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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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May 16, 2024

How Much Do College Consultants Cost?

With more and more students turning to private college counselors, one might wonder about the typical cost of enlisting such services.

“You can’t put a price tag on getting into your top college. Or maybe you can. With competition among college applicants as fierce as it has ever been, some students are doing whatever they can to get a leg up — no matter the cost. That’s where private help comes in. A growing number of college counselors offer their expertise — for a price,” writes Jessica Dickler in a piece on private college counseling for  CNBC  entitled “To get in to an Ivy League, more families turn to expensive private consultants.”

While it should be no surprise that private college counselors offer their expertise for a price, just as it should be no surprise when a dentist takes your payment after cleaning your teeth, let’s zero in on the typical fees of private college counselors.

How Much Do Private College Counselors Cost?

Back in 2018, a survey conducted by a college counseling organization discerned the mean college counseling fees across the nation ranged from $850 to $10,000, with average prices in the $4,000-$6,000 range.

But, like in any industry, there are excellent and poor as well as inexpensive and expensive practitioners. There are private college counselors based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and private college counselors based in New York, New York. The cost of an iced latte in Lincoln is not the same fee as the cost of a latte in Manhattan.

In the United States, businesses can charge what they wish. In 2019, Ivy Coach’s managing partner, Brian Taylor, defended capitalism, offering up the “ Quote of the Day ” to The New York Times : “If someone wants to pay a fee that you command, they have that right.”

Ivy Coach Fees: the World’s Leading College Consultancy

The fees of Ivy Coach , perhaps unsurprisingly due to press attention over the years, are significantly higher than this purported range for private college counselors.

Yes, Ivy Coach’s fees for college consulting have been featured in  The New York Times , on  the cover of a Sunday edition of  The New York Post , and even the subject of commentary on  CNBC .

That said, Ivy Coach’s fees, which tend to increase yearly and are based on the firm’s track record built over the last three decades, are not always reported correctly. Additionally, Ivy Coach’s fees vary based on the number of colleges families enlist the firm’s assistance with to optimize their case for admission. Working directly with the firm’s Founder or Managing Partner is also a more expensive option.

Yet Ivy Coach, while unapologetic about the firm’s fees which can often inspire dropped jaws in America’s free market economy, understands that the costs are  not  for everyone.

As Ivy Coach’s Brian Taylor said candidly on  Nightline  in an interview with Juju Chang, “Not everyone  needs  a private college counselor. And if they just used some common sense — and so many times they  don’t  use common sense — they  can  beat this process.”

College Consultant Fees FAQ

How can ivy coach justify charging more than the annual cost of college tuition.

We justify Ivy Coach’s fees with three words: our track record. Also, we can only work with so many students each year. We are not in the business of working with the masses. Thus our fees are our fees are our fees.

Why does Ivy Coach charge so much more than its competitors?

Our fees are not based on other private college consultancies. Our fees are based on Ivy Coach’s track record and service demand.

You helped my child earn admission to Harvard a few years ago, but now your fees are higher. Why is Ivy Coach not rewarding my loyalty?

We appreciate your loyalty just as we hope you appreciate our success. Your child earned admission to Harvard with our assistance. As we joke at Ivy Coach, “We always get the siblings. We usually get the cousins. We rarely get the friends.” Parents don’t want to acknowledge their children had help earning admission to the colleges of their dreams — and that’s ok!

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

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College Essay Advisors: 5 Reasons You Need One

How can college essay advisors help me boost my chances of getting into my dream school and succeeding once accepted? This is a common question. Whether you are trying to get into one of the best undergraduate business schools or you're unsure of what you want to study in college, you will most likely need to write a personal statement or a common app essay for your application. Essays are a challenging part of the college application process, and they play a significant role in the admissions committee's decision. This post will go over everything you need to know about college essay advisors and how they can help you through this difficult process and beyond.

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Article Contents 6 min read

As colleges become more and more selective, being an intelligent, well-rounded student is no longer enough to guarantee college admission. SAT scores, IB or AP classes, GPA, and extracurriculars still matter, but college essays and letters of recommendation have started to carry more weight for many schools. In other words, the college essays portion of the college application is now more important than ever, so hiring a college essay advisor is worth considering.

Essentially, they are college advisors who can help you with as little or as much as you want when it comes to writing your personal statement or college essays . That can include, but is not limited to the following:

Helping you grow your skills as a writer, researcher, and critical thinker "}]" code="timeline1">

Some people are able to write a good essay by themselves or with the help of friends and family, so you don’t need one to get into college. Still, we highly recommend that you get one for a variety of different reasons that we explain better below:

College is competitive

We’re probably not the first ones to tell you this, but we’re going to mention it again because that’s what this really boils down to. The college admissions landscape is getting more competitive every year, so students need a strong application that stands out from the crowd to gain an admissions letter—especially from top colleges. Even the easiest Ivy League schools to get into are seeing an increase in the number of applicants they get every year, but their acceptance rate is either the same or lower. There is even more pressure to have a great application when you consider the fact that most colleges in the US have a rolling admission system.  

