FORMER ADMISSIONS OFFICERS

Ben Schwartz

Senior Admissions Consultant

Former Dartmouth College Admissions Officer

Jayson Weingarten

Former University of Pennsylvania Admissions Officer

Jose Magaña

Former Stanford University Admissions Officer

TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION

If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s college counseling,
fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.

Fill out our short form for a 20-minute consultation to learn about Ivy Coach’s services.

College Essay & Application Consulting

Ivy experience provides application essay consulting for students applying to any school..

We are your essential ally and coach throughout the entire college application process: helping applicants brainstorm essay ideas and stay on deadline throughout their revisions, and supporting families in preparing final drafts for submission to universities.

Throughout this stressful time, we are a mediator, ensuring that applicants take ownership over their own essays while welcoming and incorporating input from parents.

We are also a support system for families—providing guidance on navigating acceptances, deferrals, waitlists, and rejections.

Our Process

We have over a decade of experience helping students craft their admissions essays..

Step One (ideally winter of junior year)

Schedule a FREE* initial consultation to discuss the college list, outline a game plan for working together on essays and applications, and answer any other relevant questions to ensure that we are the right fit.

*prices increase for students who sign up after August 1 of senior year.

Step Two (ideally spring of junior year)

Brainstorm essay ideas, discuss material for Why College essays from college visits, and, in some cases, start drafting!

Step Three (ideally summer before senior year)

We keep students on deadline for all drafts and applications, provide critical feedback on every essay draft, and ultimately support students in preparing their applications and final essay drafts for submission to universities. 

Step Four (ideally fall of senior year)

We motivate and encourage students to complete all of their essays and applications before the beginning of their senior year. Some applicants may work into the fall, as well.

We do not just strengthen essays; we empower students to strengthen their relationship with writing as a whole. Customizing our coaching to each individual, we guide applicants through each stage of the brainstorming, revision, and proofreading process—helping them gain confidence in their abilities and grow as thinkers, writers, and future professionals. 

In working together to create the most impactful college application essays possible, we coach students through sharpening their critical thinking and analytical skills, building time management and organizational habits, deepening their self-reflection, and elevating their written and verbal communication methods—always ensuring that each applicant expresses their unique and authentic voice in every essay . All of this prepares students for the demands of college-level writing and also for writing in all future applications and endeavors.

Deadlines Track deadlines to keep students organized throughout all essay drafts, so that everything is complete well before the application deadlines.

Communication Communicate through emails, texts, calls, and video chats to provide constructive feedback on drafts—ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

Guidance Provide guidance and feedback on applications, résumés, and admissions interviews.

Flexibility Remain flexible as college lists evolve. Prices are a flat consulting fee based on the number of essays (not the number of schools), so there is no limit to drafts or time spent communicating while working together.

How Ivy Experience Helps

Parents call us about coaching their students on college application essays for a variety of reasons:.

• Goals of submitting the highest quality essays and applications that best package the student
• Concerns that students will wait until right before the deadline
• Too many arguments at home
• Students not knowing what to write about

What our students and parents have to say

No one will argue that the college process is difficult and time consuming—but the team at Ivy Experience REALLY supported us through it. They created a timeline to complete all the essays, and every revision that I saw made me say "wow, they really helped tighten the message" and "wow, that essay seems so concise." After tens of essays, they maintained their attention and consistently turned out excellent advice. In the end, my son got in early decision to the school of his choice. I will be using Ivy Experience for my two other children in due time! Morria P. - Parent

We used Ivy Experience with both of my children and it was wonderful. The tutoring service helped on the standard testing and brought both of their scores up. We also used Ivy Experience for the application and essay writing. We could not have gotten through this process without them. Karan and Eric were instrumental with working on the essays and setting reasonable and firm deadlines. They gave encouragement when needed but also gave constructive criticism which was crucial. I would highly recommend their service to any prospective junior/senior. Eric is very easy and great to work with, he is always available for questions or advice. His TED talk is very informative and definitely worth watching before any student starts the college journey. Diane A. - Parent

Eric was great. He brought out the best in our daughter, encouraged her to both think different and work very hard. His level guidance and advice far exceeded our expectations and took the stress out of our daughter's application process. Cannot recommend him enough. Any child would highly benefit from his help. Jim R. - Parent

Preparing for college standard admission tests and applications should not be a one size fits all program. Ivy Experience provided a flexible approach in preparing my daughter for all the myriad of tasks and points to be considered and addressed. Ivy Experience tailored their services to what my daughter needed and how she responded best. Kathy T. - Parent

Ivy Experience was an enormous asset to my daughter in the college prep process. The process has changed dramatically since I applied to colleges, and their team’s knowledge and guidance was extremely valuable. They were able to keep her on schedule and gave her deadlines to get the necessary steps completed on time. The best part was the removal of arguments between me and my daughter. Their help resulted in a very high acceptance rate to selective colleges. I strongly encourage you to use Ivy Experience, and I suggest you do it very early in the process. Michael S. - Parent

For more insights into how we work with students on college essays and applications, check out this TEDx Talk from our co-founder, Eric Karlan.

TEDx Temecula 2018

Eric Karlan Co-Founder & President

Other Consulting Areas

Portfolio consulting, interview prep, graduate school essays.

Our portfolio development offering is designed to help students of all experience levels create the best possible college portfolio. Whether applying to the top art and design programs in the country or endeavoring to distinguish one’s application with a strong collection of creative supplemental materials, our Portfolio Consulting service helps students craft an unique and cohesive portfolio. No formal training or existing body of work is required to begin the process; simply an interest in cultivating a strong creative portfolio to set oneself apart from the competition.

Ivy Experience provides students with a comprehensive workbook that includes strategies for interview success, common interview questions, and materials and exercises to prepare for any admissions interview. This service also includes an hour-long session covering essential interview tips and a full mock interview, using a college from the student's list. After the session, students receive an evaluation and constructive comments for improvement.

