I don't support paying $100,000 for a college consultant but you can be savvy about it. You can read (for free) about successful applications to colleges for free on the internet. I've interviewed kids for top-level school and have passed that knowledge on (for free) to friends and their kids.
Most consultants charge around $3,000 not $100,000. I agree though, the information is readily available to anyone with a library card and Internet access and hiring a consultant isn't necessary if you have the time to do it on your own. It is a lot like doing your own taxes - some folks prefer to hire an accountant. Also, we should keep in mind most kids aren't looking at these highly selective colleges but more often at their local options and that's a lot simpler.
