Talk:Educational consultant/Archive 1

I have moved some of the material below back into the main article with references to the IECA website and Executive Director. My concern with my own work is that I am not sure my edits are consistent with NPOV requirements. I am a member of IECA -- I don't agree with all that happens there and I do know what the criticisms have been of the organization and of educational consultants in general. I would be happy to balance the article by addressing some of that, but I am not sure I can adequately and responsibly cite specific sources. By complying with the sourcing requirement I have excessively focused on one organization.

Also, there needs to be reference to the CEP credentialling process for consultants, and I just don't have time to go there right now.

I think there should be history of the profession. I can write that from my knowledge of it and would be happy to contribute that. But I can't source it without attributing it to person (myself or others that would seem to be promotional).

This is also misleading. It appears that eduational consultants exclusively deal with school searches, application, referal and placement. Some of us do strategic planning in education as the central focus of our work. The aforementioned tasks are the traditional areas of consulting, but not all consultants are confined to that. Some of us help with more general planning and parent coaching. The only source I can give on that is my own website. I put that up and someone else immediately took it down. I understand that this article is not for individual promotion and I understand why the reference to my website was taken down. But the information needs to be here, and I don't know another way to source it.

Suggestions? Frog one 14:29, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

In many Asian countries, Educational Consultants are seen as overseas study agents that either aid students to apply to overseas campuses or assist the campuses to market their majors in the country, or both of them. I am working in one, and we are member of ICEF. I have take the Australian EATC Exam, NAFSA's, British Council's, Canada's Courses for Agents and New Zealand Certified Agents. Pleased to meet you Frog one

AdrianDavidArif (talk) 02:35, 10 November 2015 (UTC)

Unsourced material
The material below is unsourced. Please add references before restoring. -Classicfilms 16:48, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

--

Educational consultants may be generalists, but most tend to specialize with particular kinds of students, or students with particular kinds of needs. For example some consultants work exclusively with College placement or planning, some with students seeking a private education at the secondary level, and yet others with students who are learning disabled or have behavioral/emotional difficulties. Consultants for graduate school provide advising services for college students seeking admission to graduate school.

At the core of an educational consultant's practice is research on educational trends, changes in admissions policies, developments on campuses. Services provided to clients may include evaluation of student aptitudes and personal characters, recommendation on the selection of schools, advice on standardized test preparation, review of applications and student essays, coaching on school interviews, and counseling on the final decision on the school to enroll.

Overview
There are probably between 1500 and 3,000 educational consultants in practice in the United States today. A small number of additional educational consultants are based in Canada, Europe, Asia, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.

Consultants commit to a standard of continuing education and work to stay abreast of all changes in the marketplace, with particular awareness of new educational programs and their effect on the product they offer students and families.

As independent professionals, educational consultants are not bound to any institution and can provide objective, unbiased recommendations and advice based on their professional judgment of a student's needs and abilities.

Educational consultants are also strong networkers, each works to establish relationships with other professionals that may offer services different from their own, and be more effective for the families involved.

While consultants work to provide the best possible match for a child, there is no guarantee that professionals will be able to place a child in any school. However, families rely on consultants to find schools that represent a good match for the child's needs.

As important as the relationship with the child, consultants also strive to establish effective relationships with schools, only in that manner can schools and consultants become effective partners in the process.

Ethics
Educational consultants generally work on a fee for service basis, paid by the families they serve. In the United States, educational consultants are not bound by any particular statutory rules for practitioners. Those who belong to the IECA are pledged not to accept remuneration from any institution when school or college admissions are involved, to insure that clients receive objective, as well as impartial, counsel. Many unaffiliated consultants keep this standard, as well.

The fees charged by consultants are substantial, ranging anywhere from US$3000 to US$6000 and above. As a matter of responsibility, educational consultants often make the acquisition of consultant fees an upfront part of their literature.

The article needs to be rewritten totally
Somehow the article makes the impression that ed cons. are independent. If they are why are they listed on several homepages of schools? I have one example here: Consultants Who Know Us Well, Hidden Lake Academy

I will not try to do because it would take two seconds before some will claim POV due to my origin.

Covergaard (talk) 18:55, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

Hi, I am a newcomer in Wikipedia. I agree with Covergaard here, if I understand correctly, the consultants are now popular as Overseas Education Consultant or International Student Agency (ISA). I happen to be working for such agency in Indonesia, and we are a member of ICEF. I am also writing a similar article in Bahasa Indonesia. AdrianDavidArif (talk) 12:30, 9 November 2015 (UTC)

The world beyond the United States
Education Consultants are used across the world in a variety of contexts. They offer training, support, intervention and/or advice to organisations involved in education. This will include Governments; school, college and university managers and leaders; educators; boards; private companies establishing new education provision. Such consutancy will cover such diverse concerns as behaviour; curriculum; finance; legal frameworks; quality assurance; assessment; building works; safeguarding. The LinkedIn group, Society of Education Consultants has over 500 members from around the world. Skimming through the roles of the members gives a good insight into education consultancy. I hope you find this useful. EducationConsul (talk) 16:36, 27 September 2011 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)
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Sources needed
This section needs sources before it can be restored.-Classicfilms (talk) 04:47, 7 January 2019 (UTC)

Variety of consultants
While some educational consultants are generalists, many specialize in assisting particular kinds of students or particular educational needs. For example, some consultants focus exclusively on assisting students with college planning and admissions, some on students seeking a private secondary school, and yet others specialize in students who are learning disabled or have behavioral/emotional difficulties. Other consultants provide advising services for college students seeking admission to graduate school. Other educational consultants work to assist high schools and other organizations with educational program planning. Fees for consulting services vary widely. Some consultants charge an hourly fee, while others offer an "all inclusive" package that may include unlimited hours of service. Some consultants offer a sliding scale based on family income, or offer pro bono services to low income students.

Families considering hiring an educational consultant should carefully assess the qualifications and experience of individual consultants. Membership in one or more of the professional organizations described above may also indicate a consultant's dedication to professionalism, since these organizations have specific requirements for the education and experience of their members. In particular, these professional associations prohibit their members from accepting compensation from educational institutions for student referrals. However, in addition to looking at a consultant's experience and professional affiliations, families should also ask for references from past clients. Consultants should be clear about their fees, counseling process, educational philosophy, and expectations at the beginning of the relationship.

The field of educational consulting has grown considerably in the past decade. Those considering launching an educational consulting practice should begin by assessing their personal qualifications and experiences. Most successful consultants enjoy working with young people and their parents, and get satisfaction from helping students reach their goals. Although a few educational consultants have received media attention for charging large fees, prospective consultants should understand that very few consultants get rich from educational consulting, so the desire to earn a high income should be a secondary consideration. Since competition in the field is growing, prospective consultants should also conduct market research to determine the feasibility of launching a practice in their geographic area. Consultants should plan on being committed to continued professional development, such as attending conferences and regular school visits. Several of the organizations mentioned above hold annual conferences and offer training for those who are new to the field of educational consulting. Additionally, there are a number of universities and colleges that offer programs where consultants can further their education and knowledge.