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10 Essential Tips to Help you be the Best Counselor you can be!

You play a crucial role in guiding students through one of the most important phases of their lives. You help them navigate the challenges of adolescence, choose the right academic path, and prepare for life beyond high school. However, being a counselor is no easy task. It requires a combination of compassion, patience, and expertise to help your students succeed. Here are 10 tips to help you do your job better:

  1. Build relationships with your students – Students are more likely to trust and open up to someone they feel comfortable around. By building a relationship with your students, you can help them feel supported and heard.
  2. Communicate effectively with parents and teachers – Collaborating with parents and teachers is essential to help students achieve their goals. Make sure you keep all parties informed and work together to create a supportive environment.
  3. Stay up to date with trends and resources – As a counselor, it’s important to stay informed about the latest trends and resources related to education and mental health. Attend conferences, read articles, and network with other professionals in your field.
  4. Advocate for your students – Sometimes, students may need additional support to succeed. As a counselor, it’s your job to advocate for your students and help them get the resources they need to thrive.
  5. Create a safe and welcoming environment – Your office should be a space where students feel safe and welcomed. Consider adding calming elements like plants, music, or comfortable seating to create a relaxing atmosphere.
  6. Be knowledgeable about college applications and scholarships – Many high school students aspire to attend college, but the application process can be overwhelming. Be knowledgeable about the requirements and deadlines and help your students prepare for college admission tests.
  7. Be an active listener – Active listening is a critical skill for counselors. Be present in the conversation, listen carefully to what your students are saying, and ask questions to clarify any confusion.
  8. Use data to guide your counseling – Data can be an excellent tool to help you identify areas where your students may need additional support. Use test scores, attendance records, and other metrics to guide your counseling.
  9. Encourage self-reflection – Encouraging students to reflect on their feelings and experiences can help them develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Help them identify their strengths and weaknesses and set realistic goals for themselves.
  10. Take care of yourself – Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Counseling can be emotionally draining, so make sure you take time to rest, exercise, and do things that make you happy.

As a high school counselor, your job is to help students succeed academically and emotionally. By following these tips, you can create a supportive environment that helps your students achieve their goals. Remember, your role is essential, and your work is appreciated by the students, parents, and teachers whose lives you touch.

Preparing High School Seniors for College Curriculum, Both in Online and Traditional Settings

It’s a hard time being a high school senior getting ready for college. Student debt levels are at an all-time high, the job market continues to shift in uncertain directions, and universities all across the country are still recovering from the pandemic.

As a guidance counselor, your job is to help prepare your seniors for college, be they getting ready for online classes, traditional schooling, or some hybridized combination of both. In this article, we take a look at some of the most important issues weighing on the minds of incoming college freshmen.

How Things Are Different

Of course, counselors have been getting kids ready to go to college forever. It’s the job, right? How have things changed in the last few years to reshape that responsibility?

The biggest change has likely been the proliferation of remote learning. Where once online school was obscure and even stigmatized, it is now mainstream. Many students who attend in-person universities will wind up taking at least a few online classes during their time in college.

While the learning process remains much the same in remote classes, there are unique responsibilities that your students should prepare themselves for.

  • Self-guided: A good deal of remote work is self-guided. Of course, to be successful at college, students do need to be able to take initiative. This need is simply greater in the online setting. Often, classes will simply ask their students to complete a certain amount of work each week. They may not have any zoom classes at all, putting a bigger premium on being able to motivate yourself to work.
  • A different way of learning: Kids should also understand that learning on a screen is biologically different than learning in person. The human mind processes screen-based learning differently. Study after study shows that the human mind places a lower priority on facts that are presented on a screen. The why of it isn’t entirely understood yet, but we do know that learning effectively online requires a heightened degree of effort.

Fortunately, most high school seniors will be at least somewhat acquainted with the concept of remote learning thanks to the pandemic. However, it’s still a good idea to go over their new responsibilities with them. Self-guided learning in high school is much different than it is in college. Without the structure of home life as an anchor, many new college students struggle to establish the firm study habits that are required for college success.

Finance

The average college student graduates without even knowing how to make a budget. Unacceptable as that is, it’s also indicative of another problem— high school students are going into an independent setting with no knowledge of money.

Not only will an understanding of finance help them navigate the college world, but it may also inform their decision of where they go. It’s strange to think that kids make one of the biggest financial choices of their lives— short only of buying a house— without even realizing it. A little bit of financial wisdom can be enormously beneficial as they weigh their student loan options.

Of course, there is only so much that can be done at this stage in the game. A senior poised to graduate won’t become an expert in finance overnight. More and more high schools across the country are emphasizing financial instruction for underclasspeople for precisely that reason.

