Methodology

Our ranking system is based on information found on the sites of the various college admissions consulting companies that we surveyed. This system compares 7 ranking factors amongst college admissions consulting firms. Each college admissions consulting company receives a score from 1-5 in each of the 7 areas, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest possible score.

The 7 ranking categories are:

Reputation
Results
Quality of the team
Size of the team
Web presence
Combined institutional knowledge
Educational influencer

1. Reputation is based on the number of independent online reviews from third-party sites.

2. Results are based on the published acceptance rates of students at top colleges.

3. Quality of the Team. The quality of the team scores the number of former admissions officers on the team, who have previous hands-on experience in the industry. This indicator is important because many clients ultimately pay for intimate knowledge and experience.

4. The Size of the Team is based on the number of college admissions consultants on the team. Having a large and diverse team can give applicants an edge in the process, and it also allows for a company to cover many different colleges, majors, and degree programs.

5. Web presence is measured by the organic Google ranking for the college admissions consulting company website. This signifies online prominence, which is important for many potential clients.

6. Combined Institutional Knowledge. The combined institutional knowledge ranking is based on the number of combined years of college admission officer experience held by the consultants on a company’s team. This signifies the amount of time that the company's consultants have spent on college admissions committees. This cumulative total should be carefully considered by any future clients when comparing different companies in the industry.

7. Educational Influencer. The Educational Influencer Ranking is based on the number of YouTube channel video subscribers and Twitter followers of each college admissions consulting firm. Social media presence is becoming increasingly important for college consulting companies to spread their message and educate the public about navigating the college application process.

An average score of all these 7 categories is generated, allowing for an overall comparison between college admissions consulting companies

Lastly, we want to emphasize the fact that this website is not affiliated with or engaged in promoting any particular college admissions consulting company. We advise clients to do their own research and talk to many different college consulting companies and college consultants before deciding to hire a college consultant or college coach. We should note that as we include information from the sites of the companies that we rank, it is possible that the information we present is not accurate or up to date. This site should not be relied upon for accurate or up-to-date information.

Thus, the rankings should be one of many factors considered in determining the right fit for parents and students. For instance, no ranking scale can adequately quantify geographic convenience, personal relationships, or other situations.

Each applicant is unique and needs to tailor a specific approach that meets their needs based on their demands and expectations of the process. Moreover, there might be some clients who prefer to work through referrals rather than look to internet rankings. Additionally, a college consulting firm might fare well in most categories, but a client may be simply unable to afford a company’s services. In that case, the client might be forced to work with another company that scores worse.

Further, many of the top firms in the industry work virtually through online platforms, which many students might look upon negatively. Hence, every student must find their own path. In conclusion, we wish you the best through the process. We hope our rankings page can help you navigate through the process of selecting a college admissions consultant, and ultimately gain acceptance to the college of your dreams.