That’s where college essay advisors come in handy. They have an in-depth understanding of the world of college admissions. Not only have most of them gone through the process themselves, but they have helped other students go through it. They actually know what schools are looking for as opposed to just assuming what’s competitive. They are also trained to decipher all the “admissions talk” on college websites. Advisors are simply better suited to help students put their best foot forward, especially for college essay writing.

Do you need to write a common app essay? Here are some tips to write one that will impress admissions committees:

Writing college admissions essays is challenging

Writing these essays is a challenge for people who have done it before, let alone a prospective college student who’s still trying to figure out how to create their high school resume . Unfortunately, we are very rarely taught about writing academic essays or personal statements in school, so even gifted writers or A+ English students don’t automatically have the tools needed to write an essay that will impress the college admissions committee.

If you’ve ever watched a show with high school seniors getting ready to apply to colleges, you’ve probably watched the scene where an admissions expert comes to give a talk about college applications and mentions that they’re tired of reading the same kind of personal essay. We’re trying to say that, unfortunately, without guidance, students are just not that original when it comes to college applications. They are often too focused on writing what they think the admissions board wants to hear, which shows in their final essay.

On the other hand, good college essay advisors have gone through this process multiple times. They will have the tools and strategies necessary to brainstorm great, original topics for college essays and the experience needed to make the final essay as strong as possible.

Learning lifelong skills

The personal statement or supplemental college essay is the first in a string of many academic papers that students will have to write while they complete their degree. After gaining admissions, students can start learning how to write better essays as time goes by, but working with a qualified college essay advisor will give students a solid basic knowledge of essay writing. A good advisor will not write the students’ essays for them. Instead, they will walk them through the entire process – from brainstorming to drafting and polishing - and give the students strategies that they can use to strengthen their essays. Thus, giving students the tools to be better critical thinkers and writers. These abilities will come in handy during college and beyond.

Additionally, writing a college admission essay is more than writing a regular school paper because it requires a lot of self-reflection. Writing a personal narrative with the guidance of an expert can allow students to stop and think about themselves as a person and what they want from college and the future.

Advisors save you time, stress & money

Applying to colleges is a long and complex process. A big part of that process is essay writing. Not only is it time-consuming, but it can get overwhelming, really fast for the student and those around them. During this time in a students\u2019 life, emotions are typically at an all-time high, and arguments may erupt at any point. Working with a professional will help alleviate the enormous pressure on their families by allowing them to share the burden with somebody else who has a lot more experience with this particular kind of load.  ","label":"Stress","title":"Stress"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Personalized feedback

Often, students rely on their own skills and the help of high school guidance counselors, but while those are valuable resources, they’re simply not enough. High school guidance counselors work incredibly hard and do their very best. Still, they simply cannot prioritize individual students and provide the same kind of personalized feedback that a private advisor can. A private college essay advisor will be able to spend more time with individual students and guide them through the process in a way that is specific to the students’ needs and goals, instead of general assumptions or the school’s best interest. 

Would you like some more advice on how to write a stellar college essay? Check out this infographic:

Much like any other valuable service, college essay advisors cost money. There is, unfortunately, no way to get around that. The cost of a college essay advisor will depend on many different things. Like the exact services you need, your location, and the advisor themselves, of course. On average, advisors charge about $150 per hour, and comprehensive package fees range from as low as $1000 to a high of $10,000.

Hiring a college consultant can be a significant cost, especially for students with limited resources. However, the right college essay advisor is worth every penny for all the reasons that we mentioned above. You have to keep in mind the fact the fact that the services of a college essay advisor can also save you money. The skills that you learn while working with them will come in handy throughout college and afterward as well. Furthermore, it is far more expensive to apply to multiple colleges a second time. 

Tip: College Admissions consulting firms will typically offer this college essay drafting and reviewing as part of an application review bundle. The bundle would include help with college admission essays and other parts of the college application, which can get tricky for prospective students and their loved ones. Furthermore, the companies may have different payment options for these bundles, like installments or payment plans.

Looking for some additional advice on how to write college essays and personal statements that will help you stand out? This video is for you:

Tips for choosing the right college essay advisor

If after further reflection you decide that a college essay advisor is a good investment, you should take the time to search for the right one for you. After all, you will be paying them your hard-earned money and trusting them with helping you while you take a crucial step in your academic journey. So, to help you, here are five tips to help you choose the right college essay advisor:

Most good advising firms or private advisors will offer a free initial consultation to determine if the service they provide is right for you, especially if their fees are relatively high. These initial consultations are as much for them as they are for you. It's your opportunity to ask as many questions as you need and determine if they can do what you need them to do. They also get a chance to tell you if and how they can help you. Thus, you both walk away from the conversation, knowing if you are a good fit. You should check if they offer this first strategy call and take advantage of it. Find out what their service will consist of and set the expectations right from the start. "}]">

Applying to college is a lengthy, complex, and often overwhelming process. One of the main reasons for that is that students are not taught how to write personal statements or admissions essays in high school. With college admissions getting increasingly competitive and essays becoming a more important part of the application process, the cost of a college essay advisor could be worth it for you. Make sure you follow the guidelines outlined above to find the advisor for you.

