We would never pay a commission. Really?

Our school will never pay commissions to consultants who refer students. Really? Why is that?

It's August and you need a few (or more than a few) students to hit your enrollment goals. You’ve sharpened your messaging, optimized your visit experience, and followed up with every inquiry twice. And still… a few seats remain. That’s when the topic of referral commissions sometimes creeps in.

You’ve heard that some US schools do it. 

You know that IECA has a well thought out and long standing position against it.

You want to stay true to your values. 

You’re not alone.

But here’s the tension: In much of the world, paying agents for student referrals is common practice. At many U.S. schools, it’s still taboo. So what happens when your mission-driven approach runs up against market realities?

I’m not advocating for commissions—or against them. I’m just freeing you of any ethical turbulence you may be experiencing. I am also encouraging schools to ask honest questions and talk about the uncomfortable middle ground—because more schools are standing in it than you think.

Here’s my take - do what you need to do to achieve full enrollment. Your responsibility is to your school and no one else. If it makes it any easier, I’ve paid commissions since the 1990’s for some international students. 

Those students had fabulous experiences and went on to much success. And I sleep really well at night.

That’s my take, but I’m guessing others have lots of opinions on this.