What does it take to get into an Ivy League college? For some students, a $750,000 consultant.
CBSN
Getting into an Ivy League college or another elite university requires hard work from a student, including top grades, scores and stellar essays. But for some wealthy families, it takes a bit more to tip the scales in their child's favor: College consultants who can charge up to $750,000.
The rise of concierge college consultants comes as acceptance rates for top universities have continued to shrink. Only about 3.5% of the nearly 60,000 annual applicants for Harvard's class of 2027 gained admittance — down from about 16% in 1980. Other top colleges have similarly shaved their acceptance rates to the low single digits.
"These are the 1% of the 1%," said Christopher Rim, the founder and CEO of Command Education, which charges $750,000 for a six-year consulting package, of his clients. "Their biggest priority is their child's education and health — you can't compare Harvard against a state school."
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