College essay advisors are admissions specialists who guide and advise students to write personal statements or college admissions essays.

They help applicants brainstorm topics for college application essays. They also help them draft, edit and polish those essays to make them as compelling as possible. In doing so, they teach students to be better writers.

You do not need one, but we highly recommend getting one as they will significantly improve your essay, thus increasing your chances of college admission.

The average is around $150 an hour. Package deals can cost anywhere from $1000 to $10,000 depending on the services required.

We do not doubt that you are a great writer, which will make this process easier for you, but college admissions essays are about more than just good word choice. You need to know your audience, and no one knows admissions committees like admissions consultants and college advisors.

Guidance counselors can provide a lot of great advice. Unfortunately, they usually don't have the resources to give individual students the personalized feedback needed to write the best essays possible. On the other hand, college essay advisors can actually prioritize individual students and help them write a compelling admissions essay.

Take the time to research the advisor. Check their website for their qualifications, success rate, and success stories. Check their Trustpilot reviews as well to find out what past students have to say.

Yes, you may, and we do recommend that you do. We offer our services online to help you from almost anywhere in the world. Reach out to our team to discuss how we can help you.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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The Write Stuff: 4 College Admissions Essay Editing Services Reviewed

Looking for good news about the college admissions process these days? You won't find much of it. Not only has the cost of attending college doubled on average since the 1980s, but also it's gotten considerably harder to get in. The majority of colleges in America have witnessed a plummeting acceptance rate as the number of student applications has exploded. Fifty years ago you had a 20 percent shot at getting into Harvard (all things equal, of course). Now the Crimson's acceptance rate is about 5 percent. In the last 10 years alone, the acceptance rate at many major universities has been cut in half . It's almost enough to make a kid consider trying out for the rowing team .

As if applicants didn't have enough to stress about, colleges have been making it more onerous to apply—requiring additional interviews, recommendations, and SAT Subject Tests. But the most burdensome of them all is an old standby: the application essay.

Essay requirements vary widely from school to school. The 150-plus members of the Coalition for College (which includes Harvard and Vanderbilt) requires a single 500-word essay selected from prompts such as "Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution." Those with eyes on the University of California system must write a whopping four essays, with prompts such as "Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced."

Students can reuse essays with other colleges if the prompts are similar enough—or if the schools happen to be members of the same application partnership—but you'd be surprised how seldom this occurs. My daughter found that out the hard way, when she learned that she'd have to write 12 separate essays to cover just five schools.

What's a kid to do who doesn't have parents who both work full-time as writers and editors? Just run their essay through Microsoft grammar check and hope for the best? Good luck. The acceptance rate at the University of Chicago has dropped 81 percent in the last 12 years. It doesn't take a Rhodes scholar to know that if you don't put your best foot forward, you may as well not even bother.

All of this led me to the curious world of online editing services. While you can hire a consultant to help guide your child through this overwhelming maze, these consultants are expensive and much of their work involves managing the complex application process, figuring out which colleges are a good fit, and brainstorming essay topics. If you just need help whipping an already written essay into better shape, an online editor might be a better (and much cheaper) fit.

To be sure, some of these services are exorbitantly expensive. Services like EssayEdge and TopAdmit can run you close to $200 for editing a single essay of fewer than 400 words. I've seen prices as high as $379 after various upsells. Word for word, that's more than what my editor at WIRED makes. (Hi, Mike!)

The good news is there are plenty of more affordable options available. I tested four of them, all reasonably priced and seemingly legitimate. Most of these services charge based on a combination of the word count of the original essay and the turnaround time required. I used the same raw essay from my daughter as a test piece for each of the four services, and requested the slowest turnaround time each of them offered to minimize the cost. I submitted her 383-word raw essay at the same time to each of the services, on a Wednesday afternoon. I gave all the services minimal guidance with my submission, noting only (when prompted) that this was a college application essay. All four of the services allow you to upload a Microsoft Word document and receive a red-lined and comment-filled Word document in return.

By Eric Ravenscraft

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When I received the revised essays, I reviewed them along with my wife (also a professional writer) and my daughter, the author. The reviews were done blind, without indicating the source of any of the edits, and we all rated each essay on a 1 to 10 scale. I also threw in a copy that I roughly edited. For the sake of comparison, the raw essay scored an average of 4.8, while my edit garnered a 6.9.

