A member with a 7-year study gap, unable to afford consultancy fees, was self-applying and had already applied to Humber and Conestoga, asking whether to apply to more colleges (like Sheridan and Centennial) and what else to do while waiting.
What the thread suggested:- Some consultancies don't charge the applicant directly — their fees come from a commission paid by the college once you're admitted, so it's possible to get consultancy-level help without paying out of pocket. IDP was named as one such free-to-applicant option.
- However, experiences with specific consultancies varied for long study gaps. One member cautioned against IDP specifically, saying it doesn't take on applicants with a long gap, and recommended looking for a different commission-based consultancy instead, based on their own experience of getting a visa despite a similarly large gap.
- Applying to multiple colleges in parallel was treated as reasonable practice when self-applying with a study gap — it wasn't discouraged, since more offers give you a better shot and more choice once acceptances come in.
The practical takeaway: you can get consultancy-style help for free since many consultancies are paid by the college, not the applicant — but shop around, since not every consultancy will take on a long study-gap case; meanwhile, applying to several colleges at once is a reasonable strategy while self-applying.