SPECial Focus:
Myth Busters:
References for IECA
Membership
Why I’m Thrilled to
be a Summer Training
Institute Alum
page 21
page 23
Myth Busters
College Advising:
• Paying for College
• Personality Assessments
• SAT/ACT Changes
• Demonstrated Interest
pages 7-18
The Newsletter of the Independent Educational Consultants Association
Insights
October / November 2013
Calendar
IECA Members Identify Top
Strengths and Experiences
Colleges are Looking For
November 11-13
Campus Tours
Southern California
November 12
IECA/NATSAP Link ‘n Learn
San Diego
Annual survey shows some significant shifts for 2014
November 12
IECA Webinar
Better Essays, Less Stress
IECA’s survey of members found no change at
November 13
Pre-Conference Seminars
LD, Legal, Financial Aid
San Diego
the very top of this year’s rankings but significant
shifts in the overall list that explores what
November 13-16
IECA Fall Conference
San Diego
- Nov 14: School & College Fair
- Nov 15: Keynote; Special
Needs Swap
- Nov 16: Master Class; College
Showcase
colleges hope to see in their incoming freshman
class. Many members noted that criteria vary
widely among colleges and one major advantage
of working with an IECA member is their personal
knowledge of where colleges place a priority in
the review process.
November 16-17
Board of Directors Meeting
San Diego
A rigorous high school curriculum (#1), good
grades (#2) and solid standardized test scores
November 28-29
Thanksgiving Holiday
Office Closed
(#3) have led the list since it was first introduced
15 years ago. Jumping two places to the #4 spot
December 10
IECA Webinar
Parental Engagement in
Therapeutic Work
this year was the application essay, which several
December 24-25
Christmas Holiday
Office Closed
against using student activity involvement to
unique personality, values, and goals.”
‘game’ the college admission process. “Be true
anonymous survey, from carefully selecting junior
In Memory
Summer Training Institute:
“Worth Every Penny” members offered a lot of specific advice in the
7-18
23
23
Introductions25
IECA… On the Road
26
Campus Visits
26
In The News
27
Initiatives27
and religious organizations took the #12 spot.
personal…providing insight into the student’s
inside insights
Special Focus:
College Advising
school experiences in community, work, youth
In their comments, however, members warned
Academics obviously play a large role and
2
leadership in those activities (#6), while out of
members advised should be “thoughtful and highly
January 1
New Year’s Holiday
Office Closed
President’s Letter
few activities (#5) was followed by demonstrated
year classes, to reading for pleasure, to the simple
reminder to do homework. Said one respondent
“Doing assignments may not be glamorous, but it
counts the most in the long run.”
Involvement in activities also appeared in several
to yourself and enjoy high school. Don’t spend
the entire four years worrying about college; take
time to discover your interests, likes and dislikes,”
offered one IECA member. Activities do play some
role, as colleges want students who are prepared
to step into leadership roles. One member urges
students to “think not only about where they want
to go to college, but what the students want to do
once they get there.”
places in the survey. Passionate involvement in a
continued on page 4
President’s Letter
Combining Work and Pleasure
By the time you read this, summer
people to land where they need to be, to
vacations will be a distant, fond memory.
recover, and become healthy.
with pleasure this summer, or who took a
postman’s holiday sometime this year. A
postman’s holiday or a busman’s holiday
is time spent in a pastime similar to what
one does for a living. For many IECs,
this includes visiting colleges, schools,
and programs. We get excited when
we discover hidden gems. We become
energized by listening to students who are
passionate about learning. We feel a sense
of accomplishment when we help young
everything we experience. We enjoy
interacting with young people and the rich
experiences they bring to table. We enjoy
research and teaching. We enjoy seeing
our colleagues succeed, so it’s part of our
nature to help them out. We enjoy putting
pieces of the puzzle together. We feel
Phone: 703-591-4850
Fax: 703-591-4860
www.IECAonline.com
e-mail: [email protected]
President: Marilyn G.S. Emerson
Chief Executive Officer: Mark H. Sklarow
Deputy Executive Director: Sue S. DePra
Editor: Sarah S. Brachman
Design and Layout: Sarah S. Cox
Connect with us on Facebook,
IECA’s blog (www.IECAonline.com/
people, finding work they love is difficult—
for an Independent Educational Consultant,
it is easy.
discover and explore their needs. We see
the people who hire us as real people who
Marilyn Emerson
have real needs.
IECA President
In Focus
Top 6 Results from IECA’s Top 12 Strengths and
Experiences Colleges Look for In High School Students
Based on a 2013 international survey of IECA member Independent Educational Consultants
#1
#2
Grades that represent a strong
effort and an upward trend.
3251 Old Lee Highway, Suite 510
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
have to work a day in your life.” For most
the layers of the students we work with to
A rigorous high school curriculum
that challenges the student and may
include AP or IB classes.
Independent Educational
Consultants Association
“Choose a job you love, and you will never
satisfaction and fulfillment in peeling back
Insights
Published by:
There’s an old saying from Confucius:
#3
#4
#5
6.Demonstrated leadership and
initiative in extra-curricular activities.
combined what most would call business
Marilyn Emerson
than a vocation. We enjoy learning from
Passionate involvement in a few
in-or-out of school activities.
doing. I’m sure I’m not the only IEC who
For the majority of IECs, our work is more
A well-written essay that
provides insight into the
student’s unique personality,
values and goals.
and friends doing the things you enjoy
Solid scores on
standardized tests
(ACT, SAT).
I hope all of you spent time with family
#6
blog), Linkedin (for IECA members
only), and Twitter (@IECA).
2 IECA INSIGHTS
Results of the complete survey can be found at: www.iecaonline.com/college.html
October / November 2013
College Showcase to Feature Up to 30 Colleges
IECA’s upcoming Fall Conference (November 13–16 in San Diego)
of the breakouts or
will feature a special program coordinated by IECA in cooperation
major speakers and by
with RACC, an organization representing West Coast regional
ending early it should
representatives of colleges located across the United States. The
allow all attendees,
organization and the colleges and universities to be featured include
including East Coast
public and private schools.
residents, to make it to
The showcase will be held on Saturday morning, November 16 from
7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Breakfast will be provided to showcase attendees.
According to IECA Conference Manager Rachel King, the day and
time were chosen to help meet the travel and event schedule of
IECs. “Saturday morning assures that attendees won’t miss any
A Sampling of
Breakouts from
the 2013 Fall
Conference
the airport in plenty of
time for flights home.”
The Saturday morning
event also makes it
possible for collegefocused members to
take part in the IECA
Foundation fund raiser
on Friday night.
The showcase will allow each college to present on their school’s
unique programs, admission requirements, and give insights into
academics and student life. While the list is still being developed,
possible participants include: Lafayette, Marist, Elon, Drexel,
The full listing of conference breakouts can be found at
www.iecaonline.com/conferences.html
College
The Arts & Science of Fit: How
Do We Learn What a College
is Really Like?
A Release of the Report of
the WACAC Commission on
Independent Educational
Consulting
The Transfer Student
A Little or a Lot: Helping
Under-Resourced Students
in Your Community Succeed
in College Admissions
International
Across the Pond and Down
Under
Delaying College?
Why Tina Fey Should Have
Taken a Gap Year
Ready or Not Here I
Come: Strategies for the
Developmentally Young
Student Who May or May
Not Be Ready for College
Schools
The Well-Rounded Student:
Experiential Opportunities
Beyond the Classroom
Anxious Times: How Junior
Boarding Helps Kids Worry
Less and Be Brave
Learning Disabilities
Life After High School: From
the Resource Room to
Comprehensive Support
Programs
It’s Not “Just” AD/HD:
Understanding the FarReaching Effect on a
Student’s Ability to Function
at Home, School, and in the
Community
Syracuse, University of Rochester, Southern Methodist, University
of Alabama, University of Arkansas, Arizona State, University of
Arizona, University of Minnesota, Northeastern, Trinity, Rutgers.
There is no additional cost to conference attendees to attend the
Saturday morning College Showcase.
