In Part II of our conversation with Mark Sklarow (Executive Director, Independent Educational Consultants Association), he talks about the history and current state of consulting- how it's evolved and what consultants do today.
Question (Q): Tell us a bit about the history of educational consulting- it's beginnings, where it stands, and the future.
Mark Sklarow (MS): Consulting first appeared 30 years ago and for quite some time was a field practiced by only a few dozen specialists with extensive knowledge of the boarding school world. This began to change about 15 years ago when many consultants began adding college consulting to their work. Five years later LD counseling and assistance with students exhibiting emotional and behavioral difficulties also grew. During this time IECA recognized that it was critical that we as an association establish stricter standards, promote training and education and raise the level of knowledge and competence of members. As the field grew both in demand and the number of consultants, increased emphasis on ethics became central to the IECA mission.
Q: How has the industry changed with the rise of the Internet? How have consultants adapted?
MS: The rise of the internet has led across the board to a decline in intermediaries: web users are less likely to need the help of librarians; they go to the source- less likely to need the help of a salesman as they make purchases online; they are even less likely to seek medical advice for small matters, consulting the web.
This same trend is clear in all areas of school admission: why seek advice when I can open web sites for schools? The answer should be clear: the thousands of matches for boarding experiences, tens of thousands of matches for school admission and the general glut of information has left families more confused, not less. However the role of consultants is evolving. They are no longer intermediaries. Rather, they act as guides, advisors and coaches to help steer families through the hundreds of thousands of information bits to the real, critical information that will serve their needs and the needs of their child.
Q: National internet based consultancies-- how do they work? Any changes in the way consultants works with a family? Are they using tools like web sharing, Skype, etc to bridge the distance gap?
MS: The basic should remain unchanged: all consultants whether web-based or seen across the kitchen table should be experts who can gather as much information as possible about a student and family and use their years of knowledge and experience to distill information down to what is most useable and the best-possible matches to serve a student's academic, emotional, social and community needs.
Q: Are there any obvious trends into which the industry is moving or trends that are shaping the industry?
MS: Yes, as the field grows, we see a growing specialization of members, especially as it relates to students with special needs: gifted, LD, emotional, behavioral and more. Increased specialization to include practices with increased knowledge of art, music, and athletics is now becoming apparent. Consultants also must know more about public schools, charter school and for-profit institutions in their own community.
Another differentiation we see is in how services are delivered: in person, internet, evenings...and how fees are assessed: hourly, as a package of services, even as a part of an employee compensation plan. Through it all a major requirement is for consultants to become more knowledgeable, continuing their education and training both in formal settings and through campus visitations.
We want to thank Mark again for participating in our Q&A series. Drop us a note if you have ideas for future Q&A posts.
Question (Q): Tell us a bit about the history of educational consulting- it's beginnings, where it stands, and the future.
Mark Sklarow (MS): Consulting first appeared 30 years ago and for quite some time was a field practiced by only a few dozen specialists with extensive knowledge of the boarding school world. This began to change about 15 years ago when many consultants began adding college consulting to their work. Five years later LD counseling and assistance with students exhibiting emotional and behavioral difficulties also grew. During this time IECA recognized that it was critical that we as an association establish stricter standards, promote training and education and raise the level of knowledge and competence of members. As the field grew both in demand and the number of consultants, increased emphasis on ethics became central to the IECA mission.
Q: How has the industry changed with the rise of the Internet? How have consultants adapted?
MS: The rise of the internet has led across the board to a decline in intermediaries: web users are less likely to need the help of librarians; they go to the source- less likely to need the help of a salesman as they make purchases online; they are even less likely to seek medical advice for small matters, consulting the web.
This same trend is clear in all areas of school admission: why seek advice when I can open web sites for schools? The answer should be clear: the thousands of matches for boarding experiences, tens of thousands of matches for school admission and the general glut of information has left families more confused, not less. However the role of consultants is evolving. They are no longer intermediaries. Rather, they act as guides, advisors and coaches to help steer families through the hundreds of thousands of information bits to the real, critical information that will serve their needs and the needs of their child.
Q: National internet based consultancies-- how do they work? Any changes in the way consultants works with a family? Are they using tools like web sharing, Skype, etc to bridge the distance gap?
MS: The basic should remain unchanged: all consultants whether web-based or seen across the kitchen table should be experts who can gather as much information as possible about a student and family and use their years of knowledge and experience to distill information down to what is most useable and the best-possible matches to serve a student's academic, emotional, social and community needs.
Q: Are there any obvious trends into which the industry is moving or trends that are shaping the industry?
MS: Yes, as the field grows, we see a growing specialization of members, especially as it relates to students with special needs: gifted, LD, emotional, behavioral and more. Increased specialization to include practices with increased knowledge of art, music, and athletics is now becoming apparent. Consultants also must know more about public schools, charter school and for-profit institutions in their own community.
Another differentiation we see is in how services are delivered: in person, internet, evenings...and how fees are assessed: hourly, as a package of services, even as a part of an employee compensation plan. Through it all a major requirement is for consultants to become more knowledgeable, continuing their education and training both in formal settings and through campus visitations.
We want to thank Mark again for participating in our Q&A series. Drop us a note if you have ideas for future Q&A posts.
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