Your Child's High School Counselor

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Putting It All Together

Through four years of high school your child will have many different teachers, take a variety of tests, and participate in various activities. The one person who sees the entire picture of your child's high school career, and who can bring all the information together, aside from you, is your child's high school counselor.

Your child's counselor will help her plan a challenging course schedule and advise your child on how to achieve her goals. Her counselor has information on which tests your child should take, which colleges are a good fit for her, and how to get on the right track for the careers that interest her.

Most students have the same counselor throughout high school. Keep in mind, though, that some counselors advise hundreds of students, while others advise only a few. Your child may need to seek out her counselor or she may find her counselor calls her up for meetings and has plenty of time to talk. Whichever scenario your child finds herself in, remember that your child must take the initiative with her education plans, and should be active in pursuing her counselor's help.

Classes and Tests

As your child proceeds through high school, her counselor keeps a record of all her classes and grades. Her counselor will also keep track of her graduation requirements and help her create a class schedule based on her post-graduation goals. If your child is having problems in school, either academic or otherwise, her counselor can connect her to resources in the school or community. If your child experiences problems in class, the counselor can also speak to her teachers to monitor her progress.

Your child's counselor will be able to advise her about which college admission tests to take and when to take them. She may need to take more tests than just the SAT® to fulfill admission requirements at certain colleges. She should ask her counselor for help to ensure that she fulfills all admission requirements.

Exploring College Options

As your child explores her college options, she should be sure to ask her guidance counselor which resources are available at her school. The counselor will be able to connect her to information on various colleges, majors and careers. Some schools even offer personality profiles to help your child explore her preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. Your child should ask her counselor about all the resources available to her, so when it comes time to make decisions about her future she's confident in her choices.

Apply to College

Your child's counselor can recommend colleges that match her academic profile and career goals. The counselor can also advise her about which colleges she should consider "safety," "good fit," or "reach" schools. But keep in mind, her counselor will not be able to advise her on every single college out there. It is your child's responsibility to explore all the options and come up with a final list of colleges. She must also request any application materials she needs from colleges herself, and she alone is responsible for making sure she meets all deadlines.

When your child begins applying to college she will need to request that her counselor send her transcript to the colleges on her list. She should provide her counselor with all the appropriate information and forms for each school, along with the deadlines for each.

College applications often require a counselor recommendation, so it is important that your child let the counselor know her goals, strengths, and plans—well before senior year. Keep in mind, though, that the counselor's word alone does not automatically mean your child will be admitted into a highly selective college. Colleges use various criteria to determine their student body. Their final admission decision is based on the composite picture of your child from her entire application.

Pay for College

If you need help understanding financial aid awards, the best place to go for help is the financial aid office at the college. Your child's high school counselor can also help you to understand your child's aid awards and how financial aid works. The counselor may also be able to connect your child to local scholarship opportunities.

Meeting with Your Child's Counselor

Most counselors have very busy schedules, with the bulk of their time dedicated to meeting with their students. Some questions you might want to ask:

What resources are available through the school for my child to explore college and career options?
Which college admission and placement tests should my child be taking?
If my child is a slow learner are tutors available through the school?
If my child is a fast learner, are there challenging classes and programs offered here?
Which colleges would be a good fit for my child?

If you are meeting because a problem has arisen, keep an open mind to what the counselor has to say. The counselor has experience helping many students through high school and college planning, and can be a valuable resource to help your child succeed in high school and beyond.

Moving?

If your family moves to a new school district before your child graduates high school, your child's counselors at both schools can help to ease the transition. Ask your child's counselor at her former school to write a letter to the new counselor, expressing her strengths, weaknesses, and any important academic points. Make sure that her new counselor gets the note. She should schedule an appointment with her new counselor to discuss her plans for the future and academic goals.