FAQs
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
I believe that working with students requires a mix of care and professionalism. Ask questions! How long have you been in business as an independent educational consultant (IEC)? What was your background prior to going into independent educational consulting? What was your training and education? Do you attend professional conferences or training workshops on a regular basis to keep up with regional and national trends and changes in the law? Do you belong to any professional associations? (NACAC and IECA are the two associations for independent educational consultants with established and rigorous standards for membership.) How do you keep up with new trends, academic changes and evolving campus cultures? How often do you get out and visit college, school, and program campuses and meet with admissions representatives? (The ONLY way to know about the best matches for you is for your consultant to actively be visiting schools regularlya minimum of 20 campuses per year.) Do you have inside connections to get my child into college? (The answer here must be NO. No ethical consultant will say they can do this.)
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
Professional educational consultants are conscientious and hard working people who care about your child. The stories in the media about consultants who charge $40,000.00 to get your student into an Ivy are not the norm in this profession. Look for someone with high ethical standards who wants your child to find the right academic and social environment for them.