Here's what the various services cost, and how well they performed.

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Total price: $13.91, 48-hour turnaround promised. Edit received within 24 hours.

Scribendi offers seven different turnaround time tiers, but its 72-hour and one-week turnarounds were the same price as the 48-hour turnaround. A four-hour turnaround was quoted at $28.53. Scribendi returned both a changes-tracked version of the document and a "clean" version with all edits accepted. Scribendi's edit was not just the fastest, it was incredibly thorough—almost nitpicky—with 16 comments or prompts to the writer suggesting avenues for additional content or revisions that were beyond the scope of a simple edit. Oddly, the final edit didn't resonate with readers, who largely felt it was somewhat awkward and clunky in its overall flow. That said, the editor's notes and the service's overall speed were a big plusses.

Readers' rating: 5.0

Total price: $13.90, three-day turnaround promised. Edit received after two days.

Elite Editing has an Advanced Editing service for $40, but the $13.90 plan I chose offers only "basic editing," which doesn't include "suggested rewrites to eliminate awkward phrasing, repetition, passive voice, etc." and "taking into account your original assignment." Three days is the standard turnaround; one-day turnaround for the Basic Editing plan would have cost $19.90. The site crashed when I checked out, but my payment and submission both went through successfully. As promised, Elite's edit was indeed basic. Its editor made the fewest changes of any of the services and left only three comments, one of which was about whether the use of indentations and double-spacing was appropriate. While Elite's edits were correct, they weren't terribly deep—although that was enough to propel it to a second-place finish from the readers.

Readers' rating: 5.7

Total price: $15.32, five-day turnaround promised. Edit received after four days.

Wordvice has eight different pricing tiers, with rates as low as 4 cents per word for a seven-day turnaround, though that tier was limited to materials longer than 3,000 words. The five-day turnaround tier was only marginally more expensive. When I received Wordvice's edited document, I was offered an upsell for a "second look" (basically another edit) for 30 percent off. Wordvice's embedded commentary was nearly as thorough as Scribendi's, though Wordvice was less obsessive over grammar and more focused on overall clarity. Turns out that was the right move: Wordvice's edit was the overall favorite of the quartet, and the finished draft reads cleanly and clearly.

Readers' rating: 6.3

Total price: $31.33, seven-day turnaround promised. Edit received after four days.

Scribbr initially quoted a price of $25.36, but I shelled out an extra $6 for both the "structure check" and "clarity check" options, despite not really understanding what those were. Prices include a 2 percent surcharge for using a credit card. For those in a hurry, 24-hour turnaround doubles the price. Scribbr seems more focused on editing academic coursework essays than admissions essays, with a relatively formal structure applied to its edits (removing contractions completely, for example). Editor's commentary was sparse, though on target. This draft was the most divisive of the services, earning high marks from my wife but very low marks from my daughter, who thought it stripped the writing of her voice.

Readers' rating: 5.3

Any good college essay has to end with a conclusion, so here are a few takeaways. First, all of the services sent back essays that were, on average, felt to be an improvement over the original draft, with all of them catching numerous spelling and grammatical errors—so students with no professional editing help may do well to consider them, especially given how affordable these services are. That said, also remember that when you engage with an editing service, you're really engaging with a single (anonymous) editor who you won't ever meet or be able to interact with. That editor won't have any level of understanding of the writer's personality beyond what's on the page, and quality will necessarily vary from one editor to another, even within a given editing service.

Further still, remember that editing quality is always going to be subjective, just like any piece of writing. Except for this story, of course. It's amazing.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do college application essays still matter.

When reviewing college applications, admissions officers see a lot of statistics—test scores, GPA, class rank, etc. Admissions officers can infer a lot of things about you from these items, but these stats don’t effectively show who you are as a person. For this reason, essays are an important component of your application. Compelling essays showcase your writing skills, creativity, and reveal things about you that may show admissions staff that you’re a good fit for a specific college.

Who can help me with writing my essay?

A college essay tutor or editor can help students build a compelling essay that aligns with their college admissions goals. At KD, our college counseling team helps in a variety of ways: brainstorming topics, finding their voice, shaping a story, correcting grammar and spelling mistakes, rewriting for other colleges, and much more.

How many words does my essay need to be?

Word count for personal statements and supplemental essays can vary from college to college. However, several U.S. colleges will accept the Common App®, which recommends 400-600 words for the personal statement (sometimes called the general college application essay). Supplemental essays are typically shorter but can vary by college. When applying, follow directions as closely as possible for each application to maximize your admissions odds.

What format do college application essays use?

Your college application essays will not follow the same formal structure that is expected with high school research papers or persuasive essays. In other words, you won’t need to come up with a thesis and support it with evidence. Instead, personal statements typically tell a story in a creative way. Students don’t often encounter this type of creative writing with their high school assignments, which is why many students find it quite challenging.