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Therapeutic
Healing the Child Within:
Integrating Cognitive, Ego
State and EMDR Therapies
Second Shelter: Family
Strategies for Navigating
Therapeutic Boarding
Schools and RTCs
Grad School
Non-Traditional Paths to
Medical School
Law School Admissions:
Preparation, Educational
Trends, and Careers
The Business of Consulting
Search Engine Optimization:
How Can I Help People
Find Me?
Ten Characteristics of Effective
IECs: The View from
Treatment Programs
October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 3
What Colleges Are Looking For, from page 1
A few items fell in importance from the last survey. Most noticeably,
Members cautioned that students should not remake themselves
letters of recommendation, which occupied the fifth spot last time,
just to satisfy an admission committee. Cautioned one respondent:
dropped to #10 on the current list. Special talents that contribute to
“Figure out your strengths and then BE YOU all the way.” Many
the student life program fell from #7 to #11.
IECA members advise students to be authentic and to treat the
process as one of self-discovery.
Rising slightly in the new survey: demonstration of intellectual
curiosity (#8), and demonstrated interest in the college, and
One member noted that these criteria reflect what colleges look for.
enthusiasm shown by attending campus visits and taking part in a
While noting that the ability to fully pay did not make our Top 12, he
campus interview (#9) both rose one spot. [see article on page 4 on
advises that students and families should factor in costs more now
Demonstrated Interest]
than ever—and to do so early in the process. [see article on page
M3 in the Member-to-Member section on College Affordability]
Appearing on the IECA list for the first time: personal
characteristics that will contribute to a diverse and interesting
The best piece of advice suggested by an IECA member to her clients:
student body (#7). Many IECA members explain to clients and
“College is a match to be made, not a game to be won.” Another
families that colleges seek to create campuses that reflect diversity
noted, “At the beginning, every nervous student thinks they’ll end up
in all its forms: regional, type of community (rural, urban), family
at community college and every over-confident parent thinks their
upbringing, native language, and political ideology, as well as the
child is Ivy-bound. Getting everyone to be realistic is a key aspect
more traditional diversity of ethnic, cultural, religious, and racial
of the independent educational consulting experience.” This is one
identities of the student.
reason many respondents reminded students that they need to be
active participants during the college search and application process.
Results of the complete survey can be found at: www.iecaonline.com/college.html
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4 IECA INSIGHTS
October / November 2013
Independent Educational
Consultants Association
The Benefits
of IECA
Membership
tRaining
IECA provides monthly webinars and
ExclusivE REsEaRch
in-person training throughout the year,
& sERvicEs
satisfying member needs for critical
Our members have access to exclusive
information necessary to serve their students.
research on admissions, successful
practices, publications, campus events,
and discounts on professional materials.
pREss and puBlic outREach
IECA commits significant resources on
Our full-time professional staff share their
marketing and promoting the profession
expertise in communications, education,
to families, the media, community-based
training, and business with members
professionals, and the general public. Our
to help them achieve success.
website is visited by tens of thousands of
small BusinEss suppoRt
visitors each month and is translated into
IECA provides members with training
more than 50 different languages.
in marketing, business management,
REcognition foR ExcEllEncE
technology, and social media, in addition
to counseling and admissions. We
IECA membership is widely recognized
understand that Independent Educational
as demonstrating premier credentials,
Consultants are balancing serving
extensive training, the highest ethical
students with the need to succeed as
standards, and the most professional
a small business.
demeanor.
REfERRals
With IECA’s extensive outreach
efforts and national promotional work,
lEadERship
IECA has been the leader in
our members regularly report that IECA
Independent Educational Consulting since
provides a source of clients that far
1976. IECs who wish to be leaders in
surpasses the cost of membership. Over
admissions consulting join IECA and
63,000 searches for IECA members were
help to position this profession for the
conducted on our website last year.
decades ahead.
October / November 2013
The hallmark of IECA membership
is a network of professionals
offering peer-to-peer advice,
mentoring, and support.
IECA INSIGHTS 5
The Glenholme School
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6 IECA INSIGHTS
October / November 2013
Special Focus: College Advising
Broaching the Topic of Paying for College – The Elephant in the Room
by Jane Klemmer, IECA (NY) and Betsy Morgan, IECA (CT)
A new family arrives
Most educational experts agree that we are at a crossroads.
at your office for the
For many families, gone is the certainty that an investment in a
initial intake meeting.
college degree is a guarantee of future earnings or success. Even
You’ve done this
families that have saved for their child’s education are questioning
countless times before
affordability and value. We now hear variations of: “I don’t want
and comfortably probe
her to graduate with a boatload of debt” or “If he doesn’t get into a
even the most personal
reach school, he’s going to stay in-state” or “Our budget is $25,000;
subjects, whether they
what will we be able to afford?” Just like any aspect of making the
are medical issues,
college match, these concerns need to be taken into consideration.
family dynamics or any prior psychological testing. You’re in your
milieu, putting families at ease and calming their anxiety about the
college admission process. What you fail to reveal, however, is that
you harbor your own fear that one dreaded topic will come up. The
family leaves your office and you are relieved that no one has raised
the subject of affordability and the role college cost will play in the
ultimate decision. Once again you managed to avoid the elephant in
the room. Like the elephant, the issue of affordability looms large,
but we often choose to ignore it. With cost increasingly on family’s
minds, it’s time we examine our own anxiety about having the “how
will you pay for college” discussion.
And they have changed the way that we run our businesses.
Rather than ignore this elephant in the room, best practices dictate
that we flush it out. The time to broach the affordability issue
is during the intake process. Why at intake? Affordability and
understanding a family’s concept of ‘value’ are essential components
for compiling a list of colleges that are potentially the right fit. “I don’t do the finance part” is no longer an acceptable response.
That’s not to say that every IEC must be an expert at interpreting the
CSS PROFILE and filling out forms. Here’s the good news: An initial
conversation about affordability does not have to be about financial
continued on page 8
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October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 7
Special Focus
Paying for College, from page 7
must consider and discuss together. A college list logically should
aid methodologies, whether a family will qualify for need-based aid,
be sensitive to what the family can afford and how parents and the
or which colleges might offer merit. That first conversation need
student value the potential cost of higher education.
only be about making sure families are considering the financial
piece, uncovering their cost concerns, and helping our clients identify
some basic factors that should be addressed before a student
becomes too enamored with a college that may not fit a
family’s budget.
Have you looked at any financial aid calculators to get a sense for
whether or not you will qualify for need-based aid?
One of our roles is to impress upon parents the importance of
taking responsibility for gathering information that will inform
their college choice decisions. Just as we ask the students
Making the process less daunting can be as simple as
to do their own research on colleges, the same holds
asking the family to consider some basic questions.
true for parents and financial aid. Our job is to point
We have a responsibility to our clients to ensure they
them in the right direction: encourage them to utilize
understand what their college financial obligations are
financial aid calculators, speak to financial aid officers,
likely to be. In short, have they discussed how the cost
and understand their own financial resources and what
of college fits into the ultimate decision? Here are some
they can contribute from income and assets. If they do
essential topics that need to be considered at home:
not have sufficient resources to pay the full cost, how
Have you had a family discussion about what is
affordable and how much you are prepared to pay for
college? How important is price in the decision process?
do they anticipate borrowing? Have they considered the
monthly loan repayment, both theirs and their child’s, and
what percentage of income this might represent?
This question is an icebreaker. It neither suggests one single right
Will the awarding of merit scholarships by a college be one
answer, nor makes any assumptions about the family’s financial
criterion in the search process? Would a large merit award alter
situation. It merely raises the point that this is a topic most families
your decision-making?
Quite often parents initially dismiss the possibility that their student
could qualify for non-need based aid. They mistakenly assume
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that merit money is only awarded to students with top grades
and test scores. So at intake we look for possible merit “hooks.”
Is the student willing to consider colleges where they will bring
geographic diversity, provide a needed talent in the arts, or have
a track record of great leadership or service? Getting a family to
understand how merit monies are awarded can allay fears and may
even motivate a student to push harder to achieve one’s dreams.
Have you given thought to other current and future family financial
obligations?
Taking it year by year is not a good strategy. Encourage parents
to look at the entire four years and beyond. Will other children be
attending college in the future? How close are parents to retirement?
Will the student likely attend graduate school?
So why make paying for college a part of your service offerings?