While graduate programs differ from undergraduate programs in terms of career objectives, academic requirements, and admissions criteria, our process of working together is the same. We love working with applicants new to the process, and we also value the opportunity to work again with students we once supported through the journey from high school to college—recognizing their personal growth throughout their university experience and guiding them through their next steps to law school, medical school, or graduate programs in any field.

Helpful Resources

Click here for invaluable resources and links for college essays and applications.

5 Questions with Lech Harris

Get to know our essay coaches! We sat down to interview Lech Harris, one of our College Admissions Specialists! What...

5 Questions with Kevin Trudel

Get to know our essay coaches! We sat down to interview Kevin Trudel, one of our College Admissions Specialists! What...

5 Questions with Jordan Holmes

Get to know our essay coaches! We sat down to interview Jordan Holmes, our Assistant Director of College Admissions! What...

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We’ve launched our new book: The Empowerly Expert’s Handbook to College Admissions!

The Empowerly Expert’s Handbook to College Admissions is here to answer your burning questions about how to navigate and maximize your outcomes in the American higher education system. Data-driven, up-to-date, and packed with insights and case studies, this book is an easy-to-understand look into the complex and competitive college admissions landscape.

Empowerly navigates your journey to top colleges with a 98% success rate.

• Up to 11x improved college admissions rates
• 98% of our students got into a top 50 school
• 25x more time spent with student

EMPOWERLY NAMED ON INC. 5000’S LIST OF FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES IN AMERICA.

OUR SERVICES

College Admissions Committee Review

College Admissions Counseling

Essay Editing

Financial Planning Assistance

Research Scholar Program, AI Scholar Program and Startup Internship Opportunities

Start for Free

During Empowerly’s free 30-minute consultation, an expert college admissions counselor will conduct a full review and offer you some valuable college application counseling. Then, they’ll show you a customized, designed-for-success college application consulting package that matches your goals and needs. It’s the risk-free way to see what our college admissions counselors can do for you.

How it Works

Overwhelmed by the college admissions process? Our team of experienced college admissions counselors make it easy, with personalized support that cuts through the confusion. From college search to application submission, you’ll have a dedicated college admission counselor keeping you on track.

We get results: Empowerly students are 11x more likely to get into their college of choice. Using data-driven technology and one-on-one consultation with former college Admissions Officers, our customized programs help you and your college application consulting stand out during the fiercely competitive U.S. college admissions process.

EMPOWERLY STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED ADMISSION TO:

98% of Empowerly's Class of 2022 got admitted into a top 100 U.S. college

Measure & Monitor

Discover your Empowerly Score®. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of your academic record, extracurriculars, and college essays, this proprietary data analysis helps our college application counselors customize a student’s path to college admissions success.

Analyze Impact

Empowerly’s college admissions counselors analyze each aspect of a college application package to determine its impact. This analysis helps them assess a student’s competitiveness at top U.S. colleges, and highlights areas for improvement.

Our college application consulting includes an expert review of the subjective admission factors, including essays, extracurriculars, and personal statements. The result is a holistic, actionable, and proven plan that ensures Empowerly students stand out from the competition.

SUCCESS STORIES

Hear from our students and counselors.

Our Mission

To guide and empower students as they navigate the complex U.S. college application process. Empowerly’s college admissions counselors are passionate about helping applicants build confidence, stand out from the crowd, and gain access to their top colleges. We achieve this through our proprietary college application counseling that emphasizes data-driven success.

Empowerly Students

Our customized college admissions counseling packages get results. 98% of Empowerly Students with a 3.6 GPA or higher get into a top 50 U.S. college and enjoy 25% more time with their college admissions counselor than students who use other application services.

Students often feel overwhelmed by the college admissions process. Cut through the college admissions counseling confusion, build confidence, and increase your chances of getting into your top schools by 11x when you team up with the college admissions counselors at Empowerly. From start to finish, you’ll have a dedicated college application consulting expert keeping you on the path to success.

WHAT FAMILIES ARE SAYING

Student, Columbia University

Empowerly helped me get accepted to MIT Launch summer program (<10% acceptance rate), start my own environmental nonprofit, and intern with Dr. June Flora at Stanford University. I worked with Empowerly on over 50 essays and finished all of them by November. I was accepted to Columbia, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, USC and more. I also have a deeper insight about my career and the impact I want to make in the world.

Parent, Harvard University

Thank you for helping SM over these last 2 years in his formative high school years, finding summer internships, and helping him get accepted to Harvard, UPenn, MIT, Yale, Johns Hopkins University (Hodson scholar), USC (full ride), and many others. With 70+ essays across 15+ college applications, SM wouldn’t have finished so many applications with such high quality without Empowerly.

Parent, UC Berkeley

I interviewed many college admission counselors and Empowerly stood out with its innovative, fresh approach. Our college admissions counselor was very helpful and a great fit, helping my son with the entire process. The AdCom Review was incredible, giving valuable brutally honest feedback. My son applied to competitive CS/EECS programs and he was accepted early to UC Berkeley (his top choice!) as a Regent’s and Chancellor’s Scholar.

Parent, Wash U St Louis

When my daughter started with Empowerly in 10th grade, she immediately connected with her counselor Brooke, who helped her build her resume for the pre-med track. We can’t say enough good things about Brooke! Additionally, the awesome Empowerly team helped immensely with finding a UCSF research internship and editing essays. If you’re a parent unsure which counselor to pick, look no further and contact Empowerly.

Student, UCLA

Empowerly counseling was a very personal experience where I was encouraged to pursue my interests. If you’re wondering about how effective the process is, I would say that I accomplished more than I expected and got into schools that would have been out of my reach otherwise.

TIPS FROM OUR BLOG

Cornell 2024 Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Cornell University, a beacon of academic excellence, accepted a mere 5,139 students for the Class of 2028. Discover how Empowerly can guide you.