KD’s college counseling team is well-versed in teaching students how to craft compelling college admissions essays, and we’ve helped hundreds of students use the essays to strengthen their applications.

What do I write in a personal statement?

A student’s personal statement should tell a story that only he or she can tell. In other words, it needs to reveal something unique about the student’s experience that connects to the chosen essay prompt. With that being said, it’s typically a challenge to do this in a unique way, and there are certain topics that students should avoid.

Read more about choosing a college essay topic , and if you need additional help, consider signing up for a college counseling program .

How do I make my essay stand out?

Our advice is don’t play it safe. Be real. Be yourself. Finding your own unique voice and using that to tell a story about yourself is typically the best move when it comes to writing a good personal statement. Of course, that is easier said than done. Working with a college essay tutor can help guide you in the right direction. Most admissions essays sound like thousands of other admissions essays, and our experienced college counseling team staff can tell you which topics are generic and which align best with your application.

For more advice, read about these steps for how to write a powerful college essay .

How much do college essay consultants charge?

The cost of working with a college essay consultant or editor varies depending on a student’s needs. Families can choose to pay by the hour for one-on-one help or purchase a program that guides students through the entire college application process. For a more accurate description of pricing, explore KD’s college counseling program options or sign up for a free consultation to discuss specific needs with a member of our college counseling team.

When should I start writing my college essays?

Many students start working on their application essays during summer or fall of senior year, but some students begin as early as spring semester of 11th grade. However, there are many factors that may prevent a student from starting at that time, such as extracurricular involvement, a challenging course load, admissions testing, etc. But remember, college applications are time-consuming, and it takes a lot of work to build one that stands out.

To find out when is the best time to start, families can schedule a free consultation to discuss individual admissions goals with our team.

TESTIMONIALS

“My wife and I wanted to thank you profusely for working with (our daughter). She picked Texas A&M, and we are all delighted with the decision. We have visited the college a couple of times and feel it was the right choice for us... We appreciate your patience with her. She could not have gotten here without your help.”

“My wife and I wanted to thank you profusely for working with (our daughter). She picked Texas A&M, and we are all delighted with the decision. We have visited the college a couple of times and feel it was the right... Read more...

Arun K. – Daughter, Class of 2023

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what I really appreciated. There was a time that writing essays just clicked, and it was much easier after that.”

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what... Read more...

Neha C. – Class of 2022

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into helping me write the best essay possible, especially reviewing my essays twice to polish them completely. In addition, I have noticed that writing my resume has released a lot of stress off my shoulder when it comes to making sure I have all the things necessary to apply to schools. ”

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into... Read more...

Claudia A. – Class of 2020

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in class. In conjunction, those two things helped me raise my score a lot because I was not a math kid before KD or high school. The repetition and being able to practice in a non-stressful environment and simulating that testing experience is something that was very beneficial for me... “The college counseling team was super patient and honest about the work I was submitting. I know for a lot of kids, it’s hard to articulate who you are through 250-300 words. It was definitely... Read more...

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in... Read more...

Blaine W. – Class of 2021

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a rising junior at the University of Miami, and my youngest son is an incoming freshman at Vanderbilt University. Steve’s help in navigating the complicated college landscape and finding the BEST FIT for my two sons is what has made this resource invaluable. “What made the biggest difference for my two sons was the depth and breadth of knowledge Steve has of the many universities and colleges in the U.S. First, by getting to know my kids on a one-on-one basis, he was able to... Read more...

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a... Read more...

Julio M. – Parent

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard and other schools, but I've really started to immerse into the Emory culture, especially their debate team. Not having to pay for college and still attend a private institution is really a dream come true, and it wouldn't be possible if it were not for you.”

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard... Read more...

Shreyas R. – Class of 2020

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a good school will help me find my path. Also, Steve's knowledge about what colleges were wanting to see in potential admissions candidates was a huge help... “There was not one specific beneficial moment or turning point in my time working with Steve, there were many. He encouraged me during the entire application process and brought to my attention many colleges I wouldn't have considered or heard about without his help.”

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a... Read more...

Jake W. – Class of 2020

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by far the most concerned about. I didn’t know how exactly I should go about choosing which places to apply to and if I were to be accepted, if they would fit me. The team did a wonderful job considering my likes and dislikes and helped me compile a list of colleges that suited my tastes and would further my academic career. "After this integral first step, my focus turned towards time management and writing quality essays that would stand out to colleges. I got... Read more...

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by... Read more...

Nina H. – Class of 2020

College Essay Advisors : The #1 College Essay Consulting Service

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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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What to Look For When Hiring a College Consultant

A consultant should help reduce anxiety for parents and students during the college admissions process.

How to Hire a College Consultant

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For a family with limited resources, hiring a college consultant can be a significant cost.

Operation Varsity Blues, as the FBI dubbed it, is the college admissions scandal heard around the world.

