Admissions Consultants

Have you or your parents ever hired one? IF so what do they charge? In the US, I have seen the top prices range from $16K-25K/year.

Please spill the beans!!

Grief, I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole really. If not a complete waste of money it's certainly close. In all fairness if you aren't capable of getting into Oxbridge without an "admissions consultant" then is it a good idea to apply?? Having said that I would advise anyone to try and apply if they really want to come. Instead of admissions consultants, see what your school/college can do to help you and try and read as much advice as you can. These interviews are looking for your natural talent at the subject you apply for, not something that can be easily coached.

Oxbridge Applications offer just about every service you could possibly want

please say I'm not the only person who had the 'dirty thoughts' part of their brain kick into action when they read that...

I don't like the principle of these things - paying extra money to ensure you're supposedly brighter. THe people who use this and get in are stopping people who would have gotten in off their own backs and on their own merits - it's the worst kind of spoonfeeding.

On the other hand, if you're willing to spend the money, it can't hurt, but you can probably get most of it free anyway - on here, on the oxbridge-admissions website, and just from generally being intellectually curious.

I think it raises a very interesting question about admissions. If you acknowledge that this kind of tutoring works, it's only the kind of tutoring you'd find in a very oxbridge focused top school, so if a private company could offer this and it be effective then I think you have to acknowledge that the admissions system is generally unfair.

However, having thought about that argument I'm now not so convinced that they could be effective.

It's amazing though, how people feel the need to use such services. I didn't get help from my school in any real way, in preparation for the interview, or anything. Yet I got in. Evidently it proves that training isn't what they're looking for.

Whilst admissions consultants might seem like a good idea on paper, it rather implies that the candidate isn't good enough on their own merits. The point has been raised already, but it seems worth reiterating, Oxford and Cambridge are looking for the most able people and trying to get an edge over other applicants in terms of training is irrelevant. Admissions tutors have been conducting interviews for many years and can pick up on the fake identity that admission consultants will leave you with. If you aren't yourself for instance, how can you make your enthusiasm for the subject or aptitute for your subject apparent? It's a question to think about at least for all those even considering an Admissions Consultant though my own opinion is: Leave Well Alone!

We've had the debate about their usefulness many times before and I'm afraid I don't have the time to re-hash the "pro" argument again - a search for "oxbridge applications" should reveal all.