- We are aware of a full range of colleges and we visit continually to update our knowledge of campuses and of admission practices.
- We provide an informed, objective atmosphere in which to discuss realistically the student and his strengths and weaknesses as well as educational objectives, choices, and plans.
- We give students help weighing college selection factors such as cost, location, and curriculum, and we offer advice regarding the nature of the admission process.
- Often students respond to the interest of an expert outside the family circle and catch fire as they begin to put priority on their own education and find the job more manageable.
Before hiring an educational consultant, ask these questions:
- How long have you been an educational consultant? (Tell me about your background in working with students, consulting, and college admissions.)
- How do you keep up with new trends, application changes, laws?
- How often do you visit campuses and meet with admission representatives?
- What professional associations do you belong to? Are you a Certified Educational Planner? See www.iecaonline.com www.nacacnet.org www.aicep.org
- How often do you attend professional conferences, workshops, and seminars?
- Do you adhere to the ethical guidelines for private consulting established by the Independent Educational Consultants Association?
- Are all fees involved stated in writing, up front, indicating exactly what services will be provided for those fees?
- Do you ever accept compensation from a college in exchange for referrals? (The answer should be no!)
- Do you guarantee admission to a school or a certain minimum dollar value in scholarship? (The answer should be no!)
- Will you enter data on admission applications, write and/or re-write essays for the student? (The answer should be no!)
- Will you use your personal contacts to get my child into a top college? (The answer should be no! A consultant doesn't get students admitted - they help students demonstrate why they deserve to be admitted.)
Diane Geller, MA Certified Educational Planner IECA Vice President for Ethics and Professional Practices
The views expressed herein are those of their authors alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of Hundreds of Heads or of IECA.
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