What Does a College Consultant Do?

An Independent Education Consultant, also known as a college consultant, independent counselor, outside advisor or private counselor, can help smooth the way for students and families in the complex college application process. In a perfect world, every high school counselor would have unlimited time for every college applicant and every teen would be highly motivated, organized and ready to press “send” on a dozen applications with minimal oversight.

Even in the real world many students can navigate the process on their own, but an outside college consultant can provide focused attention that means details don’t fall through the cracks. An independent professional knows all of the tasks to be completed and ensures timely reminders for everything from testing to fly-ins and multiple deadlines for applications, scholarships and financial aid, without Mom and Dad having to do the nagging. It helps to maintain family peace! The goal is to identify each student’s strengths, abilities and interests, focus on his/her/their goals and then identify best-fit colleges, complete the application process and gain offers of admission to multiple best fit institutions.

How to Choose a College Counselor

It is especially important to ensure that the student is comfortable with the counselor, that they have a rapport. When they are a good fit it leads to essays and applications that are on fire! Make sure that styles are a match. I can (and do) happily brainstorm and dissect an essay with a student until the cows come home, but I’m not the kind to text every day ordering them to write. I went through this process with my son, and I tell lots of stories about my experience, his friends’ experiences and “my” student kids from recent years. If you want experience and the personal touch, make sure that your counselor has it to offer. There could be 20 or more essays to write, so make sure your counselor is a good fit! In the post-Covid world, ask about contact. I am reluctant to meet in person but can chat away via Zoom, Google Meet, WhatsApp or Facetime. Since even before the virus, much of my student communication has been via Google doc comments and email or text.

Independent College Consultants may also be certified. The most extensive course is from UCLA, but there are others. While I value my UCLA College Counseling certificate, I think of greater importance than a certificate are work experience, membership in a professional organization that ensures ethical standards, keeping up to date with information and trends, and reputation within the education community. The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) www.iecaonline.org and the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) www.hecaonline.org are two organizations that can further explain the role of an independent educational consultant and help you to find a member in your area who meets professional standards such as continuing professional development and visiting a minimum number of college campuses.