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Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:35 pm
by Yeags
Is an admission consultant worth the money? Those services usually cost at least a thousand, so I really don't want to use the money unless there is a significant difference. I noticed that I had a significant disadvantage during undergrad admissions compared to my friends who had the same stats but hired private consultatnts. Is it the same with Law School? My parents and I only moved to America a few years ago so no one in my family has any experience with personal statements or general admission strategies.

I have a 3.7 from a top public school, very avaerage recommendations since I had limited interactions with my professors due to large class sizes, some finance work experience during the summers and school year and nothing else. No leadership, no awards, nothing :( I am aiming for T14 and feel that I'm a rather mediocre applicant. So I need all the help that I can get with the personal statement and general application. And of course a high LSAT score. I was planning to apply super early but had to cancel my June score(totally flipped out in the last section), so now I have to wait for October.

Thanks for reading this long post, any inputs would be appreciated, thank you!

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:36 pm
by thesealocust
Yeags wrote:Is an admission consultant worth the money?
No.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:53 pm
by fatduck
thesealocust wrote:
Yeags wrote:Is an admission consultant worth the money?
No.
allow me to play devil's advocate here:



no.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:54 pm
by thesealocust
fatduck wrote:
thesealocust wrote:
Yeags wrote:Is an admission consultant worth the money?
No.
allow me to play devil's advocate here:



no.
Look, I understand what you're getting at. And that's true for some, but if we're giving general advice, I think the answer is still No.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:54 pm
by paulinaporizkova
fatduck wrote:
thesealocust wrote:
Yeags wrote:Is an admission consultant worth the money?
No.
allow me to play devil's advocate here:



no. on.
also: no

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:55 pm
by dakatz
Nein

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:05 pm
by delusional
Seems like a good place to paraphrase what I read in a law school admissions book today, quoted from an admissions counselor. "Anyone who would apply to both NYU and Cornell is totally insane".

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:11 pm
by txadv11
TLS will provide anything and everything you need, with an additional helping of sarcasm and blatant rudeness honesty.

But you can paypal me half of what the consultants charge :mrgreen:

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:24 pm
by blsingindisguise
In spite of the conventional wisdom on this subject...


No.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:29 pm
by AreJay711
Get the Ivey Guide or whatever if you want formal advice but the answer is not just no, it's Hell No.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:05 pm
by mrtoren
I'll be your admissions consultant. Cash payment, Western Union..

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:37 pm
by Pleasye
No.


TLS is free.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:33 am
by Yeags
Alright! Thanks for helping me clear up this confusion and saving the money. You guys reallyyy drilled in the point haha, I appreciate it.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:45 am
by 3ThrowAway99
Yes, most definitely it is worth it-- $500 first hour; PM me to start the sessions. ;)


I need to read these threads more carefully.. someone beat me to it...


Generally I agree that it is probably not worth it, and there are free resources (TLS) available.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:57 am
by 071816
It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:59 am
by Dany
chimp wrote:It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.
No.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:00 am
by paulinaporizkova
Dany wrote:
chimp wrote:It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.
No.
:lol: :lol:

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:01 am
by 071816
Dany wrote:
chimp wrote:It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.
No.
That being said, barring some very unique circumstances, the answer would almost certainly be no.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:03 am
by thesealocust
chimp wrote:
Dany wrote:
chimp wrote:It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.
No.
That being said, barring some very unique circumstances, the answer would almost certainly be no.
Right, on occasion it could certainly be a "no" situation.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:11 am
by 071816
thesealocust wrote:
chimp wrote:
Dany wrote:
chimp wrote:It depends on how you would define "worth the money." Also depends on how much extra money you have lying around.
No.
That being said, barring some very unique circumstances, the answer would almost certainly be no.
Right, on occasion it could certainly be a "no" situation.
:lol:

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:24 am
by Yeags
Hiring private admission consultants are pretty prevalent in this area, not sure if it's the same elsewhere. Just today a family friend was asking me if I'm going to hire someone. Said person just spent thousands of dollars on a consultant for his son, who did end up getting admitted to Princeton for undergrad. It looked like a good investment.

But yea thanks, I'd rather not spend the money if it's not terribly helpful.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:25 am
by protip
PROTIP: NO

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:27 am
by 071816
Yeags wrote:Hiring private admission consultants are pretty prevalent in this area, not sure if it's the same elsewhere. Just today a family friend was asking me if I'm going to hire someone. Said person just spent thousands of dollars on a consultant for his son, who did end up getting admitted to Princeton for undergrad. It looked like a good investment.

But yea thanks, I'd rather not spend the money if it's not terribly helpful.
I've never met anybody who has hired one (or who has admitted to hiring one).

And about the Princeton guy, correlation is not causation bro. Odds are the guy could've gotten into Princeton regardless.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:29 am
by Magnolia
There's nothing you could learn from a consultant that you can't learn from TLS. There are lots of things you can learn from TLS that you won't learn from a consultant.

People who waste money on consultants are idiots who can't use the internet. Don't be one of those people.

Re: Are admission consultants worth the money?

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:36 am
by glitched
yes