While there may be some advantages to hiring an admissions consultant, I believe 95% of the people should self-educate themselves about the Process and handle it on their own. The knowledge is out there and you just have to dig a bit to get it and know how to take some of the info with a grain of salt.
Essays definitely matter, and the most effective ones speak from the heart and convey some essence of who the kid truly is and what they can bring to a student body.
Like many of you, our college counselors at school were ill-equipped to handle anything beyond the mainstream. So as with finances, you outsource to a broker or you educate yourself. There are always advantages to empowering yourself with info and knowledge compared to passively buying it. And with college costs so high, there are incentives in this knowledge when being smart can save you a ton of money and ensure a good successful fit.
I feel the same way about these Talent Search programs that cost so much but really do not give a preferential advantage in admissions. If you have a talented kid you will get inundated with these from Northwestern, Duke etc. Save your money and use it to enrich your child’s experiences in other ways through travel and exposure to unique things.
Nobody knows your kid, his/her needs and your own situation better than you. You can be your own best advocate and be smarter than most college consultants with just a bit of homework. As in investing, it is more important to be contrarian and value-focused sometimes and ignore the madness of crowds.
Good luck to everyone! Put some boots on the ground this summer!!