Would you spend $15,000+ on a college consulting service that promises insider knowledge but delivers nothing?
That’s exactly what’s happening in the college consulting scam draining parents’ wallets. Many families, desperate to help their child get into a top school, are falling for overpriced college counseling programs that offer little real value. However, these so-called experts rely on fear tactics, fake credentials, and empty promises to justify their outrageous prices.
I’ve seen it firsthand. Today, I’m exposing how these so-called “experts” operate, why their services are a waste of money, and what parents should do instead.
How the $15K College Consulting Scam Works
Last week, I saw something that made me sick.
A celebrity college counselor convinced a family to hand over $15,000…
…to tell their child to “follow their passion” and “explore their interests.”
FIFTEEN. THOUSAND. DOLLARS.
For the same advice you’d find in a fortune cookie.
Even worse, the parents thanked them afterward. Clearly, this college consulting scam is designed to make families feel privileged just to be scammed.
How Overpriced College Consultants Manipulate Parents
Step 1: They Exploit Fear to Sell Expensive College Counseling
The college consulting scam thrives on panic. To push parents into hiring them, these consultants use fear-based marketing that makes families feel like they are falling behind.
For example, they say things like:
🔹 “College admissions are more competitive than ever!”
🔹 “Most families don’t realize how much the process has changed…”
🔹 “Your child is already falling behind their peers!”
As a result, parents feel pressured to take immediate action. Instead of questioning the actual value of these services, they rush into making high-cost decisions based purely on anxiety.
Step 2: They Inflate Their Credentials to Justify High Consulting Fees
To make their overpriced college consulting services seem legitimate, these counselors exaggerate their résumés.
For instance, many claim to be “Former Ivy League Admissions Officers”, yet their experience amounts to an unpaid internship fetching coffee. Others flaunt being “Featured in Forbes”, but in reality, they paid for a sponsored post.
Additionally, their so-called track record is just as misleading. They brag about helping students get into top schools, but often, their “success stories” involve wealthy students whose parents made large donations to elite universities.
Step 3: They Sell Overpriced College Counseling Packages That Deliver Nothing
To extract as much money as possible, these consultants offer ridiculously expensive coaching programs with fancy names.
For example:
🔹 “Elite Exploration Journey” – $8,000
🔹 “Premium Passion Discovery” – $12,000
🔹 “VIP Vision Quest” – $15,000+
Despite the hefty price tag, these college consulting scams provide nothing but vague advice.
💸 “Follow your heart!” ($5,000)
💸 “Take time to find yourself!” (Another $3,000)
💸 “Maybe try a gap year!” (Perfect upsell opportunity!)
Meanwhile, the same consultants push their own kids into Business, Engineering, or Pre-Med—because they know better.
The Dark Side of the College Consulting Industry
Inside Private Groups Where Consultants Brag About Scamming Families
These college consultants aren’t just misleading families; they actively mock their own clients behind closed doors.
🔹 In private Facebook groups, they brag about manipulating families into spending $20K+.
🔹 They share manipulative sales scripts to make parents feel even more desperate.
🔹 Some even place bets on which families they can upsell to the most expensive packages.
I’ve seen the screenshots.
(Yeah, that’s why they all want me gone.)
Real Stories: How Families Get Scammed by Overpriced College Consultants
Meet Sarah.
Her parents spent $22,000 on a “top-tier” college consultant who promised:
✅ Exclusive access to top universities
✅ Guaranteed admission to a “Top 20” school
✅ A customized major selection strategy
However, what they actually received was a complete waste of time and money.
❌ Three Zoom calls that were frequently rescheduled
❌ A generic personality test that’s free online
❌ “Weekly check-ins” that were obviously AI-generated
❌ A “custom” major report that still had another student’s name on it
❌ Radio silence when things went wrong
In the end, Sarah attended her safety school—$150,000 in debt, working as a barista, and living in her parents’ basement.
Meanwhile, the same college consultant raised their prices to $25,000 and bragged about having a waitlist.
The Hidden Truth About College & Careers
These college consulting scams won’t tell you this, but here’s what the real data shows:
📉 41% of recent grads are underemployed
📉 43% of college graduates take jobs that don’t require a degree
📉 39% of students change their major at least once
📉 64% take more than four years to graduate
📉 85% choose majors without career planning
Yet, these same consultants insist that $15,000+ “passion exploration” packages are the answer.
The Smarter Alternative: The Major Mojo™ Method
We created Major Mojo™ to give families real answers—without the scam pricing.
Unlike these consultants, we don’t:
❌ Charge $15,000 for vague advice
❌ Push students into useless majors
❌ Sell families on empty promises
Instead, we focus on:
✅ A major selection plan based on real data
✅ Career planning that leads to actual jobs
✅ Market research on which majors pay
✅ Step-by-step guidance on college and career choices
It’s not wrapped in Ivy League fluff, but it actually works.
→ Click here to learn the Major Mojo™ method before they force us to take this down.
💰 College is too expensive for aimless exploration.
💼 The job market is too competitive for empty career advice.
🔎 Your kid’s future is too important to trust to these vultures.
That’s why we tell students what they NEED to hear.
Not what makes us the most money.