Because parents look to us to make them aware of all aspects of
the college process. In fact, being knowledgeable about affordability
can be another aspect of our service that sets us apart! The cost
of college is increasingly a concern for our families and can no
longer be avoided. We put families at ease by covering the bases,
for ultimately they fear what they don’t know as much as we do. As
independent educational consultants, we want to make sure that
families have options. This means including colleges on the list that
are likely to be affordable. Yet just as we make no guarantees about
college admissions, we cannot guarantee financial aid. We can,
however, demystify the process and encourage families to consider
a range of schools that offer different financial options. And, besides,
most of our offices are too small for an elephant.
Jane and Betsy are members of IECA’s Ad Hoc Financial Aid Committee
8 IECA INSIGHTS
October / November 2013
Special Focus
Personality and Career Assessments in College
Admissions Consulting
by Julie Raynor Gross, IECA (NY)
Nicole’s father called me on December 5, asking
if I could work with his daughter on her college
essays. I was impressed. “So she’s applying
in a year, and wants to start now?” I asked.
“No!” replied the father,” she’s been very busy
doing science research, and is applying in three
weeks!” I was concerned.
Nicole was a classic researcher. In the
parlance of Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Nicole was an
ISTP. The MBTI is based on the psychological theories of Carl
Jung, a disciple of Freud, expanded into a reliable assessment
tool by the mother-daughter team of Katherine Myers and Isabella
Briggs. The MBTI posits that there are four preference dimensions
of innate personality:
• Source of energy and stimulation: Extroversion vs. Introversion
(E or I)
• Ways of gathering information: Intuition vs. Sensing (N or S)
• Way of making decisions: Feeling vs. Thinking (F or T)
• Lifestyle: Perceiving vs. Judging (P or J)
Nicole had the combined dimensions of Introversion, Sensing,
Thinking and Perceiving. This means that Nicole has a preference for:
• Introversion: deriving energy and stimulation from within; having
quiet, reflective time instead of social time with others; pursuing a
few activities in depth instead of a breadth of many activities.
• Sensing: Gathering information from her five senses; focusing on
the present, the literal, rather than looking for abstract meanings,
or imagining future possibilities.
• Thinking: Preferring to make decisions based on objective data and
details; not on subjective, personal values.
• Perceiving: Going with the flow, letting new information inform
decisions; not following deadlines or seeking closure.
Understanding Nicole’s personality would be a key component to
helping her succeed in the college admissions process. Certainly,
Nicole’s preference for Perceiving enabled her to conduct exhaustive
research until the last minute so that she could incorporate the latest
scientific results. But this preference for not following deadlines
resulted in her last-minute rush to complete college applications!
continued on page 10
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October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 9
Special Focus
Personality, from page 9
Nicole spent most of her free time in the chemistry lab doing
research. She had only one hobby, Scrabble, and she was enormously
passionate about it. She spent her free time entering national
Scrabble contests. When I asked Nicole to explain how she won
competitions, her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t stop talking about all
the word tricks she used, and all the knowledge she had gained.
We decided during our essay brainstorming session that Nicole would
focus her Personal Statement on Scrabble. Since so much of Nicole’s
application would portray her academic strengths, Scrabble would
add more personal depth.
Nicole’s first draft was like an
encyclopedia of Scrabble tips: how to
find all the two-letter words that could
come in handy, how to memorize all the
“ing” words that could expand a word
and produce a double bonus, and so on.
This approach is typical of individuals
who prefer Sensing and Thinking—
gathering information from their senses,
and making decisions based on objective
criteria. But while this approach was ideal for science research, it did
not lend itself well to writing a “personal” essay!
I encouraged Nicole to utilize her less-preferred functions of Intuition
and Feeling in order to provide a fuller picture of herself. Through
the use of Intuition, she could discuss how she applies her Scrabble
tricks to other areas, such as her recognition of patterns to help
decipher meaning in her chemistry research results. Through the use
of Feeling, she could dig deeper into the emotions elicited by her
mastery of Scrabble and her interpersonal experiences at the contests.
Although her initial essay was quite interesting (and has helped my
Scrabble game!), her final essay reflected more depth and provided
a fuller portrait of her character and personality. Nicole is now a
Chemistry major at Columbia University, and her goal is to obtain a
Ph.D. and become a professor and researcher.
The two middle letters of MBTI type—your preferences for gathering
information and making decisions—are your “functions,” and are
considered “the heart of type.” Functions correlate with preferred
fields in academics and careers. For example, people with an “ST”
preference, like Nicole, tend to approach life in a practical way, and are
drawn to technical careers, such as engineering, scientific research,
and accounting. People with “NF” preferences tend to seek careers in
which they can empower others through meaningful relationships and
communication, such as counseling, healing and educating.
Knowing the fields most correlated to type can help you guide your
students’ exploration—especially when used in combination with the
Strong Interest Inventory. The Strong is the leading tool for evaluating
individuals’ interests in academics, extracurricular activities, and careers.
The Strong is based on John Holland’s theory of vocational psychology,
which posits that there are six themes of personality that correspond to
six themes of work environments. Here’s a quick description:
• Realistic: The “Doers.” Motivated to use physical skill; enjoy fixing,
repairing, and building things; prefer work environments that are
physical, product-driven, with clear lines of authority.
10 IECA INSIGHTS
• Investigative: The “Thinkers.” Motivated to analyze; enjoy
conducting research, solving problems, creating new ideas, and
working independently; prefer unstructured work environments
that are research-oriented, intellectual, and academic.
• Artistic: The “Creators.” Motivated to express creativity; enjoy
writing, music, performance, and design; prefer unstructured work
environments with the opportunity to be self-expressive, aesthetic
and idealistic.
• Social: The “Helpers.” Motivated to help others; enjoy
encouraging, teaching, and working collaboratively; prefer work
environments that are supportive, cooperative, idealistic and
relationship-based.
• Enterprising: The “Persuaders.” Motivated to persuade others;
enjoy managing people and projects; enjoy taking risks; prefer
work environments that are competitive, fast-paced and
entrepreneurial.
• Conventional: The “Organizers.” Motivated to organize; enjoy
organizing data and projects, creating reports, charts and graphs;
prefer work environments that are organized, structured, practical
and hierarchical.
During my first consultation with Matt, a current senior, he took out
a deck of cards, shuffled while we were talking and performed his
magic! He has trained intensely for five years, attends a magic camp
every summer, and is a semi-professional magician.
Through our Strong
interpretation sessions, we
verified Matt’s interests
in the RIASEC themes of
AES—Artistic, Enterprising
and Social. He expresses his
Artistic-Social preferences by
using his creativity with magic
to connect with people. But
he had not yet identified his
enjoyment of the Enterprising theme until we explored it further.
I encouraged Matt to begin his own magic company, develop a
website to advertise, and perform at parties and restaurants. This
has proven to be very lucrative, and more importantly, has provided
a terrific growth opportunity for Matt to develop his skills in business
management and relating to people. Matt is now interested in
pursuing business as a major in college.
Throughout my career as an independent educational consultant,
the MBTI and Strong assessments have served as powerful tools.
I help students use knowledge of their personality and interests
to inform choices of academics, activities, and colleges. Clients
can better understand their preferences for all facets of their life,
including relationships, learning style, teamwork—even essays
and interviews! As an ENFJ, I take particular enjoyment in helping
students grow and reach their potential. And, of course, in
representing themselves as strongly and authentically as possible
in the college admissions process!
Julie is a Master Practitioner of the MBTI and Strong
Interest Inventory
October / November 2013
Special Focus
Preparing Students for a New Era of Admission Testing
by Jed Applerouth, Founder, Applerouth Tutoring Services
Epic changes are transforming the landscape
of college admissions testing. The proverbial
king (the SAT) has lost his crown, ambitious
new players are entering the fray, time-honored
testing constructs are being abandoned and the
Common Core State Standards are poised to
redefine our very definitions of student success.
On top of this, new technologies promise to
revolutionize how we conceptualize standardized
tests. For the test-o-philes out there, this is a time of excitement, laden
with possibility; for legions of parents and students, this time is marked
by uncertainty and mild anxiety. “What does all this mean for me? What
do I need to know to be prepared?”
The mercurial SAT and its steadfast younger sibling, the ACT, have
dominated the testing landscape for decades. While the ACT largely
remains faithful to its original 1959 form, the SAT continues to deviate
even further from its 1926 origins. Since my personal introduction to the
SAT in 1987, antonyms, quantitative comparisons and analogies have all
departed, making room for more advanced math and the Writing section.
ACT, Inc. rather than toying with its flagship test’s content, focused its
efforts on better marketing and statewide partnerships—all the while
touting the ACT’s superior alignment to the high school curriculum. These
game-changing statewide initiatives have worked: in 2012, the ACT finally
dethroned the SAT and became the most popular test in the country.
The ascension of the ACT reveals a fundamental shift in the ethos of
American college admissions testing. Whereas Carl Brigham designed
the SAT with aptitude and innate intelligence in mind, as an assessment
that would be divorced from the high school curriculum, Everett Franklin
Lindquist envisioned the ACT as a direct measurement of scholastic
achievement. Lindquist’s model has come to dominate the industry, and
with every new formulation of the SAT, aptitude-oriented question types
are becoming scarcer. The message is clear: align with the high school
curriculum or get out of the game.
Though we’ve become accustomed to the SAT-ACT duopoly, two
upstarts may soon crowd the field of college admissions testing. PARCC
and Smarter Balanced, both multi-state testing consortia funded by the
Department of Education, aim to provide more accurate assessments
for the students of the 21st century. If these consortia develop tests
more closely aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
and more predictive of collegiate performance, their assessments could
outright replace the SAT and ACT.
continued on page 13
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IECA INSIGHTS 11
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12 IECA INSIGHTS
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October / November 2013
Special Focus
Testing, from page 11
These changes have forced the SAT and ACT into a race to align with
the “Common Core.” Of the two assessments, the ACT is several steps
ahead of the SAT (though not nearly so well aligned as its marketing
materials would have one believe). While the SAT and ACT certainly
cover material that is relevant to many standards, they rarely capture
more than a superficial indication of whether a student has mastered
a standard. This isn’t really that surprising: the tests have never before
claimed to be comprehensive tests of everything students learn in high
school. The fact that they are now racing to do so with their forced
mappings to the CCSS is a testament to the volatility of the times. The
tests are on the ropes, and both the College Board and ACT, Inc. must
now buy time by touting “alignment”; feverishly write new, modern
tests; and jockey for position so that when the future of testing finally
arrives, they’ll still be a part of it.
its passage-based “vocabulary-in-context” questions, as this
practice adheres directly to the CCSS.
We may also see an expansion of the types of passages tested on the
Critical Reading section. The current SAT almost never incorporates
passages that test students on their science literacy. Not only is this
a “Common Core” standard (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12), but it’s
something the ACT already tests in both its Science and Reading
sections. Don’t be surprised if science passages with tables make
their way into the Critical Reading section of the SAT.
Interestingly, the test-writers seem to be experimenting with
longer-format Critical Reading sections. One of my New Jerseybased colleagues informed me that the College Board has been
administering 40-minute Critical Reading sections to students at high
schools near the Princeton, NJ headquarters, rather than the standard
25-minute sections currently found on the SAT. Some of these
experimental tests even included poetry-based reading passages,
which traditionally have lived only on the Literature SAT Subject
test. We’ll see if the longer sections or new content survive the betatesting phase, but this is certainly something to keep on the radar.
Math
To better mirror the high school curriculum, SAT math will most
certainly get harder, covering more advanced concepts. The current
test puts excessive focus on 8th and 9th grade math—algebra,
continued on page 14
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Anticipating the New SAT
By hiring a new president, David Coleman, who played a leading role
in developing the Common Core State Standards for math and literacy,
the College Board signaled that alignment with the CCSS would be a
top institutional priority. Within months of Coleman’s appointment, the
College Board shelved its planned update to the best-selling Official
Guide to the SAT, and redirected its resources towards reconfiguring
the organization’s flagship SAT assessment.
What specific modifications can we anticipate from the forthcoming
SAT? Through numerous statements and one particularly revealing
interview at the Brookings Institution, Coleman has spelled out the
major changes that are in the works.
Critical Reading
Perhaps the most fundamental change we can anticipate will be
the departure of esoteric vocabulary from the Critical Reading
section. Following the eradication of antonyms in 1994 and the
extirpation of analogies in 2005, sentence completions appear to
be the final vocabulary-laden question type on the chopping block
for 2015. Coleman wants to swap out rarefied vocabulary words
for those that are more likely to serve students in their college
courses. Out with “antediluvian,” “picayune,” and “sybarite”;
in with “transform, deliberate, [&] hypothesis.” We can also
anticipate the SAT will continue to test basic vocabulary through
October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 13
Special Focus
Testing, from page 13
arithmetic, geometry—and includes psychometric, IQ-type questions
that don’t directly map to the high school curriculum. In the new
test, every question will need to map to a Common Core standard;
more math topics will be covered, but the questions will likely be less
“tricky” and more familiar.
Writing
I anticipate multiple choice grammar and rhetorical skill questions
will undergo few substantive changes, as these question types
currently align well with the CCSS. Perhaps the SAT will add
more punctuation or test more grammar rules in context, rather
than in one-off sentence improvements. However, these changes
would take the SAT ever closer to the ACT, and further blur the
distinction between the two tests.
The essay will likely move from an exercise in creative writing
wherein students can make up facts at their pleasure, towards a
model that mandates fidelity to established facts, approximating the
Document-Based Question model of AP History exams. Students will
need to write compelling essays that draw from available evidence: a
skill far more valuable for college students.
GMAT and GRE for years, I know this will take students some getting
used to.
I anticipate that the earliest iterations of the digital ACT will deviate
little from the paper-based version of the test, but later versions will
incorporate innovative digital question types such as those revealed
on the 2011 GRE and 2012 GMAT exams. In particular, we may see
ACT questions similar to those in the integrated reasoning section of
the GMAT, which allows students to transform and manipulate charts,
tables, and graphs to generate inferences from multiple data sources.
This screams “ACT Science section”! The end-game of going digital is
a level of interactivity that will fundamentally transform the experience
of test-taking. Jon Erikson, president of ACT, Inc.’s educational division,
painted a picture of this final stage in which the Science section of the
ACT will test students by having them conduct their own digital science
experiments in a virtual lab that is literally at the students’ fingertips.
That’s a new era of testing.
In Closing
Thanks to healthy competition in the testing marketplace, change is
coming, and the announced changes seem largely beneficial for our
kids. The new SAT and ACT should correlate more highly with high
school performance and serve as more accurate predictors of college
performance. When the dust settles, will there be one test to rule them
all? Will high school evaluative tests and college admissions tests
merge into one, reducing rather than expanding the testing demands
on our kids? For now, we can only wait and see.
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Potential SAT Release Date
I anticipate a new SAT no later than the spring of 2015, and
potentially sooner. In 1994 and 2005, when the College Board
unveiled “new” SATs in March, it released “new” PSATs the prior
October to facilitate the transition. We’ll know soon enough if the
College Board will repeat this pattern for 2014-2015.
Anticipating the New ACT
The College Board’s announcement of a new SAT was matched, and
potentially trumped, by ACT, Inc.’s announcement that a digital ACT
will be available by 2015. The ACT, Inc.’s announcement heralds a sea
change in the world of admission testing: going digital allows a shift
from static, multiple choice questions towards a more adaptive and
interactive testing experience. One example of the new question types
enabled by digital testing can be found on PARCC’s website. This digital
question form obviates many traditional test-taking strategies such as
working backwards or “plugging in.” Additionally students will need
to adapt to reading on a screen, losing the ability to read actively by
marking up the test booklet as they go. Having coached the digital
14 IECA INSIGHTS
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October / November 2013
Special Focus
How Do I Love Thee? Demonstrated Interest
and How Colleges Count the Ways
by Lisa Rubin-Johnson, IECA Student Member (MA)
What is “Demonstrated Interest”?
Source: Retooling the Enrollment Funnel: Strategies and
Metrics for a New Era, Noel-Levitz, Inc., 2009
Demonstrated Interest has grown in
importance in the college process over the
past decade. [see the results of IECA’s recent
survey on page 1] According to the NACAC
2011 Factors in the Admissions Decision
Report and a report by the Chronicle of Higher
Education on the Dynamics of Demonstrated
Interest, a total of 50% of all colleges consider
Demonstrated
Interest of Moderate Importance (30%) to
Considerable Importance (21%, up from
only 7% in 2003) in making admissions
decisions. Increasing numbers of colleges
are tracking demonstrated interest for
their Strategic Management Enrollment
(SEM) programs.
“Demonstrated Interest” is a term used by
colleges to describe actions by a student
that gauge how much he/she wants to
attend their college. Every contact action
by a student is tracked by the college
to summarize the student expressing
to the college “how much I love you.”
Demonstrated Interest is one of the factors
measured in the Common Data Set (Section
C7), and can improve a student’s chance
of acceptance. Demonstrated Interest can
be shown at various entry points in the
SEM Funnel diagram
Strategic Enrollment Management Funnel
(SEM Funnel) and is tracked using software
by colleges. Students can show demonstrated interest in the top three
sections of the SEM Funnel—Prospects, Inquiries, and Applicants—plus
during the waitlist process. The purpose of an effective SEM Funnel
is to advance the student from the prospect pool into the subsequent
levels towards acceptance and enrollment. In order to remain
successful in today’s competitive college landscape, colleges need to
use new metrics and tracking systems and improve the design of their
targeted communications plan to attract the type of students they wish
to enroll and accurately gauge which students are likely to accept an
admit decision.
How Do Colleges Track Demonstrated Interest?
On June 19, 2013 in the Huffington Post, college enrollment expert and
executive vice president of Augustana College in Illinois, Ken Barnds,
created a buzz in higher education by blogging details of how college
admissions offices spend large sums of money to track student data
including demonstrated interest, using sophisticated data-mining
software. In addition to purchasing names of students and their data
from list providers like the College Board and ACT, pulling a student’s
financial information off their website’s Net Price Calculator, and
even looking at the position of colleges listed on a student’s FAFSA,
colleges also pay a lot of attention to actions showing Demonstrated
Interest. Since yield is crucial to the ratings and economic success of
colleges, all this data gets entered into the college’s SEM Funnel to
predict which students will ultimately matriculate. Higher education
research has proven, statistically, that students who demonstrate the
most interest during the college process translate into students who
are most likely to enroll at their institution. Sophisticated mathematical
formulas in the SEM software track every contact a student makes—or
does not make—totals weighted points for each demonstrated interest
action, and then a code is assigned to each student which is used for
their admissions decision. Often the biggest points go for actions like
Facebook “likes” and tweets about the college.
Mr. Barnds states: “From day one, a student who called, emailed
or wrote a letter requesting information may receive more care and
attention during the recruitment process. Why? Big data reminds us
that the student took the initiative and sought our college out. We say
thanks to big data.” (See what happened when my student did this
under #2 “Request Info” in the list of 13 Ways to Demonstrate Interest.)
Students need to approach the college process understanding that
every interaction with a college—called a “Demonstrated Interest
Trail”—may be tracked and given points towards their admission
decision. Even when a student is working on the Common Application
and has entered a working list of colleges, any data entered like
academics /GPA/standardized test scores, activities, and financial status
continued on page 17
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October / November 2013
Special Focus
Demonstrated Interest, from page 15
can be mined and given points by the SEM software. If a student wants
to keep this information private, much like their Facebook, they should
change their profile so this information cannot be shared. Colleges are
always watching and counting!
How can an IEC or student find out how much a college cares about
Demonstrated Interest?
The Common Data Set (CDS), a common form which most colleges
complete each year, is a compilation of data that includes, among
other information, admissions and enrollment data from the college.
Section C7 - “Relative Importance of Common Academic and NonAcademic Admission Criteria” lists factors important in the freshman
admission decision, including “Level of Applicant’s Interest.” Different
colleges have different relative importance of factors.
Acredited.
College-Prep.
Online.
13 Ways Students Can Demonstrate Interest (in order of the college process)
1. Recruitment Material: Respond early to recruitment mailings and
emails from colleges to get on mailing lists.
2. Request Info: Fill out “Request Info” form on college admission
websites to get on mailing lists. (Note: My practicum student did
this for Tulane and received an email back the same day saying
thank you and his admissions fee would be waived.)
3. Become “College Literate”: Research college websites to become
literate about specific strengths and signature programs at each
school in preparation to talk with college representatives on
campus, online, or by phone.
4. College Fairs: Attend College Fairs, ask questions, and sign up for
more info or give the college rep your card.
5. Contact Local Admissions Rep: Contact the college’s local
admissions rep and start to develop name recognition.
Consider setting up a Google e-mail account for college
correspondence with your photo attached to put a face to
the name.
6. Social Media: “Like” the college’s Facebook page or other social
media. Be careful with this if you have a Facebook page with any
inappropriate comments in the news feed. Admissions officers can
also find you this way.
7. Campus Visits: Sign up for and attend campus tours and
information sessions. Many colleges pay attention to the efforts
that students take to visit their college, especially full pay students.
According the The Chronicle of Higher Education, many colleges
will not accept students if they have not taken the time to visit
their campus if it is within six hours of the student’s home. Some
colleges waive the admissions fee if the student comes for a
campus tour. Always try to find out who the local admissions rep
is while at a campus visit, and ask for his/her card.
8. College Interviews: Interviewing with either an alumni interviewer,
and especially an admissions officer, puts your face to the name
on your application, and gives you the opportunity to talk about
your strengths and how they would fit with the strengths and
mission of the school, which you have already researched.
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9. Supplemental Essays: A targeted supplemental essay showing
you understand the strengths and programs of the college to
which you are applying and how it fits with your strengths will
show admissions that you will be a good match for their school. If
continued on page 18
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October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 17
Special Focus
Demonstrated Interest, from page 17
you really feel that this college is your first choice, state it clearly in
the supplement.
10. Apply EA or ED, REA or SEA: Applying Early Decision shows the
college that the student believes this is the best fit college for them.
Applying Early Action, although non-binding, shows proactivity in
the process and interest in the college. Restricted Early Action, an
option for colleges like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, is similar to ED
except it is non-binding, but restricts the applicant from applying
early to any other private college, so in that way it shows singular
focus. Selective Early Action is an option at Tulane (which offers EA
and SEA), and lets the student tell the school just how interested
they are without the decision being binding. Acceptance rates are
usually higher for Early Applications; however, the applicant pool is
usually stronger.
11.Apply Before Any Deadline Date: Instead of waiting until the
deadline date to submit an application, submitting an early Rolling
Admissions application or any other type of EA/ED/RD application
in the weeks before the deadline gives some admissions offices
a chance to consider your application first and make a decision
before the rush of other applications. As a Cornell admissions rep
stated this year, “Better to be the #2 tuba player considered than
the #20 tuba player.”
12. Thank You notes or e-mails: If an admissions officer or alumni
interviewer has either interviewed you or been of help in answering
questions, students should at the very least send a thank you email
and preferably a hand-written and mailed note. Since hand-written
notes are a dying tradition, this will especially make the student
stand out for the effort they took. Plus, it is the polite thing to do!
13. Waitlist: If a student is waitlisted and interested in attending a
college, he/she should mail their waitlist reply card ASAP and
discuss with their high school counselor and IEC the best way
to communicate with the college during the waitlist period.
Generally, I recommend a student write a note to the school
including any new information that would show positive progress
and reiterate interest, and then follow up with another short
note about a month later. Even if the student does not get off the
waitlist, they can look back on the process and know that they did
everything in their power to communicate their interest.
Final Recommendations
When in doubt, students should always demonstrate interest
in as many appropriate ways as possible, as most colleges will
track their interest and give them points in the SEM Funnel.
Students should also be very aware about how colleges track their
information, and protect their information if desired.
Note: Students and IECs must remember that the PGP mandate
that applications accurately reflect student achievement and
interest. Students should never seek to ‘game the system’ by
seeking to imply a commitment to a college that does not exist.
This is a shortened version of the full article, which can be found in
IECA’s Education Center library: www.IECAonline.com/library.html
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18 IECA INSIGHTS
October / November 2013
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IECA INSIGHTS 19
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October / November 2013
Myth Busters
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True or False? Obtaining professional references for the IECA
membership application is tough because the Membership
Committee wants to see prestigious names from admission offices.
False. What the Committee would like to see from a reference is
information giving a sense of your professionalism, knowledge,
and commitment to the profession and ethics of independent
educational consulting.
The best collection of references (three are required for Professional
Membership) come from a diverse group of professionals.
Having at least one reference from an admission officer with
whom you have worked is always a plus. That is easier in a school
or therapeutic placement, but most applicants for professional
membership have established a professional relationship with a
college rep who is their regional representative. Other educational
professionals are also valuable: those who specialize in LD
placements may find the director of a learning center on campus to
be a more knowledgeable source.
Co-workers, especially those with whom you have worked in a
school setting, are often great references, able to communicate
information about your work ethic, knowledge, thoroughness,
and more. For applicants who have worked in a large firm, having
the principal IEC or managing partner serve as a reference can
be valuable. The best reference in this regard would include
an explanation of the work of the applicant, their specific
responsibilities, and how the reference assisted the applicant in
advising client families.
Those who have had a mentor—whether an IECA member or not—
should include him/her as one of their references. The mentor has
a great deal of information about the evolution of the applicant’s
practice, the nature of the questions raised, and the way the
applicant approaches clients and placements. All this can be part of
a great reference.
References from a client family are valuable as well. The best
references from clients explain the capacity in which they worked
with the applicant, the role the IEC played with the students
and the family, and provides some insight into the working
relationship. Some references have come from community
members with whom the applicant has worked, but are strongest
when the writer has seen the IEC work with students and can attest
to the nature of this work.
In addition, of value is a reference from an IECA member. Although
never required, a testimonial from someone who is an IECA
Professional Member, who can speak to the applicants’ professional
development, types of questions, ethics, and the like, often makes
for a strong statement.
The best advice is to let your references know that a form will be
emailed to them from IECA, and to ask them to respond in a timely
fashion so your application does not get delayed.
October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 21
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One Brennan Circle
Poultney, VT 05764
22 IECA INSIGHTS
800 776 6675
[email protected]
October / November 2013
Why I’m Thrilled to be a Summer Training
Institute Alum
by Stephanie Palubicki Kennedy, IECA Associate (IL)
By definition, the occupation of an
Independent Educational Consultant can be
a lonely job. We tend to work alone or in
small partnerships, unaffiliated with the large
corporate conglomerate, the school district or
even an office! If you’re like me, you chose
this environment for any number of reasons:
flexibility of hours, opportunity to build your
own business, love of the helping professions, freedom from office
politics, and more.
In the day-to-day work, you’re on your own! As I started my
business one year ago, I relied on my own (somewhat rusty)
experience, education, and professional background, I sought out
tons of information from the Internet, I worked with a business
5. Time. In starting your own business, you’re the ONE employee,
charged with ALL the jobs: marketing, planning, counseling,
research, promotions, etc. Who has time to make friends!?
coach, and I talked to friends. I turned to no one as a colleague in
Fortunately, my lonely, late night, online research kept leading
the profession. Why? Well, I suppose for several reasons:
me back to the professional organizations for IECs. I wavered,
1. Pride. If I’m experienced as I say I am, why should I need other
thinking that I didn’t yet have the funds to invest in such luxuries as
professionals to help me?
2. Competition. If I let the others know what I’m doing, they’ll see
me as competition, then I’ll be sunk.
3. Negative reactions. When I meekly sought out my local high
school guidance counselors as comrades, they politely but
clearly placed IECs in a world apart. “Why would anyone pay for
services that our schools provide for free?” I wasn’t yet sure of
the answer.
4. Fear of failure. If I exposed myself to other professionals out
professional memberships, conferences at pricey hotels, or traveling
across the country for a training institute. Yet, I was pretty sure that
I’d enjoy such an affiliation.
Tentatively, I attended the IECA Chicago Spring Conference (because
it was nearby). Everyone at the conference was promoting this IECA
Summer Training Institute (STI). What hype, I thought! But, their
enthusiasm was sincere, so I wanted it, too. Lucky me, I got in!
Mid-July, I trekked off to beautiful Swarthmore College for the
IECA Summer Training Institute, but with a distinct sense of guilt
continued on page 24
there, I’d be running a huge risk that I might not measure up!
In Memory
Long-time IECA
Radcliffe College. Following his work in admissions, Deke became
colleague David
the assistant director of The Boston Foundation. In 1977 he returned
(Deke) Smith passed
to Harvard as senior development officer. In addition to his work,
away recently. Deke
he founded and coached the Harvard cycling team, and he was an
was an early
advisor, mentor, and friend to many of his students. In 1986 Deke
member of IECA and
left Harvard to start his own independent educational consulting
an active member
practice. He worked in this capacity until shortly before his death.
over the years,
serving on the Board
of Directors. He was
a kind and wonderful
IEC to hundreds and
hundreds of students.
Deke began his career as a math and Latin teacher at the Groton
School in Massachusetts and then moved to Harvard where he
was director of admission, and subsequently dean of admission at
In 1991, Deke married another IECA member, Nancy Knocke, and
the two enjoyed working together in Smith Educational Consulting.
Deke is survived by Nancy, his three daughters, two cousins and six
grandchildren. In addition he leaves Nancy’s two daughters, Alison
Forbes of Portsmouth, New Hampshire (also an IECA member) and
Ashley Bowles of Edina, Minnesota.
Although soon moving to Portland, Oregon, Nancy can be reached at
5 Heron Drive, Topsham, ME 04086 October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 23
Summer Training Institute, from page 23
for taking time
and money from
my family and
business for
what I expected
to be a personal
vacation.
Despite the
summer
surroundings
and casual
attire, this was
no vacation!
This was an
immersion
falling prey to just any new product I come across.
• I know that my true “competition” is not other IECs, but only the
limitations I set for myself.
• Real mentors (assigned and unassigned) are just a phone call or
email away!
• I am already a success. I’m growing my business one confident
step at a time, and I will not fail.
• I have found my professional “home,” that place to be myself and
get advice and support. I have found “my people”!
So, all the excitement I heard at conference about STI was not
just marketing “hype.” It’s all true! It’s fun, informative, fulfilling,
and worth every penny and moment I invested. Thanks IECA for
providing this great opportunity!
experience…a series of crash courses in Successful Educational
Consulting 101 through 499, with Financial Aid Consulting as an
elective! Morning ‘til evening, we participated in informationpacked lectures and laboratory-like interactive sessions, learning the
standards, the grind, the vision, the reward, all from the pros. I have
150 pages of notes to prove it. I gained so much!
What did I learn?
1. My fellow IECs suffer similar anxieties as I do about my
business, at least to some degree. I’m not alone in that.
2. Because we tend to be “counselors” at heart, many IECs don’t
love marketing their businesses. I’m not alone in that.
3. My business is real, and I’m on the right track. I may not be
running a profit yet, but I’m doing the right tasks, using the
proper tools (and acquiring the newest in the field as well), and
I’m not alone in this business!
4. Everyone at IECA wants to help us newbies! They freely
give advice and share their business secrets! I am part of a
community, not an island!
If not for STI, I’d still be wallowing in the mud of Internet research,
seeking virtual professional connections.
Because of STI:
• I’m moving forward in my business, fast, with confidence, knowing
where to turn for new resources.
• I am on the cutting edge of my profession with knowledge of the
present and vision for the future.
• I have day-to-day support from my IECA colleagues.
• I have readily accessible resources and a business model to
guide me.
• I have colleagues, now friends, to join me on college visits, both
locally and across the country.
2013-14 Member
Status Changes
The following Professional
Members were on Inactive
status last year and
have reactivated their
memberships:
Robert Bilello (MA)
Candice Grella (NY)
Farron Peatross (TN)
The following Professional
Members have retired from
or are closing their IEC
practices, or are no longer
working as an IEC. (See the
list of Members Emeritus
in the back of the 2013-14
IECA Directory.)
