News

Are College Admissions Pros Worth Their High Fees?

By Mike Spector

Tricia Hassenfeld holds an acceptance certificate from Brown University. Getting advice from a private admissions consultant helped the teen polish her application and might have aided her in landing her first-choice college.

When it came time to apply to college, Tricia Hassenfeld had a 4.0 grade point average, a combined score of 2150 out of a possible 2400 on her SATs and four printed pages worth of extracurricular activities. But she still didn’t feel prepared for the enormity of the college admissions process.

Parents with children attending Riverdale Country School in the Bronx this fall will have to dole out 5.8 percent more tuition money this year, adding up to $31,200. Despite the price hike, competition for admission to the most expensive private school in Manhattan (not including parochial schools) remains remarkably high.

"By 2015, elite private schools will be $50,000, and they would still have wait lists," said Amanda Uhry, head of Manhattan Private School Advisors. Uhry attributes the enduring demand to worsening public school performance.

New York is the city of highs and lows and its schools are no exception. The top schools both public and private send their alums on to top colleges and illustrious careers. The bottom feeders, however, are reeling from high absenteeism and students that have a tough time passing standardized tests.

Parents say they know a good school when they see it. The campus is safe, and the curriculum broad; the classrooms are small, and the teachers enlightened. But what is the recipe for success in the classroom? In New York City, education experts say the answer lies largely in two key factors: school funding habits and the power of good principals.

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