Why should Educational Consultants see the programs they recommend in person?
Traveling to view programs as an Educational Consultant
If you were going to send your child to a program wouldn’t you want the person that was making the referral to have toured it if you couldn’t? They are your eyes and ears and can help you make that critical decision of the best fit for your child. Not only would it be helpful if your consultant toured it in person, they should talk to staff, students, and therapists to get a full perspective of the program.
I belong to a professional organization called the Therapeutic Consultant Association (TCA) and part of my membership requires me to spend time viewing multiple programs. I spend about 20% of my time on the road, traveling to therapeutic boarding schools, day schools, and therapeutic day programs. All of this traveling adds up, and in a year, I will visit upwards of 100 different schools and programs. Some I love; some, not so much, and the ones I do not like I can talk to families about my impressions as to why it may not be the best fit for your child.
This time out of office serves a few purposes:
It means that I can serve as an effective first point of trust between parents and a school or program. Knowing that I’ve done my due diligence, visiting a boarding school or getting to know the clinicians at a therapeutic program, cuts down on the initial research you need to do yourself.
I can feel the “vibe” of the school. Websites and Zoom tours are great at showing you who a program wants to be. Getting on the ground is what shows you who they actually are.
I’m building relationships. It helps when I can pick up the phone and call an admissions director and they can trust that I’m sharing my honest evaluation about a student. They've shaken my hand and heard my hard questions. They know that I’ve been on the ground and wouldn’t be calling unless I already thought it would be a good fit.
To ensure you can get the most updated information, make sure you work with an educational consultant who is part of professional networks and one who travels to see and view programs.
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