The alleged bribery scheme to help the children of wealthy parents get into elite institutions ensnared Hollywood actresses, business moguls and college coaches accused of helping rig the system by creating a "side door" into schools, circumventing the normal admissions process . Working with an independent college counselor, parents allegedly tried to gain an edge by having students admitted as athletes – despite not playing sports – and changing their standardized test scores.

Now the scandal has cast college consulting in a negative light, prompting some professionals to call for a recommitment to ethics in the industry.

"This is an unfortunate example of the lengths to which people will go to circumvent and manipulate the college admission process, particularly to gain admission to highly selective colleges ," Stefanie Niles, National Association for College Admission Counseling president and vice president for enrollment and communications at Ohio Wesleyan University , said in a news release.

The scandal prompted similar criticism from others in the space. American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers Executive Director Michael Reilly said in a statement, "This behavior compromises the integrity of college admissions and reinforces stereotypes that people of privilege can circumvent the rules. It undermines public confidence in our institutions."

As its moment in the spotlight arrives, the college consulting industry is booming both domestically and internationally.

Data from the Independent Educational Consultant Association, a nonprofit professional organization, show a 400 percent increase in domestic independent educational consultants since 2005. In that same time, the number of international consultants grew by 1,000 percent.

To Mark Sklarow, IECA chief executive officer, this is the most explosive scandal he's seen in the admissions world since he began working with the nonprofit 25 years ago. The actions taken by the educational consultant at the center of the Varsity Blues case are in direct contrast to IECA ethics , which specifically bar admission guarantees and emphasize truthful, accurate application materials.

"We want to make sure that if a family hires a member of our association, that they're really knowledgeable, well trained, ethical, competent, all the things that you would expect," Sklarow says. He adds that in the absence of state licensure for independent educational consultants, IECA has adopted that role of arbiter, setting standards and practices.

For parents planning to hire an independent educational consultant, Sklarow has advice on what to look for.

First he suggests that families find a counselor who reduces, rather than raises, their collective anxiety about college admissions. Consultants, he says, should help families understand and explore their many college options . The focus, he adds should "not be about getting in" but rather on graduating, with an emphasis on what is best for the student over school prestige.

And when it comes to admission guarantees, Sklarow tells parents to be wary because "it's impossible to make the guarantee."

Sklarow also advises parents to look for consultants who have a background in counseling or academic advising. It's also important, he says, to hire a consultant who has familiarity with college campuses, someone who has visited the grounds and met with staff.

When it comes to warning signs, one in particular jumps out.

"I think a red flag is somebody who just doesn't belong to a national (college counseling) organization," Sklarow says. If a consultant is not part of a group such as IECA or NACAC, Sklarow asks, "why would somebody enter this field and stay away from being vetted?"

It's important, he says, that the consultant has had a background check, especially if the individual works one-on-one with high school students. Sklarow suggests that parents vet consultants themselves through, at minimum, a thorough online search. IECA members undergo a background check as part of the membership application.

At the same time the college consulting industry has boomed, counselors in public high schools have been spread thin . Nationally, the student-to-counselor ratio was 482 to 1 from 2004-2014, according to a NACAC report compiled using data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250 students for every counselor.

When families turn to college consultants for guidance, it can often be expensive. According to IECA data, the average hourly fee for a consultant in 2017 was $200. A quarter of consultants charge more than $200 per hour while 15 percent charge less. Comprehensive package fees can range from a low of $850 up to a high of $10,000.

For a family with limited resources, hiring a college consultant can be a significant cost. But Sklarow says families may not always need comprehensive services and that perhaps a few hours with a consultant can provide the start they need. And while the average hourly fee is $200, IECA data show that some consultants charge as low as $85 – enough, Sklarow says, to get started.

"When you think about the cost of college , it's pretty reasonable to put that money upfront to get you started in the right direction," Sklarow says.

He adds that families also can access free resources on the IECA website and that many members do some pro bono work.

Free advising services also can be found in the form of nonprofits. According to the nonprofit National College Access Network, more than 2 million students across the country are served by its 450-plus member organizations.

"It is free for students, because we know that these underrepresented students, first-generation students may not have adults in their home who have been through this process to guide and advise them through it, let alone have the funds to hire the professionals to do those things," says Zenia M. Henderson, director of member and partner engagement at National College Access Network.

A member directory showing a breakdown of organizations by states is available on the NCAN website.

When it comes to applying for college , Sklarow says parents and the consultant should remember it's all about the student.

While parents should be involved in the college process, their role is to help provide guidance but also to stay out of the way, he says. Though they can offer help in ways such as suggesting essay topics and brainstorming with the student, they shouldn't take over the process. Nor should the college consultant complete work for the student that will be passed off as his or her own material.

The role of parents in the college admissions process was the topic of focus in a recent report from the Make Caring Common Project led by Faculty Director Rick Weissbourd, who also serves as a senior lecturer in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University .

