C J.
A Disastrous First Meeting
Solomon was not the first college consulting firm I contacted, but it was the first to leave me with such a “distinctive impression”. My child is currently in 8th grade, and we are beginning to plan her academic path and college application strategy for the next four years. During our initial meeting with Solomon's Director of Enrollment, however, the conversation felt more like a college admissions interview than a consultation. He began by asking about my child's dream schools and intended major. When he learned that she hopes to apply to Ivy League universities as an Economics major, with the long-term goal of attending law school, he immediately emphasized how competitive both the schools and the major are. He then suggested alternative schools and majors that he believed would be easier to gain admission to. I explained that we fully understand how competitive her goals are. Our philosophy is simply that setting ambitious goals provides motivation throughout high school. Even if the original goal is not ultimately achieved, aiming high often leads to better outcomes than lowering expectations from the outset. Unfortunately, he did not seem receptive to this perspective and continued to focus primarily on the difficulty of our intended path. Recognizing that we had different philosophies, I tried to steer the discussion toward a practical question. I asked how AP course selection should relate to a student's intended major. For example, if two students both apply to Engineering programs, but one has taken a rigorous STEM-focused AP curriculum while the other has concentrated on social science courses, how would that affect their competitiveness? Rather than addressing the question directly, he again returned to discussing how difficult it is to gain admission to Engineering programs. Throughout the meeting, it felt like our conversation was running along two parallel lines that would never meet Another question caught us by surprise. Early in the meeting, he asked my child for her thoughts on the discrimination Asian students face in Ivy League admissions. I had not expected a discussion about selecting a private college counselor to include a politically sensitive topic, particularly at an introductory meeting. The meeting also ended rather abruptly when he explained that he had another appointment. I asked whether there were other enrollment officers at Solomon, and he told me he was the only one. To be honest, I remained interested in learning more about Solomon's services. However, if this interaction reflects the firm's approach to prospective families, it left me questioning whether the company is the right fit for us. I understand that no admissions consultant can guarantee admission to highly selective universities. Ultimately, success depends on the student's own abilities and hard work, and the consultant's role is to provide guidance and help maximize opportunities. My concern was not that the consultant acknowledged the competitiveness of Ivy League admissions—that is something every family already knows. Rather, I was disappointed that, from the very beginning, the discussion focused on lowering expectations instead of helping us understand how to pursue our goals strategically. Personally, I believe that an effective counselor should balance realism with encouragement, helping students build the strongest possible application while respecting their aspirations. I hope our experience reflects the communication style of one individual rather than the overall culture of the firm. For context, my child entered high school coursework two years early through an Academic Center program, attends one of the nation's top-ranked public high schools, maintains an excellent GPA, has received multiple academic and extracurricular awards, and has built a strong record of activities. I mention this not to suggest that we deserve special treatment, but simply to clarify that our goals are based on careful planning rather than unrealistic expectations.