Command Education In the News
How can students stand out on college applications?
April 9, 2021
Command Education Founder and CEO Christopher Rim discusses how students can stand out as application rates continue to soar at top schools.
How to Get Admitted Off a College Waitlist
April 9, 2021
“Given the number of applications that schools received this cycle, we predicted that a much higher number of students would receive news that they have been waitlisted,” Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of the admissions firm Command Education, wrote in an email. “This year has been an incredibly competitive and unprecedented cycle, and schools generally have the same number of spots (or even fewer) for freshmen, so the waitlist reflects that.”
Can’t Make Your College Tour? The Campus Will Come to You.
March 11, 2021
Christopher Rim, CEO of Command Education, a college-counseling company, said that for the first time he has had clients hire his team as private, round-the-clock tour guides on weeklong college trips.
One Dubai-based family flew private to New York and paid Command Education $150,000 for four days of touring, Mr. Rim said, with stops at Ivy League schools.
The Pandemic Has Changed Everything For Kids, Even How They Get Into College
Feb 6, 2021
“We’re Momming Today” with Christopher Rim, CEO of Command Education, about the changes your teenager can expect for the SAT after The College Board discontinued SAT subject tests and the optional essay. But, before you (or Junior) cheer, this doesn’t mean getting into college just got easier. We discuss what college admissions officers are looking for in applicants now.
What will the spring semester of college look like?
Jan 13, 2021
The spring semester is around the corner, and that means the deadline to register is ticking.
However, with the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering, students and universities are not sure what academic life might look like next.
CEO of Command Education Christopher Rim provided details on what we need to know.
Is Every Ambitious Teen-ager a “Founder and C.E.O.”?
Jan 4, 2021
“It’s not just test scores and G.P.A. that get you into a top school,” Christopher Rim, a college-admissions consultant in New York City, “You need really great extracurricular activities.” Rim is twenty-five years old.
When he was in high school, in New Jersey, he founded an anti-bullying organization called It Ends Today, which put him on Lady Gaga’s radar. Rim credits the nonprofit with helping him get into Yale.
Covid is making it harder to get into a top college
DEC 29, 2020
“We knew this was going to be a very competitive application cycle, and it was more difficult,” Christopher Rim, CEO and founder of Command Education, said of students who applied early decision, which is binding, or early action, which is nonbinding.
“A lot of these students who were very qualified didn’t get in.”
College applications slide, especially for low-income students
NOV 10, 2020
Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, said he encouraged all of his students to apply for early decision or early action, given that institutions are eager to lock in talented applicants as soon as they can.
“We know schools want to fill classes, and they don’t know what type of applicants they’ll get in the regular round, so there’s an advantage to applying early this year,” he said. “They can fill half their class with early-round applicants, and then they only have to fill the other half.”
Coronavirus Impact: Some Colleges Acknowledge Financial Challenges, Say They’re Lowering Tuition Costs For 2021
OCT 21, 2020
For this reason, college adviser Christopher Rim says many students he works with are taking a year off, otherwise known as a gap year.
“There’s a whole social aspect of going to college that’s integral, you know, of the entire college experience, but students are missing out on it,” Rim said.
Coronavirus pandemic may make it easier to get in to college, but not the Ivy League
OCT 18, 2020
Applicants may have a slight edge by applying early where they can, according to Christopher Rim, the CEO and founder of Command Education, whether it’s early decision, which is binding, or early action, which is non-binding.
Because of the pandemic’s impact on enrollment and so much uncertainty about the year ahead, colleges are eager to secure spots — and tuition dollars — as soon possible, he said.
College acceptance rates for transfer students may rise due to coronavirus
SEP 28, 2020
With a number of undergraduates sitting this semester out, and many international students unable to enter the U.S., some colleges and universities are well below their enrollment numbers for the 2020-2021 academic year.
“This has proven to be a boom for students wanting to change schools,” said Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education.
Put Down Your No. 2 Pencils. But Not Your Face Mask.
