An educational consultant (EC), sometimes referred to as an independent educational consultant (IEC), is an

advisor An adviser or advisor is normally a person with more and deeper knowledge in a specific area and usually also includes persons with cross-functional and multidisciplinary expertise. An adviser's role is that of a mentor or guide and differs catego ...

who helps parents and either

traditional student A traditional student is a category of students at colleges and universities. Traditional students are contrasted with non-traditional students. In the United States, it is used to refer to undergraduate Undergraduate education is educatio ...

s or

non-traditional students Nontraditional student is a term that refers to a category of students at colleges and universities. The term originated in North America and usually involves age and social characteristics. Nontraditional students are contrasted with traditiona ...

with educational planning for

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...

and

graduate school Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachel ...

. Some also work with

independent school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

students.

Overview

An educational consultant offers services that are similar to school counselors and academic advisors, but is normally

self-employed Self-employment is the state of working for oneself rather than an employer. Tax authorities will generally view a person as self-employed if the person chooses to be recognised as such or if the person is generating income for which a tax return ...

or employed by a larger educational organization. A standard title is "IEC" or "independent educational consultant". According to the

National Association of Independent Schools The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, board ...

, an educational consultant is someone who can: "assess child's talents, learning style, and ideal learning environment," "explain the different types of schools and which students each school serves best," "identify schools that fit student's needs," "gauge whether a particular school is right for child," "explain the application process, calendar, and deadlines," "help tudents and familiesprepare for campus visits, admission tests, and interviews," "offer advice and support throughout the admissions process."

Ethics

IECA's "Ethical Guidelines for the Profession of Educational Consulting" states that it "has developed a strict set of ethical guidelines that govern the actions of consultants in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues. These include a responsibility to understand each student's special strengths, values and needs, while striving to include all family members in the educational planning process. An IECA member does not accept any compensation from educational institutions for placement of a child. All IECA members subscribe to these Principles of Good Practice and all IECA members are required to annually sign and follow the principles as part of their Association membership in good standing." HECA has also set a "Standard and Ethics" policy for all HECA members.

Professional organizations

The two main professional organizations for educational consultants are the IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) and HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association). The primary association in the UK is the Society of Education Consultants (SEC).What Education Consultants Do
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References

External links

Official Certificate Programs (online)
College Admissions and Career Planning
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University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

, Extension
Independent Educational Consultant
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University of California, Irvine The University of California, Irvine (UCI or UC Irvine) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Irvine, California, United States. One of the ten campuses of the University of California system, U ...

, Division of Continuing Education
College Counseling
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University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

, Extension
College Admissions Counseling
-

University of California, Riverside The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Riverside, California, United States. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of Cali ...

, University Extension Professional Studies
College Counseling
-

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

, Extended Stuides Advisors Consulting occupations Education Private schools University and college admissions {{Edu-stub

Overview

Ethics

Professional organizations

See also

References

External links