This substantial amount was paid to The Ivy Coach, an “independent educational consultancy” based in Manhattan, USA.
The company’s role is to guide parents and their children through the admissions process to gain entry into prestigious American boarding schools and universities. The consultants are now suing Bui Thi Buoi and her daughter for only paying half of the agreed-upon amount.
Ms. Buoi promised to pay the remaining amount in exchange for Bev Taylor of The Ivy Coach helping her daughter, Vinh Ngoc Dao, apply to 7 boarding schools and 22 American universities, including Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia.
Ms. Buoi currently resides in Hanoi, while her daughter “belongs to the international elite.”
They, along with “government officials, industry leaders, celebrities, and many wealthy families around the world and their children,” are clients of The Ivy Coach.
The fees charged to Ms. Buoi are reportedly higher than the industry average, where independent consultants typically charge between $85 to $350 per hour, and comprehensive packages range from $850 to $10,000, according to a January survey by the Independent Educational Consultants Association.
In a blog post from February, The Ivy Coach explained the reasoning behind their exorbitant fees.
“Over the years, many have been surprised by our fees. Some have mocked us. Some have questioned why our fees are not on par with other private admissions consulting firms,” they wrote.
“We acknowledge that our fees are high… Parents consider it an investment worth making to get their children into elite schools when they might otherwise have been accepted into a good, but not outstanding, school.”
The company also expressed pride in creating jobs for Americans.
“We bring money and job opportunities to the U.S.” The $1.5 million fee has shocked higher education experts.
“Oh my God! That’s outrageous,” exclaimed Professor David Bloomfield from Brooklyn and CUNY Grad Center Education.
“I mean, it’s legal. But it’s disgusting and without limits, because the value they provide is unclear,” he added.
The Ivy Coach’s attorney declined to comment on the $1.5 million fee.
“All they are asking for is payment for the effort and intellect they have invested, as agreed,” said attorney Silvia Jordan.
The Ivy Coach’s services reportedly include helping applicants with everything from essay writing to preparing for interviews, writing recommendation letters, and “all other aspects of the admissions process,” according to court documents.
The company’s agreement with Ms. Buoi included “helping her daughter gain admission to highly competitive American universities.”
Ms. Buoi signed a contract agreeing to pay $1.5 million in exchange for her daughter being accepted into any university, The Ivy Coach claims.
The consultancy helped Vinh Ngoc Dao gain admission to Solebury School in Pennsylvania, an American prep school with tuition exceeding $55,000 per year.
Ms. Buoi paid part of the fee to The Ivy Coach but then sought to delay paying the remaining amount until the early-admission decisions were made.
This led The Ivy Coach to question whether she intended to honor the contract.
Meanwhile, her daughter stated that her mother “definitely” intended to pay the remaining $750,000, but then failed to do so, The Ivy Coach alleges.
According to the lawsuit, a social media post indicated that Dao had been accepted to Dartmouth – one of the Ivy League schools – during early admission. Ms. Buoi and her daughter have not responded to messages.
The news has sparked numerous comments. One reader joked, “1.5 million dollars. I chose the wrong career.” Meanwhile, another admissions consultant commented, “Wow, my eyes have been opened. I only charge a fee that’s a fifth or even a hundredth of that amount.”
Another commenter speculated that the $1.5 million fee might not have been entirely for the consultancy, suggesting that part of it could have been a donation to the school. “College consultants in the U.S. are often on the admissions committee to pave the way for parents who support the school, ensuring their children receive special consideration,” they said.
Choosing a reputable consultancy with genuine experience in applying to top schools is the first challenge in a crowded market where consulting centers are popping up everywhere.
Source: https://nypost.com/2018/02/10/mom-agreed-to-give-consultant-1-5m-to-help-kids-college-admissions-suit/
Translation: Nguyen Thao – Vietnamnet.com
