ETHICS
Professional and Ethical care is the top priority of Coastal College Consulting
HECA GUIDELINES
Serve the interests of students and families by providing accurate, unbiased information about the college planning and decision-making processes.
Respect issues of confidentiality and students' rights to privacy throughout the process. Confidential information is shared with others only with the written consent of the student and/or family.
Respect the values and expectations of students and families while presenting professional advice that is sound, honest, and candid.
Respect the college planning and decision-making processes as learning opportunities for the student and family. In this spirit, the HECA member counsels and advises in the college research process, provides guidance, direction and review, but does not complete or submit a college application on behalf of a student.
Provide information to students and families that is:
Accurate and timely, and is based on research, college visits, participation in professional organizations and attendance at national and regional educational conferences and meetings.
Based on evaluation of the student's academic record, standardized tests, interests, activities, future plans, and family circumstances.
Counsel and encourage students and parents to approach the college application and admission process ethically and honestly.
Advise students and families of the importance to take responsibility for understanding the policies, requirements, and timeliness in meeting deadlines for each college to which they apply.
NACAC GUIDELINES
"College admission and counseling professionals help students make thoughtful choices about their futures. Our work is guided by principles of honesty, integrity, transparency, equity, fairness, and respect for students and fellow professionals. These values guide us in our service to students and families, our institutions, society, and each other. Promoting ethical admission practices has been the cornerstone of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) since our founding in 1937. NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices protects the interests of both students and institutions by upholding a college admission process free from coercion and discrimination. NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices serves as the basis of our profession and an affirmation of what we stand for. Our profession strives to ensure that the students we serve and all of our colleagues are valued and supported. We thrive by embracing and engaging our unique identities, experiences, and perspectives, and we are committed to increasing the enrollment and success of historically underrepresented populations. We are dedicated to promoting college access and addressing systemic inequities to ensure that college campuses reflect our society’s many cultures, stimulate the exchange of ideas, value differences, and prepare our students to become global citizens and leaders."
IECA GUIDELINES
"IECA has developed a strict set of ethical guidelines that govern the actions of consultants in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues.
These include a responsibility to understand each student’s special strengths, values and needs, while striving to include all family members in the educational planning process. An IECA member does not accept any compensation from educational institutions for placement of a child. All IECA members subscribe to these Principles of Good Practice and all IECA members are required to annually sign and follow the principles as part of their Association membership in good standing."