Ripped from the Headlines: What Does/Should an IEC Cost You? Are They Worth the Price?

What is an IEC, you ask? An Independent Educational Consultant. Me. Or someone like me, who makes a living selling their services to families who want their help understanding college admissions, finding the right schools, arriving at the right admissions strategy, understanding the standardized testing universe, getting help with application essays, the list can go on and on.

I recently came across a document published by CollegePlannerPro (primarily a software provider for college counseling firms) that did a deep dive into what the IEC universe looked like in 2020. So, let’s start with the data points they provided that are germane to this discussion.

What does it cost to retain an IEC in our region (generally categorized as “the West” in this document)? The average rate for an IEC in our region in 2020 was $184/hour, with 6% of all IEC’s charging less than $100/hour for their services, while 37% charged more than $200/hour. Another data point on pricing focused on the experience of the IEC, with novice counselors (1-5 years of experience) charging, on average, $150/hour, seasoned counselors (6-10 years of experience) charging, on average, $176/hour, and veteran counselors (those with 10 or more years of experience) charging, on average, $221/hour. Not surprisingly, larger counseling firms charge, on average, more than smaller operations (someone has to pay for all that extra support and bureaucracy, right?).

The survey then looked at average pricing for packaged or bundled college counseling programs in each region (again, we will focus on “the West”). The average package price in our region this past year was $4,526, and similar to the last paragraph, those package prices are priced incrementally higher as the level of experience rises ($3,721 for novice counselors, $4,674 for seasoned counselors, and $5,488 for veteran counselors). Package pricing jumped 18% nationally this year, but even more for international clients and families based in the northeastern segment of the U.S.

Let’s direct our attention to why I am sharing this information with you. The questions I would like to tackle the rest of the way are:

1) Is an IEC worth the price?/ Do you need an IEC?

2) What should you be looking for in an IEC?

This first one is a bit of a loaded question, but maybe not as much as you might think. Sure, I’m an IEC, so I must think the expense is worth it, right? Not always. Let’s be clear, the first resource you should turn to is your school’s college and/or guidance counselor. Many of these folks are well trained and caring people who can do the job handily, if you give them the time they need.

Now, I have met my share of bozos too, but no more than the number of bozos I have encountered who also hang their IEC shingles out without the proper credentials, training, experience, scruples, or brain power to do so. You have to do your homework either way. Another item to consider about your school counselor is their caseload. In California, the average caseload for a public school counselor is roughly 620 students to one counselor. That number drops precipitously at private high schools. So, get a sense of how many students are in that counselor’s care before taking a step toward the IEC world.

Let’s get back to the question of do you need an IEC. For the family that feels like they just need a nudge or two and some support to ‘dot their i’s and cross their t’s’ they probably don’t need an IEC (or might just want to purchase an a-la-carte type of support system for a small amount of money). But for the family that wants more of the ‘white-glove’ treatment and prefers or even needs the extra attention that their school’s college or guidance counselor will rarely be able to provide, having an IEC on the payroll can be well worth the cost (as I write this article, I am in front of my computer, on a Saturday night, reading and responding to student questions and providing essay editing support).

So, if you are either in need of greater support than your school counselor can provide or you don’t trust the knowledge or pedigree of that counselor, looking into the world of IEC’s that support your region is probably a worth-while endeavor. Next is to figure out what you should be looking for in an IEC.

There’s a couple of different ways to approach this problem. One is to find a counselor who will match your goals and ambitions. For my families, I try to be as transparent as I can possibly be. I could care less about brands and ranks. I care about finding the right college fits and helping students to get into those best fits – where they stand the best chance of blossoming into their full potential and where they can study what they want to on their own terms. Some families are blindly led by those ranking guides and brand names. If that’s you, I might not be the right guy for your needs. But also be wary of the counselor who sells you on the idea of all of the amazing schools their students attend, or the counselor who says they will guarantee your child will get into one of their top three schools or your money back! PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINT. I have students at every Ivy League school, Stanford, Duke, etc., but I’m never, ever going to lead with that information because it frankly isn’t germane to the discussion of what I can do for your family.

What you really want is someone your family can trust. Someone who is going to provide the service(s) you need, who has the experience that gives you peace of mind, for a fair price. A person whose personality matches the needs of your child. Remember, ultimately, they are the customer, and not you, mom or dad! You want your child to be comfortable with their counselor and feel free to share their ideas and concerns without the burden of prejudice.

You also want to make sure that you are in need of the services you are buying. Some counselors have one flat cost for their programming – but you might not need all of that support (for instance, an IEC’s comprehensive package covers financial aid service, but you already know how to complete the requisite forms and don’t want to pay for that type of service, when you can do it yourself. Can you opt out of that part without having to shell out the cash for it?)

Understand that the range of experience and pricing will vary by great lengths (I have a few counseling colleagues who will work pro bono for the right family; I have seen others charge over $100,000 for their comprehensive services!) Make sure to get a consultation in advance of signing any agreement; any counselor worth their salt will offer you a free consultation or allow you to fold in any costs for a consultation into the programming you purchase. Make sure the fit is right for your family!

We at Premier College Guidance are one option of many to choose from. We encourage you to be smart shoppers, to ask good questions, and to find the right fitting personalities and programs for your needs. We certainly hope you will consider us, when the time is right, but we know someone else out there might be better for you too.