Newsweek came out with a list of six “New Rules for the Admission Game” the other day. Of greatest interest to me is that educational consultants are now part of the mainstream–we are officially part of the game now.
According to a recent study by Lipman Hearne, a marketing and communications firm, 26 percent of high-achieving students (defined as those with scores above 1150 on the 1600-scale SAT or an ACT composite score of 25 or higher) now hire a private consultant in their college-application process. Membership in the Independent Educational Consultants Association has been growing at 20 percent annually, according to the group’s director, Mark Sklarow. “The current economy has meant that school districts are increasing caseloads for school-based counselors,” Sklarow says. “We’ve heard from so many families who say the school counselor not only doesn’t know their child but there’s just not enough time for them to help.”
The other five “new rules” are
- Paperwork is no longer done on paper.
- SAT scores are not destiny.
- Early isn’t always better
- Instant decisions are part of the process.
- Don’t wait on the waitlist.
If you are considering hiring an educational consultant, give us a call. We can explain what we do, how we do it, and why we might be a good fit for your family. No matter whether you are a top student, we can help you find the college that best matches your academic needs, your extracurricular talents, your professional aspirations, and your wallet.
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
