Will you guarantee admission to one of my top choices? (If the answer is yes, don't trust them!  No One can guarantee admission) How do you keep up with new trends, changes, laws? How often do you get out and visit college campuses and meet with admissions representatives? (20 campuses a year is a typical MINIMUM average) Do you belong to any professional associations?  (*Independent Educational Consulting Association is the nationally recognized professional association for  private consultants) Do you attend conferences, training workshops, etc. every year?  (Professional training..... not Business training) Do you ever accept compensation from a school in exchange for placement?  (Its your guarantee that the consultant has only YOUR best interest at heart) Do you adhere to the strict ethical guidelines for private counseling established by Independent Educational Consulting Association? Are all fees involved stated in writing, up front, including exactly what services I will receive for those fees? Will you re-write my admission essay to make it more appealing to the admission counselor? (No, they absolutely should NOT....misrepresenting yourself on an application in any way is never acceptable) How long have you been in business? What was your background prior to going into private counseling?