Before entering the college applications process, many students wonder if the price tag for a college counselor is worth it.
Many argue that college counselors are entirely unfair, especially since they usually come at a minimum cost of $100 per hour and usually end up costing tens of thousands of dollars if one uses a college counselor for all of their high school years.
Many students are unable to afford that price, especially with the large burden college tuition is by itself. But what about for the people who can afford it? Is it really worth spending that chunk of money?
The basis of a college counselor would definitely be helpful to many students, but it is not necessary to be successful in the college application process or even overall.
While college counselors may seem to give students a head start in figuring out their future path and help set them up for certain careers, most of this information can be found by doing research and utilizing free online resources, such as guides you can get from The College Essay Guy and other creators on TikTok or Instagram Reels.
College counselors have always been a big debate. They give guidance to students, who usually pay a hefty price to examine what will make one’s college application stand out.
They are also often well versed in the many different colleges and can provide a new perspective on how a student may want to spend the next four years of their schooling.
The Princeton Review, one of the most popular test preparation companies that also has admissions counselors, provides support for college counselors, saying they generally reduce the stress that students experience throughout the college application process. They also say these counselors can best match students with colleges.
But there have been many claims that college counselors are not worth it because a lot of the information they provide can be found through simple searches, and can push students to pursue paths they may not end up enjoying.
College counselors practically act as a condensed space for information about college admissions. Some counselors have been admissions officers, while some are college students who recently went through the process, and others have writing backgrounds.
The variety of counselors that are provided can be helpful to some, but it is only worth it for students who are looking for a specific experience in their college application process.
Because of this variety of counselors, students must be careful if they choose to hire a college counselor because they may end up with a counselor who is not knowledgeable. This will not only cost money but also the time trying to make to money spent worth it.
Each application is unique because each person and the persona they want to share with each admissions office are different, so a good fit is certainly necessary.
College counselors can sometimes miss that unique perspective that one may bring because they are used to specific formulas to give students success. Additionally, they can help students navigate through what happens after the college admissions process, such as applying for scholarships and programs in which they may be interested.
There is also an alternative of hiring a writing coach or a counselor who specializes in a certain part of the admissions process. This alternative can help mitigate some of the costs while still providing students with the support they need.
Writing counselors can be really helpful for students struggling with essay ideas or expressing their thoughts, and they often come at a lower cost than a general college counselor.
This can be extremely helpful for students who need a second opinion on their application essays or someone to constantly push them to finish things in a timely manner.
This role can also be taken up by older students who younger students may be friends with and have recently gone through the admissions process themselves. Oftentimes, a professional counselor isn’t what students need. Some just need someone to boost their confidence through the process, and friends and family can often take up that role at a much cheaper price.
But for students who feel lost in the college admissions process and don’t have a mentor to guide them, a college counselor can be helpful to condense the overwhelming process into a more manageable one.
College counselors are only worth it if their goals align with students’ needs. They can be extremely helpful to guide students through the admissions process.
But if students are not proactive about getting the most out of it or don’t align their goals with their paid counselor, any penny spent will not be worth it.
