Even the easiest Ivy League schools to get into have incredibly low acceptance rates. But the competitive nature of college admissions in the US and Canada is not limited to “prestigious” institutions. Non Ivy League schools, UC schools, and Canadian universities can also be incredibly competitive not only in terms of how many students they accept, but also considering the tools they use to assess applicants, including really difficult essay prompts, requests for detailed accounts of their employment and activities history, standardized tests, and at time, really difficult interview questions!
Frankly, many of us go through high school not thinking about what we will do after graduation. Yes, there are a few of us who know that they want to be an actor, or that they want to be a doctor, or that they want to become a vet. But very few of us actually know what it takes to get into college or university, and what it takes to be a success student in undergrad. Because, let’s face it, high school does not always prepare us properly. The drastic change we experience when we go from high school curriculum and expectations to undergrad curriculum and expectations is shocking. Not only are we challenged academically, but we are also challenged in terms of our study habits, our sense of responsibility, our communication skills, and more.
And this challenge really starts with the admissions process. Never before have we written an essay that would have such an impact on our future, never have we had to reflect on our activities and extracurriculars before we create our activities lists, and never before have we had to take a test more difficult than SAT or ACT. For many students, the admissions process and expectations are truly a shock. We simply do not possess the skills or the knowledge needed to succeed. Does this mean that we should not learn them? Does this mean that we cannot use the tools at our disposal to become better students and better candidates for the university of our choosing? So this begs our original question: why is professional college admissions help still stigmatized and seen as a crutch when the admissions systems for all academic and professional programs assess acquired skills and knowledge? In other words, what do you have against students who decide to improve their skills and qualities right before they apply to their program of choice?
This stigma might come from a wrongful perception. Some college admissions consulting services may be mistaken for services that actually prepare your application for you. In other words, they help students defraud the system. This type of practice is inarguably wrong – the student should be the author of their own essays and other application components. What quality college admissions consultants do is help you develop skills and knowledge that would make you a better student for college, and beyond. For example, they can help you become a better writer by working with you on your admissions essay – not writing them for you, but by pointing out what you can improve on and how to articulate your thoughts properly on paper. Yes, many of us have written essays for class before. But how many of us have really written essays about ourselves before we applied to college? There were very few opportunities like that, so it’s no wonder we freeze when we read Common App prompts or supplemental essay prompts. It’s hard to write about yourself, and it’s even harder when you know your academic future depends on it.
Click Here to Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation Now
College essay advisors will not only help you become a better writer in terms of grammar and syntax, but also in terms of delivering essays that directly respond to your prompts. They will help with brainstorming, ideation, and execution of the essays - not write them for you, but teach you how you can this by yourself every time you approach an essay during the college application process and beyond! These skills will stay with you long after you get accepted!
College admissions prep is also a great tool for students who really want to pursue education but have experienced setbacks in their journey. Sometimes these setbacks can be as small as not knowing which courses they should take in high school to get accepted to their chosen program, or as big as low GPA or SAT score. Should these students forget their career dreams because at the age of 14 or 16 they did not take high school seriously? Or because they did not make up their mind to go to college until they were already graduating from high school? We think this punishment is simply too harsh and strongly suggest that students who want to get into college with low GPA or SAT score reach out to college admissions consulting experts.
The opinion that using professional help is like having a crutch, or an unfair advantage, comes from a great place of privilege and unfounded selfishness. If you do not need professional help – that’s great! This might mean that throughout your life you had the opportunities and circumstances that allowed you to develop the necessary skills and attitudes that make you the right candidate for higher education. That’s wonderful and you should be proud of yourself for this achievement. But not everyone is in the same boat. Some students simply did not grow up in the right cultural or socio-economic environment to know exactly what to say in their essay or in their interview answers to demonstrate their suitability for their chosen academic path. Some students might have never thought about college until later in their high school career – yes, they are at a disadvantage because of this, but does that mean that they should not work hard now to get into college? And would it be wrong if they got directions from someone who can help them grow? Before you consider college admissions help an unfair advantage or a crutch, simply consider what you are protesting against: a chance for someone to become a better candidate through hard work and guidance.
And for those of you considering professional help, remember this: take the admissions process as an opportunity to become a better student, a better professional by using all the resources at your disposal, including professional help. Remember, your chances of acceptance depend on how much work and effort you put into this improvement journey.
Not every person grows up in an environment that allows for habituation and growth of qualities and skills so highly valued by colleges and universities. These skills and qualities are not innate! They are acquired! The problem is that accepting only the “few” candidates who have these skills from childhood leads to incredible bias and classism. So, any services or mentors who can help a broader pool of students acquire these skills before they apply to college truly democratizes the process.
