Global Academic Consultants FAQs Page

What does Global Academic Consultants do?

We help families and their students with the admissions process to private day schools, boarding schools (college preparatory, nurturing, therapeutic, and military), summer programs and study abroad programs, colleges and universities, and graduate schools and professional programs (law school, medical school, aviation school, etc.). We also assist both young students and teenagers who have challenges (learning, psychological, emotional, behavioral) with placement in academic therapeutic programs, wilderness therapy programs, and inpatient psychiatric programs. 

With which ages of students do you work?

We work with students ages 4 and older.

Why should I hire an independent educational consultant?

Independent educational consultants (IECs) are professionals who assist families and their students with educational planning. IECs provide personalized service that meets the individual needs of the student. These professionals keep abreast of the latest changes in education, understand the admissions criteria of educational programs, foster relationships with admissions professionals and other key school or program staff, and alleviate much of the stress families experience when trying to determine the best educational path for their student.

My child’s school employs an academic counselor. Why should I hire an independent educational consultant when the school offers a counselor free of charge?

The most beneficial reason for hiring an IEC is that he or she will provide your student and family with the highest level of personalized service that a school counselor is not able to provide. A single school counselor can be burdened with 50, 100, and even more students. How can the counselor possibly deliver individualized guidance to each of these students? He or she isn’t able to do so. An IEC spends many hours developing a rapport with students and families to gain a deep understanding of the child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. This ensures that the IEC is offering advice that is individually tailored to the unique needs of the student to ensure the brightest future possible for the child.

The application process to academic institutions seems pretty straight-forward to me. Why should I hire an IEC when I can complete the applications myself?

  • Do you know what schools look for in prospective students?
  • Do you understand which components of the application process are most important?
  • Are you confident in your ability to brand your student in such a manner that admissions committees are guaranteed to read your child’s application when they are overwhelmed with applications from thousands of students who are just as accomplished as your child?
  • Do you know what NOT to say in an interview to prevent from severely hindering your child’s chances of gaining admission?
  • Do you know what to do if your child is waitlisted at a top-choice school?
  • Do you know which classes and extracurriculars your student should participate in to ensure their brightest future possible?
  • Do you have a relationship with the schools and their admissions professionals, and thus are you able to obtain timely answers to your questions and receive personalized guidance regarding the admissions process?

If you’re not able to answer “yes” to all of these questions, then you could benefit from the guidance of an IEC.

What is your company’s stand on the Operation Varsity Blues scandal?

We are disgusted to learn that professionals in the education sector took bribes from affluent and influential families to ensure the students from these families were admitted to prestigious colleges and universities in the United States. It angers us that these families (with the help of many unethical educational professionals) used their status and influence to buy admission to these schools for their children who did not meet the schools’ admissions criteria. This unfortunate practice has resulted in the denial of admission to elite schools for otherwise very talented students who have worked diligently for years to achieve their dream of attending a prestigious college or university. We have been asked by past clients to help them buy admission to elite schools for their children, and we have vehemently denied this request because it is unethical, unjust, and unfair. Additionally, we do not accept financial incentives from schools; we only accept payment from our clients.

My child has challenges that are not accommodated by mainstream schools. What are my options?

Whether your student has learning, psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues, we can assist in finding placement in a nurturing and/or therapeutic school or program. These options include therapeutic residential programs that have the resources to accommodate these students. Troubled teens may benefit from a short-term wilderness therapy program that supports not only the student but also the parents. These programs are therapeutic in nature (not punitive) and offer intensive therapy to determine the cause of the teen’s behavior; teach the student and parents effective coping mechanisms while elevating the student’s self-esteem; and help the adolescent get back on track, so he or she may successfully complete their high school education and pursue a brighter future. We understand that families in crisis typically need help immediately, so we will work evenings, weekends, holidays… whatever it takes to help the family find suitable placement for their troubled student.

I’m not sure if boarding school is the best path for my child. Can you help me make a decision about this?

Contact us so that we may share our vast knowledge regarding the boarding school experience with you. Also, we have written an e-book that provides a step-by-step guide to navigating the boarding school admissions process. Both of these resources should provide you with enough information to make an informed decision.

I am an international student who is struggling with my English language skills. Can you help me improve my English?

Yes, absolutely! We have a partnership with a company that employs instructors from top-ranked boarding schools that provide English as a second language (ESL) students with standardized exam preparation and tutoring. The company’s objective is to make the boarding school and college transition process much smoother for international students. Contact us, and we will put you in touch with our partner.