The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Responds to Netflix Varsity Blues Docudrama and Anxiety Permeating the College Admissions Process

FAIRFAX, Va., March 10, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Netflix film takes a deep dive into the 2019 college admissions scandal, dubbed "Operation Varsity Blues," involving a criminal conspiracy to influence undergraduate admissions 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 Varsity Blues scandal 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 application process:

• Access to college advising 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 students 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 students and parents.
• Sophisticated modeling means computers play an outsize role in college admissions, minimizing the personal stories of students and admission counselors.

How IECA Members Help Students and Families Navigate College Admissions
Since its founding in 1976, IECA has been the leading voice in putting students first in the college admissions journey. IECA and its members work to assure families understand the drivers in college admissions and help them navigate its complexities in order to find a "best fit" college that meets a student's unique set of academic, social, financial, and career needs.

"IECA members are ethical, compassionate professionals who dedicate their careers to advising students 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 members 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 members offer an unequalled level of expertise, competence, and professionalism. Potential IECA members go through an extensive application process. They must have a master's degree (or equivalent), at least three years of admissions counseling experience, experience working with scores of students, and have visited 50 campuses before they can be considered for professional membership. In addition, all members must agree to abide by IECA's Principles of Good Practice and submit their marketing materials for review to ensure they accurately reflect the independent educational consultant's role.

IECA members sign an annual pledge that governs their interactions with colleges, students, and parents. 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. Because IECA consultants are committed to the highest ethical standards of practice, families find that IECA members have the student's best interest as their sole focus.

About IECA: Founded in 1976, the Independent Educational Consultants Association is the nation's leading professional organization for college advisors working in private practice. Families trust IECA's thoroughly vetted members to find a college that matches a student's academic, social, and financial needs and guide them through the search and application process. With 2,300 educational consultant members across the country, IECA provides education and training on admission, ethical practice, and adolescent issues from depression to anxiety to learning differences, to ensure every student is well served.

Media Contact

Sarah Brachman, Director of Communications, Independent Educational Consultants Association, +1 (703) 591-4850, sarah@iecaonline.com

Mark Sklarow, CEO, IECA, 7035914850, msklarow@iecaonline.com

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SOURCE Independent Educational Consultants Association