SEP 27, 2020
That’s how I wound up at Sleepy Hollow High School, which drew students from New York City and across its suburbs, along with locals. (I didn’t register for the test until the last possible day, and did so at a site far from my home in Brooklyn that still had vacancies, to avoid taking a spot from a student that wanted it.)
Others have gone much farther. Christopher Rim, a college admissions consultant, said some of the students that he works with from the New York area flew to test sites in Arizona, Montana and Florida this weekend, but some still had their exams canceled.
Students are traveling thousands of miles to take SAT amid COVID-19 cancellations
SEP 26, 2020
According to Inside Higher Ed, of 402,000 US students registered to take the SATs in August, 178,600 were blocked because testing centers were closed or had limited capacity. “In New York, the state hardest hit by the pandemic, a mere 15 of their 203 sites are open.
So students from New York City are traveling as far as Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Arizona and Maine, according to Chris Rim, the founder of the education and college consulting firm Command Education, who added: “It’s crazy.”
How to prepare a remote learning space for kids at home, beyond the screen
SEP 2, 2020
Christopher Rim is CEO of Command Education, a New York-based company that coaches New Jersey students through the college applications process, starting in eighth grade. He says it’s important to retain a classroom-like structure, even at home.
“A lot of times students feel like they can take classes on the couch in front of their TV,” he says. “I really recommend having a proper desk and a proper chair … If there’s a TV in the room, make sure it’s not on, even if it’s silent. Try not to take your class outside. Don’t be on your hammock.”
Wealthy Parents Are Spending Thousands Of Dollars For Kids To Learn In 'Pods'
AUG 22, 2020
Command Education, founded by Christopher Rim, who has a BA in psychology has been flooded with calls from parents who are looking for tutors for their pods that they have made with other families with whom they are close. Rim has already staffed four pods that are in the Hamptons, and he is expecting to have at least 10 booked by the time school begins.
UConn, Syracuse University Students Admonished For Not Following Coronavirus Safety Protocols
AUG 20, 2020
UConn, like several schools, has numerous protocols in place to try and keep everyone healthy as they welcome students back to campus.
Despite this, college consultant Christopher Rim, CEO of Command Education, said universities should expect parties.
Parents are spending $70,000 for their kids to learn in ‘pods’
AUG 20, 2020
Christopher Rim, founder of the education and college consulting firm Command Education, has been inundated with calls from “desperate parents” demanding leaders for pods that they’ve created with other families. He’s already staffed four pods in the Hamptons with tutors and expects to close in on 10 by the time the school year begins, with kids expected to rotate learning at a different home each week.
Watch out for hidden fees as colleges pass Covid-related expenses on to students
Aug 20, 2020
This semester, out-of-state students at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, will see their student fees increase by nearly $500, in addition to a new $50 health and safety charge.
“If they don’t tack on these fees, they are going to be in trouble,” said Christopher Rim, president and CEO of Command Education. “But, it’s not fair, students don’t really get a choice to opt out.”
Local Hamptonites to city slickers: Stay away from our schools!
JULY 29, 2020
“Parents feel the academics will be easier at a public school — and their kid can shine,” said education consultant Chris Rim, who’s usually based in NYC but temporarily moved to Amagansett, as his clients have migrated east.
“Bridgehampton’s high school is zero dollars. If it’s online anyway, why shell out tens of thousands for Horace Mann online?” Rim said, explaining his clients’ reasoning.
Nearly half of high school seniors say they're considering a gap year because of the pandemic
JUNE 9, 2020
Too many deferrals could substantially shrink the incoming class, Business Insider previously reported, which would mean less tuition going to schools — and some colleges are already on the brink of closure.
One of the big three rating agencies sees college enrollment down as much as 20% for colleges this fall
JUNE 9, 2020
Almost all of my students who have been admitted to top-tier colleges are reconsidering their plans for this upcoming academic year, with some submitting gap year request forms to delay the start of their freshman year so that they can have the full college experience.
