Educational consulting services are specialized services that help educational institutions improve their academic development and address student dropout rates. These services include creating plans for social learning, developing curricula for educational initiatives, and helping students prepare for college transition. Education consulting firms, such as education policy consulting firms, higher education consulting firms, and K-12 education consulting firms, offer services to improve the operational processes of educational institutions or the companies that serve them. In addition, they help ensure maximum profitability, improve student outcomes, streamline governance and boost fundraising.
To become an educational consultant, a person needs the right education, experience and certification. Education consulting is a rewarding and expanding career opportunity for those who strive to improve educational best practices. Working independently or as part of an educational consulting company, educational consultants have a variety of options in how they guide their consultation. Education consultants can offer general inquiries about educational practices, but most achieve success by focusing on a particular specialty.
If educational consultants choose to work independently, they must be certified to demonstrate their competence and value. Independent educational consultants focus on college admissions and help students prepare for college transition. They usually work under the IECA and are members of the HECA. To begin an educational consultant career, a person must first obtain a bachelor's and master's degree in a field related to counseling, and then obtain certification from the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP).
The most prestigious firm in the world at the top of this list of top educational consulting firms is McKinsey & Company. They work with education clients as part of its consulting practice in the public and social sectors. EY (Ernst & Young) also works with education clients in the public and private sectors and offers services from strategy to implementation and across subsectors. Deloitte offers a range of higher education consulting services in the areas of financial and operational efficiency, technology transformation, student experience, cyber risk and organizational leadership.LEK Consulting is one of the world's leading educational consulting firms due to a combination of advanced analytics, strong strategy and deep industry experience.
PA Consulting Group identifies as a non-traditional consulting firm focusing on innovation for good. Nous Group is an international management consultancy with offices in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Despite many efforts to generate reforms, the education sector remains one of the most difficult to achieve sustainable local and systemic change. Independent Educational Consultants (IEC) can provide the student and their family with individual attention, first-hand knowledge of hundreds of educational opportunities, and the time to explore all options. Many educational consultants can provide assistance in the administration of charter schools and their education policies. This combination allows the advisory firm to advise educational institutions with a unique set of skills.
With questions like this facing the ever-changing higher education market, there are plenty of opportunities for education consulting firms to provide support.