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Diane Geller, MA
Certified Educational Planner
IECA Vice President for Ethics and Professional Practices
www.iecaonline.com
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Counselor's Corner |
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| Why An Educational Consultant? by Diane Geller |
- 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.)
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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WE WENT TO AN OUTSIDE, private-school adviser who was very helpful
and offered a lot of information that we were unaware of until our meeting.
He was organized and clearly had years of concrete experience to draw from.
The adviser from our school was overburdened, impatient, and gave deadlines that kept changing.
I never felt she had an overview of the schools -
or perhaps more important, strong connections that could be helpful.
I think outside help in our case was useful. Get referrals for advisers from other parents.
-- ANONYMOUS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SINCE THE COLLEGE COUNSELORS at my high school weren’t very helpful,
my parents enrolled me in a private counseling center.
I was able to go to the center,
where they had computers and snacks and counselors on hand to answer questions and edit essays.
It was so helpful to take the application process away from my home.
It also helped relieve a lot of stress, since the center was quiet,
calm, and specifically dedicated to college admissions.
-- JESSICA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
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A few words of caution if you choose to hire out:
Private counselors cannot “get you in,” no matter what they promise.
You will ultimately rise and fall on your own merits.
They do not have access to admissions offices.
Admissions offices will speak only to your high school counselor.
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