The class of 2020 on what it's like to face down crumbling colleges, a frozen job market, and COVID-19 disrupting your entry into adulthood
MAY 22, 2020
Christopher Rim, a college-admissions consultant and the CEO of Command Education, said some schools depend on the tuition of international students, many of whom pay “full sticker price.”
Could Coronavirus Lead to a Decrease in International Students in America?
MAY 16, 2020
Christopher Rim is the chief executive officer of Command Education, a New York-based college advising company. He says many of the students his company works with are from places like Hong Kong and Shanghai. He says many of them have been considering other choices for international higher education.
How Your Child Can Stay Competitive in the College Admissions Process
MAY 15, 2020
“We work with a few families in NYC that are planning to permanently move out of the city due to the pandemic,” says college admissions consultant Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education. “Depending on where they move to, it could be easier for their child to get into a more competitive college due to less competition in other states.”
Here's what you should know before taking a year-long break from school.
MAY 15, 2020
With the great state of uncertainty surrounding college reopenings in the fall, more students are considering another option: a gap year. Christopher Rim is a college admissions consultant and the CEO of Command Education. In an email to Business Insider, he said the gap year idea is already catching on among his students.
10 Things to Know About Choosing a College Major
MAY 12, 2020
Students who are set on a specific major should consider how that subject is taught at their target schools. Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, says students should check college websites to learn more about available program offerings.
Why high school juniors could be big losers in the coronavirus pandemic
MAY 9, 2020
“Almost all of my students who have been admitted to top-tier colleges are reconsidering their plans for this upcoming academic year” college admissions consultant Christopher Rim, the CEO of Command Education, previously told Business Insider.
COVID-19 altering college
fall admission
MAY 7, 2020
Some incoming freshmen are now rethinking their intentions of enrolling at their perspective choices this coming fall due to the COVID-19 outbreak. With so much uncertainty, institutions are facing the crunch of what financial downfalls could happen if their enrollment numbers drop.
The end of campus life: What colleges will look like in the fall
MAY 5, 2020
The pandemic has already forced colleges around the world to abruptly shift to online instruction. Traditional collegiate events — like graduation and athletics — have all been cancelled. But as the current disrupted semester wraps up, a new question looms: What next?
The University of Illinois made a prophetic insurance bet in 2017
MAY 4, 2020
Visa restrictions, in particular, “will have an unprecedented impact on both current international college students in the US and also incoming college students this fall,” Command Education CEO Christopher Rim told Yahoo Finance.
High school seniors are in coronavirus ‘limbo’ with college deposits due
APR 29, 2020
A year off is appealing to freaked-out teens. Christopher Rim, a college admissions consultant, says about 75% of his senior students have already said they will take a gap year. “They have said they just don’t want to start in the fall. They want the college experience,” says Rim, whose company Command Education caters to New York-area students aiming for elite schools.
Incoming college students consider taking a gap year instead of school during Covid-19
APR 23, 2020
“Everyone is freaking out a little bit,” added Christopher Rim, president and CEO of Command Education in New York. “Typically, only two to three students want to take a gap year; this year, it’s about 75%,” he said of the college-bound students and families he works with.
10 Tips to Make Your Final College Choice
APR 22, 2020
“Considering the weight of this decision, an applicant should take a hard look at what he or she wants out of a school before choosing that state university because he or she grew up cheering for the football team, or that quirky liberal arts college three states away.
Coronavirus is changing the college admissions process, especially for elite schools
APR 12, 2020
Another problem — mostly for juniors — is standardized testing. Christopher Rim, a college admissions consultant and founder and CEO of Command Education, told Avenue that schools have canceled standardized tests until May
How Coronavirus is Upending Ivy League Admission
APR 10, 2020
Because fairly administering group examinations is now impossible, some New York City private schools are switching to pass/fail or credit/no credit systems, rather than the usual letter grades. That could affect who gets in to the nation’s most prestigious institutions. College admissions consultant Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, says he has been receiving more calls from students anxious about the changes.