The report – coincidentally released around the same time Operation Varsity Blues was revealed – touches on ethical parenting in college admissions. Even as the author of a report on parental ethics in admissions, Weissbourd says he was stunned by the scandal.

"I was really surprised at how mind-bogglingly dumb and unethical it was, quite frankly," he says.

Tips in the report include using the admissions process to teach ethics, having authentic conversations among families, and encouraging students to be grateful for the opportunity to attend college and those who helped them get there.

Weissbourd adds that while it's easy to see how those caught up in the college admissions scandal acted in a fraudulent manner, parents should also consider the ethics of behavior such as exaggerating community service hours or writing a teen's essay.

"This is a real time to be a moral mentor for your kids and model how not to do those things, to send a message to your kids that you can't just do what's convenient or what serves your interest. You've got to think of the collective good and think about fairness," Weissbourd says.

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What It Costs

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College Admissions Counseling From a Consultant – Prices & Cost

Ballpark Estimate: $1,000 to $40,000

As if the high cost of college tuition isn’t enough these days, consider the fact that some parents are also investing in the services of a college admissions consultant to increase the odds that their children will be accepted into the school of their choice.

A good college admissions consultant really serves as a middleman, helping high school students to determine which colleges are a good fit for their interests and strengths and advising them on how to come across well throughout the admissions process. While the cost of such guidance doesn’t come cheap, some families feel it is a worthwhile investment to help set their child on the path to success.

The Need for This New Breed

The competition to get into top colleges and universities today is tougher than ever before, as growing numbers of high school students vie for a limited number of spots, especially at Ivy League schools and other private colleges. One expert estimates that only one (or even fewer) of every five college applicants is actually accepted into the school of his or her choice. This leaves a large number of students stuck with rejection slips. Some families are willing and determined to avoid this scenario at any expense. That’s where the role of the college admissions consultant comes in.

Generally, parents seek out the help of a college admissions consultant when their child is in his or her sophomore or junior year. At this time, the consultant can serve as a valuable resource by suggesting a handful of well-chosen schools for the child to consider. The consultant can also groom the student for admissions interviews, as well as help review applications and accompanying essays and suggest strategic approaches to sharpen the presentation. Further, some college admissions consultants also help students to access a wide range of other key services, including classes or private tutoring to help them prepare for the SAT and other admissions tests, and valuable financial aid information.

Of course, lots of this information can be accessed and arranged by parents directly, but for some busy families, letting someone else manage the college application process minimizes the stress of the situation and makes it more manageable.

There are also some parents who simply can’t wait until their child is old enough to apply for college before they seek the help of an expert. They actually solicit a college admissions consultant’s services as early as when their child enters middle school. The hope is that by getting an expert involved at such an early stage, he or she can play an influential role in ensuring that the youngster makes all of the “best” choices—in coursework, extracurricular activities, study-abroad opportunities and involvement in community service over the next few years. The strategy of positioning such well-rounded details can make the student stand out when his or her time to apply finally comes.

Worthwhile Expertise, or Unnecessary Expense?

You may wonder what qualifications a college admissions consultant brings to the position and whether an expert honestly offers anything you and your child can’t accomplish on your own. There is no real answer. A lot depends on what you want from a consultant, how much you are willing to spend on this quest for admission and whom you turn to for such guidance. The range of experience that these private counselors hold varies a great deal. Further, at this time there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of specific requirements or training that is standard for this field. Nonetheless, if you are convinced that a college admissions consultant is a must for your child, the trick is to be savvy when you interview candidates and to use your best judgment to determine whether they have something to offer that will give you a true benefit for the expense.

Keep in mind that the most respected admissions consultants are often those who have hands-on experience themselves, serving as admissions officers or faculty members at private colleges. This usually means that they likely will be effective at working with students and knowing what factors will make someone most successful in the academic setting. They will also be experienced at reviewing applications and deciding just who should get in and why. This insider information, some parents feel, can offer just enough of an edge to help differentiate their son or daughter from among other, similarly qualified students.

When deciding on a college admissions consultant or company, always ask about their background and what their track record has been. Talking with others who have used their services can also help you decide whether this person will be a good fit. You should also try to determine just how much “slick marketing” the consultant intends for your child, since such an approach may be less effective than helping a student to simply show off his or her best efforts.

Also understand that no matter how experienced a college admissions consultant is, and how successful he or she has been, if your child doesn’t have the high grades, impressive test scores and exceptional recommendations that are worthy of entrance to an Ivy League school, chances are that he or she will not be getting in. But even if your child isn’t top school material, a good consultant may, in fact, help him or her find a nice fit in a smaller, or less competitive, setting that makes more sense.

What You Can Expect to Spend

Even knowing that there is no guarantee that comes with the services, many parents decide it is worth it to take a chance and invest in the help of a private consultant.

