Your dream. Your school. Our passion.
I am a strong believer that students achieve their highest potential by attending schools that uniquely match them as individuals. These “best-fit” schools are the ones that complement each student academically, emotionally and socially, among many other criteria. It is my passion to help students not only discover and get into their best fit schools, but also experience the pride and satisfaction of self discovery in the process.
We know colleges. Our first-hand understanding of many of the nation’s nearly 4,000 colleges and universities means that we are not just aware of how colleges are ranked; we are also familiar with the characteristics of academic and student life. We can help you find and get accepted to a school where you can thrive, realize your greatest potential, and emerge from college ready to take on the world.
Working closely with you at each step, we demystify and help manage the application process from start to finish, turning what can be a daunting and stressful time into an effective, supportive, and rewarding experience. We think the application process should be enjoyable! It’s the first step of the coming-of-age journey. Rather than dread the process, students and parents can savor the self-discovery and growth that comes with contemplating the right questions about the future.
Our commitment to the students is lasting. Getting into college is not the end of the process; it’s just the first step toward their future. We care not just about getting the students in, but getting them on the track to success. A third of undergraduate students find it necessary to transfer schools, and nearly two-thirds don’t finish their degree within six years. Our mission is to find the school where students will succeed without these challenges. We follow up with every student throughout freshman year to ensure they’re on the right path to attain their goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
High school guidance counselors are overtaxed: the average counselor oversees 471 students per year and can only spend a limited time considering each person’s specific situation. That’s where an independent education consultant can make the difference. The massive amount of information about colleges is overwhelming to wade through on one’s own.
Independent education consultants have something to offer to every student. Even the most competitive students benefit from IEC services. Top universities receive tens of thousands of exceedingly strong applications every year; they can accept only a small fraction of students from this well-qualified pool. Since we know what admission officers are looking for we can help you highlight your most important qualifications, ensuring that they jump out and catch the attention of those reading your application.
But educational consultants are not just for Ivy League applicants! Our extensive knowledge of small liberal arts schools means we can find the right program for every student based on interest, major, location, and learning style. Students with learning differences also benefit from one-on-one guidance. We identify programs where you will receive the learning support that allows you to flourish according to your personal strengths and needs.
College is a considerable investment, both in time and money. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, only 59% of students graduate within SIX years, often because a change in majors puts them behind schedule. Research by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that one-third of undergraduates realize their college isn’t serving them well and transfer to another school entirely. Finding the right college from the start saves you not only significant stress down the line, but also time and money.
The National Research Center for College and University Admission found that 26% of accepted freshmen at all 4-year institutions relied on the services of independent educational consultants during their admission process. For many years the myth has persisted that independent educational consultants are hired only by a small fraction of the population, suggesting an elitist bent. The survey provides evidence that this is not the case, that independent educational consultants are very much being employed in the mainstream and work with approximately 160,000 college applicants each year.
Applications for undergraduate and graduate school differ much like the actual courses of study differ. Undergraduate study provides you with a general education; graduate study is focused entirely on your particular area of study. Your courses as an undergraduate may be large or small, but nearly all of your graduate courses will be very small seminars of perhaps only a few people. As an undergraduate you will have many relationships with various professors, but in graduate school you will often work very closely with just a small number of advisors. Undergraduates are required to learn and perhaps work on research projects guided by professors; graduate students are expected to contribute to the scholarship in their field with independent research on original topics.
Graduate school applications focus on these differences. As an undergraduate your general GPA and well-roundedness played an important role in your application; as a graduate applicant, your success within your major matters far more. Likewise, other parts of the graduate application measure whether you will be successful within your field of study. You may be evaluated on how you function as a member of a research team, on your contribution to small course formats, and by your already published research. An undergraduate application addresses your ability to learn; your graduate application addresses your ability to think critically, design research projects, and effectively share your discoveries.
We work with students from across the country and around the globe; current technologies allow for all the benefits of a one-on-one consultation experience from afar. In fact, more than half of our students work with us by video conference. Furthermore, we choose to work with a limited number of students each year so that we can be available to you when needed. When you have a question or concern, we’re only a phone call or email away!