10 Ways to Help Your Teen With the College Decision
APR 7, 2020
Getting into a good college isn’t about impressing the neighbors. Although it may be easier said than done, parents shouldn’t compare their teen’s college acceptances or rejections with those of their friends’ children, says Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, a New York-based college admissions advising firm. Doing so just adds more stress to the college decision process, he says. “Not comparing is obviously the advice that I give,” Rim says. “Every student is so different, so unique and has different passions and interests.”
For some high-schoolers, summer camp is for college prep
FEB 4, 2020
“A lot of students tend to procrastinate during the school year, when there isn’t a lot of time to focus on college essays and applications anyway,” says Christopher Rim, who runs the program.
This article also appeared in
Christopher Rim – Motivating the next generation
JANUARY 2020
A 4.0 GPA and perfect standardized test scores won’t get your kid from Horace Mann into Harvard. Christopher Rim had neither, yet was the only student from over a dozen at his high school that was accepted to Yale. “Don’t waste your time,” Christopher’s high school guidance counselor replied when he declared he was applying to the elite New Haven school. Christopher knew he lacked the perfect numbers Ivy League schools reputably desired, but he also knew that his unique extracurricular activities made him stand out among his peers.
Pricey summer pre-college programs won't get your kid into a better school
JAN 13, 2020
It’s high season for high schoolers to enroll in summer programs at elite colleges and universities. The summertime campus stays may sound prestigious, but in most cases they don’t carry the weight that their university brand names might suggest. Still, parents shell out thousands of dollars a week for their teenagers to attend Ivy League and other top schools’ pre-college programs in hopes that it will give them an edge in the cutthroat college admissions process.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner received their high school diplomas from Novel Education, a homeschooling agency based in L.A.
SEP 26, 2019
Based in Los Angeles, the homeschooling agency helps students across the country, especially those who have “work travel, or various other scheduling conflicts,” according to the press release. The agency has recently partnered with Command Education, located in New York and the nation’s leader in college admission consulting,.
Program Helps Compton Students Prepare for College Amid Admissions Scandal
JUN 18, 2019
For more than 20 rising students in Compton’s Unified School District who are busy planning and preparing for their futures, going to college offers better opportunities and a potential gateway to a dream job.
You've been wait-listed to college. Now what?
MAR 29, 2019
If you are on a waitlist, you still have a shot at earning an acceptance letter to the school of your dreams. Yale graduate Christopher Rim offers guidance on how to navigate the admissions process after schools’ decisions are released – and make a last ditch effort to stand out.
Waitlisted At Your Dream School? Here's What To Do Next
MAR 28, 2019
Tips for getting off the college waitlist. Yahoo Finance’s Zack Guzman & Kristin Myers, along with ‘Everyday Millionaires’ author Chris Hogan discuss with Command Education CEO & Founder Christopher Rim.
Perfect SAT scores, grades not enough for top colleges, says private college consultant
MAR 15, 2019
Chris Rim, founder and chairman of Command Education, told CNBC on Friday he creates a yearlong road map for students that includes their objectives and what they need to do to stay on track. His fees start at $950 an hour.
One of the fastest growing industries in education: college consultants.
MAR 15, 2019
There are now about 8,000 private educational consultants in the U.S. which is quadruple the number five years ago. CNBC’s Robert Frank reports. Former Majority Leader Eric Cantor weighs in.
Good Day New York
MAR 13, 2019
Christopher Rim speaks with Lori Stokes and Rosanna Scotto and on Good Day New York about how to prepare your child for the Ivy League the legitimate way.
The Legitimate World of High-End College Admissions
MAR 13, 2019
As demand has surged, some clients are paying $1,000 an hour. Christopher Rim, a recent Yale graduate and founder of Command Education, also In New York, has a top rate of $950 an hour.
