Parent & Student Advice on Hiring an IEC

Hiring an Independent Educational Consultant

Advice for students and families
An IECA member educational consultant is a skilled professional who provides counseling to help students and families choose a school, college, or other program that is a good personal match: one that will foster the consultant with student student's academic and social growth. Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) can provide a student and family with individual attention, firsthand knowledge of hundreds of educational opportunities, and the time to explore all of the options.

With their extensive knowledge of schools and colleges, IECA member consultants can broaden the potential choices, and provide vital help in weighing factors such as cost, location and curriculum. With an IEC, your student has the opportunity to explore a wider variety of options and discuss possibilities in a meaningful way. Because they are not tied to any specific school or college, IECA member consultants are not burdened with unrelated duties, and are available at the family's convenience-not just during school hours during the school year.

Consulting specialties include: college admission, day & boarding school, graduate and professional schools, at-risk children and teens, international studies, and learning disabilities. To find an IECA educational consultant who specializes in one of these areas, go to our Find a Consultant page.

All IECA members subscribe to a strict set of ethical guidelines that govern the actions of IECs in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues. These guidelines are called IECA's Principles of Good Practice.

What to Expect When you Work with an IECA Member Consultant
Independent educational consultants begin with an evaluation, to help your student identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as educational objectives, choices, and plans.

Testing: When appropriate, the consultant will recommend testing for purposes of psychological or academic assessment. IECs may either administer these tests themselves, or make a referral to other professionals for testing.

Options: The IEC will work with your family to consider the full range of educational possibilities, and provide a broad selection of pertinent information for consideration.

Advice: IECs give students and families unbiased advice and recommendations based on their professional judgement of a student's needs and abilities. IECA member consultants are compensated directly by their clients, and do not receive any compensation from educational institutions.