When Should I Consult an Independent Counselor?

I've been getting questions lately about the difference between a high school counselor and an independent counselor--good questions that merit some explanation, so here goes.

Your son or daughter's high school counselor is the "official" connection between your family and college. In an ideal world, that person would know you and your kid really well, would have vast counselor resources to help you through any transition you might need help with, and would have first-hand knowledge of many different colleges.  The high school counselor's role is an important one, and it is only from the high school counselor that most colleges will accept an official counselor recommendation and official transcripts.

An independent counselor, on the other hand, offers nothing "official" to colleges though he probably has many connections to admissions offices and understands the nuances of the admissions process at a very high level.  The independent counselor is an additional resource for families who are looking for every opportunity available to them and their son or daughter in the college admissions process.

I've been both a high school counselor and an independent counselor, and what I see as the main difference has more to do with time and resources than anything else.  The role of an independent counselor should not be to replace the high school counselor, but to offer a family a second point of view so that the family can have access to as much information as possible in order to come to good decisions.

In some schools, the college advising is so good that there is little need for an additional or independent counselor, yet some families go that route anyway just to assure themselves that they're looking at all the right angles of admissions for their son or daughter.  Nothing wrong with that.

At many schools the individual counselor's student load prevents her from being able to know all of her students as well as she might like to.  A counselor's assignment can range from 10 kids a year at some independent schools to as many as 400 kids a year or more in some public schools.  If your kid's high school counselor is working with more than 100 kids, then it might be good to ask yourself how much attention is that person going to be able to give to your son or daughter.

One factor that influences many parents to choose an independent counselor is also related to school resources.  Few counselors in schools are able to travel as much as they would like to in order to visit college campuses and learn about admissions trends and special programs at various colleges and universities.  Those that do tend to be from schools where the budget allows for that kind of travel, but the reality of today's economy is that fewer and fewer high school counselors have the financial support from their own institutions to make as many visits as you would probably like them to.

Some high school counselors have specific backgrounds in guidance and facilitating support for kids with special needs.  That can mean that their specific experience or knowledge related to college admissions might be limited.  I've met many wonderful high school counselors who don't know, for example, anything about trends in admissions or changes in SAT and ACT testing.  In some cases, the schools where they work assign the college advising piece to them as an additional part of their responsibilities.  For most independent counselors, college advising is the primary part of what they do.

Some high school counselors also teach classes, and obviously that means less time available for college counseling.

One counselor I interviewed a few years ago knew a lot about colleges in her own state but almost nothing about national universities or liberal arts colleges.  Given that almost all of her students attended college in state, that was fine, but when a family was interested in sending their child to the East Coast, they had to look elsewhere for expertise.

Most high school counselors work very hard and are eager to help your children, but the reality is also that they are overextended at most schools, making valiant efforts to do an impossible job some days.  The are often under-appreciated, too.  An independent counselor recognizes that and approaches his job from the point of view that what he offers is an opportunity for families to have more immediate access to information and, at times, a greater range of suggestions and options to consider.

As an independent counselor, I offer families the ability to ask (and to have answered) any questions they have about the admissions process any time they have them.  Thanks to online resources, I am available to people every day, almost all day, and can return answers to email or text messages usually the same day.  That kind of access is not usually available from the high school counselor.  My advice is frank and honest, based on what I know and the experiences I've had over the last thirty years.  Sometimes families don't always like the information I give them, but then, I believe that if a family hires me, my obligation is to be as straight with them as I can.  My web site details a complete list of services that I offer (www.askjohnaboutcollege.com), ranging from planning which standardized tests to take to crafting an excellent college essay for the applications.

As with most independent counselors, I make quick connections with kids.  My goal is to help them discover and present their strengths and talents, giving them confidence in their abilities along the way. Of course, a good high school counselor will do that, too.

Your task as parents is to evaluate if the high school counselor is meeting all your needs.  Many can and do, but just as many can't and don't and usually for no fault of their own.  High school counselors are the closest thing we have to angels, and they often have impossible jobs.  Be their friend.  Bake them cookies. Let them know that you appreciate their work.  

Let me know if the information here was useful for you.