May 7, 2024

Dartmouth Acceptance Rate: How Hard is it to Get In?

May 6, 2024

2028 Yale University Acceptance Rate: 3.7%

May 3, 2024

Record-Setting 2024 Admissions Season Proves Grades Aren’t Enough

May 2, 2024

2028 Vanderbilt University Acceptance Rate And What It Takes to Gain Admission

May 1, 2024

Empowerly’s College Admissions Counseling

We know that the U.S. college admissions counselor process can be complex, confusing, and even overwhelming. You need someone in your corner, to cut through the confusion and ensure success. That’s why Empowerly’s team of experienced college admissions counselors use proprietary data and genuine connection with applicants to give personalized college application counseling that gets results: 98% of Empowerly Students with a 3.6 GPA or higher get into a top 50 U.S. college.

Our #1 goal is to help students gain access to their top U.S. college choices. We achieve this through customized, designed-for-success college application consulting packages that match a student’s unique needs and goals. Ready to see what Empowerly’s college application consulting can do for you? Get started today with a free 30-minute consultation with a college admissions counselor. Stay on track with college admissions counseling, build confidence, and get into your top U.S. colleges with Empowerly.

College Admission Services and Fees

• Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 (+1 703.242.5885 outside of the US and Canada) to arrange for a complimentary assessment of your college candidacy!

We have two different payment options: an hourly rate and several fixed-fee application packages.

Hourly Rate

We are currently running a special whereby first-time clients can purchase an initial consultation for the discounted rate of US$250. We only require a minimum 1 hour payment to retain the services of a consultant with college admissions committee experience and we are confident you will see the value we can bring to your candidacy within that first hour.

We recommend starting with the initial one-hour consultation. We can conduct this by phone, or in person if you happen to live near a consultant.

In a one hour initial consultation we can:

• Assess your candidacy;
• Advise you on how to best highlight your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses;
• Recommend the best medical schools for you based on your background,
• Preferences, and future career goals; and
• Formulate a detailed action plan to ensure you are optimally positioned for your med school applications.

Click below to purchase the initial 1 hour consultation

3 hours for $1,000

(Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 or email us to purchase a block of hours.)

5 hours for $1,500

10 hours for $2,700, 20 hours for $4,500.

• Our rush rate (maximum turnaround of 24 hours) is US$500. Please call to make this payment and to ensure we can accommodate your rush request. We also accept credit card payments via telephone and fax should you have any problems paying online.

Fixed-Fee Application Packages

We have 2 different types of fixed-fee packages: primary application packages and secondary application packages.

Looking for BS/MD applications?

Click here to view our pricing for BS/MD applications.

Looking for military service academy applications?

Click here to view our pricing for military service academy applications.

We have a single application fee of $3,800. This includes comprehensive and professional assistance with an application including:

• Essay and personal statement topic selections
• Unlimited revisions (for content as well as grammar) for your essays and personal statements
• Activity statement (resume/cv) editing
• Guidance on letters of reference (who to approach, what to ask them to include, etc.)
• Interview preparation
• Application review

The following packages include comprehensive assistance with a set number of college applications. As part of these packages, we will provide guidance on the selection of schools you target for admission and we will assess your chances at each school.

All of these packages include the same level of comprehensive service as the single application. (See above.) Furthermore, you can purchase any of these applications after completing an initial one hour consultation and deduct the cost of that first hour paid ($250) from the price shown below.

Silver Package: Any Three (3) College Applications of Your Choice

$6,000 ($5,750 after completion of the initial first hour consultation) (Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 or email us to purchase a package.)

Gold Package: Any Five (5) College Applications of Your Choice

$8,000 ($7,750 after completion of the initial first hour consultation) (Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 or email us to purchase a package.)

Platinum Package: Any Seven (7) College Applications of Your Choice

$9,500 ($9,250 after completion of the initial first hour consultation) (Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 or email us to purchase a package.)

Diamond Package: Any Ten (10) College Applications of Your Choice*

$11,000 ($10,750 after completion of the initial first hour consultation) (Please call us at 1.800.809.0800 or email us to purchase a package.)

* Denotes best value.

Our ultimate assistance package is geared towards those extremely serious applicants who want to ensure their chances are maximized and no stone is left unturned in their quest to maximize their chances at their top-choice college. This ultimate package includes all the professional assistance the student will need to succeed in the college admissions process from day one through his or her high school graduation.

In addition to professional and comprehensive assistance with all the college applications the student wishes to complete in the high school senior year, this also includes periodic appointments as well as an allotment for unscheduled appointments, with your personal consultant to monitor your progress and offer advice on topics such as college selection, high school curriculum, extracurricular activities, letters of reference, financial aid, and highly customized advice on all other college-related topics such as the need to retake the SAT or ACT based on the student’s grades and target schools, etc.

We offer this comprehensive service to students as young as 8th grade and the price varies depending on the student’s grade level. If you are considering this comprehensive service, we actually encourage you to sign up for 1 hour initially. If you are happy with your personal consultant after the first hour, we will allow you to deduct the cost of that first hour ($250) from the price of the ultimate assistance package. We are, obviously, very confident in our services.

Call us at 1.800.809.0800 (+1 703.242.5885 outside the US and Canada) or email us for more information about this comprehensive service that includes unlimited application assistance in the student’s senior year. Please tell us what grade the student currently is in.

We are available to begin helping you achieve your college admissions ambitions right now.

Our mock interview package consists of a coaching session and two mock interviews, both of which can be recorded if you have a webcam. The fixed-fee price for this service is $1,000.

Purchase the admissions interview assistance package:

A highly qualified consultant will review an application that landed you on the waitlist/deferred list. He or she will share with you the probable reasons for the waitlist and advise you on the best way to handle this situation. You will receive professional assistance with any material the consultant feels you should submit to the program such as a letter reiterating your interest in the program, an additional letter of reference, a phone call, etc. The fixed-fee price for this service is $1,000.

The Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Ultimate Assistance Packages include waitlist assistance.

Purchase the fixed-fee waitlist assistance:

A highly qualified consultant (read: one with college admissions committee experience from a selective school) will review an application that resulted in a rejection. He or she will share with you the probable reasons for the ding and will advise you on what you could have done to increase your acceptance chances. You will also receive an assessment of your alternatives including taking a year off to do something constructive and re-applying as a freshman or attending a less selective school for one or more years and then submitting transfer applications. The fixed-fee price for this service is $700.

Purchase the fixed-fee ding analysis:

Of course, we also accept bank wires. Please call our office for wire transfer instructions.

• AdmissionsConsultants, Inc.
• 1.800.809.0800
• 703.436.8298
• [email protected]
• https://admissionsconsultants.com/

Main Office AdmissionsConsultants, Inc. 333 Maple Avenue East #700 Vienna, VA 22180 1.800.809.0800 [email protected]

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Our High-Achieving Students Routinely Get Into & Attend These Schools And More!

Quoted As A College Admissions Expert In These & Other Publications

Ivy League & Top-Tier College Admissions Consultants

We offer Ivy League college consulting and are devoted to assisting high-achieving students with their admissions to the Ivy League and other top-tier universities in the United States, Canada and the U.K. Our talented and experienced ivy college counselors are consummate professionals with Ivy League backgrounds and unrivaled credentials, making IvySelect one of the best college consulting firms in the world.

IvySelect’s provides unrivaled expertise and first-rate guidance to international students , B.S./M.D. applicants , student-athletes and more. Beyond being one of the few admissions consultancies in the U.S. that specialize in guiding the finest applicants to the Ivies and other elite universities, we also help other bright students with admissions to the top 50 research universities and top 50 liberal arts colleges. For students currently in college, our specialties include assistance for law school applicants, medical school applicants and transfer students.

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Our Students Acceptances Include These Ivy League Universities & More:

• Oxford (U.K.)
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• Boston University
• And Many More

B.S./M.D. Acceptances Include:

• Brown Program In Liberal Medical Education (PLME)
• George Washington University/School of Medicine
• Boston University/School of Medicine
• Case Western/School of Medicine
• Drexel/College of Medicine
• Penn State/Jefferson Medical College
• University of Pittsburgh/School of Medicine
• Virginia Commonwealth/School of Medicine

IvySelect’s World-Class Private College Consulting Services

Admission rates at the most ultra-selective universities have dwindled into single digits. The same fiercely-competitive landscape extends to admissions at highly selective and very selective colleges. Enlisting the help of our college counseling services, you will connect with a highly experienced and knowledgeable college counselor – which is more critical than ever in the current milieu.

Applicants are expected to have high grades and standardized test scores. In order to stand out, students must effectively convey how their unique talents and passions in both extracurricular and academic contexts will contribute to the educational institutions to which they are applying.

IvySelect’s college consultants will guide you in building your best case for admission to your dream schools through our proprietary strategic planning. Likewise, our full range of college consulting services , including college essay help and application assistance, offer our clients the world-class guidance they need to separate themselves from the rest of the top-tier university applicant pool.

Our services include:

• College Consulting
• College Counseling
• Standout Strategies
• College Essay Help
• Picking The Right College
• College Application Help
• Interview Prep
• Letters of Recommendation

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Our Educational Consultant Specialties

We are among a small number of college admissions consulting firms that specialize in guiding high-achieving students in their admissions to the Ivy League and other top-tier universities. IvySelect also provides exceptional guidance to international students, B.S./M.D. program applicants, student-athletes, transfer students, as well as law school and medical school applicants.

How IvySelect Is Different

In the arena of highly-competitive admissions, conventional college counseling approaches do not work. The stakes are much higher, as are the expectations of admissions committees.

A different kind of college consultant is required for students applying to elite universities. As specialists in this field, IvySelect has the talent, experience, and, quite frankly, the intelligence required to navigate the waters of Ivy League and top-tier college admissions. The personalized and comprehensive guidance that we offer translates into student success.

Individualized Admissions Guidance For Top Students

We have an exceptionally low student-to-counselor ratio which allows us to spend much more time in helping our students develop exceptional personal statements and essays, including the array of supplemental essays required in elite university applications. Yet, it’s not just the additional time that that makes a difference. We also have the rare ability to assist our students in elevating their personal statements so that they represent applicants in the best possible light.

Working with fewer students per counselor also allows us to really get to know you. This interaction is the core of developing a superior strategic plan that we will utilize relative to your academics, extracurricular activities and, ultimately, college applications.

Having worked with countless top students like you, we are ideally positioned to provide the high-end college counseling you require. Our students have gained admission to the most selective universities in the United States, Canada and the U.K. IvySelect’s caring, individualized and expert guidance will provide you with all the tools you need to dominate the college admissions process.

IvySelect is one of the best college counseling firms in the world. We are a boutique admissions consultancy specializing in helping high-achieving students seeking admission to Ivy League universities and other top-tier colleges in the U.S, U.K. and Canada.

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College Advisors: Are They Worth It?

Featured Expert: Austin Hancock, Princeton University

Are college advisors a worthwhile investment? Will they actually benefit students in today’s competitive post-secondary arena? Whether you’re a prospective student or a curious parent, you’ve probably asked yourselves these questions, and in this blog, we’re going to provide some answers and insight. . The short answer is yes, college advisors are ‘worth it’ but we know you need more information than that! In this post, we will talk about  college admissions consulting , the cost of advisors, their services, and so much more. We’ll also give you some tips on finding the best ones if you decide that one could be beneficial for you.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 11 min read

How competitive are college admissions.

