A College Admissions Consultant’s 7 Pet Peeves – and Strategies for Navigating Them

Last Updated on April 15, 2026 by Jill Schwitzgebel

After years of working with college applicants and their families, I experience some common frustrations with each admissions cycle.  Here are seven of the patterns I see and some suggestions for positive strategies to navigate them:

1. The rise of social media advice
Online communities can be incredibly supportive. Students and their parents hope to learn from others’ experiences and sometimes crowdsourcing can be helpful.  Just keep in mind that not all advice on social media is accurate or applicable. There is a LOT of misinformation out there and everyone seems to have a different opinion, too. It can be a good teaching moment with your teen to help them with evaluating the sources, asking questions, and recognizing that every student’s path is unique.

2. High school as nothing more than a resumé builder
It’s easy to fall into the mindset that every class, club, and activity is part of a “college audition.” But the students who thrive and succeed are the ones who are being authentic. High school is the time that students get to explore interests, take risks, and even change direction. And, it should involve some fun!  Colleges are looking for growth and genuine engagement, not only academic achievement and curated activities.

3. The quest for the perfect college essay 
 When students take ownership of their essays, their voices come through in a way that no one else can replicate. Parents can be incredible supporters in the writing process, offering encouragement and perspective (and grammatical suggestions!), but the most compelling essays are always the student’s own. Parents may not think it sounds polished enough, but most 16-18 year olds don’t sound polished!

4. Making the most of expert guidance
Working with a college admissions consultant can be a worthwhile investment, but like any partnership, it works best with collaboration and trust in the consultant you’ve chosen. When families stay open to guidance and communicate about their goals and concerns, the whole process becomes more effective.

5.  Using “we”
College admissions can feel like a family endeavor and support from parents on the journey is really important. At the same time, this is ultimately the student’s journey. Small language shifts help reinforce independence and ownership and can help parents shift their mindset too. It’s not “We got waitlisted at Vanderbilt.”  It’s “John got waitlisted at Vanderbilt.  “We” aren’t working on “our” college essay for Yale.  “Jane is working on her essay for Yale.”  It’s a subtle but important way to prepare all of you for the next chapter.

6. The maze of college portals
Yes, after the applications are complete, the process seems unnecessarily complicated and I do think there are ways colleges could alleviate that.  That’s probably a whole different article though.  Different colleges all have different portals or sometimes colleges share the same “brand”of portal, but with different instructions. It’s a lot to juggle (and annoying too!).  It’s definitely an early introduction to managing real-world systems and responsibilities.  Keeping track of logins and communications will help students build organization skills they can use in college and beyond.

7. Financial aid letters that require decoding
Financial aid offers aren’t always presented in a way that makes it easy to understand the full picture. In fact, it feels like the financial aid letters often do just the opposite.  Differences in format, terminology, and what’s included can make side-by-side comparisons confusing.  It’s time to bring the spreadsheets back out to be confident you’re comparing apples to apples when It comes to costs.

At its core, the college admissions process isn’t just about getting in, it’s also about growing up.  Teens learn many life skills as they navigate the process.  It’s likely to feel frustrating to applicants AND to their families at various times. But one thing I love in every college admission season is getting to see families experience the unique mix of anticipation and excitement each spring!