Crimson Education Review: Are They Legit for College Admissions Consulting?

Did you know that attending an “Ivy-plus” school increases your chances of being one of the top 1% earners by 60%?

It’s true! But imagine if you applied to your top 5 dream universities and got rejected from all of them, not because you weren’t a good fit, but because your application didn’t stand out.

In this guide, I’ll discuss one solution to that problem: Crimson Education, a university admissions company that prides itself on helping students get accepted into their top-choice schools.

But is Crimson worth the price? And, more importantly, is hiring a consultant the right choice for you? I’ll answer those questions (and many more!) in the review ahead.

Is Crimson College Consulting Right For You?

• If you want a personalized approach to college admissions, then Crimson Education’s customized packages are a perfect fit.
• If you aim to get into Ivy League or top-tier schools, then Crimson’s proven success rates make them a strong contender.
• If cost is a concern, then be prepared to invest, as Crimson’s premium services come with a higher price tag.
• If you value guidance from top experts, then Crimson’s team of former Ivy League admissions officers is a significant advantage.
• If you expect guaranteed admissions, then keep in mind no consulting service, including Crimson, can promise outcomes.

What is Crimson Education?

Crimson Education offers unparalleled college admissions consulting and coaching. They do it all, and they do it well.

Overall, top-tier universities accept a dismal ~5% of applicants. Meanwhile, 34.5% of students who applied with Crimson Education were accepted into the top 15 schools. That means you’re six times more likely to get into a top school with Crimson.

Further, a whopping 98% of Crimson students get into at least one of their top five choices.

Adriana Ricci, a mom from Brazil, had this to say about her and her son’s experience:

College Admissions Services Overview

At Crimson Education, no two students are alike, and neither are their pathways to success. Every package is uniquely designed to showcase the student’s strengths and passions while addressing their specific goals.

For example:

• The Aspiring Doctor: A student aiming for a pre-med program might receive mentorship from a practicing doctor, assistance in finding shadowing opportunities, guidance on creating a standout research project, and coaching to write compelling essays that highlight their dedication to healthcare.
• The Budding Entrepreneur: A student with an interest in business might work on launching a small startup, receive leadership mentoring to develop a pitch competition strategy, and get advice from industry professionals to enhance their extracurricular impact.
• The Elite Athlete: A student seeking college sports recruitment might receive tailored coaching to build their athletic profile, guidance on filming highlight reels, and support navigating the NCAA recruitment process.
• The STEM Innovator: A student passionate about engineering might be paired with a university-level research mentor, guided in publishing a technical paper, and coached to craft an application that highlights their STEM leadership and hands-on projects.

Each plan combines Crimson’s expertise with the student’s individual passions, ensuring their application not only stands out but truly represents who they are.

Crimson Education offers a wide variety of services, including:

• University admissions strategy
• Extracurricular activity and leadership mentoring
• Essay development
• Exam and grade coaching
• Research assistance and work experience
• College sport recruitment

…and naturally, packages that combine one or more options above to make you (or your child) a standout applicant.

You can expect personal guidance from Crimson’s admissions counselors, many of whom hail from Ivy League schools themselves, such as former Harvard and Stanford admissions officers. Who better to help you succeed than the people who know exactly what top schools are looking for?

Pros

Personalized Packages: Why buy a cookie-cutter services package and spend more on extras you don’t need? Crimson ensures your package is perfectly curated to your unique needs and goals.
Pros Who Know Their Stuff: Your team is jam-packed with experts who know precisely what it takes to get where you want to be, from former Ivy League admissions officers to D1 athletics coaches.
The Stats Speak Volumes: Crimson Education works, and their statistics prove it. 98% of Crimson students get into one or more of their top five picks, making for a safe investment.
Holistic Approach: Being good at one thing isn’t enough. That’s why Crimson looks at everything: your grades, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, athletics, and even your personal story.
Specialist Central: Why have one person help you do it all? Crimson offers niche experts for each aspect of the application process to ensure you’re always getting the best advice.

Cons

Perfection is Pricey: You’ll have the best shot at getting what you want with Crimson, but that can result in a high price tag.
Nothing is Promised: Crimson will do its absolute best to get you into your dream university, but as with any college admissions consulting service, it can’t promise you your #1 pick.

College Admissions Services

Now that you know the basics, let’s dig deeper into some of Crimson Education’s admissions services.

All-Encompassing College Admissions Counseling

If you can afford it, your best choice is… well, everything. Your customized plan can include:

You can start with a free consultation to build out your game plan. In the consultation, your strategist will assess your (or your child’s) strengths and weaknesses, strategize your best path forward to achieve your goals, build a personalized timeline for the next steps, and finally, formulate personalized packages to fit your budget.

