Preparing for college can be an overwhelming experience. Independent educational consultants (IECs) offer invaluable assistance when navigating the admissions process for colleges.
They assess a student’s high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, volunteer work experience and internships; as well as writing admissions essays and reviewing scholarship opportunities.
On average, IECs charge $200 an hour with service packages ranging between $850 to $10,000.
Getting Started
An educational consulting career offers both challenges and rewards. Not only can educational consultants assist families in selecting colleges for their children, they also aid schools in creating innovative strategies to boost student performance.
Coimbatore Educational consultants must possess at least a bachelor’s degree to operate as educational consultants, with many having previous teaching or education backgrounds. A master’s in educational leadership or curriculum development may also prove valuable for this job. There are various professional organizations for educational consultants such as Independent Educational Consultants Association and Higher Education Consultants Association which offer training courses and certification programs for these consultants.
Many independent educational consultants work independently and find their own clients, while others may work for a consultancy firm that sends them where needed. Some IECs may specialize in particular types of students or schools – for example high-achieving students, families experiencing difficulty applying to college admissions processes, or special needs children are all areas that might need extra support.
An IEC will invest the time in getting to know each family and student well; understanding their strengths and challenges; as well as setting college tours and reviewing college application essays with suggestions on improving overall applications. They may even provide help applying for financial aid and scholarships – thus commanding higher fees than conventional guidance counselors or high school teachers.
Finding the Right Fit
Education consulting may be the ideal career option for teachers looking to transition out of teaching or former educators seeking new ways to use their expertise. Education consultants make an impactful difference at many different levels – working directly with individuals as well as school districts and educational products.
Goal of creating a portfolio that showcases your expertise within your chosen specialty area. Proving knowledge and experience to prospective clients is vital; writing articles, blogs, or books are great ways of doing this. In addition, creating an accessible website showcasing research findings or offering useful information should also be included as part of this strategy.
If you are considering becoming an independent education consultant, registering with organizations such as the Independent Educational Consultants Association and American Institute of Certified Educational Planners could increase your visibility among potential clients. Furthermore, identifying your strengths and weaknesses so you can find your perfect niche is also vitally important; otherwise it could become easy to jump headlong into any career without prior planning; Malcolm Gladwell famously noted the 10,000-hour rule – becoming an expert requires time and dedication!
Identifying Your Goals
As an education consultant, you work directly with teachers, school administrators and staff, students and parents. Your services may include helping evaluate classroom policies and programs or suggesting innovative methods of improving learning environments; you could even advise EdTech companies and book publishers how best to distribute educational tools and materials.
Your specialty may require you to travel frequently in order to meet with clients or conduct in-school observations, making a great internet connection essential to effective communication and availability.
When creating goals, consider their effects on both personal and professional values. Breaking large goals down into more attainable objectives may also help – for instance, graduating college with a Bachelor’s degree might be your long-term objective, while mid-term goals could include applying to several schools by their deadlines.
Most education consultants possess previous teaching or leadership experience. Though this experience isn’t required for becoming a consultant, having it can make your application for jobs more competitive as well as give you greater insight into issues educators and schools are facing, while building credibility with those you serve.
Navigating the College Admissions Process
With so much information and competition out there for college admissions applications, the process can become quite stressful. With help from a college planning consultant, however, students can navigate their path successfully without feeling like giving up altogether.
Education consultants are in high demand, with domestic independent educational consultant membership increasing 400% since 2005 according to the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA). But not all consultants are equal – when choosing one as your partner it is important to ask about their credentials and how they can assist your student.
Ideally, college admissions advisors should offer guidance throughout the entire college admissions process–from exploring colleges to applying for admission and securing financial aid. Furthermore, they should remain abreast of trends in college admissions as well as possess an in-depth knowledge of various types of colleges such as large public universities, small liberal arts colleges or vocational schools, for instance.
While consultants provide advice and application assistance, they should also be flexible enough to help address any unexpected obstacles such as waiting for notification of admission status. While parents might feel inclined to take an active role in filling out applications and writing essays for their child themselves, their duty should always remain providing the guidance and support required for these tasks to be completed successfully.
