Eight questions families should ask any education consultant before signing, covering fees, school partnerships, honesty and support after arrival.
Choosing an education consultant can feel like a decision before the decision. You are trusting someone with your child’s future, your savings and months of planning. And from the outside, every agency looks the same: smiling students, long lists of partner schools, promises of success.
The right questions cut through the marketing quickly. Here are eight we believe every family should ask, including of us.
Questions about experience and focus
- How long have you worked with Canadian education? Experience matters, because rules, fees and programs change every year. Canadian Edu Centre has focused only on Canada since 2012.
- Do you specialise, or do you cover every country? A team focused on one destination usually knows its schools, cities and processes in far more depth.
- Which schools do you work with, and how do you choose them? A broad network is useful, but the shortlist should be built around the student’s profile, not a school’s quota.
Questions about honesty and money
- What exactly do you charge, and what is included? Ask for the fee model in writing, and ask whether any part of your income comes from schools.
- Will you tell us if a plan is unrealistic? A good consultant will sometimes say “not yet” or “there’s a better route”, even if it means a smaller sale.
- Do you guarantee admission? The correct answer is no. Admission decisions are made by each institution, and anyone who promises otherwise is not being truthful.
Questions about support
- Who will be our advisor, and will we speak to the same person? One advisor who knows your file, in your language and time zone, avoids repeated explanations and lost details.
- What happens after the offer letter? Housing, custodianship for minors, pre-departure briefings and first-term check-ins are where good support really shows.
Warning signs to watch for
- Pressure to sign quickly with “limited places” or special discounts.
- Vague costs that only become clear after payment.
- Guarantees of admission, scholarships or financing approval.
- Recommendations that never change, whatever the student’s grades, goals or budget.
How we answer these questions
We start every relationship with a free, no-obligation 30-minute assessment of the student’s profile, goals and budget, with an honest view of the options and risks. Every step after that has a named owner, a clear deadline and a document checklist. Where families are interested in financing, we explain clearly that we are not a lender and that Passage makes its own decisions. You can also explore schools yourself with our school finder.
Ask these questions of every consultant you meet, and compare the answers. When you are ready, book a free pre-assessment with Canadian Edu Centre and put us to the test.