College admissions consultants can be helpful for some students and families, but they are not necessary for everyone. Here are a few factors to consider when deciding if a college admissions consultant is worth it for you:

1. Time and experience: If you or your family are not familiar with the college admissions process, a consultant can save you time and help you navigate the process more efficiently. They can also help you to understand the requirements, deadlines and the different types of application and opportunities available.

2. Personalized attention: A consultant can provide personalized attention and help tailor your application to best showcase your strengths and achievements. They can help you to select the right colleges to apply to, write essays and prepare for interviews.

3. Connections: Some consultants have connections with college admissions officers and can use their relationships to advocate for you.

4. Cost: College admissions consultants can be expensive, and it's important to consider if the cost is worth the potential benefits.

However, it's important to note that a college admissions consultant cannot guarantee your acceptance into a particular college or university, and they cannot do the work for you. It's also worth noting that there are free resources, such as college counseling offices, that can provide similar support and guidance.

Ultimately, the decision to hire a college admissions consultant is a personal one and should be based on your individual needs and circumstances. If you're unsure, it may be helpful to speak with a few different consultants and compare their services before making a decision.

An independent education consultant can help prospective college students and their families by providing guidance and support throughout the college search and application process. This can include helping students identify colleges that are a good fit for their academic and personal interests, assisting with the application process, providing advice on writing essays and completing applications, and helping families understand the financial aid process.

Independent education consultants can also provide support during the college selection process, helping students and families evaluate offers from different colleges and make an informed decision about which school to attend. Overall, an independent education consultant can be a valuable resource for students and families who are looking to navigate the complex process of applying to and choosing a college.

*Written by OpenAI's ChatGPT* 

The number of scholarships that may be offered (varying by the governing organization and the division) is limited by the governing organization itself (NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA).  As that is the case, no school within the same division could offer more scholarships (in total) than this limit.  However, each school's athletic department could potentially budget less than the maximum allotment to swimming specifically.  Swimming is considered an "equivalency" sport, which means that the limit of scholarships (in total) may be distributed to as many athletes as each program desires, so it is much more common for schools to offer partial scholarships to a larger number of athletes.  Here is a link to a great reference summarizing this information (Swimming Scholarships in College).  The bottom line is that the number of men's swimming scholarships offered at a college/university will be dependent on budget and the talent level of the "pool" of incoming recruits, which could vary from year to year.

When colleges offer swimming scholarships, they do so based upon their needs, considering the likelihood of recruits to make the team more competitive at every stroke and distance.  Therefore, from the perspective of the individual swimming recruit, the ability to obtain any scholarship money at all will always be based upon comparative athletic ability (times) and the likelihood of the swimmer to score points in competition for the prospective college team.  

It is relatively easy for a swimmer to determine how attractive he/she would be as a recruit.  Almost all college swim programs will post a list of their recent best times (not the all-time records) on their website.  If the swimmer's times for a given stroke and distance are within the top 3 recent top times, that swimmer could likely score points for the college team.  If the swimmer's times are near or better than the current swimmers on the college team, or if the current top times are held by seniors who will be leaving the program, there is a greater possibility of being offered a scholarship.