As
a guidance director for 18 years, I worked with thousands of students, helping
them with their college plans. During
that time one lesson came home time after time: when parents, students,
teachers, school counselors and the colleges work as a team, everybody wins.
A school guidance counselor works closely with students to help them make
realistic career plans, including help with planning a program of study in high
school and with college admissions. Most
counselors welcome parental involvement. While
parents can, and should, request individual appointment, much information is
distributed through hand outs, mailings, parent evenings, and most recently, the
high school web site. We suggest
that you use the following table to help plan your interaction with your
daughter or sons high school counselor.
|
Name
of counselor: |
|
Phone: |
|
Web
site, if available |
|
Evening
hours? |
|
Events
for parents |
|
Course selection |
|
College planning |
|
Financial aid |
|
Special events |
|
Planned
contact with students |
|
Classroom programs |
|
Individual appointments |
|
Theme groups such as relationships or
careers |
|
Important
Dates |
|
College tests such as SAT or ACT
tests |
|
When are college applications due? |
|
How are scholarships announced? |
|
How are school recommendations
managed |
|
How
do parents access student transcripts? |
Many
parents see the workload placed on the shoulders of school counselors and they
fear the guidance staff will not have time to help their son or daughter.
We urge parents to meet with their son or daughters counselor before
spending any money on outside help. While
many paid services are outstanding, parents may be paying for services already
covered by their local guidance office. A
visit to the guidance office can help determine if outside help is needed.
If you determine that you would like outside help, be certain you are
dealing with a reputable source of help. Unfortunately,
much of the promotional material can be misleading.
One good way of assuring quality is to talk to parents in your community
and learn what their experience has been. Do
not be afraid to ask the guidance office about their experiences with private
services. They may be able to steer
you away from expensive services that do not warrant the high fees.
Also be aware that independent counselors do not replace the school
counselor.
National Association For College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
suggest that you ask if (1) the school counselor has the time scheduled to work
with college bound students, (2) have they been attending workshops on the
topic, such as those offered by the College Board, and (3) do they provide
access to the resources you need? If
yes, you may want to save your money. If
not, than independent counselor may be appropriate. Services are available in
person in most areas of