Have you ever wondered what your family might get from working with an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC)?
1. Expert advice
College admissions in the U.S. is complex: colleges have different applications, requirements, and standards for accepting students. These factors often change yearly, making it challenging to keep up with the constantly evolving #collegeadmissions landscape. Most reputable Independent Educational Consultants pursue a graduate certificate in college counseling (mine was seven classes and included a practicum) and spend a good portion of their time continually learning. IECs visit many colleges every year, attend conferences and webinars, read college admissions news and updates daily, and network with college admissions officers. By being an #expert on colleges, an IEC can point students toward institutions that might be a great fit for them and help them to improve their chances of acceptance and merit aid.
2. Personalized attention
Independent Educational Consultants have very small caseloads; they often work with no more than 20 students a year. In contrast, the average public school counselor is responsible for 415 students (source). IECs are able to provide #personalized guidance and match students with colleges that meet their wants and needs. By knowing each student as an individual, IECs can help seniors show themselves in the best light in their college applications. Most IECs are also usually available to help students at times most convenient to them: after school, on weekends, and during school breaks.
3. Peace of mind
Parents who hire an Independent Educational Consultant can relax, knowing that a responsible professional will ensure their child applies to a balanced list of colleges that are a good fit for the student. They don't have to fret over whether their child will know what to write their essay about, complete their applications on time, or receive a college acceptance. These parents can furthermore preserve their #relationship with their child during their child's last year at home by having someone else be the one to spend the time researching colleges and getting their child to complete their applications. For #homeschool educators who are the sole person responsible for guiding their child through the complex college search and application journey, an IEC can be a lifesaver by helping to lift that heavy burden.
4. Return on investment
You may wonder whether you can afford to hire this expert that provides personalized help and brings you #peaceofmind. Hiring an effective IEC can cost you less in the long run than trying to go through the college admissions process without professional help. An IEC can save families money by guiding students to apply to colleges that might be more #affordable than the ones they initially considered. Many students and parents don’t know how to effectively find colleges that are a good financial fit for them. An IEC can educate the family on financial aid and merit aid policies and opportunities. In addition, by guiding the student to apply to colleges that are a good fit, an IEC can help lower the chances the student will later transfer, which can add to the cost of college if the new institution doesn’t accept some of the student’s credits.
Hiring an effective IEC can cost you less in the long run than trying to go through the college admissions process without professional help.
Are you thinking about hiring an Independent Educational Consultant? Make sure the person is a member of a #professional association such as IECA, HECA, NACAC, or AICEP that verifies its members have the appropriate training and education and holds them accountable to high ethical standards.
It's definitely a worthwhile investment, especially if you work with Sarah Brown. She has been an invaluable source of advice, guidance and useful knowledge in this process!