Categories
Educational Consultants

​​11 Questions to Ask An Educational Consultant Before Hiring Them

Expertise You Can Trust

Educational Consultants make it their business to know everything about boarding schools in their region. They’ll help guide your journey.

The many “to do” items that you need to check off during the private school admission process can be daunting, especially for families new to school search. It leads some to turn to placement advisors for help in navigating the admission waters.

But how do you find the right independent educational consultant? And what questions should you ask to determine if he or she is a fit for your family?

The Independent Educational Consultants Association offers 11 questions for you to pose while interviewing different independent educational consultant. We recommend discussing each one with any potential consultant. Remember, retaining a consultant is not inexpensive, so don’t shy away from doing your due diligence.

1. Do you guarantee admission to a school or a certain minimum dollar value in scholarships?
(If the answer is yes, don’t trust them!)

2. How do you keep up with new trends, changes, and laws? Do you go out and visit schools regularly?
(The ONLY way for an independent educational consultant to know about the best matches for you is to be out visiting schools regularly).

3. Do you belong to any professional associations? (NACAC and IECA are the two associations for private consultants) Or, are you a Certified Educational Planner?

4. Do you attend professional conferences, training workshops, etc. on a regular basis?

5. Do you ever accept compensation from a school in exchange for placement?

6. Do you adhere to the ethical guidelines for private counseling established by IECA?

7. Are all fees involved stated in writing, up front, and detailed, so I know exactly what services I will receive for those fees?

8. Will you complete the application for admission, re-write my essays, or fill out the financial aid forms on my behalf? (they should NOT!)

9. How long have you been in business?

10. What was your background prior to going into private counseling? (Helping to get their own child into Princeton is not the answer you’re looking for!)

11. Will you use personal contacts to get me in to one of my top choices? (The answer should be NO. A consultant doesn’t get you admitted– they help you to demonstrate why you deserve to be admitted).

Categories
Admissions

​​10 Things to Think About If You’re Considering Boarding School

Considering Boarding School?

Moving away from your current education path can be complicated. By asking the right questions, you can discover the best plan of action to find a boarding school that’s the perfect fit.
No decision seems quite as big as one that impacts our children’s future. And choosing to go to boarding school is certainly a decision that could change their lives for the better. Whether you’re ready to apply or still trying to decide if it’s the right fit for your student, here are a few things to consider. We also have some helpful video testimonials and a ton of FAQs that can get your conversation going.What kind of student is your child?
  1. How do they learn best?
  2. What gives them stress about school, and how do they handle that?
  3. Do they like to make new friends?
  4. Are they comfortable with, and accustomed to, being away from home?
  5. Does weather matter? Would they be open to experiencing a different climate?
  6. How do they like to spend their free time?
  7. Do they enjoy and seek out a variety of interests and hobbies?
  8. What kinds of educational environments do they thrive in?
  9. What will work best for your family?
Are you ready to take that next step? Are you ready for more? Hear from other parents or explore the FAQs on our site.
Categories
Campus Visits

​Private School Rankings – Why We Don’t Rank Schools

What’s The Best Boarding School?

The best boarding school for your child is the school where they feel the most at home.

At least once a week, we get a request to rank our schools. Where does school X fall on the list? What about school Y?

We always answer, “Please ignore private school rankings.” Why? Because rankings are simply inaccurate. They can never capture and convey the nuances that make each boarding school unique.

A number of private schools place high numbers of students in competitive colleges and benefit from large endowments. However, the idea of ranking independent schools from the best to the worst completely misses the bigger picture – which is the school that is the best fit for your child.


Things to Consider Instead:

  1. Think about and determine the kind of environment where your child will thrive. What types of academic programs, learning support, athletics or activities does your student need?
  2. What is their passion? Which school can offer in-depth exposure on that topic and propel your child in a way that his/her current school simply can’t do? Where do they feel they can thrive with just a bit more time and attention from interested teachers?
  3. Compose a list of questions that you want to ask at each school you visit. Often campus visits and interviews can be lively, with lots of information coming your way. A written list will help you remember the things you want to ask about, and then you’re able to compare answers across several school visits.
  4. Develop a list of wants and needs, but keep your minds open to other possibilities you haven’t even thought of. Every school has programming that is specific to them and makes that educational experience unique. It might be the kind of campus the school has, or the balance of international and domestic students.
  5. Visit all the school websites of schools you like. Check out their social media pages to better understand a day in the life of students at each school and the tenor and tone each school presents.
  6. Visit several boarding school campuses and ask the admissions officers all the questions you have. Ask multiple people at each campus the same question to understand how answers align or vary. Some questions you might consider asking are:
    1. What kinds of students go to this school?
    2. Does a student like mine do well here?
    3. What kinds of kids don’t succeed here?
    4. What support systems are in place in case my child needs help early on or throughout their years here?
    5. How involved can I be as a parent throughout their years here?
    6. What makes this school so special?
    7. What do alumni of this school say about their experiences here?
  7. A school application is used for many reasons, one of the most important being fit. Is this school a good match for my son or daughter? Does this school fit our child’s abilities and provide what he/she needs to be successful not just now, but in college and in life.

So, at the end of the day, school rankings have little influence regarding the fit you and your child will feel on different campuses. The most important thing is digging deeply to determine – to your best ability – if a school fits your child’s needs and wants and provides the environment where he/she will thrive.