From there, the journey begins! There’s a lot of work ahead, but you won’t be alone. Your mentors will be there the entire time, holding your hand, taking out the guesswork, and leading you in the direction of your dreams, step by step.

One successful M.I.T. applicant wrote the following Crimson Education review:

College Athletic Recruitment

Maybe all you know is you’re great at sports. If you’re good enough, that athletic talent can single-handedly earn acceptance into your #1 college choice. However, knowing how to make that happen without any aid is tough.

That’s where Crimson’s college athletic recruitment services come in. The truth is that recruitment isn’t like the movie where someone sees a player on the field and signs them on the spot. Other traits can come into play, like the oversaturation of your sport, how you’d fit into a team, your location, your ability to market yourself, and so on.

Crimson can help you:

• Create a personalized recruitment strategy
• Develop a captivating highlight reel that speaks to recruiters
• Build relationships with heavy hitters
• Ace interactions with coaches
• Prep for training camps and showcases
• Develop your skills with reviews from top athletes in your sport
• Build your mental fortitude for competitions

Whether you’re the GOAT but need to improve your relationship-building skills, or you’re good and need to be great to succeed, Crimson has a solution to take you to the top.

Financial Aid and Merit Scholarships

One of the biggest deterrents that keep exceptional students away from a good education? Money. Even if you’re investing in a brighter future, taking out a huge loan to bet on yourself can be scary. And, naturally, if you can pay less… you should pay less.

Crimson’s financial aid and merit scholarship services help students get the cash they need to get the education they deserve.

Financial aid and scholarship help can look like:

• Helping students find reliable scholarship sources
• Appropriately fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile
• Determine aid eligibility, whether income- or merit-based
• Identify the best scholarships for you to apply for

Crimson has helped students earn massive scholarships, including full rides. Spending a bit upfront can save you a lot of precious time and money down the line.

Essay Development and Review

You’ve got everything on lock, and you’re at the finish line. The only step left is to turn in that essay with your application. And sometimes, your essay can make or break your application.

For students aiming for the best possible outcome, Crimson offers two essay review packages:

• 5 Essay Bundle | $425 | 4 Business Day Turnaround | <2,500 Words
• 10 Essay Bundle | $800 | 7 Business Day Turnaround | <5,000 Words

Crimson also reviews a vast number of essay types, including:

• 650-Word Common Application Personal Statement
• Supplemental Essays
• Scholarship Essays
• University of California Application Essay
• UCAS Personal Statements (UK)

Regardless of the package you’re getting or the kind of essay you’d like reviewed, Crimson provides in-depth edits and detailed feedback with suggestions for the next steps. After all, you took a long time to write your essay. Crimson ensures that your essay is in top form, making all that time and hard work worthwhile without changing your voice.

Graduate Admissions Consulting

Maybe you’ve already conquered undergrad and are now setting your sights on an MBA, law school, medical school, or a master’s/Ph.D. program at a top-tier university. But with acceptance rates at elite graduate programs often lower than 10%, standing out is just as tough—if not tougher—than before.

That’s where Crimson’s Graduate Admissions Consulting comes in. Their team of former admissions officers and graduate school experts helps applicants navigate the highly competitive admissions process with a structured, personalized approach.

Crimson can help you:

• Develop a winning application strategy tailored to your target programs
• Perfect your personal statement & essays with expert feedback
• Prepare for standardized tests like the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT
• Secure strong letters of recommendation from academic and professional mentors
• Ace your interviews with program-specific coaching
• Find scholarships & financial aid opportunities to fund your education

Whether you’re an aspiring MBA at Harvard, a future lawyer at Yale, or a medical student at Johns Hopkins, Crimson offers guidance to help you maximize your chances of acceptance.

Bottom Line

If you want to get into the Ivy Leagues, Crimson Education is my #1 recommendation for college admissions consulting. Here’s the real bottom line: numbers don’t lie. To reiterate, an astounding 35% of Crimson students who apply to the top 15 schools (read: Ivy and Ivy-plus) get in, compared to just ~5% of the non-Crimson population. It’s a no-brainer.

And yes, it’s expensive. But really, it’s an investment in your future. I talk a lot about value and ROI, and the value of becoming an Ivy League grad is inarguable: more money, more connections, and better opportunities overall. With that 60% increased odds of joining the 1%, the package price will mean nothing to you a decade from now.

So, if you’ve set your sights on Harvard, Yale, Brown, or UPenn, look no further. Crimson is your best bet.

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