Solomon Admissions listed as a
"Recommended College Admissions Consulting Firm" in USA Today article

The college admissions process has never been an easy one. Students aiming for Ivy League schools have an especially hard time, as over the past twenty years, acceptance rates have dropped into the low digits.

As colleges become more selective and the admissions process becomes harder, students feel that an extra boost can be helpful in improving their odds of acceptance. Many of them turn to college admissions consultants.

According to surveys, at least one in five freshmen at an Ivy League school relied on an admissions consultant during admissions. With many firms boasting very high acceptance rates to their students’ top choices, students from a variety of academic backgrounds are starting to see the value of experienced consultants. While national acceptance rates decrease or stagnate, odds like these are encouraging more families to turn to consultants.

3 College Admissions Tips

1. Develop a strategic personal narrative.

Rather than merely listing accomplishments, top colleges tend to look favorably on applicants who present a strategic vision that helps them stand out from thousands of others. Thus, the essays, activities, and recommendations should collectively reflect that vision, connecting each applicant’s interests, goals, background, and character. The essays should tell a compelling story that is deeply personal, and reflects your authentic voice, instead of just listing achievements. Simultaneously, the essay should encompass the core institutional values of the college, and broader themes like inclusion or diversity. Specifically, how will you confirm your fit at the college, contribute to the diversity of the student body, and foster inclusion? One effective way to achieve this is by taking an interdisciplinary approach to your personal narrative, ensuring your experiences, interests, and goals show an innovative perspective. For instance, UPenn encourages students to take courses across its four undergraduate schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, Penn Engineering, the School of Nursing, and The Wharton School.

Therefore, your application should show a broader perspective. At the same time, you must bring something unique, and take pride in that individuality as a continual source of strength. Every applicant possesses something that makes them fundamentally different from others.

2. Understand the colleges/programs you apply to.

Engaging with schools - through virtual sessions, informational interviews, or visits – is a great way to show demonstrated interest, which really matters. Demonstrating a thoughtful, specific reason why the school would be a good match is often key to selective admissions. Familiarize yourself with each college you want to apply to, and determine what makes it unique. Is it its entrepreneurial ecosystem? Its research focus? Its historical importance? Its liberal arts focus? Sense of community? Campus location? Therefore, when you write the essays, it is advisable to touch upon these interests, indicating the specific clubs, campus landmarks and traditions, residence hall, and other activities that interest you, as you want to express deep knowledge of the institution. Also, you should list specific professors, indicating how your academic and research goals coincide with these faculty interests.

Moreover, it is important to show that your interests, though specialized, take on a distinctive interdisciplinary element. For instance, you want to study data science as a means to bring about healthcare equality and/or environmental change. Presently, the lines between many academic fields are increasingly blurred, and it is important to show that you, as an applicant, are multifaceted, unique, and bring a non-traditional approach to academics.

In fact, many successful applicants mention specific courses they want to take, research opportunities, and the professors who share their interests. Lastly, be ready to explain how the specific university you are applying to is unique, i.e., why do you want to study physics at this college versus another college? Outline how your attendance will be mutually beneficial.

3. Build relationships with teachers and mentors early.

Strong recommendation letters come from people who genuinely know you. Also, they must support the overall message of your application. Hence, if you mention an interest in environmental activism, your letters of recommendation must reflect that. To receive a recommendation, it’s essential to show curiosity in class, attend office hours, and engage authentically - not just ask for a letter at the end of the year.

The goal is to show more depth to your application aside from test scores, grades, and other traditional indicators of academic knowledge. In particular, a strong applicant should show their ability to collaborate on difficult interdisciplinary research, commit to being a lifelong learner, foster inclusion among peers, always offer a helping hand, and be motivated to bring about positive social change.

Thus, these recommendation letters should be a testament to how you will conduct yourself in academia and showcase your positive attributes and impact. In short, a good applicant should enrich their surroundings by deeply engaging in campus life, building a sense of community, and living their vision on campus and beyond.

Students who apply these strategies may find themselves in a stronger position during the admissions process. For additional guidance, professional consultants can offer valuable insight. With so many options available, one helpful step is to choose a reputable admissions consulting firm.

How to Choose a College Admissions Consultant

Choosing the right college admissions consultant takes time. Students should be confident that the guidance they receive is helpful and pertinent. Choosing consultants with prior admissions officer experience can be the most reassuring, as these consultants will have evaluated thousands of applications not only as consultants, but also as admissions officers. Offering specialized services and proven success rates are other factors to consider.

Just like choosing a college, choosing a college admissions consultant shouldn’t take on a one-size-fits-all approach or be decided because a firm was the first result in a search list. Every firm has something different to offer, and not all are created equal.

3 Recommended College Admissions Consulting Companies

1. Solomon Admissions Consulting 

Solomon Admissions specializes in highly competitive undergraduate admissions and also offers services for students applying to specialized programs, such as Medical School and MBA programs. According to the firm, it has over 150 consultants, all of whom have experience as former admissions officers at top colleges across the country.

Specializing in Ivy League and elite college institutions, Solomon Admissions provides highly sophisticated strategic guidance and is the only firm in the industry with its student results verified by a Vault 50 independent accounting firm. According to the independent accounting and advisory firm, BPM Accounting, Solomon has an Ivy Plus acceptance rate that is 6.3 times the national average.

2. Spark Admissions

Spark Admissions offers consulting services for general colleges, Ivy League schools, and specialty schools. The firm works with students applying to all types of universities, and has extensive experience helping students who intend to apply to Ivy League schools or a Top 50 university.

According to Spark, the firm has a team of over 18 consultants, at least eleven of whom it says have prior experience as admissions officers, and it reports a high student acceptance rate. Per Spark’s internal reports, the firm has an acceptance rate six times higher than the national average when it comes to admissions to the top 50 schools, and an acceptance rate eight times higher than the national average for Ivy League schools.

3. CollegeWise

CollegeWise provides one-on-one consulting services as well as a few group programs for standardized testing. As a college admissions consulting firm, CollegeWise reports employing over 120 consultants.

CollegeWise offers general admissions consulting as well as services for specialty programs. They offer admissions assistance to a broad spectrum of private schools across the country, from top universities to small, liberal arts colleges.

According to CollegeWise’s own reports, 98% of students who use their services are admitted into one of their top five schools.

Why Hire a College Admissions Consultant?

At the end of the day, applying to college is a challenge that students aren’t born knowing how to navigate. College admissions consultants not only help alleviate the anxiety that comes with the application process, but they also provide helpful insight that can be invaluable. For some families, hiring a college admissions consultant may help make the process feel more manageable, which could be a welcome relief during a typically stressful time in a student's life.

In many cases, an outside perspective can be beneficial, particularly when it fits within your budget. However, you should manage your expectations and understand that the ultimate admissions decisions are out of your control; you can merely put your best application forward and hope for the best.