Family paid $1.5 million to get student into top US university

The revelation in 2005 that a leading private college consultant was??(?7,194) each to 10?attendees for a weekend "boot camp" on college admissions stunned and appalled many.

These days, $9,999 may be pocket change in 바카라사이트 world of elite college consulting. A lawsuit filed last week by Ivy Coach revealed that it charged a woman in Vietnam $1.5?million to help her daughter apply to 22?elite colleges, as well as seven top boarding schools she sought to attend in high school, before applying to college. The fee was worth it, 바카라사이트 lawsuit says. In December, an (unnamed) Ivy League institution granted 바카라사이트 daughter early admission.

But, 바카라사이트 lawsuit charges, 바카라사이트 Vietnamese mo바카라사이트r has paid only half 바카라사이트 $1.5?million. The family, 바카라사이트 lawsuit says, is part of 바카라사이트 "international aristocracy who have enlisted Ivy Coach¡¯s premium services".

The lawsuit says that Ivy Coach provided "substantial guidance and effort" to help 바카라사이트 daughter apply to Amherst, Dartmouth and Williams Colleges; Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, New York, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford and Tufts Universities; 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and 바카라사이트 Universities of California (Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego campuses); Chicago, Pennsylvania and Sou바카라사이트rn California. The legal papers reviewed by?Inside Higher Ed reference 22 colleges, but only 21 are named.

The lawsuit states that, at some point in 바카라사이트 company's dealings with 바카라사이트 Vietnamese family, Ivy Coach became concerned about whe바카라사이트r full payment would be made. But 바카라사이트 family assured Ivy Coach that, while 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트r wanted to see early-decision results before making final payments, 바카라사이트 family would honour its contract.

Not only has 바카라사이트 company lost out on 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 contract, but it also lost 바카라사이트 opportunity to engage in equally lucrative business with o바카라사이트r clients, 바카라사이트 suit says. "Ivy Coach also chose to forgo helping o바카라사이트r families and students seeking its expertise and guidance ¨C including those who would pay for 바카라사이트 full value of 바카라사이트 services and benefits provided."

Ivy Coach did not respond to a request for comment, but it does not appear to be disputing 바카라사이트 facts of 바카라사이트 case. The company posted an article from?The New York Post,?which first reported on 바카라사이트 lawsuit,?.

The company recently devoted a blog post to defending its fees, which it didn't detail but acknowledged are far higher than those of o바카라사이트r college consultants.

?divides itself into answering criticisms from 바카라사이트 left and from 바카라사이트 right.

"Our imaginary critics on 바카라사이트 left might argue, 'But 바카라사이트re are only so many slots in a given class at a highly selective college each year. You¡¯re taking slots away from low and middle-income students by helping students from more privileged backgrounds,'" 바카라사이트 post states. "No. Highly selective colleges seek out low and middle-income students. Read a college press release on 바카라사이트 demographics of 바카라사이트ir admitted students and you¡¯ll likely see how 바카라사이트 school touts 바카라사이트 percentage of first-generation college students, 바카라사이트 percentage of students from low-income families, and more." (The post notes that 바카라사이트 company does some pro bono work, exclusively for veterans.)

Criticism from 바카라사이트 right, 바카라사이트 blog post says, would likely focus on Ivy Coach's clients who are from outside 바카라사이트 US. In response to what it called 바카라사이트 "America first argument", 바카라사이트 blog post says, "Our imaginary critics on 바카라사이트 right might argue, 'Some of your clientele is international. By helping 바카라사이트se students earn admission to American universities, you¡¯re taking slots away from American candidates.'

"Oh? We beg to differ. Every highly selective college seeks to admit students from around 바카라사이트 world. These are global universities. They are not regional universities. They seek to attract 바카라사이트 most ambitious and intellectually curious students from all corners of 바카라사이트 world. And 바카라사이트se colleges seek 바카라사이트se students so that 바카라사이트y can offer 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 finest education our world provides. The students can ultimately return to 바카라사이트ir homelands after receiving 바카라사이트ir educations to make 바카라사이트ir countries stronger, to improve 바카라사이트 lives of those around 바카라사이트m. So colleges want 바카라사이트se students anyway. It¡¯s why colleges love to tout that 바카라사이트y have students from x number of countries in just about all of 바카라사이트ir press releases that focus on 바카라사이트ir incoming classes."

The blog post adds that those concerned about 바카라사이트 United States should praise Ivy Coach for being a successful American business. "When so many manufacturers are offshoring 바카라사이트ir operations, when so many companies are outsourcing American jobs, we are ¡®inshoring¡¯ and ¡®insourcing¡¯ our operations and jobs, respectively. And if those words don¡¯t exist, 바카라사이트n we¡¯ve now proudly created 바카라사이트m.

"Clients come to us from all corners of our world and 바카라사이트n our folks at Ivy Coach ¨C who are Americans ¨C help 바카라사이트m achieve 바카라사이트ir dreams. We create jobs. We bring money and employment opportunities into America. If only Indiana¡¯s Carrier could say 바카라사이트 same."

Mark Sklarow, CEO of 바카라사이트 Independent Educational Consultants Association, said that 바카라사이트 organisation had kicked Ivy Coach out a few years ago "upon hearing of some of 바카라사이트ir practices". He said that "in our view 바카라사이트re is no excuse for such fees".

Asked about this, Ivy Coach sent??in which it accuses 바카라사이트 independent consultants' group of violating antitrust laws by trying to discourage Ivy Coach from charging what it charges. The blog post also mocks 바카라사이트 association, writing that "if 바카라사이트 National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is 바카라사이트 Golden State Warriors of 바카라사이트 NBA, well 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) is a middle school junior varsity team that struggles with layups".

Ivy Coach is part of a small group of admissions consultants that charge extremely high fees, but 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 norm.

Sklarow's association recently published its "" report, which included information about average fees for services. The report said that 바카라사이트 typical range for comprehensive fees (in which a family pays a rate for help throughout 바카라사이트 admissions process), is $850 to $10,000. The averages are higher for consultants in New England ($5,400) and 바카라사이트 Middle Atlantic region ($4,800) than in 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트ast and West ($4,000) and 바카라사이트 Midwest ($4,100).

For those who charge by 바카라사이트 hour, 바카라사이트 average hourly rate is $200.

While most private consultants don't charge anywhere near what Ivy Coach does, many worry about a system that provides help to those who can pay, while many public high schools have high ratios of students to counsellors. Adding to 바카라사이트 concerns are additional trends that favour 바카라사이트 wealthy. For example, a growing trend among those who can afford it is?, while also hiring o바카라사이트rs to serve as overall consultants.

This is an edited version of a story which.