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In general, Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) are industry professionals who are highly trained and qualified to support the needs of students, parents, and other clients seeking support with college preparations, admissions, and academic advising services.
Qualified IECs are rigorously vetted and granted membership in national organizations, such as the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and others.
IECs support clients by evaluating their academic needs and goals, identifying opportunities for their personal or professional growth, and helping them manage their processes for college admissions and academic success.
Most IECs hold a master’s degree or higher, and most have their solo practices. IECs may work as generalists or specialists and support clients pursuing undergraduate, graduate, doctoral (MD, JD, Ph.D./ Ed.D.), or certificate-credentialing programs.
EMC’s consultants specialize in both college and university preparations and academic advising.
Our programs and services are focused on supporting high school seniors (GED equivalent) and non-traditional (adult learners) who are planning to be undergraduates, graduates, or credential/ certification seekers in their respective fields.
Our founding CEO, Dr. Lisa Thomas, is the principal consultant. She has an Associate Membership in IECA and holds master’s and doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership (emphasis in Higher Education).
EMC’s consultant(s) are excited to bring this consulting service, which is generally utilized by wall street and elite families, to serve our communities on main street, and we are making these services available to you. Our work is guided by certain ethical and leadership principles and codes of conduct, which includes the following tenets:
A) We provide one-to-one consulting services to clients to help them develop an intentional roadmap for achieving their college prep or in-college goals. We also equip clients with strategies to become the architects of their educational journeys using a Renaissance Mindset model (see link below).
B) Our founding CEO is a woman of faith, and her vision of EMC is to serve all clients within our scope of practice as well as to support those clients who are seeking God’s direction and favor to open up the “right doors” for them and to align them to their purpose as they pursue their college or career goals.
C) We do not discriminate against anyone’s race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religious/ non-religious affiliations, culture, preferences, and all other types of identifications or protected characteristics. We are here to serve everyone within the scope of our practice and with respect, decency and sensitivity to their goals, strengths, needs, and values.
D) We adhere to and apply the highest ethical principles, competencies, confidence & privacy (FERPA), guidelines, and protocols available when working with the clients.
SOME DOs & DON’Ts:
About our general practices:
a) DOs- IECs are professionals who adhere to specific ethical guidelines, principles, and protocols when working with clients from all backgrounds, demographics, affiliations, orientations, or preferences. See IECA’s principles of good practice link below.
b) DON’Ts- IECs do not discriminate against any person or group based on race, class, gender, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, preferences, affiliations, or any other way identified.
About our training and preparation to assist you:
a) DOs- IECs are highly trained consultants required to maintain their professional knowledge base about local and national industry trends and higher education changes. In addition, IECs participate in conferences, trade networks with different agencies, visit colleges, and complete college tours to stay current.
b) DON’Ts- IECs do not advocate for your (the client’s) admissions application with any school’s representative or agency, and we do not guarantee admissions into any institution or funding (i.e., scholarships, loans or grants) from any agency.
About our scope of practice:
a) DOs- IECs are a client’s personal, educational consultant, hired solely by the client, and works exclusively with clients to support and guide them through the college preparations, admissions, and advising processes based on their goals, needs, and contracts/ agreements. We adhere to highest levels of confidential and privacy rights and regulations in our practices (see FERPA laws).
b) DON’Ts- IECs are not hired by an institution or agency, and they do not accept or receive compensation from a school, program, or company in exchange for placement or referrals. In addition, IECs do not accept compensation from clients to gain special access to any institution or boost their admissions or academic profiles.
c) DOs- Clients are in charge of their college preparations, admissions, and advising cycles. IECs will provide strategies, advising, and resources to reduce the high stress associated with completing these processes.
d) DON’Ts- IECs will not complete the client’s applications for admissions, write or rewrite essays, fill out the financial aid or scholarship forms or any other pertinent documents on a client’s behalf. In addition, we do not use our connections or contacts to influence or boost your status or profile with any institution or its agents.
EMC’s approach starts with developing an intentional roadmap for achieving your college prep or in-college goals.
The EMC difference is that our approach also includes out-of-box strategies to help clients become the architects of their educational and career journeys using a Renaissance Mindset model (see link below).
EMC’s vision is to make our services available to anyone we are able to serve. We have developed a “pay as you go” affordable pricing strategy to ensure these services and products are accessible to the public. Also, we provide customizable packages for clients requesting a comprehensive or bundle of services. Please see the pricing list below.
We also provide a free referral services where clients may be referred to a subject matter expert (SME) for academic tutoring, writing support, test preparation support for an additional cost to those vendors.
EMC’s consultant(s) will meet with all clients remotely or virtually and serve clients within the United States and global community as defined within our scope of practice.