Today I read a blog post that kind of scared me. It scared me a little and it also bothered me a little, but I guess that's to be expected from blogs, right? I mean, a blog is meant to be a venue for some personal observation and opinion, and mine is no exception. But this one made me cringe a little both because the criticism was more on target than I wish it were and also because the people being criticized were high school counselors, whom I respect a good deal because I have been one of them. In fact, I still consider myself one even though I now do my work on an independent basis instead of through a specific institution.
Anyway, the writer's point of view was that most high school counselors don't know nearly enough about how the college admissions process works, and I'm afraid that at many, many schools that is true. The deck is stacked against them, the blogger wrote, because counselors are required to earn degrees in mental health related areas that have little to do with the "business" of admissions. Again, this is accurate at most schools--especially in the public school sector where a person must be certified by her or his state in order to become a counselor. That means the training is psychology-based, not college admissions-based, for most counselors.
Then, there's the issue of not having the funding at most schools that is necessary to travel to conferences or to visit campuses across the country. Add to that a caseload that could include up to 300 or 400 students and/or teaching a class or two, and you get a high school counselor who usually is faced with a hugely challenging job and very little support to get all of it done.
Of course, not every high school counselor is in this situation, but the sad truth, in my observation, is that most of them are. What that means is that no matter how much you like your counselor or how friendly and helpful he or she is, unless advising about college admissions is the main part of the job, the chances are that he or she is probably not up to date with national trends, does not know from first-hand experience was factors are influential in admissions, and doesn't think like a business person--and believe me, college admissions (or as it is known in some places, enrollment management) is largely a business issue.
So, how do you as parents work with that? Well, it's a good question. And the answer, I think, comes in learning as much as you can about how the process works. Educate yourself about admissions. Read journals, visit campuses, make appointments to talk with admissions and financial aid officers, surf the web, and browse the bookstores. Get lots of opinions from people who are in the business of admissions, and then make the best decisions you can. In many ways, it's like buying a new car.
And I guess I also want to say don't blame the high school counselor. Use that person as your ally, but don't expect him to have all the answers. Do your best to help the counselor get to know your son or daughter because the high school counselor is often the person who sends a personal recommendation on your child's behalf to the college admissions offices. At the same time, realize that many counselors just won't be current in this part of the work. Don't assume that, but don't be surprised by it. Focus on the great skills the counselor has regarding the way students learn, the way they interact with the world, the way they grow up--and look around for the practical advice you need about the business of admissions.
Let me know what you think. Thanks.
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