This article is part of a series investigating the more sensitive aspects of private college counseling. Read part one.
The prevalence of college counselors is undoubtedly on the rise as increasing amounts of students seek to extend schooling after high school. Private college counseling services have also become more relevant, but high costs and questionable ethics raise questions for the industry.
General Public Opinion
Even among clients, there is often a reluctance to engage in private college counseling, but opinions differ. Senior Rory Beyer says, “It’s just kind of an accepted fact at this point—it’s kind of like what you do.”
At the same time, hiring a private college counselor may not always provide clarity in the college application process. “It’s just really confusing between [what you hear from] private college counselors and what you hear from [college counselors at] your school,” says senior Valerie Perez.
Cost/Opportunity/Privilege
Some students may be hesitant to seek out private college counselors because of the daunting sticker price—sometimes ranging in thousands. Burlingame senior David Petrushka, who originally hired Jean Marie Buckley as a counselor, eventually switched to using Phyllis Tankel. He explains, “Buckley was a very nice lady, but I was paying—it was close to $400 an hour, which is insane. I really did not feel like I was getting the attention in or out of the office that I should have been getting for $400 an hour.”
Junior Nicole Horita says, “I think that if you want to pay to get counseling from a professional, then that’s your own choice that you make with the knowledge that you are paying that much money.”
Senior Lindsey Chen, a ThinkTank Learning client, adds, “[Private college counseling] was such a helpful experience that I don’t regret signing up for it. It really is an investment, and it is on a personal basis. Don’t feel like you have to spend all this money to get these things… But the opportunities were available for me, and I kind of took them.”
Still, Petrushka has his doubts. “I do think there’s an unfair advantage for people with wealth using college counselors because they get all the expertise of someone who does this for a living. Even the cheapest college counselors are usually like 50 to 60 dollars an hour, and some people can’t afford that,” he says.
Alternative Options to Private Counselors
However, there are alternatives to costly private college counselors. Senior Guidance Counselor Trisha Liskay says, “Some really good private college counselors offer pro-bono services for students that cannot afford private college counselors on their own.” Such private college counselors approach the Aragon Senior Guidance Team at Aragon, offering to help students with such a need.
Additionally, the Aragon Senior Guidance team offers resources for seniors seeking assistance in their college applications. Many workshops are offered to juniors and seniors concerning private schools, UCs, CSUs, community colleges, and many more topics regarding college applications. Financial aid nights and district college fairs are held annually.
Liskay says, “We want students to take full advantage of our workshops. I want students to know that the Senior Guidance Team is here for them.”
Common Misconceptions of Private College Counseling
Horita says, “I think a lot of times the assumption is made that people are going to private college counselors to get into the best college, and I think that’s a misconception because there are many people who go to college counselors more for the guidance of somebody who knows what they’re talking about.”
Perez addresses another misconception, adding, “They think I’m rich. They think you’re really smart [because you go to a private college counselor]. It’s actually people who need college counseling [that use it]. They need more help sometimes.”
Liskay addresses one of the most prevalent misconceptions, saying, “Students think that if they go to a college counselor they’ll get into their first and second choice schools. They think they have a leg up on other students applying to those same schools.”
Ethical Issues
While the majority of private college counselors are reputable and exercise honest practices, there are lingering questions regarding the degree to which students’ personal statements reflect their own work. Chen notes that extensive editing can produce college essays that do not reflect a student’s own work but that such events can be attributed to students, saying, “They just ask their college counselors to edit [their essay] and just send it in without editing anything or putting their personal touch to it. So, it’s not always the college counselor’s fault, sometime it’s the kid’s fault.”
Similar instances of events have been reported. Petrushka says, “There are several people at my school who go to a certain private college counselor. This person will [actually] write essays for them. This person will write them essays, like they’ll say, ‘Hey, you did this, and I wrote an essay on it, does it look good?’ It’s 100 percent not their work.”
Allegations of cheating on US applications in China and other countries lend more insight to this issue, which ultimately remains a legitimate concern for colleges and students alike.
