As you may have heard the public school budgets are in a crunch, and public school counselors are busier than ever. Most high school counselors do an excellent job, but they have large caseloads including hundreds of students and many duties in addition to college counseling. Most public high school counselors are responsible for more than 500 students, master schedules, lunch duty, Red Ribbon Week, and many other duties.
To exacerbate this situation, most Master’s degree programs in Counseling do not include college admissions classes or trends. For example, counselors who receive their Master’s degree in counseling from UHCL take courses in Crisis Intervention, Group Therapy, and Assessment Issues, but not even one course in college admissions or financial aid.
In contrast, I am able to focus on a small number of students, which allows me to give each student all the individual attention he or she needs. Instead of 500+ students, I normally consult with 30-50 students per year, with only 20-25 seniors each year. This enables me to edit all essays personally, keep track of students’ applications, and search for scholarships that each student is eligible for.
In additional to more individualized attention, I also have more availability to families. Normally, I meet with students weekdays 4-8pm and on weekend mornings and afternoons. Some of the college application process takes place outside of the normal school hours, therefore, I am available to assist parents and students through the process over the summer, on weekends, and during winter break. Using the College Planner Pro software, students are able to ask questions via test messaging on their phones and get answers in real time!
