One of the most common questions I get from people is, “what exactly is an independent educational consultant (IEC) and how is it different from a high school counselor?” Luckily I am both an IEC and a high school counselor so hopefully I can help make sense of this for you.
Independent Educational Consultant (IEC):
An IEC is someone who specializes in the college admissions process. We have specialized training and expertise in college selection, admissions trends, financial aid, college admissions and application resources, and post-secondary planning. Our primary focus is to help students find the best post-secondary fit in regards to academics and personal characteristics. We help families by setting timelines and goals to ease the stress and pressure of the post-secondary planning process. We also help families understand the financial aid process and help them research scholarship and grant opportunities.
High School Counselor:
High school counselors are licensed in the area of school counseling which includes all school aged children (from kindergarten through the senior year). We provide many services for our students including mental health and general counseling. Our caseloads are extraordinarily high so our time for individualized post-secondary counseling for every student is very limited (if even possible). Students that are most successful in their post-secondary plans have the opportunity to work closely with both their high school counselor and an IEC.
How did I get to where I am today? Here is a little bit about my story. I am a long time Anoka County resident. Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to get into a career that centered around helping people, specifically adolescents. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in May of 2004. In the fall of 2004 I started at St. Cloud State University to pursue my master’s degree in K-12 School Counseling. I received my masters degree in May of 2006 and started working as a high school counselor in the Anoka Hennepin School district immediately following that.
While working as a school counselor I quickly realized that with the enormous caseloads counselors have it is nearly impossible to spend as much time with each individual student as I would like; the average caseload in the state of Minnesota in 2018-19 was 654 students per counselor. I felt like I was missing something and not making as much of an impact as I would like. Then in the spring of 2019 I came across a program offered through the University of California - Irvine that specialized in becoming an independent educational consultant. After researching the program I immediately knew it was meant for me. I spent the last two years working towards the certification and officially became certified in March of 2021.
In March I started laying the foundation of A to Z Consulting and officially opened my doors on June 1st! At A to Z Consulting I take pride in using the ECS approach to success:
Educate -- most counselors just ask you questions, give you brochures and review your essays. A to Z Consulting actually tries to make you smarter by creating a customized path for you!
Counsel -- with experience in and out of school, I understand how overwhelming the pressures can be before, during,a dn after school. My process converts those fears into excitement, showing you what you have to look forward to.
Support -- I walk with you every step of the way. If you get in, I help you have the best chance for success.
I am beyond excited to help students find and fulfill their dreams! Schedule your complimentary consultation today!
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