Some parents joke that they wouldn’t be able to get into their alma mater if they were applying today, and that type of statement is not far-fetched! The truth is, having a good GPA and a few extracurriculars can no longer guarantee college admission; especially if you have your eyes set on one of the  best undergraduate business schools  or if you’re trying to  choose the best university as a premed to maximize your chances of acceptance to medical school . The college admissions landscape gets increasingly competitive every year; with that in mind, it goes without saying that you need to present yourself as a competitive applicant, no matter which program you’re applying to. That’s one (of many reasons) why college advisors come in handy:

“I had a brainstorming session with Vincent Athas. He gave me lots of ideas and examples of what experiences I could use and showed genuine interest in helping me to become a competitive applicant.” – TB, Former BeMo Student.

 Recently, the total number of applications submitted went up by 20%, according to the data collected by the  Common app , and that number is projected to vary…it may rise even more in years to come On the other hand, acceptance rates stayed the same or decreased. Even some of the  easiest Ivy League schools to get into  are reporting a lower acceptance rate than previous years. In other words, if you’re getting ready to apply to colleges soon, you need to do everything you can to make your application stand out and maximize your chances of getting into college.

Want to learn more about the easiest Ivy League school? Take a look at this video:

College advisors - also called college consultants or Independent Education Counsellors (IECs), help prospective students through the college selection, application, and admissions process. This can include everything from high school curriculum planning, college selection, exams, preparing the applications, writing the dreaded  supplemental college essays , and financial aid. Their job is essentially to advise and guide you through the entire process, which can be quite overwhelming for many. Advisors want you to feel confident and put your best foot forward, just like our former student, Fnu, was able to do:

“Sofia Wyszynski was my college advisor today, and she thoroughly addressed my concerns and provided an action plan to help me present my best self in the admissions process. My upcoming applications feel much clearer to me now, and I had a wonderful experience with her!” – Fnu Abhishek, Former BeMo Student

When preparing for college, there are a lot of decisions to make, and there's a lot of information out there that many of us are just not trained to decipher. This is especially true for first-generation college students and international students. If you are part of the latter group, consider  college admissions counseling for international students  for more targeted help.

“BeMo is incredible. As a first generation student [trying to break into the medical field], there were a number of items I simply did not know I needed to do or other things I needed to do better. It is so difficult to find competent guidance and BeMo gives it to you in spades. The counselors at BeMo are friendly, patient, and dedicated to your success. I am so happy that I found them and trusted them to help me through this process.” – Anonymous, Former BeMo Student.

However, even if you have someone in your family who has been through this process before, you can still use the services of a college advisor. 

Professional college advisors have to keep up with the trends in the world of college admissions, so they are more familiar with the most up-to-date processes and tools that could aid you in your application to college. They know  which schools use common app , and which ones have a different admissions system. Furthermore, depending on when you contact your college advisor, they can even help you make tough decisions in high school, such as choosing between  IB and AP  or picking extracurriculars when you are just starting to plan for your future:

"Very good session! Very informative! The person was very helpful and did not hold back any recommendation she thought would be helpful for me! I now have a great plan for my extracurricular involvement for the next few years!” – Anonymous BeMo student

There is no way around the fact that a qualified professional will cost you money. This is true for any service you get, including college advisors. Some college advisors charge by the hour or by service rendered, and many of them have a package deal that involves different parts of the process. On average, a college advisor will cost between $150 and $200 per hour. Alternatively,  application review  packages can cost as low as $1,000, with some students spending between $3000-$10,000.

. It may sound pricey, but you should consider the value that you are paying for; college advisors can save future students and their families a lot of time and money in the long run. Not only do they significantly reduce the likelihood of you having to pay application fees again, but they can also help you find and apply for financial aid. Lastly, it is worth noting that many advisors are able to organize private pay plans, such as installments. We recommend inquiring with potential advisors about payment plans, if that is a concern for you!

Most importantly, you need to remember that college is an investment that pays a lucrative dividend. Working with an advisor to get into your dream undergraduate program will help you gauge the return on investment should you choose to consider an advisor for any post-graduate programs you may pursue down the road. One of our former Pre-med students told us,

“I got accepted to Western and waitlisted at 3 other Ontario schools! I highly recommend BeMo's consulting services to any applicants looking to maximize their chances. I know the program is expensive, however, I saw the money I spent as an investment in my future.” - Anonymous Former BeMo Student

Looking for help on your common app essay? This infographic has some helpful tips:

The Benefits of Working with a College Advisor: Is it Worth the Money? 

A good college advisor will cost you money, but the right one will be well worth the investment and benefit students in many ways:

Choosing the Right School

Sometimes, people are drawn to schools for all the wrong reasons. Campus size, popularity, and other general characteristics may seem appealing, but don’t always mean that the school in question is right for every student! When looking for colleges, it’s important to consider the student’s goals and values, and how they align with the schools that they are interested in. College advisors focus on compatibility when it comes to schools; not reputation. They also look beyond the basic admission requirements and help students make decisions confidently. This can be invaluable to students:

“The feedback on my school selection list was great. It made me see my weak and strong points based on each school requirements. Thanks so much.” – Anonymous, Former BeMo Student.

Working with an advisor will help students narrow down their choices, so they can find a college where they are most likely to thrive academically and socially.

Choosing the Right Program or Major

A college advisor can also help students figure out their goals and prospective career paths before selecting a program. They can also confirm that you (or the student you have in mind) are on the right path and provide additional insight on program requirements:

“I had my first session with Malachi Wright. We had a meaningful discussion; he answered all my questions and made me feel confident about choosing this program. He also suggested several ideas for references and extracurriculars that I had never thought of before and was very compassionate about certain issues I brought up.” -  Subin Yoon, BeMo Student.

Suppose that you want to become a doctor. Most people assume that you need to be a biological science major to become one. However, while it is the most popular for both applicants and matriculants, the acceptance rate of biology science majors falls somewhere in the middle. So, a college advisor could walk you through the  medical school acceptance rates by major  and help you decide on a degree that could be more interesting to you but still gives you a good chance of  going from high school to medical school .

