Membership Qualifications
IECA offers three categories of membership: Professional, Associate, and Student. Listed below are the requirements for each category to help you determine which is right for you:
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
The professional membership category is for independent educational consultants who have demonstrated a professional mastery with years of experience. Professional Membership dues are $600 annually.
Professional membership requirements include:
- A master's degree or higher from an accredited institution. Alternatively, an applicant may demonstrate comparable educational training or appropriate professional experience.
- Three years of experience in educational placement counseling or admissions, including a minimum of one year of independent educational consulting.
- Minimum number of students advised (during the previous three years) on school, college, or program admission: a) 35 students advised in private practice; or b) 50 students advised: a minimum of 10 students advised in private practice; the balance personally advised as a counselor or admission professional.
- A minimum number of evaluative campus visits within each specialty area (only specialties you choose for yourself apply):
College: 50 visits; Boarding/Day Schools: 25 visits; LD Schools/Programs* 25 visits; Troubled Teen Programs* 50 visits; Graduate & Professional School* 25 visits.
*A supplemental application is required for acceptance in these specialty areas. The application can be downloaded from: www.iecaonline.com/membership_specialty.html or you can call the IECA office for this form.
- Professional references from at least three college or independent school admissions officers or psychologists/counselors or other educational counseling professionals with whom the applicant has worked in the admission process. One reference may be from an IECA member or a client family.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Associate membership is for those new to the field of independent educational consulting, who expect to meet membership requirements within two years, or those who are transitioning into the field of independent consulting from a school or institutional position. Associate members receive many of the benefits of professional membership, excluding listing in the IECA print or online directory. Associate Membership dues are $300 annually.
Associate membership requirements include:
- One year minimum experience in educational placement counseling or admissions. Or alternatively by completing IECA’s Summer Training Institute, a University of California College Counseling Certificate Program such as UCLA Extension, among others, or the UC Irvine Independent Educational Consultant Certificate Program (here is a podcast about the UC Irvine Program).
- One reference from an IECA member, or a college or independent school admissions officer, or other educational counseling professional.
- Established, or be in the process of transitioning to, an independent educational consulting practice.
- Begun working toward the professional membership requirement of evaluative campus visits and number of clients advised.
- Minimum of a bachelor's degree.
Student membership requirements include: