The Benefits

Benefits: Why use See Higher Education?

Undivided, personal attention is the hallmark of See Higher Education. Lavona See comes to the table with a unique set of skills and experiences to help students plan their high school curriculum, explore academic majors, select potential colleges and universities or to simply guide them to and through an appropriate educational enrollment path. Her time spent with students, families or other individuals is as much about sharing "college knowledge" as it is about getting to know and understand the person in the center of the process-the student-your child-your loved one. It is this personalization that will make the difference for you between understanding and planning versus stress, frustration and confusion often encountered during educational planning and the college search process. We lead a very meaningful and balanced approach for the entire educational planning process. At See Higher Education, we will take the "noise" out of this process and provide you with an identifiable and comfortable starting place as you begin navigating this important educational journey for you, your child or significant other.

Why pay for educational consulting with See Higher Education?

It is a rather common and understood condition of parenthood, mentorship or guardianship that helping any adolescent or young adult throughout life means that we give freely our time, patience and often our financial resources so that he or she may have a "leg-up" in the educational pipeline and ultimately in the college admission process. For some, these expenditures are for enrichment opportunities for the child or adolescent. Financially, it is assumed that paying for soccer clubs, music lessons, summer science camps, dance lessons, and math tutors for example are necessities; we often do not think twice about the value in return. Paying for an educational consultant is very much in this realm of enrichment for students. It is a proactive investment in a process that can create a great deal of anxiety for those involved. See Higher Education consultants do not take the place of your school-based counselor but rather we will compliment the work of the school counselors by a deeper personal approach without the confines of school schedules, politics within the system, and large numbers of students to serve.

Lavona See is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Below is an excerpt from IECA which will provide you with a greater understanding of how See Higher Education can help create a roadmap this educational journey.

"School guidance counselors provide much of the help students need. However, school-based counselors are often burdened with other duties and simply do not have the extra time they would like to spend on college placements. Independent educational consultants can be a welcome resource for families who recognize they need more help than school counselors are able to provide. Consultants also have expertise in advising students with special circumstances such as learning or physical disabilities.

Educational consultants bring to the family the knowledge and skills of an experienced professional, coupled with a commitment to assuring that the child's best interests are met. Independent consultants spend hours with the child and parents getting to the heart of a student's personality, interests, and aspirations. They work with the entire family to help identify what's best for the student and what options are available.

Educational consultants interview each student to find the best college "fit." By learning as much as they can about the student and family, the consultant can help identify the most suitable learning environments. Not tied to any institution, consultants can provide unbiased help in wading through the myriad of letters, brochures, videos and catalogs that students collect in their search.

The consultant provides a complete search of appropriate colleges. Consultants pride themselves on extensive first-hand knowledge of colleges, big and small, around the country. They spend 20% of their time on the road, meeting with admission officers, touring campuses, and exploring the campus environment. This personal insight provides a student with a much deeper understanding of a college than a catalog or web site can convey. Because consultants are familiar with a multitude of colleges, they can present students with a wider selection of possibilities.

An educational consultant brings to the family the knowledge and skills of an experienced professional, coupled with a commitment to assuring that the child's best interests are met.

An educational consultant can act as a student's guide, interpreter, and facilitator for the entire college selection and application process.

Consultants assist with the application and admissions process. Having someone who understands the system can help ease this stressful time. Consultants regularly attend conferences and workshops to stay current on developments in their field. They have experience in college admissions and know the intricacies of test preparation, applications, essays and financial aid. Consultants can even help students decide which high school courses to take to best prepare for success in college.

With colleges getting more expensive and competitive, families feel increased pressure to make the right college choice. Consultants serve as a student's personal resource in identifying colleges that fit his or her individual preferences.

The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) is a non-profit, international professional Association representing full-time experienced independent educational advisors. Chartered in 1976, the Association's headquarters is located in the Washington, DC area. IECA sponsors professional training institutes, workshops and conferences, publishes a directory of qualified consultants, offers information to students and their families regarding school selection issues and works to ensure that those in the profession adhere to the highest ethical and business standards.

IECA has developed a strict set of ethical guidelines that govern the actions of consultants in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues. These include a responsibility to understand each student's special strengths, values and needs, while striving to include all family members in the educational planning process. An IECA member does not accept any compensation from educational institutions for placement of a child. All IECA members subscribe to these Principles of Good Practice."