Once you’ve picked your potential majors and you’ve found the right schools, you need to apply to those schools and that can be a complicated process; advisors can help you make the most of your time and clarify the entire process:

“Reem was incredibly helpful and took the time to go over every aspect of my application that I had questions about. She provided resources and details that I would not have been able to find elsewhere. The session was concluded with clear instructions on what I should do next and how best to maximize my remaining time. I benefitted greatly from her patience and clarity.” – Anna, Former BeMo Student.

While most schools use similar tools, some will look thoroughly into things beyond grades, such as summer programs for high school students , extracurriculars,  letters of recommendation. An advisor can help you determine what experiences you can really harness to have your application stand out 

 Most applications will require the following documents:

It is essential to nail each component of the admissions application to succeed, and that requires time, organization, and focus.

 Whether you need to focus on one component of your application journey or, you require feedback and insight throughout every step, a good college advisor can help. Take it from our student, Aki, who sought a college advisor’s help and reaped tremendous benefits from their service:

“I was initially enrolled in a customized program to meet my needs. But later, I realized I needed more support. I added a program because I received incredible support and felt confident about my application. The brainstorming session with Emily T. and writing reviews with Malachi were amazing in that they gave you such encouraging and constructive feedback. Writing is hard, but they made the experience enjoyable. Thank you!” – Aki Kurosawa, Former BeMo Student

Working on your supplemental college essays? Make sure you consider the different types:

Preparing You for University

A qualified college advisor will give you skills that you will be able to use for years to come by helping you research and write your essays, giving you strategies to answer  college admissions interview questions , and talking through your potential career plans. Going through this process with a professional and getting their personalized feedback will help you build life-long professional skills such as research, critical thinking, writing, and interview skills.. One of our students had this to say about working with an advisor to prepare for interviews:

“I recently had a session with Vicky Cerdeira to help me with my interview preparation and she was a great help! She spent the time to go over my answers with me and gave me useful advices to work on my interview skills and answers. She seems genuinely interested in my success. It was a real pleasure working with her!” – Anonymous, BeMo Student.

Make applying less stressful.

Having someone to guide you through this very overwhelming process can make a huge difference. For you, the prospective student, but also for those around you. For parents, college advisors can take a lot off of your plate, too!

“We are so grateful to BeMo for helping our daughter get into a great BSN program! BeMo provided great feedback on her admission essays and helped to prepare her for interviews. BeMo's assistance helped to make a very stressful process seem manageable.” – Colleen Martin, Parent of BeMo Student .

For most traditional applicants, looking at colleges and preparing applications happens during their (already stressful) senior year of high school. During your senior year, you have to think about your finals, your SATs, graduation, a  high school resume , possibly moving away from home, and many other things A college advisor allows you to take quite a bit off your plate by giving you the information you need and helping you through some of the most challenging parts of the application process; they’ve done this before, and they can make the process less stressful for you

Is your common app activities section ready yet? If not, check out this infographic:

How to Find the Right College Advisors

Finding a college advisor once you’ve decided you need one can be tough. You’ll need to address various factors, such as budget, your needs, and more. First, and most importantly, you want to ensure that the people you are paying to help you are qualified to do so. Good advisors know the admissions process inside and out.You should take the time to check their websites to learn about the advisor or the firm’s team members and make sure that they have the expertise and knowledge to be a college admissions advisor. 

You should pay special attention to the advisors’ backgrounds and the training that they go through. For example, here at BeMo, less than 5% of advisors who want to work with us actually get hired because we want the best for our students, so we only hire experts in their fields who are willing to go through our very rigorous training. That way, when our students spend their hard-earned money on our services, they don’t have to wonder if  BeMo Academic Consulting is worth it . 

Secondly, you want to make sure that they have experience helping other students through this process and that they have been successful at it. Your interaction with a college advisor should be warm, but professional, like Malvika’s experience:

“Dr. Atytalla is a wonderful consultant. The application process requires a lot of sharing about yourself, and he made me feel very comfortable in the stories I shared. He is kind and intelligent and provides good feedback, and I hope you get the privilege of working with him.” – Malvika Chaundry, Former BeMo Student

We recommend spending time on their website or contacting them to find out what their philosophy is, if they’re focused on the students or working with specific schools, and if they have  student success stories . You should also check trusted websites like  Trustpilot  to see if they have good independent reviews. 

Last but certainly not least, we encourage you to look for resources they provide, as well as any guarantees or incentives. We’ve already established that getting a college advisor can be pretty pricey so if you are going to spend that money, make sure that you will either get results or, at the very least, your money back. 

Only you can answer this question. Some students are okay going through the overwhelming process of selecting and applying to a university by themselves. Others are content with help from their family and friends. However, the services of a professional can really help guide you and make it easier. We definitely recommend investing in one.

Essentially, college advisors help you through the college selection and admissions process. This includes helping you pick the right schools, the right programs or major, and helping you with every aspect of your college application prep.   

The cost varies greatly, but on average, a college advisor costs $200 per hour, or they often have application review packages that average $3000. 

Good news: BeMo works with all students applying to post-secondary institutions and programs. We are also online, so we can actually help you from almost anywhere in the world. 

You should ensure that your college advisor is qualified, experienced, student focused and that they have a good track record. Check their qualifications and reviews.

You can! However, college admission is getting more and more competitive, so you should do everything you can to maximize your chances of getting in. 

As soon as you need guidance about college. College advisors can help students who are still in high school plan their extracurriculars and classes in a way that will help them reach their future goals in college and beyond. 

In short, yes! It can significantly increase a student’s chances of getting into college, so we think it’s an investment that is worth making.  

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Hello, My son is going to 10th grade in the fall. And I was wondering if I could hire college advisor who will be able to help him choose his classes and extracurricular activities. Thanks Mimi

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Mimi! Of course! Please feel free to reach out to us for a free strategy call to see how we can help you son!

