What is an Independent Educational Counselor? (Part 3 of 4)

An Independent Educational Counselor (IEC) is an individual who is hired by families to provide expert college counseling assistance. IECs are qualified professionals who are independent of high schools and colleges and work on behalf of families in order find the best academic, social and financial 'fit' for students. An IEC is similar to a school counselor in that they assist students in the college process; yet in many ways they differ.

3.  Networking

Experiencing a campus, feeling the atmosphere and seeing the surrounding community is something that is invaluable when it comes to the college selection process. As an IEC, I have professional connections to many colleges and universities. These contacts are not to assist someone into backdoor at Harvard or Stanford (and an ethical IEC NEVER guarantees admission to any school), but to learn about the philosophy of each of the college’s Admissions Office. These relationships allow an IEC to understand the type of student a college is recruiting, a particular skill set that a student should possess in order to be successful on that campus or particular requirements needed in order to be considered for a scholarship. This is information that cannot be gained by looking at a school's website, or flipping through their promotional materials after chatting for a minute with a representative at a college fair. Each time I am on a campus visit, I invest the time by sitting and talking with the college representative that recruits the Chicagoland area. This is invaluable because these are the specific admissions officers that read each application and essay that is submitted by a student I guide. I take the time to learn from each representative what is behind the median ACT score or the number of applications that were accepted by the school. This information allows me to identify the best academic, social and financial fit for each student I work with in order to help them determine where they will spend the next four years of their life.

What is an Independent Educational Counselor? (Part 2 of 4)

An Independent Educational Counselor (IEC) is an individual who is hired by families to provide expert college counseling assistance. IECs are qualified professionals who are independent of high schools and colleges and work on behalf of families in order find the best academic, social and financial 'fit' for students. An IEC is similar to a school counselor in that they assist students in the college process; yet in many ways they differ.

2.  Campus Visits
 
One criteria of achieving the highest level of membership in IECA is to have visited a minimum of 50 college campuses. This is extremely important because being on campus allows an IEC to feel the atmosphere in and around the quad, interact with students to understand the campus social life and to see the security of dorm rooms in which your son or daughter will be sleeping in each night. This firsthand knowledge is something that cannot be gained by perusing brochures, browsing websites, or hearing the facts/figures from admission representatives at college fairs. This is valuable information that an IEC has the time to learn, not just during summer vacation, but while college is in session. Did you know that according to IECA, an IEC spends an average of 20% of their time traveling to an average 22 college campuses a year? I personally visited 38 college campuses in 8 states in 2012 and have already visited 3 schools in Ireland in 2013. 



 

What is an Independent Educational Counselor? (Part 1 of 4)

The next four posts will help answer the question, What is an Independent Educational Counselor?

An Independent Educational Counselor (IEC) is an individual who is hired by families to provide expert college counseling assistance. IECs are qualified professionals who are independent of high schools and colleges and work on behalf of families in order find the best academic, social and financial 'fit' for students. An IEC is similar to a school counselor in that they assist students in the college process; yet in many ways they differ.

1. Professional Organizations

One way to ensure all IEC's are acting in the best interest of your family is to hire an IEC that is a member of a professional organization. There are two major professional associations in which an IEC can belong: the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). Each of these organizations maintain ethical guidelines, known as Principles of Good Practice, in which each member is required to follow. In addition, each IEC must meet particular qualifications in order to become a member, such as education, work experience and/or professional mastery. I myself am a member of IECA. In this organization, I have attended the Summer Institute Workshop at Swarthmore College, a bi-annual conference in Boston, viewed webinars hosted by leading professionals in higher education, attended professional development seminars, met with many college admission representatives and subscribe to a daily list-serve to share with colleagues. In addition to these organizations, many IECs who have work experience in a high school setting (such as myself) may belong to the National Association for College Admission Counselors (NACAC) and/or their local state affiliates, such as the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counselors (IACAC).

Welcome to "In and Around the Quad"

Welcome to In and Around the Quad, an ongoing discussion created by Thomas J. Jaworski, founder and lead consultant of Quest College Consulting. In this blog, I will help guide you through the college admissions process. Did you know:

·       For the 2012-13 academic year, 151 colleges charged annual tuition, fees, room and board totaling more than $50,000, according to College Board.

·       There are now 488 Common Application members in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

·       As of January 1st, you can begin and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) without having finished your 2012 Federal Income Taxes.

·       Even though many colleges and universities are changing to Score Choice, SuperScore and/or becoming test optional, your ACT/SAT score should align closer with the median 75% than the median 25% when comparing your admission prospects for a particular school. 

Would you like to learn more about the college process or understand the above statements? Please come back weekly as I will post advice, strategy, and comment on a variety of topics relating to the college process.

Thomas Jaworski is the founder and lead consultant of Quest College Consulting. He is an Independent College Counselor that has over ten years experience in the college admission process as a Certified Illinois Teacher (Type 09) and Counselor (Type 73). He is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and National College Admissions Counselor's Association (NACAC). For more information, you can visit his website at QuestCollegeConsulting.com or email him at tjaworski@QuestCollegeConsulting.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_QuestCC or on Facebook at Facebook.com/QuestCollegeConsulting