In today’s college admissions landscape, anyone can call themselves a “consultant.”
Not Agents. Not Former AOs. We Are Certified IECs.
In today’s saturated college admissions world, more and more people are calling themselves “consultants”:
- Former admissions officers.
- Study Aboard Agents.
- Ivy League graduates.
- Parents who’ve “successfully helped” their own children.
They may look convincing. They may talk with authority. But here’s the hard truth:
None of them are certified to guide students holistically.
Let’s unpack the differences—and explain why Certified Educational Consultants (IECs or CEPs) are held to a standard these others simply are not.
What’s the Problem?
Most families don’t know how unregulated this industry is. Anyone can call themselves a college advisor—even without training, credentials, or ethical standards.
This leads to real risks for students:
- Being pushed toward schools that pay commissions
- Getting “packaged” into an inauthentic application
- Spending money on fancy branding but shallow strategy
- Being told what sounds impressive, instead of what actually fits
The result?
Students who get in… and then burn out.
Students who chase rankings… and lose direction.
Parents who pay a premium… for less-than-professional advice.
The Real Difference: A Side-by-Side Look
| Role | Definition | Formal Training | Knowledge of Colleges | Student-Centered | Conflict of Interest | Style of Support | Professional Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Counselor | A high school employee responsible for basic college support | ✅ Basic training but overwhelmed by caseload | ❌ Mostly local or known schools only | ⚠️ Time constraints limit personalization | ❌ Represents school, not fully student-first | General guidance, recommendation letters; transcripts | ❌ No industry-wide ongoing training |
| Agent / Parent /Alumni | Often untrained individuals relying on personal experience | ❌ No formal certification | ❌ Based on hearsay or rankings | ❌ Applies personal experience to all students | ⚠️ May earn commission from certain schools | Application packaging, “shortcut” services | ❌ No supervision or development |
| Former Admissions Officer | Previously worked at one school’s admissions office | ❌ Not trained as an IEC; only admission review | ⚠️ Knows their own school well, but not others | ❌ Offers one-time advice, no long-term guidance | ✅ No direct conflict, but limited range | Strategy analysis, often one-time input | ❌ No professional obligations or accountability |
| Umerica Certified Consultant(IECA/CEP) | Professionally certified, full-time educational consultant | ✅ Extensive training + formal evaluation | ✅ Visits colleges yearly, attend conference, networked | ✅ Deep understanding of student growth and needs | ✅ 100% student-aligned, no commissions | 1:1 long-term planning, career-aligned advice | ✅ Ongoing education, ethics code, community peer review |
Why This Matters for Your Family
A former admissions officer can explain how their school admits.
An agent can copy-paste data and submit forms.
A parent may have helped one kid—but can they adapt to yours?
What none of them are trained to do:
- Help your student develop self-awareness
- Guide multi-year planning with academic and emotional insight
- Integrate fit, values, and professional readiness
- Remain up-to-date on all schools, not just a few “famous names”
At Umerica, this is our job. This is our profession.
We’ve passed the Certified Educational Planner (CEP) exam—held by fewer than 300 people worldwide.
We’re active members of IECA and NACAC, where we’re required to maintain ethical guidelines, training hours, and real fieldwork.
We don’t sell hype. We don’t sell rankings.
We help students grow—and get into schools where they’ll thrive.
Don’t Let Your Child Be Someone’s First Experiment
Just like you wouldn’t trust an unlicensed doctor to perform surgery…
You shouldn’t trust an uncertified “consultant” to handle your child’s future.
Our advisors hold master’s degrees or higher, receive ongoing training, and spend 20% of their year visiting schools and conferences across the U.S.—on their own time, on their own dime—because that’s what professionalism requires.
We don’t just help students “get in.”
We help them grow, explore, and make decisions with clarity.