Finding a Boarding School: Consultants and Agents

There are three ways to find a boarding school: search on your own, hire an independent educational consultant, or work with an agent. The most important difference is who pays. A consultant you hire works for your family. An agent may be paid by the schools it sends students to. Both can be a real help; you just need to know which one you're talking to.

Doing it yourself

Plenty of families find the right school without paid help. The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) runs a free search of its member schools at boardingschools.com, and admissions offices expect calls from parents who are just starting out. Visits, virtual tours and conversations with current families do most of the work.

This route costs nothing but time, and it suits families who already have a sense of what they want, or a short list of schools within driving distance. It's harder if you're starting from zero, considering schools across the country, or have a teenager with learning or other needs that narrow the field.

Independent educational consultants

An independent educational consultant helps a family work out what kind of school would suit their teenager, builds a list of schools to consider, and guides the visits and applications. Good consultants spend much of their time visiting schools, so they know things a website can't tell you: what the dorms feel like, how a school handles a struggling student, which adults students seek out.

Some things to know:

No license is required. No US state licenses educational consultants, so anyone can use the title. Membership in a professional association is the closest thing to a credential.
The main association sets rules. Members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) pledge each year to accept no compensation from schools for placing a student, and IECA bars members who promise admission. Its professional members need a master's degree or equivalent, at least three years of admissions counseling experience and visits to at least 50 campuses.
Fees vary. IECA says many consultants charge hourly, with many just under $140 an hour, and that most multi-year packages cost far less than the five-figure sums sometimes reported. Ask for the full cost in writing before you start.
Some specialize. Some consultants focus on students with learning differences, and some on teenagers in crisis who may need a therapeutic program rather than a school. If that isn't your situation, make sure you're talking to someone who places students in college-preparatory boarding schools.

From the admissions side, a call from a consultant who knows the student well is welcome. It helps the school understand who is applying, and a consultant who knows both the student and the school can head off a poor match before anyone applies.

Agents

Agents mostly help international students apply to schools abroad, and many boarding schools use them. A February 2021 TABS survey found that 82% of its member schools already worked with agents. Agents can be paid by the family, by the schools they send students to, or by both.

A school-paid agent can still be honest and useful. But an agent paid on commission has a reason to steer you toward the schools that pay, and you have a right to know about it. Ask every agent, plainly, whether any school pays them, and how much.

Questions to ask before you hire anyone

Who pays you? Do you receive anything from any school, for this placement or any other?
What is your total fee, what does it include, and is it in writing?
How many boarding schools have you visited in the last two years, and which ones?
Do you belong to a professional association, and which one?
How many families like ours have you worked with, and may I speak to two of them?
What will you do if my child doesn't get into the schools on our list?

Red flags: a promise or "guarantee" of admission; a list that keeps returning to the same few schools; pressure to decide quickly; or vagueness about money.

When it's worth it, and when it isn't

A consultant tends to earn their fee when the search is wide, the student has needs that limit the options, or the family has no time to research and visit. For a family choosing between two or three schools within a day's drive, the free route is often enough.

And no consultant can make a school right for a teenager who doesn't want to go. The decision, and the visits, are still yours.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a consultant to find a boarding school?

No. Many families find the right school on their own, using free directories, admissions offices and visits. A consultant helps most when the search is wide or the student has needs that narrow the options.

How much does a boarding school consultant cost?

It varies. IECA says many consultants charge hourly, many at just under $140 an hour, and that most packages cost far less than the highest fees reported in the press. Get the full fee in writing before you start.

What is the difference between a consultant and an agent?

An independent educational consultant is hired and paid by the family. An agent, more common for international students, may be paid by the schools it recommends. Always ask who pays.

Can a consultant guarantee admission?

No. No one outside a school's admissions office can promise admission, and IECA bars members who make admission promises.

Last reviewed October 20, 2026.