Private counseling for college preparation is a growing industry with
thousands of people calling themselves educational consultants. Are
private counseling services really beneficial? Parents and students
should consider a few key points before putting out money for these
types of services.
1. Should you pay for college prep counseling?
The
competition for acceptance into top colleges seems to get harder each
year. In addition to a high grade point average, advanced placement
classes, and SAT scores, students may be expected to participate in
extracurricular activities as well.
Parents frequently hire
private college counselors in the hopes of getting their kids in the
right school. However, paying for a counselor might be unnecessary
because high school counselors in most cases provide similar advice
without any expense. An exception may be when school counseling is
inadequate.
2. Do private counselors have any credentials?
There
are two major national associations for private college counselors, the
IECA and the NACAC, both require members to demonstrate a certain level
of experience but don't offer accreditation. Another group, the AICEP,
says they require a master's degree in a relevant field, references and a
written exam, but they concede that guidelines are flexible. It appears
that most counselors have no formal accreditation.
3. Is it too late to benefit from private counseling?
Many
colleges use an applicant's GPA and SAT scores during sophomore and
junior year, which means that hiring a college counselor later in high
school can have little effect. Because they don't want to turn away
paying customers, many private college counselors sign up the bulk of
their clients later after they get their PSAT scores, but that can be
too late.
4. Do college essay services improve chances?
College
essay services constitute a growing business niche with numerous
companies offering to assist students in focusing and proofreading their
essays. The problem is colleges can spot a professionally edited essay.
Essays not done in the authentic voice of the student are evident.
5. Are better SAT scores guaranteed?
SAT
preparation has become a given in the college admissions process, and
classes may help to get ready for the test by teaching certain methods
or time-saving strategies. Students can use online prep web sites, which
often cost little or no money. Families who hire a tutor should be
careful of anyone who guarantees a gain in their score.
6. Are they offering paid scholarship services?
Be
wary of companies that offer to sell scholarship seminars. The
information you get may be of little value since most scholarship
information is available for free online, through your child's high
school, and the local groups, nonprofits and corporations that are
running the programs.
7. Does a private counselor offer a built-in advantage?
Some
college admissions officers say that help from an upscale private
consultant could be a detriment to a student's chances. Independent
counselors are often seen as a privilege of the advantaged student and
that selective colleges struggle against this built-in bias in the
admissions process. Parents and students need to be aware that while
some services can be helpful, others may be detrimental.