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As someone who has worked as a college admissions consultant for many years and helped many students reach their goals, I think it’s important to say what I feel about College Zoom pricing. They say they are experts, but my experience and the reviews I’ve seen don’t back that up. This College Zoom review can give honest feedback to students and parents considering using their services.
Pros & Cons of CollegeZoom.com
| ☑️ PROS | ❌ CONS |
|---|---|
| The one-on-one counseling ensures that students receive individualized attention. | Helping students write original, well-written essays is a big part of College Zoom and may strengthen their applications. |
| Helping students write original, well-written essays is a big part of College Zoom, and it may strengthen their applications. | There’s a risk that students might become too dependent on the counselors and not develop skills needed for future academic pursuits. |
| Their guidance on the overall admissions process, including interview prep and college selection, provides a well-rounded approach. | The comprehensive nature of the service may require a significant time investment from students. |
In my opinion, College Zoom is not worth the investment. Their high prices, generic strategies, and inexperienced team don’t deliver the results they promise. Students and parents looking for meaningful, customized guidance should explore other options. The college admissions process is too important to leave in the hands of a service that overpromises and underdelivers.
If you’re serious about getting into a top choice, I recommend looking at other college admission consultants. Save your time, money, and energy for a service that truly understands your needs.
What Are the Main Admission Consulting Services of College Zoom?
College Zoom advertises that they offer personalized guidance to help students get into top-tier schools:
- Personalized counseling. College Zoom provides one-on-one counseling to help students develop a tailored college admissions strategy.
- Essay assistance. One of their main services is helping students write unique, well-written essays that stand out to college admissions committees.
- Application review. This company offers in-depth reviews of college applications, ensuring each application is polished and error-free.
- College selection guidance. College Zoom helps students choose schools based on their goals, preferences, and likelihood of admission.
- Admissions strategy. They work with students to create an overall admissions strategy, helping to maximize the chances of acceptance at their preferred schools.
- Interview preparation. College Zoom offers mock interviews and tips to help students perform well.
They claim to focus on strategy, essay writing, and maximizing a student’s application. However, in my opinion, CollegeZoom’s services are far from groundbreaking.
What’s Included in Their Packages?
They offer several packages, ranging from basic help to full-service consulting. Based on my observations and conversations with students and parents, these packages lack depth. Their “comprehensive” packages should cover everything, but from what I know and have seen in practice, their advice is generic.
Students often leave consultations feeling like they receive cookie-cutter recommendations that don’t align with their personal goals or profiles.
If you’re hoping for absolute customization, you may want to look at BeMo Consulting.
Who Is on the CollegeZoom Team? Are They Knowledgeable Enough?
Unfortunately, many of College Zoom’s consultants fall short in this area. One of the biggest disappointments is their team.
College Zoom’s consultants aren’t necessarily college admissions experts. Sure, they may have attended good schools themselves, but from what I know from general practice, having a prestigious degree doesn’t necessarily translate into being able to guide students effectively.
Do They Offer Any Extra Services?
College Zoom offers some add-ons, such as interview prep and assistance with scholarship applications. However, as I know from general practice, these extra services feel more like an attempt to upsell clients rather than provide real value. I’ve seen other companies that include these services in their comprehensive packages.
Does College Zoom Have Any Free Services?
Don’t get your hopes up if you’re seeking free services. They offer a free consultation, but it’s a sales pitch designed to get you to purchase their paid services.
Based on feedback I’ve seen online, many students felt pressured after these consultations and didn’t feel like they walked away with any valuable insights.
College Zoom Pricing and Guarantees
Their pricing structure is a major red flag. College Zoom charges incredibly high rates — comparable to the top consulting firms in the industry—but, in my opinion, their services simply do not match the price point:
- Express package. 10 hours ($3,500) for UC applications or 12 hours ($4,000) for Common Apps.
- Deluxe package. 17 hours ($5,100) for both UC and Common Apps.
- Elite package. 28 hours ($8,200) for students applying to the top 15 schools.
Additionally, they charge $350 per hour for extra time or services, and their initial consultation will set you back $600. If you have twins, there’s a “discount” of $250, but frankly, it still feels overpriced.
Moreover, this firm doesn’t offer refunds if dissatisfied with the service. Compare this to Prep Expert, which offers much more comprehensive packages and better guarantees, and you’ll quickly realize that College Zoom falls short.
College Zoom’s Professionalism in Online Reviews
While there are a handful of positive reviews, such as one from a parent, Parantap L., who was pleased that his son got into UCSB for engineering, these success stories seem to be exceptions rather than the norm.
Parantap mentions being impressed with the “direct, no-nonsense approach,” which may work for some families. However, this approach seems to be ineffective or even dismissive for others.
The more critical reviews paint a less flattering picture. For example, Frank C. from San Francisco shared his dissatisfaction, stating that College Zoom didn’t add much value and only helped his son get into private schools — not the UC schools they were targeting.
Areas College Zoom Should Work On: Their 5 Worst Sides
College Zoom’s services are highly problematic in several areas, especially when you consider how much they charge:
- Their services feel very “one-size-fits-all,” which is unacceptable when paying thousands of dollars.
- They sell students and parents on the idea that they can get them into top schools, but in my experience, their strategies are outdated and ineffective.
- Many consultants lack the necessary expertise to provide insightful, strategic advice.
- From the reviews and observations, College Zoom has a habit of not responding promptly or missing important details.
- For the price they charge, the value just isn’t there. Parents and students can find far better services for less money.
It is hard to understand the high cost of their services when these problems continue. Even more so, students and parents deserve better help and advice at this price.
❓ FAQs
How much does the College Zoom service cost?
College Zoom’s packages range from $3,500 for 10 hours of help to $8,200 for their most comprehensive package, with additional hourly rates of $350.
Is College Zoom a reputable company?
College Zoom has mixed reviews; some families are happy with their services, while others find their advice generic and overpriced.
Is College Zoom legit?
Yes, College Zoom is a legitimate company, but whether it meets expectations depends heavily on the individual experience.
Can CollegeZoom.com guarantee acceptance?
No, CollegeZoom does not guarantee acceptance to any schools, and many clients have expressed disappointment with their results.