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College Admissions Counseling

Applying for college? Our college counselors can help!

Our Counseling Services

We provide 1-1 strategic college application guidance for every step of the admissions process. Our programs often include, but are not limited to:

• College research and list building
• Extra-curricular, internship and summer planning
• High school course selection
• Personal statement & supplemental essay guidance
• Specialty admissions (STEM, Business, BS/MD, Athletic etc.)
• SAT/ACT test prep
• AP and academic tutoring
• Financial aid consulting (merit and need-based)
• Skill building for middle school students
• International admissions including Canada and the UK

Our Counselors

Our counselors deliver holistic support, tailored to the unique needs of your family, that puts student wellbeing at the center of the process and ensures that every student gains acceptance to a college where they will thrive.  Collegewise counselors come from a variety of backgrounds. Many are former admissions officers, high school counselors, professors, teachers, and graduate degree holders.

Select a group below to see the steps you need to take to get into the school of your dreams.

8th & 9th

10th & 11th

12th & Transfer

Here is How You Get Into College

Find the right admissions support.

Should your family hire a college counselor? Would you benefit from the experience and insight of admissions experts? These are important questions, and together we’ll support your student and help you navigate the admissions landscape.

Maximize Your High School Years

Establish the foundation for a competitive college application through curated writing assignments, activity planning, and personalized timelines for standardized testing.

Lay the Groundwork

From choosing the right classes, to improving your test scores, to learning how to communicate effectively to teachers and counselors, we’ll help your student hone important skills as they start their path towards college.

Thrive in High School

The most successful high school students make an impact doing things they enjoy. We help students identify their strengths, find opportunities to utilize and enhance them, and connect those skills to the bigger picture of college admissions.

Become a Competitive College Applicant

Students who work with Collegewise will build on their individual strengths and create strong study skills and habits so they can thrive both in and out of the classroom. With a combination of guidance from our leadership team, in-person meetings, online resources, and a personalized student dashboard, you'll never have to worry that your student has missed a step.

What makes your student special? Success in high school is about more than good grades and strong test scores. The college admissions process should inspire them to bring out their very best and connect their strengths to the bigger picture.

Create a Strategic Admissions Plan

Do you understand colleges and what it takes to get into them? From college research, to essays, to course selection and testing, you’ll have admissions experts in your corner offering valuable feedback to ensure your student submits a strong application.

Apply to College!

Ready to confidently hit submit and avoid that last-minute panic? With a combination of guidance from our leadership team, in-person meetings, online resources, and our proprietary and groundbreaking student dashboard, you'll never have to worry that your student has missed a step.

Make Your Final College Decision

Having too many great college acceptances to choose from is a problem we want every student to have. We’ll help your student evaluate their options and make the right choice about where to spend the next four years.

Get Matched With A Counselor

Should your family hire a college counselor? Would you benefit from the experience and insight of an admissions expert? These are important questions, and together we’ll match your student with a Collegewise counselor who can help you navigate the admissions landscape.

Identify and Meet Your Goals

Tailor time with your counselor to focus on your needs, whether that’s finalizing a college list, major exploration, application review, or additional guidance.

Essay Brainstorming and Editing

Work with your counselor to draft a unique personal statement and strong short answers that have been thoroughly reviewed and proofread.

Finalize a Competitive Application

Craft an application that will make you stand out to admissions officers. Keep track of everything with Wise(r)net, our proprietary and groundbreaking online platform.

Apply and Make Your Final College Decision

Your counselor will help you weigh your options and select a college that will help you reach your academic goals.

" Just saying that I loved my experience with Collegewise would be an understatement. My counselor was amazing helping me find a college that suited me and helping me take the right steps to get in where I wanted to get in. I honestly feel that Collegewise made my applications and essays fulfill their potential and really made me look like the college candidate I wanted to look like. Without his help, I probably wouldn't have gotten into some of the schools I did end up getting into."

students admitted

of students accepted to their top 3 schools

years of admissions experience

families recommend us to their friends

Question Do I need a Collegewise admissions counselor?

It depends! If you’re not an admissions expert yourself, want to make sure that your teen has all the components in place to ensure a great outcome, and would like to remove the stress from the process, then working with a trusted expert to take on the college planning process could be a great option for you. A great college counselor will get to know your goals and guide your student through all aspects of the admissions process, including;

• Developing their applicant profile
• Helping them choose where to apply
• Editing and refining essays
• Polishing their applications
• And more! 

Question 
How much does college counseling cost?

The cost of college counseling can depend upon the level of support you’re looking for. At Collegewise we tailor programs to the unique needs of each family, that’s why we offer a free consultation for people who are interested in working with us. During your consultation, we take the time to get to know your family and then make a program recommendation based upon your goals and budget. Check out our blog post for more information about the cost of different types of college counseling.

https://go.collegewise.com/college-counseling-cost

Question When's the best time to get started with college counseling?

At Collegewise we work with students from 8 th grade through to senior year. The earlier students get started the more we can help to guide them in making the right choices for high school course selection, extracurricular's, internships, success skills development and a whole range of other areas. Starting earlier can also lead to a more calm and streamlined approach to the process.

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What do college admissions consultants cost?

$1.5 million for a college consulting package. ( Yes, that happened. )

Guaranteed admission to Yale.

That’s normal, right?

If you’re considering hiring a college admissions consultant, please don’t get ready to sell your house and liquidate your retirement.

Here’s what you need to know about college consultant fee structures, average costs, hidden costs, and benefits.

College Consultant Fees

Like at a restaurant where you pay per item, you pay the consultant for the product or service you want. For example, your college consultant might offer help on essays, financial aid form completion, interview prep, and college list creation. If your college consultant offers an à la carte fee structure, you pay one price for the essay help, one price for the financial aid form completion, one price for interview prep, and one price for the college list.

This allows you to pick and choose only the services you need. If, for example, your family won’t be applying for financial aid and already have a college list you’re happy with, then simply pay for the essay help and admissions interview prep.

Range of fees: À la carte services (essay review, college lists, test prep, etc.) can cost anywhere between $500 on the lower end to $5,000 on the higher end.

Like lawyers or therapists, some college consultants bill you hourly for their work on whatever you want. Every time you need help with some aspect of the college application process, set up a meeting with the consultant and get billed by the hour for his or her expertise.

This allows you to “pay-as-you-go” and give your child space to complete as many aspects of the application as possible herself. Only when she has a specific question or needs a second review of her essays will you need to hire the consultant.

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If the service you purchase requires research, such as college list creation, you can expect the consultant to also bill you for the hours spent researching, not just the hour-long meeting with you.

The upside of the hourly rate payment structure is that you can communicate how much time you want the consultant to spend. For example, if your child’s essay has already been reviewed by 5 teachers at school, but she wants another expert look, you can ask for just an hour of review. This can help you save money.

The downside is that some college consultants may not put as much prep time into your meetings, since they are not getting paid for meeting prep. It’s possible you’d spend the first half of the meeting getting your college consultant caught up with your situation before actually getting the expertise you paid for. Another downside is that your consultant might charge you for emails or phone calls, which can get costly.

Range of fees: On the lowest end, college consultants may charge as low as $85 per hour to as high as $1,000 per hour. The average, however, lies around $300 per hour.

Comprehensive

Like a combo meal for which you pay one price for the main course, sides, and drink, you pay one fee for all the services you need. Unlike the hourly rate structure, the comprehensive or package plan doesn’t use the number of hours worked to bill you. A comprehensive plan might include college list creation, unlimited meetings, unlimited essay reviews, interview prep, application review, major/career selection, recommendation letter prep, extracurricular planning, SAT/ACT/AP prep, and more. For these full packages, the consultant will charge a flat fee.

Depending on the college consultant, you might pay that flat fee all upfront, spread over a certain number of months, or within a certain number of payments.

For example, if your consultant charges you $10,000 for a comprehensive package, you might negotiate paying that fee once a month over the course of the year-long service, so $833 per month over 12 months.

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As you look through the various lists of the “Best College Admissions Consultants” on the internet, you’ll be treated to an array of lists compiled by what appears to be some impartial ranking entity (“Aha, I’ve finally found the Consumer Reports/Wirecutter of college counseling!”). In reality, each of these lists is created by a particular college consulting agency, and published via a proxy server with no identifiable author. It’s about as “2024” a marketing technique as you can employ, but it’s also disingenuous and misleading, qualities that likely aren’t exactly aligned with what you’re looking for as you seek counseling and support for your child who is about to make what could be a $400,000 investment in tuition, housing, and other costs.

This list of the Best College Admissions Consultants only has one entry and it is, of course (spoiler alert), for our own company. While we do think we are “the best,” we also believe that there are dozens (or more) of other fantastic private counselors and essay coaches spread across the United States. Many others also provide research and experience-based advice that leads to positive outcomes for clients. As such, we aren’t knocking any other excellent company out there; in this space, we simply want to present the case as to why, for certain types of students and families, College Transitions may be the best fit.

Ready to Speak with a College Transitions Counselor?

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What makes College Transitions unlike any other college counseling agency?

• The CT Founders have authored two published books: The Enlightened College Applicant (2016, 2023) and the annual college guide Colleges Worth Your Money (now in its 5th edition).
• We’ve published research in top higher education journals such as Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis ,  Research in Higher Education,  and  The Journal of Higher Education.
• We’re regularly quoted by top national/global publications (example here ).
• CT maintains a free Dataverse,   Common Data Set Repository, blog, and newsletter for parents, students, and counselors.
• We developed a College List-Building Tool.
• We are certified in and able to offer valuable Career Assessments.
• Our essay coaches are highly trained professionals who all have teaching or tutoring experience, typically at the college level. Many of our coaches are also published writers or researchers who hold master’s or doctoral degrees in English, writing, or education.

In addition to these specific features and achievements, our philosophy also differs from many competitors. In short, we take the long view with our students and work backward. Through developing a sense of what future happiness and career success look like to a given individual, we can help develop an undergraduate plan of attack designed to get them on a successful and realistic path toward that vision.

Finally, we work with all our students 100% virtually in a model that we have honed relentlessly over the past decade. We deeply understand that building trust in a remote environment requires responsiveness, a value that is at the core of our counseling and essay coaching services. Accordingly, our efficient and effective counseling and essay coaching model makes it possible for students to receive expert, personalized support on a flexible schedule. This model also enables students to dedicate the bulk of their time to what matters most: schoolwork, activities, test prep, essays, and actual applications.

Best College Admissions Consultants (Continued)

College transitions clients’ recent acceptances, class of 2023.

Representing 36 states, 11 countries, and 126 different high schools, the College Transitions Class of 2023 was our largest, most diverse, and most accomplished yet. With support from our team of counselors, CT students earned admission offers from more than 200 colleges and universities. We have included a sampling of our most popular schools below. Institutions listed in  bold  accepted five or more of our students.

We have plans for high school students of all grade levels:

Mentorship & Planning

Grades 9 and 10.

Provide guidance for all essential college planning tasks during the first half of high school, including:

• Academic advising and course selection for all grades
• Extracurricular planning
• Summer activity planning (including support for summer program essays)
• Resumé building
• Diagnostic standardized testing and score assessment
• Preliminary college visits and demonstrating interest

Grades 11 & 12, and Transfers

Offer support throughout the entire college search and application process, including for the following tasks:

• College list development
• Preliminary review, assessment of chances, and strategic positioning
• Course selection
• Essay coaching (for personal statements and supplemental essays)
• Activities list and resume development
• College interview prep
• Standardized testing strategy
• Letter of recommendation strategy
• Financial aid and scholarship guidance
• College decision guidance and college transition support

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