Robert Burroughs (OH)
C.W. Clark (WA)
Mary Consoli (TN)
Corey Fischer (VA)
Diane Forman (NJ)
Elizabeth Hall (TX)
Linda Jacobs (WA)
Barbara Kenefick (CT)
George Kirkpatrick (GA)
Phyllis Kozokoff (OH)
Priscilla Lewis (MA)
Lynn Luckenbach (MI)
Tamiko Nakamura Hamamoto (Japan)
Suzan Reznick (NY)
Kim Rubin (NM)
Marla Simon (CA)
Amy Smith (TX)
Susan Storzum (TX)
Laurie Teagan (MO)
The following Professional
Members have chosen
Inactive status for the 201314 membership year, as
they are taking temporary
leaves of absence from their
IEC practices:
Janelle Braverman (FL)
Peggy Keeling Jewett (MN)
Louise Kreiner (MA)
Lori McGlone (CA)
Lisa McLaughlin (CA)
Jennifer Meeker (PA)
Tamara Warner Minton (TX)
Larry Stednitz (CA)
The following are no longer
affiliated with IECA:
Margaret Amott
Barbara Brooks
Ock Kyung Chun
Tom Croke
Miriam Gardner-Engel
Michelle Kim
Melissa Mose
Michele Radcliffe
The new membership directories were
mailed in late September.
• I’m making wise and efficient investments in my business, not
24 IECA INSIGHTS
October / November 2013
Introductions
Please Welcome IECA’s New Professional Members
James Brown (CT) has worked as an IEC
Lisa Temkin (IL) has worked as an IEC
Perry Youngblood (NC) has worked as an
for three years. His
for five years. She
IEC for four years. He
previously worked
previously worked
worked at AT&T for 26
as assistant head of
as an admissions
years, implementing
Stanwich School in
coordinator for College
new technology and
Greenwich, Connecticut;
Living Experience, as
information systems;
middle school head at
an intern in student
as a management
Browning School in
services for Niles North
consultant in the
New York city; middle school director at
High School college resource center, and in
telecom industry; and as a high school
Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York; and
retail management.
math and science teacher, and SAT tutor.
Lisa earned an M.S. in School Counseling
Perry earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering
Jim earned an M.A. from Teachers College
from National-Louis University, and a B.A.
from NC State. He attended IECA’s 2010
at Columbia University and a B.S. from the
in Commercial Photography from Southern
Summer Training Institute.
University of Maine.
Illinois University. She attended IECA’s 2008
a teacher at Eagle Hill School in Greenwich.
He supports Reach Prep, an organization
that helps Latino and black students
from lower economic backgrounds
get academically prepared and gain
acceptances into independent day and
boarding schools.
Jim is married and has three children.
Summer Training Institute.
Lisa is a member of IACAC.
He is married to Paula, and they
have two sons, Bill and Dan; and
She volunteers as commissioner on
two grandsons, Billy, who graduated
the Highland Park Historic Preservation
this year from Trinity (CT) and Pat, a
Commission, serves on the board of Ravinia
sophomore at Lynchburg College.
Neighbors Association, and volunteers with
Envisions Scholars, a non-profit that assists
underserved high school students with the
James P. Brown, M.A.
Browns Educational Consultants
19 East Elm Street
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-661-2483
www.brownsec.com
[email protected]
Specialty: S
Perry is a member of NACAC.
college application process.
Perry enjoys playing golf, biking,
reading, playing the trombone, and
identifying all the flora and fauna in his
backyard and pond.
Lisa and her husband, Ken, have been
married for almost 29 years. They have
lived in Highland Park for 19 years and
have a son, Andrew, 24, and a daughter,
Lizzy, 22. Lisa enjoys cycling, traveling, and
researching the history of old buildings.
William Perry Youngblood
Youngblood College Consulting
150 Quail Hollow Drive
Pinehurst, NC 28374
910-528-5595
[email protected]
www.perryyoungblood.com
Specialty: C
Lisa Temkin M.S.
Global Educational Consultants
660 De Tamble Avenue
Highland Park IL 60035
847-644-6673
[email protected]
www.gloeducon.com
Specialty: C
October / November 2013
IECA INSIGHTS 25
On the Road
Advertisement
This fall brought IECA to two events with key constituencies:
In mid-September, IECA engaged in a number of activities
during the National Association for College Admission
Counseling annual conference. During the week in Toronto,
IECA members Steve Antonoff (CO) and Judy Berg (NJ), along
with CEO Mark Sklarow, taught a full-day Transitioning to
Private Practice seminar. Attending were admission officers and
school-based counselors looking to develop an independent
college consulting practice.
An opening lunch, exclusively for IECA members and admission
officers, attracted hundreds where IECA President Marilyn
Emerson (NY) and Mark Sklarow shared information on an
effective working partnership and a new program to assist
under-served students. Hundreds visited the IECA Booth in
the Exhibit Hall, where we handed out IECA tote bags and
information about IECA/college relations.
For the first time, IECA also exhibited at the U.S. Psychiatric
Congress national gathering in Las Vegas. We took part with
the goal of educating psychologists, psychiatrists, family
therapists, and others about the role of an IEC in securing a
good placement. Working in the IECA booth were volunteer
members Linda Cain (CO), Dana Dean Doering (WA), Nancy
Greene (PA), Pam Jobin (CO), Karen Mabie (IL), Steve Migden
(NY) and IECA Associate member Sarah Persha (OR).
Campus Visits
Send us photos of your campus visits; Tweet your pictures
using #IECA and win a special IECA gift!
IECA Associate members Sue Crump (PA), Beth Fuson (MD), Mary
Harkins (PA), and Evelyn Alexander (CA) recently participated in a
NJACAC bus tour of colleges in New Jersey.
26 IECA INSIGHTS
There’s more than one way to see campuses! Bill Dingledine
(SC) and Jane Klemmer (NY) cycled through upstate New York
and Vermont in July, joining the College Counselor Bike Tour
D’Admission for its annual college road trip.
October / November 2013
In the News
Advertisement
C o m i n g Fa L L 2 0 1 4
Send your press clips to Sarah Brachman, Manager of
Communications, at [email protected]
Lisa Bleich (NJ), Don McMillan (MA) and Janet Rosier (CT) were
interviewed and quoted in the New York Times article, College
Enrollment Falls as Economy Recovers on July 25.
Andy Erkis (OH) was featured in the American Psychological
Association’s Monitor on Psychology magazine article, Therapy
Gone Wild, in September.
Sue Luse (MN) was interviewed for the Huffington Post,
discussing summer programs for high school students, on July
26.
Dan Bauer (IL), Sue Luse (MN), Ann Rossbach (NJ), and IECA’s
CEO, Mark Sklarow, were featured in the article What to Expect
from an Independent College Counselor, published on August 12,
by Reuters.
Carolyn Mulligan (NJ) and associate member Wendy Kahn (IL)
contributed to this year’s Reform Judaism Insider’s Guide to
College Life.
Susan Hanflik (RI) was quoted on the growth of online learning
in a Market Watch story, Want to Save on College? Ditch Dorms,
Campus, on August 22.
Live
Your
Learning.
Associate member Susan Colgate (GA) was featured in the
August 6 issue of Times-Georgian, in the article, Consultant Can
Help Make College Choices Easier.
Stephanie Meade (CA) was interviewed for the AL.com article,
Find Out Which Alabama Colleges are the Choosiest About the
Students They’ll Enroll, on August 8.
Lee Bierer (NC) and IECA were featured in the Charlotte Observer
article, The Growing Business of College Prep, on August 28.
Mindy Popp (MA) wrote an article for the August issue of SEEN
Magazine, entitled Best Practices for Supporting Families, and
The Bridge Year is a co-educational boarding school for
students who have completed their 8th grade year that is
designed to enhance academic skills through experiential,
integrated, and personalized campus and field studies.
The world-class facilities of the Kieve-Wavus campus in
Maine will serve as the base; the world is the classroom.
Extensive one-on-one attention ensures students develop
enduring intellectual passion, confidence, personal and
social responsibility, and technical and creative skills.
Yourself, during the College Application Process.
Initiatives
Accepting applications now. Visit kieve.org.
