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).
Thomas Jaworski is the lead consultant of Quest College Consulting. He is an Independent College Counselor with over ten years experience in the college admission process as a Certified Illinois Teacher (Type 09) and Counselor (Type 73) while also a member of IECA and 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
No comments:
Post a Comment