Command Education CEO Christopher Rim on Press:Here, NBC Bay Area
JAN 18, 2019
Command Education CEO Christopher Rim charges $950 an hour to help students get into Ivy League schools
Preparing your child for the Ivy League
DEC 11, 2018
Christopher Rim speaks with Laura Hutchinson on Good Morning Connecticut about how to prepare your child for the Ivy League.
Yale graduate makes the Forbes 30 under 30 list by helping students get into Ivy League schools
OCT 19, 2018
From starting an anti-bullying group at 15 to guiding teens into elite universities, Christopher Rim has done a lot in his 23 years.
Considering College? Maybe You Should Invest in a Coach
AUG 2, 2018
Good grades alone are no guarantee of acceptance and the personal essay and interview can often make the difference — either way. “While grades are important, extracurricular activities are just as important, if not more, and will really help you stand out,” said Christopher Rim, president
How to Write a Good College Application Essay
AUG 2, 2018
Here are some tips compiled from experts for writing that all-important application essay, which can often mean the difference between getting accepted — or rejected — by the school of your choice.
To get in to an Ivy League, more families turn to private consultants
APR 24, 2018
When Christopher Rim, now 23, was the only graduating senior at his high school in Bergen County, New Jersey, to get accepted to Yale, underclassmen immediately reached out to ask him how he did it. Rim started his own college consulting firm from his dorm room to help other Ivy hopefuls.
Don't Compare Your Child to Others
APR 9, 2018
This may be easier said than done, but parents shouldn’t compare their teen’s college acceptances, or rejections, with those of their friends’ children, says Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, a New York-based college admissions advising firm.
Christopher Rim aids students in finding the right college career path
APR 9, 2018
Command Education Group is a unique consulting agency, where 20-somethings like Rim mentor high school students from across the tri-state area. Depending on the plan they choose, students can gain unlimited access to Rim’s team, who walk students through the college application process, from the early stages of figuring out what schools are a good fit, to scholarship searches, and eventually acceptance.
Here's how to understand your financial aid offer
APR 3, 2018
Call the financial aid office and ask to go through the award letter line by line, advised Christopher Rim, CEO and president of Command Education, a college consulting firm in New York.”I encourage all students to do that to get a full understanding of what’s actually owed by students and their parents,” he said.
Forbes recognizes Yale affiliates in ‘30 Under 30’ issue
NOV 29, 2017
The latest Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” edition includes several Yale affiliates in a variety of fields. Now in its seventh year, the edition features 600 individuals in 20 different industries. According to the magazine, the listing spotlights “the impressive, the inspiring, and the (genuinely) enviable.”
22-year-old Paramus native makes Forbes' 30 Under 30 list
DEC 18, 2017
At 22 years old, Christopher Rim has already made a name for himself. Despite his age, the Paramus native has an impressive résumé: he started his first company in eighth grade; founded a nonprofit; spent a summer working at Facebook; served on an advisory board for a foundation…
Christopher Rim on Forbes List 30 Under 30 – Education
NOV 14, 2017
As an undergrad at Yale, Christopher Rim helped conduct a national survey that asked how students feel in schools. The response: tired, stressed, and bored. This inspired him to start Command Education Group, which uses EQ coaching to help students gain admission to elite universities.
Christopher Rim, 22, tutors teenagers on how to get into Ivy League schools
NOV 12, 2017
Christopher Rim, 22, has been making a living tutoring high school students on how they can becoming more appealing to admissions departments at places like Harvard and Yale. His company Command Education, which he set up while he was a sophomore at Yale two years ago…
This life coach gets teens into Ivy schools for $950 an hour
NOV 11, 2017
In 2013, Chris Rim was the first student at his Englewood, NJ, high school to get into Yale in almost a decade. Everyone was shocked: Rim “only” had a 3.8 GPA. “My guidance counselor told me not to waste my time or her time applying,” the now-22-year-old told The Post. Not only did Rim…
