CollegeZoom Review: College Planning and Application Consulting

Getting into a top college is becoming more of a challenge. As schools become more competitive, some students are choosing to seize an advantage through college consulting programs. After all, the right college consulting firm can make a world of difference to your college admissions opportunities. 

CollegeZoom provides remote and local college admissions support, which could give you the edge you need to gain admission to the college of your choice. In this CollegeZoom review, we will explore how the platform works and what it offers, to help you decide if this company is the right fit for your situation.

What Is CollegeZoom?

CollegeZoom is a college consulting firm that works with students to improve their college admissions opportunities. The Los Angeles-based company was founded in 2009. Since its founding, it has helped over 2,900 students in one-on-one programs. Additionally, it has helped over 5,000 workshop students. 

What Does It Offer?

CollegeZoom works with students across the country to help them improve their admissions applications to top schools. Here's a closer look at the services the company offers. 

Hourly Help

CollegeZoom offers an hourly option to help you improve your approach to college applications. Through the hourly help option, you can find help with your college essays, college planning, college matching, major selection, and financial aid planning.

If you have specific college admissions questions but don’t want to commit to purchasing a full package, then the hourly option could be best.

College Packages

CollegeZoom offers both College Planning Packages and College Application Packages.

The College Planning Packages take a more comprehensive approach. The team will help you choose the right courses, pick the right summer activities, and undergo college matching. You’ll also get help with financial aid and scholarship advice. These packages are available for students ranging from freshmen in high school to second-year college transfers.

College Application Packages are the other option. Essentially, this type of package skips the college planning information and skips to optimizing your application. The packages are available in three tiers, ranging from 10 to 25 hours.

Success Rate

CollegeZoom has an impressive success rate. Since 2009, the firm has reported 96.1% of its students who fully completed the college application packages be admitted to at least one of their top three colleges. This is true for students with grades and test scores above the bottom 25th percentile of their admitted peers. 

Are There Any Fees?

CollegeZoom isn’t a free service, but unlike some services in this industry, their pricing is very transparent. Here’s what you can expect to pay for the different services:

• Hourly help: You’ll pay $350 per hour after an initial consultation fee of $600.
• College Planning Packages: You’ll pay between $3,000 to $6,000.
• College Application Packages: You’ll pay between $3,500 and $4,500.    

Depending on your situation, you may pay more for extra hours.

While CollegeZoom's pricing is expensive, it falls in line with industry averages, based on a 2018 study from the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), which reports average consulting package fees between $850 and $10,000. 

How Does CollegeZoom Compare?

The college consulting industry is undeniably competitive. Here’s how CollegeZoom stacks up.

IvyWise is a top competitor of CollegeZoom. With hourly rates ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per hour, IvyWise is a more expensive choice than CollegeZoom. And like CollegeZoom, IvyWise also has impressive acceptance rates. But it can help you improve your admissions applications for more than just colleges, it can also help with boarding schools, graduate programs, and private schools.

Prep Expert is another college admissions preparatory service. Specifically, Prep Experts focuses on helping with standardized tests, academic tutoring, and college admissions counseling. From a price perspective, Prep Expert is a bit more affordable. 

How Do I Open An Account?

If you want to start working with CollegeZoom, you can email admin@collegezoom.com. The team will set up an initial consultation to kickstart the process. Be prepared to pay for this initial meeting upfront. 

How Do I Contact CollegeZoom?

You can get in contact with CollegeZoom by emailing admin@collegezoom.com. Through this email, you can set up an initial consultation.

CollegeZoom has earned 5 out of 5 stars on Yelp of Santa Monica, with around 80 reviewers. Overall, the feedback available about CollegeZoom is overwhelmingly positive. With that, you should expect a positive experience with the company. 

Is It Worth It?

CollegeZoom offers impressive results with a high price tag to match. Whether or not the program is worth it varies based on your goals. The college admissions process is highly competitive. If you want an extra edge, CollegeZoom could be the solution.

The cost of CollegeZoom is steep. But many students earn merit-based college scholarships, which may more than offset their CollegeZoom costs. Ultimately, you have to decide if this program offers the helping hand you are looking for and if you are willing to pay for that help.

 
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