The EDUFAX Educational FAQ

Question #148:

My parents and I have been approached about working with a private educational consultant to plan and prepare for college. The fee seems reasonable but my high school counselor tells my parents we should not pay anyone for assistance with college planning. What is your opinion? (courtesy Tom Lloyd, Tucson, AZ)

Answer #148:

If your high school counselor has the time to pay attention to your specific individual needs, then you do not need the assistance of a private educational consultant. If your high school counselor has traveled recently to the colleges which interest you, has spoken with admissions officers about trends in current admissions, has conversed with students on campus about academics, social life, and campus safety, then you probably do not need a private educational consultant. If your high school counselor attends professional conferences and workshops to remain continually aware and up to date on issues which affect both the admissions process and the students who go through it, then you do not need a private educational consultant. If your high school counselor is willing to brainstorm an original essay topic with you, guide you as you prepare your work, help you present your applications in a creative and technically impressive manner, and generally help put you and your parents at ease through this arduous process, then you definitely do not need a private educational consultant. If your high school counselor can help you understand what options are open to you for scholarship money or student loans and is willing to assist your family with the lengthy and complicated financial aid forms required by the government and financial aid agencies, then you do not need a private educational consultant. If, however, you have concerns about your high school counselor's ability to be there for you whenever you need advice, information, or simple emotional hand-holding on any of the above issues, or if you worry that you will have to compete for his or her time among the hundreds of students in your senior class, then an investment in the services of an educational consultant will probably be money well spent. There are some wonderful high school counselors out there. But unfortunately, most of them have an unmanageable case loads which makes it impossible for them to do everything they can for each individual student. Independent educational consultants take only the case loads they know they can manage. They provide the individualized attention which is impossible to find in other settings. You can find a listing of the members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) in the USA on the IECA Internet site. Marcia Rubinstien, Director of EDUFAX, is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP); she has been a member of the IECA since 1991. You can read her resume on the EDUFAX site. EDUFAX provides services for the Collegebound High School Student.

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