You can expect to pay anywhere from a conservative $1,000 for some advice from such a professional, up to a whopping $40,000 for very intensive counseling and guidance over the course of several years.

For the top range, students can expect to receive lots of help with personal development and even some coddling; one consultant says that at this level she works closely with young clients to identify key outside interests and also provides detailed guidance on how they can take an effective leadership role in the school and community setting.

In addition to offering full package deals, some college admissions consultants are also willing to work at an hourly rate of anywhere from $100 to about $350 or more to provide specified services. Some consultants also have an a la carte menu, offering set prices for certain services—such as doing a general edit of a college essay, which starts at $100 and can go up to $700 or more from there. Those consultants who specialize in working on Ivy League placements generally fall at the higher end of the pricing scale.

Food for Thought

Whether you decide to hire a college admissions consultant or not for your child is up to you, of course. But keep in mind that the pressure to do so is rising as more and more students go this route. A recent survey found that approximately one million high school students (close to 10 percent of the total number of college students) relied on a private counselor’s help with the process. This means that if you forgo this service, your child will be competing with others who did buy the extra help. This being said, many students obviously do get accepted by their first-choice schools even without an expert’s assistance.

College Admissions Consulting With Quad Education

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Darryl acquired nearly 20 years of experience working in college admissions before leading a successful college counseling office for an independent secondary school for the past 12 years. Previously Darryl was Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Tufts University, where he gained valuable insight into the world of highly selective college admissions. Darryl began his career at Union College (NY), his alma mater, in 1992, where he started as an admissions counselor and rose to the leadership role of Associate Dean.

Darryl has nationally recognized expertise and industry insights in every aspect of the college admission process. He has been featured in several admissions publications throughout his career, including the NY Times best-selling book, “Who Gets in and Why.” Darryl has an extensive network of college admissions professionals with whom he continually collaborates.

He has sat in on admissions selection for various highly selective institutions, including colleges in the Ivy League and NESCAC, like Dartmouth College and Middlebury College. Darryl has also served on selection committees for prestigious scholarships at Davidson College and Lafayette College. He regularly trains new admissions professionals and conducts presentations and workshops for organizations, including The College Board and the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

At Quad, Darryl is passionate about sharing his knowledge to make the college admission process more accessible and less mysterious. He has a special interest in how the admission process is perceived from the student and parent perspective and is known for putting families at ease.

Mary Banks is the Director of Admissions Consulting at Quad Education Group and has worked for almost 40 years in the higher education industry.

Mary received her BA in English from UC Boulder in 1970 and then decided to pursue her passion—teaching! After teaching in high schools across the country for over 16 years, Mary became the Assistant Director of Admissions at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1983. Since then, Mary received an M.Ed. in Philosophy and Social Science from Columbia University and has held several senior positions in colleges across the country.

Drawing from her experiences in these prestigious institutions, where she reviewed thousands of college applications, Mary takes a personalized, student-first approach with every candidate she helps at Quad Education. Mary is committed to strategically positioning every student as a stand-out candidate to give them an edge in the college admissions process. 

Her personal interest in their success has led to many of her student-counselor relationships lasting longer than the typical advising experience. 

Jennifer has a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and over 20 years of experience in higher education admissions. Most recently, Jennifer has served as the Director of College Counseling at Springdale Preparatory School. Previously, she has also served on admissions committees at Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis.

In these roles, Jennifer was responsible for recruitment, making scholarship decisions, student credential evaluation, transfer credit evaluation, and interviewing applicants. This extensive experience gives Jennifer a unique, holistic understanding of selective undergraduate programs. She enjoys encouraging college applicants to maintain a big-picture view of their professional and personal goals and helping them understand the factors that will contribute to a deep engagement with the institution.

Jennifer’s greatest strengths as a coach include helping students articulate their strengths and unique attributes in their college essays, presenting a range of academic programs for consideration, and strategic planning stretching beyond the college experience,

When Jennifer isn’t coaching, she enjoys playing the harp, gardening, and hiking with her beagles. She also loves baking with her twin daughters, traveling, and watching sunrises over the Atlantic and sunsets over Lake Michigan.

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College Admissions Counseling

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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
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• Personal statement & supplemental essay guidance
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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.

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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.

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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."

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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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Going Ivy College Admissions Consulting

Going Ivy is a nationally acclaimed, full-service college admissions consulting group. Every Going Ivy program is tailored to the unique needs of our students.

Going Ivy also offers an hourly rate of $250/hr with a minimum of three hours.

Bronze Package

• Perfect for high school seniors
• Up to 10 hours (typically this includes basic guidance, application review and essay editing)

Silver Package

• Giving students the admissions edge
• Up to 20 hours (research majors, strategic guidance, supplemental requirements and more)

Ivy Package

• Maximizing admissions possibilities
• Unlimited hours
• Unlimited schools
• 24/7 availability
• Priority attention
• 10% discount on tutoring and test prep services

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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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