In response to the forthcoming Netflix docudrama “Operation Varsity Blues: The 大学招生 Scandal,” IECA commends its members commitment to the highest standards in ethical 学院建议 while calling for greater transparency in the college 申请过程.
The Netflix film takes a deep dive into the 2019 大学招生 scandal, dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues,” involving a criminal conspiracy to influence undergraduate 招生 decisions at several prestigious American universities. The scandal led to more than 50 high-profile arrests, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. The conspiracy was arranged by William “Rick” Singer, who claimed to be an educational consultant and used millions of dollars from wealthy parents of college applicants to fraudulently inflate entrance exam test scores as well as bribe college coaches and administrators.
While the 校蓝调丑闻 exposed the specific efforts of wealthy, privileged parents to ensure their children’s admission into the nation’s top colleges, it brought to light broader problems in the college 申请过程:
- Access to 学院建议 in high school is unequal across the country, and particularly strained in urban and rural public high schools, where the average student-to-counselor ratio is 455:1 and more than 700:1 in some areas. This leaves school counselors overburdened and 学生 under-resourced.
- Colleges have become increasingly opaque in their admission criteria.
- College acceptance rates continue to decline, partly due to the increase in applications, leading to heightened anxiety levels among 学生 和cq9电子游戏网站.
- Sophisticated modeling means computers play an outsize role in 大学招生, minimizing the personal stories of 学生 and admission counselors.
How IECA 成员 Help 学生 and Families Navigate 大学招生
自1976年成立以来, IECA has been the leading voice in putting 学生 first in the 大学招生 journey. IECA and its members work to assure families understand the drivers in 大学招生 and help them navigate its complexities in order to find a “最适合” college that meets a student’s unique set of academic, social, financial, and career needs.
“IECA的成员是有道德的, compassionate professionals who dedicate their careers to advising 学生 and families on their individual paths to success” said IECA CEO Mark Sklarow. “Our members focus on the unique student’s needs to help them have a successful experience wherever they choose to attend college.”
IECA成员 believe there are many great postsecondary options for every student, and no student should be made to feel that they must become something they are not to get accepted. Being and presenting one’s authentic self and demonstrating one’s own talents and abilities is a way of ensuring the right college fit. This is central to what an ethical independent educational consultant does.
IECA成员 offer an unequalled level of expertise, competence, and professionalism. Potential IECA成员 go through an extensive 申请过程. They must have a master’s degree (or equivalent), at least three years of 招生 counseling experience, experience working with scores of 学生, and have visited 50 campuses before they can be considered for professional membership. In addition, all members must agree to abide by IECA’s 良好操作原则 and submit their marketing materials for review to ensure they accurately reflect the independent educational consultant’s role.
IECA成员 sign an annual pledge that governs their interactions with colleges, 学生, 和cq9电子游戏网站. They agree to avoid any action that distorts or misrepresents a student’s record or interferes with a university’s ability to accurately evaluate a student. 因为 IECA consultants are committed to the highest ethical standards of practice, families find that IECA成员 have the student’s best interest as their sole focus.