Command Education In the News
Elite Universities Are Now Getting Hit with Yet Another Problem: Furious Parents
Debra Lynn Eden, whose daughter is a junior at Princeton, complained, “It’s all a giant distraction to the students who are trying to complete their studies in a high-stress environment.”
Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, which helps students complete applications, said parents of Columbia and University of California – Los Angeles students are calling for refunds.
Protests have some students rethinking college choice
Gaza war protests on college campuses across the U.S. have led some soon-to-be freshmen at schools like Columbia and Yale to question their decision, according to the head of a college consulting firm. LiveNOW from FOX’s Josh Breslow spoke with Christopher Rim, the CEO of Command Education.
Colleges Have a New Source of Protest on Their Hands: Irate Parents
Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, a company that helps students complete competitive-college applications, says that in the past week he has received calls from about 25 parents with students at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles—both sites of demonstrations in recent days— some wanting full or partial refunds from the colleges their kids attend.
University Protests Impacting College Decision Day
On May 1st, known as decision day for college-bound students, protests at universities like Columbia have complicated the decision-making process for many. Christopher Rim, CEO of Command Education, notes that students are uncertain about attending universities due to ongoing protests and safety concerns. Some students who were accepted to Columbia have opted out, preferring a gap year instead. The protests have raised questions about the value of a degree from affected universities. Rim also mentions that some schools extended their decision deadlines due to delays in financial aid processing. The impact of these protests extends beyond individual decisions, potentially affecting the reputation and value of affected universities.
Students are rejecting elite colleges like Columbia and Yale to attend southern schools like Clemson
Christopher Rim, the CEO of college consulting firm Command Education, told The Free Press that some students are giving up on going to elite schools entirely and are even interested in transferring to other institutions.
“One student we work with recently abandoned her years long dream of attending Columbia” due to antisemitism, Rim said. “We’ve also seen a number of Jewish students who are interested in transferring, especially from Columbia, Cornell, and Penn.”
Kids Are Giving Up on Elite Colleges—and Heading South
“We are working around the clock with students to restructure their college lists as a result of the fallout,” says Christopher Rim, the CEO of college consulting firm Command Education. “One student we work with recently abandoned her yearslong dream of attending Columbia” because of antisemitism claims. “We’ve also seen a number of Jewish students who are interested in transferring, especially from Columbia, Cornell, and Penn.”
After a difficult application year, college hopefuls have a ‘love-hate relationship’ with ‘Ivy Day,’ expert says
Yet, just weeks later, Harvard was named the ultimate “dream” school, according to a Princeton Review survey of college-bound students.
“Right now, a lot of students are still aiming for these top-tier, name-brand schools. But they really have these love-hate relationships with [colleges in the Ivy League] because they make the process so confusing and chaotic,” said Christopher Rim, president and CEO of Command Education.
Waitlisted at your dream college? Here’s what to do next
The admissions landscape at top schools has become more fiercely competitive than ever before. During the 2023–24 early application cycle, Yale announced that it accepted 709 of its 7,856 applicants, amounting to a 9.02% acceptance rate — the lowest in over 20 years, topping the precedent set last cycle.
Parents Are Hiring Pricey Consultants to Help Kids Get Into College
Many high school students are starting to get their acceptance or rejection letters from colleges. While it can be a stressful time for families, it’s fueling a $3 billion industry of independent educational consultants with some parents spending $120,000 on services. NBC’s Morgan Radford reports for TODAY.
US colleges bring back standardized testing after finding test-optional policies hurt minority students
Christopher Rim, the CEO and founder of Command Education (a private Ivy League and elite college consultancy), told Fox News Digital that many colleges created test-optional policies based on the assumption that standardized testing has historically disadvantaged students of color.
Harvard is back on top as college hopefuls’ ultimate ‘dream’ school, despite recent turmoil
Indeed, a slightly more favorable acceptance rate could have already prompted more students to apply by the regular decision deadline on Jan. 1, according to Christopher Rim, president and CEO of college consulting firm Command Education.
Inventing the Perfect College Applicant For $120,000 a year, Christopher Rim promises to turn any student into Ivy bait.
Christopher Rim, founder of Command Education, has built a multimillion-dollar business helping wealthy families navigate college admissions. “We are texting students 15 minutes before math class to make sure they turn in their homework,” he says, illustrating the firm’s hands-on approach. Rim is unapologetic about his role, stating, “Yes, I’m helping the rich have an unfair advantage—over other rich students.” He recalls a CEO promising to “double [his] business” if their child got into a top school and dismisses complaints from frustrated parents: “You deserve it, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.” His approach is simple—find the right narrative and shape it to win admissions officers over.
You’re not imagining it — it feels damn near impossible to get into top colleges right now
Members of royal families in Asia and the children of presidents are counted among the discreet clientele of Christopher Rim, the founder of Command Education, a New York City college-admissions consultancy. For some parents, the cost of getting their kids into a top university knows no bounds.
How the rich and famous fell for Miami
‘Even families who you would have considered to be a shoo-in are now looking for outside help to strengthen their applications,’ says Miami-based college admissions consultant Christopher Rim, founder of Command Education. He tells Spear’s he moved to Miami in 2021, in response to a spike in requests in the city from nervous parents looking for coaching and intel on the all-important selection process.
Harvard is ‘not Necessarily’ Carrying the Same ‘prestige’ as It Used to: Christopher Rim
Command Education CEO Christopher Rim joins ‘The Big Money Show’ to analyze the impact the Israel-Hamas war has had on certain Ivy League universities.
‘Complete shock’: College admissions consultant reacts to students rejecting early Harvard acceptance
College admissions consultant Christopher Rim joins ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss the shift in attitude toward attending Harvard after allegations of an antisemitic climate have altered its image.
What does it take to get into an Ivy League college? For some students, a $750,000 consultant.
“These are the 1% of the 1%,” said Christopher Rim, the founder and CEO of Command Education, which charges $750,000 for a six-year consulting package, of his clients. “Their biggest priority is their child’s education and health — you can’t compare Harvard against a state school.”
He added, “They want every resource out there. These parents care so much about who their kids are surrounded with. They want quality friends.”
Some Jewish parents rethink elite schools amid antisemitism concerns on campus
More than a dozen Jewish families told CNN their priorities have shifted since October 7 as they apply to colleges, given the ongoing tension and turmoil on campuses nationwide.
Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, a consultancy that helps students apply to top-tier colleges, said they’re “getting new updates and changes and requests” every day. “We’ve had students completely revamp their entire application,” he said.