Associate member Jaleh Fariborz (NY) has
published a new book, College Admission
Breakthrough, available in the IECA Bookstore: www.IECAonline.com/bookstore.html
October / November 2013
The Bridge Year
is a school of:
Kieve-Wavus
Education, Inc.
Damariscotta Lake, Maine
(207) 563-5172
www.kieve.org
IECA INSIGHTS 27
Independent Educational Consultants
Association
3251 Old Lee Highway, Suite 510
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Insights October / November 2013
Printed on recycled paper
The Newsletter of the Independent Educational Consultants Association
Inside This Issue:
Inside the Member-to-Member Section:
College Afford
•
New Era of Admission Testing, by Jed Applerouth
•
New Column: College Affordability, by Fred Amrein
•
San Diego Highlights
•
5 Easy Ways to Connect with IECs and IECA
•
Broaching the Topic of Paying for College
•
Case Study: Contracts & Refunds
[email protected] • 703-591-4850 • www.IECAonline.com
IECA Foundation
3251 Old Lee Hwy, Ste. 510
Fairfax, VA 22030
(P) 703-890-0135
(F) 866-880-7329
(E) [email protected]
(W) www.iecafoundation.org
Meet Gwynne Hales, an IECA Foundation Donor
With lifelong experience in the educational
Gwynne understands that, although consultants typically serve
consulting world dating back to when as a
clients with financial means, IEC’s do believe in “giving back.” And
teen she benefitted from the services of a
Gwynne is no exception. She chooses to “give back” by generously
consultant, Gwynne Hales knows a thing or
supporting the IECA Foundation every year. The programs
two about the sector. She has worked in all
receiving Foundation grants serve populations not often reached
areas, including therapeutics, transportation,
by IEC’s – kids from low income backgrounds and under-resourced
admissions, and marketing. She has been
communities. Gwynne says that, by donating to the Foundation, “I
a member of the IECA since 2000; worked for Aspen Educational
am assured that my dollars are supporting high-quality programs. I
Group and is on the Board of Wolfeboro Summer Camp; has had
don’t have to do the research; the Foundation does it for me.”
since 2003 her own educational consulting practice, Great Lakes
Educational Consulting; and has placed thousands of students in
emotional-growth boarding schools, residential treatment centers,
outdoor therapeutic programs and traditional boarding schools.
With the IECA Foundation, every donation goes a long way
to make a significant difference in a child’s life. According to
Gwynne, “As an educational consultant, I can’t imagine not giving
to the IECA Foundation.”
You can donate to the IECA Foundation at www.iecafoundation.org.
In Memory of Frederick H.
“Ferdie” Wandelt, III
Good News!
A new friend of the IECA Foundation
has offered to generously match
Ferdie Wandelt, a very dear friend of the IECA, the IECA Foundation
and programs that open educational doors to deserving students,
died unexpectedly in July. He had run the Taft School admissions
office for decades and many of us considered him a friend and
mentor. We will miss him dearly. To honor Ferdie’s memory and
his commitment to the field of educational access for all, the IECA
Foundation will award one of our 2014 grants in his name. If you
would like to support this special named grant, please send your
gift to the Foundation at 3251 Old Lee Hwy, Ste. 510, Fairfax, VA
22030, or donate online at www.iecafoundation.org.
every new donor’s gift or an increased
amount over last year’s gift dollar for
dollar up to $10,000. The Foundation
supports the educational development
of young people. We need your
support to meet the increasing need.
You can double your impact by
making your donation today. Please visit our website at
www.iecafoundation.org.
IECA Foundation 2013 Donors
October / November 2013
as of August 21, 2013
Patron ($100 - $249)
Sandy Bercu
Judi Bessette
Jeannie Borin
Charter Circle Joan Bress
($1,000 - $4,999)
Melinda Browne
Robin Abedon
Nate Budington
Gary and Donna
Kate Coon
Antonoff
Chris and Catherine
Carrie and David
Covert
Beecher
Karen Curreri
Camille Bertram
Victoria Dodge
Katherine Cohen
Alison Forbes
Patti Crane
Janet Greenwood
Jody Dobson
Julie Gross
Brooke Dudley
Jean Hague
Paula Feldman
Lori Harrison
Ann and John
Ethna Hopper
Montgomery
John Huie
Whitney Ransome
Pam Jobin
Michael Spence
Jane Klemmer
Melinda Kopp
Leadership Circle Kyomi Kumehara
($500 - $999)
Shirley Levin
Judy Berg
Sue Luse
Shirley Darling
Marylou Marcus
Deborah Davis
Judge Mason
Marilyn Emerson
Maureen McQuaid
Evan Forster and David
Gail Meyer
Thomas
Susan Meyers
Skip and Britt Flanagan
Leigh Moore
Grove School
Betsy Morgan
Lynn Hamilton
Carolyn Mulligan
Dodge Johnson
Laurie Nash
Jason Katz
Vicky Newman
Jeana Kawamura
Jacquie Quigley
Microsoft
Luisa Rabe
Jill Porter
Diane Rapp
Pauline Reiter
Benefactor Rebecca Reynolds
($250 - $499)
Jan Rooker
Matthew Baker
Ann Rossbach
William Dennett
Hannah Serota
Sue and Tom DePra
Mark Sklarow
Geraldine Fryer
Nancy E. Smith
Global Works
Teri Solochek
Charlotte Klaar
Elissa Sommerfield
Cynthia Kunkel
Phil Spiva
Claire and Chip Law
Jennifer Tabbush
Rob Meltzer
The Woodhall School
North East Association
Stan Vincent
of Learning Specialists
Bruce Vinik
Jane Shropshire
Imy Wax
Emily Snyder
Richard Webster
Christine Southgate
Anne Weisholtz
Morgan Stewart
Amberley Wolf
Vanessa Wilcox
The Woodhall School
Wendy Williams
founder’s Circle ($5,000+)
Anonymous
Hillside School
Donor (up to $99)
Mandee Adler
Laurie Bookstein
Mark Fisher
Diane Geller
Jane Hoffman
Jennifer Kent
Bernice Ann Munsey
Bonny Musinsky
Helese Sandler
Francine Schwartz
Mary Spiegel
Nissa Syverson
Gisela Terner
Katz Fund
Carrie and David
Beecher
Camille Bertram
Jody Dobson
Evan Forster and
David Thomas
Shirley Levin
Microsoft
Betsy Morgan
Kowalchick
Fund
Carrie and David
Beecher
Camille Bertram
Jody Dobson
Paula Feldman
Mark Fisher
Skip and Britt
Flanagan
The Woodhall
School
Hillside Fund
Carrie and David
Beecher
Camille Bertram
Jeannie Borin
Jody Dobson
Hillside School
Jennifer Kent
Marylou Marcus
Vanessa Wilcox
 Honor & 
Memory Gifts
In honor of Barbara Kenefick:
North East Association
of Learning Specialists
In honor of Jean Hague:
Wendy Williams
In honor of Mr. & Mrs. James
Freeman:
Michael Spence
In honor of Paul Levitch:
Jane Shropshire
In honor of Rachel Sobel:
Jody Dobson
In honor of Sara Schwartz:
Francine Schwartz
In honor of Steve Antonoff:
Judy Berg
Camille Bertram
Chris and Catherine
Covert
Brooke Dudley
Marilyn Emerson
Paula Feldman
Diane Geller
Jean Hague
Lynn Hamilton
Jason Katz
Melinda Kopp
Carolyn Mulligan
Luisa Rabe
Mark Sklarow
Nissa Syverson
In memory of Anthony Bell:
Jeannie Borin
In memory of Connie Rodriguez:
Camille Bertram
In memory of Frederick
H. “Ferdie” Wandelt:
Camille Bertram
Michael Spence
In memory of Frances
Louise Eusebio:
Camille Bertram
In memory of Jack Sherman:
Sue and Tom DePra
Dodge Johnson
Charlotte Klaar
Ann and John
Montgomery
Mark Sklarow
In memory of Leslie Kent:
Deborah Davis
Emily Snyder
In memory of Mary
Shiland Gallagher:
Camille Bertram
In memory of Samuel Robert
Gershman:
Judy Berg
Camille Bertram
Sue and Tom DePra
In memory of Staff SGT Joseph Curreri:
Karen Curreri