What is it? How do people get into it? What is the day-to-day work like? Am I qualified? Here is the sum total of my knowledge thus far:
From what I understand, there are independent educational consultants and as well as educational consultancy firms, plus bigger firms that do multiple kinds of consulting, including educational. School districts and universities hire educational consultants to improve their practices, the same way a business would hire a management consultant. Also, though, individual wealthy students hire educational consultants to help them get into college and grad school, and I can't quite tell how these two kinds of work are linked (they seem like very different fields, but seem to go under the same title, which is confusing me.)
Some opening questions:
What kind of work do educational consultants do on a day-to-day basis? How much of it is research and writing reports, vs. visiting schools, vs. sitting in meetings vs. drumming up business?
How much is it like, or unlike, being a management consultant? (I have friends who work for McKinsey and BCG, and in theory it sounds like a dream job--tons of writing and research! always a new puzzle to solve! -- and in practice I know that it's hell because of the travel and the hours and the overall culture.)
How do people get started in this career?
Can you tell me more about the difference between doing this independently and working for a firm?
What are some of the most well-regarded firms in the industry?
What's the pay like?
What's the work culture like?
If you have this job, what are the pros and cons?
Is this a field I could conceivably enter?
(To help you answer that last question: I've got a very shiny Ivy League PhD in the humanities and the research skills to go with it; plus lots of teaching experience + prizes. I also taught public health in the Peace Corps, and have a lot of other volunteering experience that involves community education. I'm endlessly curious about all forms of alternative education, and the way that learning works. This past semester, I've been doing some admissions essay editing (some high school kids, but mostly for foreign students applying to graduate and professional schools) and I've been surprised at how interesting and enjoyable I've found it. I am also a creative writer, so I'm on the hunt for a career that might pay me a living wage without eating up all my hours and sucking away my life force. I thought that ruled out consulting completely...but maybe not?
Bonus: are there other kinds of consulting that a smart, motivated humanities type without super-strong quant skills should explore?
Bonus bonus: does my background scream out some other career path to you?
Thanks!
From what I understand, there are independent educational consultants and as well as educational consultancy firms, plus bigger firms that do multiple kinds of consulting, including educational. School districts and universities hire educational consultants to improve their practices, the same way a business would hire a management consultant. Also, though, individual wealthy students hire educational consultants to help them get into college and grad school, and I can't quite tell how these two kinds of work are linked (they seem like very different fields, but seem to go under the same title, which is confusing me.)
Some opening questions:
What kind of work do educational consultants do on a day-to-day basis? How much of it is research and writing reports, vs. visiting schools, vs. sitting in meetings vs. drumming up business?
How much is it like, or unlike, being a management consultant? (I have friends who work for McKinsey and BCG, and in theory it sounds like a dream job--tons of writing and research! always a new puzzle to solve! -- and in practice I know that it's hell because of the travel and the hours and the overall culture.)
How do people get started in this career?
Can you tell me more about the difference between doing this independently and working for a firm?
What are some of the most well-regarded firms in the industry?
What's the pay like?
What's the work culture like?
If you have this job, what are the pros and cons?
Is this a field I could conceivably enter?
(To help you answer that last question: I've got a very shiny Ivy League PhD in the humanities and the research skills to go with it; plus lots of teaching experience + prizes. I also taught public health in the Peace Corps, and have a lot of other volunteering experience that involves community education. I'm endlessly curious about all forms of alternative education, and the way that learning works. This past semester, I've been doing some admissions essay editing (some high school kids, but mostly for foreign students applying to graduate and professional schools) and I've been surprised at how interesting and enjoyable I've found it. I am also a creative writer, so I'm on the hunt for a career that might pay me a living wage without eating up all my hours and sucking away my life force. I thought that ruled out consulting completely...but maybe not?
Bonus: are there other kinds of consulting that a smart, motivated humanities type without super-strong quant skills should explore?
Bonus bonus: does my background scream out some other career path to you?
Thanks!
