[Note that numerical rating stems from my personal views in an objective standpoint rather than the experience I actually had. Also, pardon me in advance for minor grammatical errors.
EDIT: Typos, additions]
TL;DR: Not a scam like what other Yelpers mistakenly labeled C3 as, but wouldn't recommend to people living on a budget.
I (student) went to one of their workshops at Hilton San Diego/Del Mar today with my legal guardian after receiving a letter whose contents are similar to what other reviewers in this platform described. Now, as a teenager who simply lives with his relatives until the end of high school, I've come to terms with the fact that I'll be on my own the moment I graduate, which means that I definitely need all forms of financial and as a result, naturally, me and my guardian were enticed by the letter and eventually headed to our destination.
How it goes: Checking in -- Presentation -- One-on-one Interviews
The presentation is pretty much straightforward. Ignoring the testimonials and underlying self-endorsements, you get to learn more about forms of financial aid (need-based, merit-based, etc.) as the presentation moves along.
Now for the more controversial part: the interviews. Before we officially started, my guardian asked the interviewer (let's call him Z), "Is there an overall cost for this program?" In response, Z laid out the different payment plans while alternating between elaborating on financial aid and college admissions & naming the features of the C3 program that you can access if you make the ~$2k payment. I was able to ask every question I wanted to ask during the moment (some include "How exactly does the FAFSA work?", "Is financial aid good for all 4 years of college?", "Is there a cap for loans?", etc) and Z was very cooperative and helped enlighten me with answers and suggestions. Ultimately, we turned his offer down and thanked him
You're probably wondering (maybe impatiently) by now, "So how was it?"
1. Discounting the marketing approach by the end of the interviews, the presentation and the conversation with our interviewer was informative.
2. To counter other reviewers here, C3 Workshops are NOT SCAMS if you went to one of them with the intention of knowing more about financial aid instead of fully relying on them for help. C3 is like any other business and as consumers, we should know better by being careful around any business offers/endorsements presented to us and C3 is just one of them, technically speaking. However, I am not invalidating the "scam!" claim of the people who actually paid partially or fully.
3. However, I wouldn't recommend investing into the program. Most (if not all) of its features can be replicated by you through research, networking, and interactions with other people and does not require a four-figure amount of money to gain access to:
a. Math, science, and English help is more accessible online (Khan Academy is a good resource, for one!) and offline (asking teachers, looking at different teacher websites online).
b. Don't know your dream career/college yet? Go to CaliforniaColleges. It is a FREE website that can help you with archives of information about potential careers and the colleges that offer those degrees.
c. Need tips for PSAT/SAT/ACT? I recommend PrepScholar and Khan Academy.
d. Need help with your Personal Statement? Consult your English Language Arts teacher and/or search online for tips on how to improve your writing.
4. "Sooooo, what's your point, Aidan?" Getting to your ideal school is still possible without paying a ridiculous amount of money. If you allot time to do your research and start on the things you need to do by yourself, you'll pretty much get the same result. Look at it this way: the ~$2,000 you spent on the 3 to 4-year program could've spent on the tuition fee of your son/daughter. C3 is undeniably helpful, but is in no way a guaranteed ticket to college.
Also, it's a win-win for me because I get to know more info AND I get a guide to college mini-workbook & my own Hilton pens! Yay! read more