IECA's Blog

Financial Aid “Shopping Sheet” on the Horizon

Claire Law — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:59:02 +0000

by C. Claire Law, M.S., IECA (South Carolina) The January 30 issue of Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the White House will soon require colleges to offer students and parents a “standard” comparison shopping sheet that will enable parents and students to compare and contrast multiple awards from multiple colleges. This form comes just after ... Read more »

Student Privacy: Is There Even a Line to Cross?

Emily Snyder — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:05:46 +0000

by Emily Snyder, IECA (Virginia) Last week, many major media outlets focused on right to privacy issues surrounding Google’s decision, effective March 1, to share personal information with no opportunity for individuals to opt out. At almost exactly the same time that the news about Google was being released, I was involved in a discussion ... Read more »

College Affordability for Middle Class Families

Jeff Levy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:57:39 +0000

by Jeff Levy, Associate Member, IECA (California) I applaud Jane Klemmer’s “Appeal to Government Leaders on College Affordability,” which was posted on the IECA blog January 27. Her wonderful piece reflects the understanding that not only is affordability at the core of the anxiety most parents are experiencing, but it is an issue of global ... Read more »

An IECA Member Appeals to Government Leaders on College Affordability

Jane Klemmer — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:10:35 +0000

by Jane Klemmer, IECA (New York) I am pleased and encouraged that you (current administration) have started a dialogue with college leaders on college affordability. This issue is very personal for me; preoccupation with paying for college is beginning to affect my sleep. I know that my sleep habits are not your concern. However, it’s ... Read more »

Where We Stand 2012: A Look at the Profession

Mark Sklarow — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:57:50 +0000

by Mark H. Sklarow, Executive Director, Independent Educational Consultants Association As we begin 2012, it seems to me that we’ve completed a year in which many in the profession took giant strides forward, some fell back, technology has begun to transform the field, and the very concept of what it means to be an independent ... Read more »

Whose Essay Is This Anyway?

Marcia Kramer — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:09:24 +0000

by Marcia Kramer, IECA (NJ) I e-mailed Gabe and his parents: “You need to rewrite this essay. It sounds like an adult wrote it.” I decided I’d save the explanation about the admissions reps knowing how 17-year-olds write for the later discussion we would be sure to have when Gabe’s parents denied writing the piece ... Read more »

A Shout-Out to IECA’s 2011 Social Media All-Stars

Sarah Brachman — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:12:37 +0000

by Sarah Brachman, Manager of Communications, Independent Educational Consultants Association As we say goodbye to 2011, we would like to show appreciation for the many individuals and companies that have been a part of our social media effort. We salute the most active participants in our IECA social media universe. Top 10 Contributors to the ... Read more »

An Independent Educational Consultant’s Most Valuable Resource: Good Information

Mark Sklarow — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:52:40 +0000

by Mark H. Sklarow, Executive Director, Independent Educational Consultants Association I believe in the importance of association: through professional societies, trade associations, and membership organizations, especially for those who work alone or in small business, so individuals can easily connect to others with like minds and similar goals. Not surprisingly, some 19 years ago, when ... Read more »

90% of Chinese Recommendation Letters Are Fake: Considerations for Recruitment in China

Mark Sklarow — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:56:35 +0000

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, Independent Educational Consultants Association Over the last three years the growth in the number of Chinese students seeking admission to undergraduate programs, boarding schools, and now junior boarding schools, in the United States has been staggering. Coming at a time when domestic growth has stagnated, especially among full-paying families, there ... Read more »

“Getting Kids Into” Ivy League Colleges: Absolutely NOT the Job of an Independent Educational Consultant

Mark Sklarow — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:17:52 +0000

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, Independent Educational Consultants Association I had a very frustrating week last week looking over applications for membership in IECA. To be clear, the applicants looked well educated, came with significant experience, and seemed to be dedicated to the independent educational consulting profession. What triggered my frustration was the number of applicants ... Read more »