By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep
Image Credit: Getty Images, For Unsplash+
For fifteen years, I’ve worked in education—as a teacher, school leader, fundraiser, and marketer. I’ve sat on both sides of the table: helping students discover their strengths and preparing schools to present themselves to colleges. I’ve written the glowing school profiles meant to impress admissions offices. I’ve helped parents navigate the uncertainty of the process. And I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is for families to get lost in the noise of an industry that thrives on anxiety.
That’s exactly why I joined InGenius Prep. After six months here, I can say with confidence that this company is different. We’re a for-profit business, yes—but a transparent one, grounded in an educational mission: expanding access to elite institutions for a wider range of students around the world, not just those already inside the prep-school bubble.
The Problem: Misleading Promises in a High-Anxiety Market
The truth is, college admissions counseling can be a murky industry. It’s largely unregulated, and when services are hard to measure, it’s easy for firms to overpromise. “Any company that says we have special connections to a school is lying,” said InGenius CEO Joel Butterly on a recent InGenius podcast on this same topic. As he added, if someone did have those connections, they’d never advertise them.
I’ve seen companies use every trick in the book—from inflated statistics to vague “guarantees.” That mix of desperation and marketing creates a perfect storm for families trying to make smart, emotional decisions about their children’s futures.
Common red flags include:
- Guarantees of admission.
- Claims of “special relationships” with colleges.
- No former Faculty Admissions Officers (FAOs) on staff.
- Relying on undertrained contractors or current college students.
- An assembly-line model where a student is passed from one person to the next instead of being guided by a consistent mentor. The assembly line model, in particular, deserves additional consideration.
The Assembly-Line Illusion
One of the most common red flags I’ve seen—both as a parent and educator—is the “assembly-line” model. It looks efficient at first: one person builds your school list, another edits essays, and someone else reviews strategy. But something vital gets lost in translation—the human story.
“Families are surprised when we say we don’t farm out essays to a separate specialist; the team that knows the student should guide the story,” said Chief Education Officer Yiran Gu on the same “Office Hours” podcast with InGenius CEO. That personal relationship is what helps bring an authentic narrative to life.
The problem often runs deeper. “Some companies have counselor transitions so often that the assembly line becomes a necessity,” Joel Butterly added. It’s not a design for efficiency—it’s a symptom of instability.
However, continuity in the college application process is crucial. A student shouldn’t have to reintroduce themselves to a counselor or coach five times before someone understands who they really are.
How Numbers Get Misused
Numbers can be just as misleading as words. “Services in general are non-falsifiable… [and] it’s [therefore] hard for a parent to differentiate between good companies and bad,” said Joel Butterly.
Here are some common statistical tricks:
- Raw totals without context. “We got 50 students into Ivies” means little if the firm worked with 5,000.
- Cherry-picked cohorts. “30% into top-10 universities” looks different if they hand-select nearly perfect applicants.
- Outlandish odds multipliers. If their math implies acceptance rates above 100%, run.
- Selective case studies. One glowing story can’t speak for hundreds of students.
As someone who’s worked in both marketing and education, I can tell you: flashy packaging doesn’t equal substance. “You need the multiplier and the raw data… and ask for detailed case studies,” said Joel Butterly on his inaugural podcast. “If a firm can’t show both, they’re probably hiding something.”
What Truly Matters: Questions Every Family Should Ask
When families ask me how to choose a firm, I tell them this: it’s not about trusting a brand—it’s about verifying a process. Ask questions that force clarity.
People and Structure
- Who will be my child’s primary counselor—and will that person stay the same throughout?
- What’s the counselor-to-student ratio? If full-time counselors are handling 50+ students, that’s too many.
- Are counselors full-time or part-time contractors?
- Do they employ real Faculty Admissions Officers (FAOs)?
- Can they name everyone who will actually touch your student’s application?
Process and Resources
- Do counselors receive structured, ongoing training?
- Is there a vetted curriculum guiding student progress?
- Do they have resources to help execute strategy—like mentorships, internships, or research opportunities?
“Strategy without execution isn’t worth much… you need both,” said Joel Butterly on the podcast, and that distinction matters. A plan is only as good as the company’s ability to make it real.
Data and Proof
- Do they show both raw numbers and success multipliers?
- Can they provide detailed case studies, not just testimonials?
- Does a basic Google search reveal lawsuits or controversies?
Numbers can lie; detailed stories rarely do. Case studies show what really happened—and they’re much harder to fake.
Fit vs. Prestige: The Tightrope Families Walk
One of the hardest parts of this work is helping families separate fit from fame. I’ve seen students chase prestige until they burn out, and I’ve seen others thrive at lesser-known schools that truly fit who they are.
“The number one correlative factor in academic success is whether a student is happy,” said Chief Education Officer Yiran Gu. Fit sustains success. Prestige may open a door, but fit determines whether a student can walk through it with confidence.
When I work with students, we start by discussing self-knowledge: What motivates you? Where do you come alive? Prestige matters less when a school’s values and environment align with your own.
Beyond Admission: Making Students Deserving
At one international school where I worked, hiring outside counselors was technically forbidden. Parents did it anyway, often with disastrous results—conflicting advice, ghostwritten essays, and confused students caught in the middle. It was a powerful lesson: integrity matters more than promises.
At InGenius, we care about outcomes—but we also care about making students deserving of those outcomes. “The best way to get students into elite schools is to make them deserving of getting in,” said Yiran. This work is an educational journey, not a transaction. Even when a dream school doesn’t work out, a student should come away stronger, wiser, and more self-aware.
Why Guidance Quality Matters Now
- Caseloads are overwhelming. The average U.S. public-school counselor manages more than 300 students (NACAC).
- Training is inconsistent. Many independent advisors lack formal backgrounds in counseling or education.
- Competition is intense. Acceptance rates at top schools continue to decline, while application volumes surge.
Families need expert guidance rooted in real strategy and mentorship, not marketing gimmicks or promises of secret advantages.
Closing Thought
Choosing a counseling partner isn’t about who shouts the loudest or boasts the best numbers—it’s about trust, transparency, and student-centered care. Ask the hard questions. Read between the lines. Listen for sincerity instead of salesmanship.
Because when you find a partner who keeps your student’s growth at the center, the rest starts to fall into place. As for us? That’s exactly what we do at InGenius: we help students thrive at the right schools, for the right reasons. Reach out for your free consultation today.