It's hard to see how this levels the playing field in practice. The "bright lower-income students" you mention don't have access to these expensive services.
Not necessarily true. I personally know 2 Ivy League grads from low income families who, through a combination of luck and high standardized test scores, lucked into a position of getting this kind of counseling. Lots of consultants do some amount of pro bono. Most poor kids wouldn't know to ask, though.
I would imagine it's a heck of a lot cheaper to hire a consultant than it is to live in an area with public schools that will "naturally" provide the opportunities required for a bright student to get into a great school.
