Common FAQs on Working with an Education Consultant
The decision on where your child should go to school or university is a critical one, and can be exciting, complicated, and even a little overwhelming for any parent.
It can be the culmination of years of your child’s hard work and careful planning, and can open up avenues for their education and career that enable them to flourish – or close them off. Top independent schools and world-class universities can have idiosyncratic admissions processes and challenging criteria, which can make an application even more complex and stressful. To top it off, if your child is also applying to a school or university in a different and unfamiliar country, perhaps because your family has relocated, an additional layer of problems and questions can arise.
How can you and your child make a more informed and ultimately more successful decision? How can you make the application process more transparent and easier to navigate? An Education Consultant could provide the professional expertise you need.
What Does an Education Consultant Do?
The role of an Education Consultant is to deliver guidance to families and individuals who seek information and support that will enable them to make well-considered and effective educational choices for their child.
Families might bring in the services of an Education Consultant to help assess which school or university will best support their child, providing an unbiased outlook on their goals and options, and helping them to understand the pros and cons of the different choices available.
Keystone’s consultancy provides assistance to families looking for support in placing their children in UK schools, from nursery all the way through to Sixth Form, and to those seeking assistance with their university applications.
Our consultants can:
- Troubleshoot specific educational issues for your child – like which GCSE or A Level options to select, how to help your child keep pace with their peers, or how to help your child get the most out of boarding school
- Work with you and your child throughout the application process to independent schools at all age levels and entry points
- Support applicants with their degree choices and university applications
- Provide objective information on the strengths and outcomes different institutions have typically delivered for their students, and provide nuanced and detailed support based on their expertise and relationships in the sector
- Assist with additional information and considerations when relocation to the UK from abroad is a factor in your child’s education, drawing on extensive experience with families in similar situations.
How Can an Education Consultant Help Find the Right School for My Child?
Working out where your child should go to school and university can be a confusing and overwhelming process, particularly for those who are new to independent education, or to UK schools and universities more generally, but equally for those who haven’t set foot in a school since their own school years! With hundreds of schools available, all with similarly shiny and impressive websites, untangling which school is the right match for your child can be mystifying. This uncertainty is often added to by the chatter at the school gates, or at dinner parties, at which often people can pick up fairly polarized views of schools.
An Education Consultant can simplify the school selection process for families, gaining an understanding of the family and children, considering the key priorities alongside the logistical considerations (location, commute etc.), and thinking about the child’s academic ability and suitability for various types of academic environments. Through these conversations with a family a consultant is able to provide an evidence-led, clearly thought-out overview of options, and a plan to help achieve goals.
Key benefits of working with an Education Consultant for school admissions:
- Consultants will help you select the most appropriate schools for your child based on the available evidence
- They provide a comprehensive knowledge of the British independent school system
- They will have positive relationships with schools
- They will be able to map out a long-term educational strategy
- They can assist with school registrations and support through the (often long) timeline
- Consultants are able to provide school specific support and advice, so that the child is prepared for school specific entry tests, and assessment days and interviews
- Consultants are able to help in unexpected scenarios such as last-minute school moves, relocations, and managing disruptions
How Can an Education Consultant Help Find the Right University for My Child?
There are over 50,000 undergraduate courses at more than 395 providers in the UK. Understanding what you might want to study, and where, requires thought, research and often, support. Whilst many schools do provide university application support, applicants can often benefit from 1-1 support with a consultant who is able to provide more depth, information, and support.
At Keystone, our team of