Be a College Planning Consultant

April 16, 2008

Getting into college—especially an elite private college—is becoming more competitive as students from all over the world seek out the best educational institutions.

According to the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), top educational consultants come from the ranks of some of the country’s academic advisors and counselors who have gain experienced at both public and private universities, colleges, and secondary and elementary schools.

To be successful, then, you have to enjoy communicating with teenagers and dealing with demanding, and often times grouchy parents.

Services include coaching students for entrance exams, helping craft compelling entrance essays, or to simply guide students through the harrowing application process.

For example, the Service Academy application process starts after a student’s junior year in high school and doesn’t end (potentially) until the spring semester of the student’s senior year.

This is also a research intensive field because you’ll have to stay on top of changing application processes and policies for hundreds, possibly thousands of schools.

Marketing can start early—as soon as students enter high school. Developing good relationships with guidance counselors is key to getting into secondary schools.

This can be a very rewarding field as you help students and parents find their way through the bureaucratic maze called “applying for college”.

Look who’s doing it:

College Planning Associates

Selecting Colleges

Resources for starting:

Start Your Own College Consulting Business

How to Become a College Planning Consultant

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