Why hire an IEC?
38
The number of minutes of personal college advising that the average US public high school student receives
by the numbers…
476:1
Average student to counselor ratio in US public high schools
60%
of US public high school seniors never receive any college admissions counseling
For families considering college, the main reason to hire an independent educational consultant (IEC) is individualized attention. Most public school counselors would like to assist students individually with the college process but they often have hundreds of students and more responsibilities such as scheduling and addressing the social and emotional issues that teenagers face today. IECs can take much of the stress out of the process and be an objective third-party, helping a family through the college admissions process. Employing the services of an independent educational consultant may be the best investment families can make. Relying on the expertise of an IEC to guide families in making this important decision can make the difference between a really good match and a less than successful college experience.
Make sure you hire the right IEC for you!
Before hiring an independent educational consultant, consider asking these questions.
Do you guarantee admission or a certain amount in scholarship money? (This answer should be NO!)
How do you keep up with new trends in the college admissions landscape?
What specialties do you have (learning differences, arts, athletics etc)?
How often do you visit college campuses?
What professional associations do you belong to?
Do you attend professional conferences and other training workshops regularly?
Do you ever accept any form of compensation from colleges for referrals? (This answer should be NO!)
Will you complete college or scholarship applications for a student? (This answer should be NO!)
Will you write college essays for a student? (This answer should be NO!)
Will you use personal connections to get a student into college? (This answer should be NO!)