CEP Ethical and Professional Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CEP discovers that a colleague is accepting undisclosed referral fees from a college. What is the most appropriate first step?
- Report directly to law enforcement
- Confront the colleague privately and encourage disclosure or cessation (Correct answer)
- Ignore it as a personal business matter
- Notify all mutual clients immediately
Correct answer: Confront the colleague privately and encourage disclosure or cessation
IECA ethics require planners to address colleague misconduct, starting with a direct conversation before escalating to formal channels.
Question 2: Which situation BEST illustrates a conflict of interest for a CEP?
- Recommending a college the planner personally attended
- Receiving compensation from a test-prep company for each student referred without disclosing this to families (Correct answer)
- Charging a flat fee rather than an hourly rate
- Advising a student on schools outside the planner's geographic region
Correct answer: Receiving compensation from a test-prep company for each student referred without disclosing this to families
Undisclosed financial arrangements with third parties create a direct conflict of interest that violates transparency standards.
Question 3: A CEP is asked by a parent to write the student's college application essay. The ethical response is to:
- Write the essay if the parent signs a waiver
- Coach the student on content and structure but ensure the student authors the final essay (Correct answer)
- Decline the request without offering any essay guidance
- Write a draft and have the student rewrite it in their own words
Correct answer: Coach the student on content and structure but ensure the student authors the final essay
CEP ethics prohibit ghostwriting essays; planners may guide and provide feedback, but the student must be the true author.
Question 4: How should a CEP handle a situation where a student's learning disability requires accommodations that colleges must know about, but the student refuses to disclose?
- Disclose the disability without the student's consent to protect the student
- Respect the student's autonomy and not disclose without consent, while advising on the benefits of disclosure (Correct answer)
- Withdraw from the engagement entirely
- Contact the college's disability services office anonymously
Correct answer: Respect the student's autonomy and not disclose without consent, while advising on the benefits of disclosure
Student confidentiality and autonomy must be respected; the CEP can counsel on the advantages of disclosure but cannot act without consent.
Question 5: Which practice aligns with the IECA commitment to student-centered advising?
- Steering all clients toward colleges with the highest rankings
- Tailoring recommendations to each student's unique academic profile, interests, and goals (Correct answer)
- Limiting advice to schools where the planner has established alumni contacts
- Prioritizing schools that offer the highest merit scholarships to attract clients
Correct answer: Tailoring recommendations to each student's unique academic profile, interests, and goals
Student-centered advising means individualizing counsel based on the specific needs and aspirations of each student.
Question 6: A CEP is offered a complimentary resort stay by a college's admissions office. According to ethical standards, the planner should:
- Accept it because relationship-building with colleges is encouraged
- Decline the gift as it could compromise objectivity and must be disclosed if accepted (Correct answer)
- Accept only if the value is under $50
- Accept it but note it in their client files
Correct answer: Decline the gift as it could compromise objectivity and must be disclosed if accepted
Gifts from colleges can create perceived or actual bias; IECA standards require declining or fully disclosing such benefits to clients.
Question 7: What does 'informed consent' require a CEP to provide to a new client family?
- A list of all colleges the planner has visited
- A clear explanation of services, fees, limitations, and the planner's professional background before the engagement begins (Correct answer)
- Guarantee of admission to at least one college
- Access to the planner's full client roster
Correct answer: A clear explanation of services, fees, limitations, and the planner's professional background before the engagement begins
Informed consent demands full transparency about scope, cost, credentials, and limitations before any professional relationship is established.
CEP Ethical and Professional Standards 2
A CEP discovers that a colleague is accepting undisclosed referral fees from a college.
What is the most appropriate first step?