Work Gets Harder

College can be a big culture shock for freshmen. It’s not just that they are away from home for the first time. It’s the work itself. In high school, class difficulty increases very gradually and sometimes not at all. It’s not like that in college.

Universities have high standards and the teachers, though typically accommodating, are often disinclined to make special efforts to help students out. It is an adult world, filled with adult expectations. Kids who don’t know how to buckle down and study may have a tough time.

College-level classes are a great way to get students ready for university life while still enjoying the comforts of home. While not every student is eligible to take these classes in high school, it is a good opportunity to get a taste of university expectations while also saving a pretty decent chunk of money. Consider encouraging eligible students to take advantage of every college-level class that they can.

Encourage Extracurricular Involvement

Extracurriculars are a good way to provide high school students with an extra degree of responsibility. This can be a useful asset in helping them prepare for the unique demands of university life.

Extracurriculars also have the unique benefit of helping students stand out in their applications. While senior year may be a little late to start padding out a resume, every little bit counts, so encourage your students to get involved in things they are interested in.

Conclusion

Being a freshman in college has never been easy. However, as the world of education continues to shift into a new phase— an age of digitalization— kids currently in the educational system are being uniquely exposed to the influx of technology in the classroom.

While Covid did accelerate the digitalization of school work, it is safe to say that the world of education remains in a state of growing pains.

Of course, kids are tough. With your help, they will be able to prepare for school and enjoy a fruitful university experience.

Wait-List Fundamentals

The wait-list, commonly referred to as “admissions purgatory”  is that ugly and uncomfortable grey area – they didn’t like you enough to accept you and they didn’t hate you enough to reject you.

Students will need to make a decision and a deposit at a college where they were accepted by May 1. When a college puts a student on a wait-list they will ask the student to respond as to whether they want to stay on the wait-list or if they’ve already made other plans and accepted or will accept an offer from another college or university.

So after dealing with the loss of not being accepted, students and parents need to determine which of the colleges where they were accepted represents the best fit academically, socially and for the family financially. If there is a clear winner, then the process is over. Otherwise, families need to evaluate the wait-list opportunities.

It’s important to be realistic about finances. It would be a rare occurrence for a wait-listed student to receive merit-based aid. Need-based aid is more likely, but colleges will not necessarily meet 100 percent of need.

The wait-list is all about the yield; what percentage of accepted students will choose to deposit and attend each institution? The national average for yield is 33.6 percent, which means that two-thirds of students are rejecting the offers of admission that they receive. It makes sense because a student applies to multiple colleges and universities and hopefully receives multiple acceptances, but can only attend one school. Colleges wish their yield was 100 percent, it would make their jobs much, much easier.

The dynamics of the wait-list vary from college to college and may greatly vary from year to year. The big problem comes when colleges invite thousands of students to be on their wait-list and then find out, after May 1, that their yield increased. Then they have no open spots for students on the wait-list, in fact, they may be panicking that they don’t have enough beds for incoming freshmen who have already said yes.  Colleges do their best to predict yield, but it’s a risky game. All of this is to say that there is really no accurate predictive measure to determine how many spots there will be.

According to Rick Clark, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Georgia Tech (www.gatech.edu), “Essentially, the wait-list exists to accommodate for demographics that were not met in the initial round of admission offers. If you have the right number of deposits from the West Coast, you go to your wait-list for more East Coast students. If you have enough Chemistry majors, you may be going to the wait-list for Business students. Ultimately, the job of admission deans and directors is to make and shape the class, as defined by institutional priorities. Meeting target enrollment is critical to bottom-line revenue, creating a desired ethos on campus, proliferating the school’s brand, and other factors.”

So, while there are things you can do to improve your wait-list chances, much is out of your control.

Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@bierercollegeconsulting.comwww.bierercollegeconsulting.com

New Scholarship Opportunity – “Patrick Nelson Scholarship for Student Entrepreneurs”

A new scholarship is available for your students. Patrick Nelson is an entrepreneur and CEO of Nelson Partners based in Los Angeles, CA.  He wants to help the next generation of entrepreneurs in the United States and would like to give back through the “Patrick Nelson Scholarship for Student Entrepreneurs”. This scholarship is available for students in the United States who are currently enrolled in a university or high school students that have plans to attend a university.  The scholarship is meant to help a deserving student with scholarship funding who wishes to become an entrepreneur.

 Here is some brief information about the scholarship: 

  • Award of $1,000 to a Single Student
  • Deadline for this scholarship is October 15, 2023
  • A winner will be announced by November 15, 2023 

All of the details and criteria can be found on our page: https://patricknelsonscholarship.com/patrick-nelson-scholarship/

Running any small groups in your Counseling Department? If so, you are invited to participate in this interview study

Are you a practicing school counselor running small groups or clubs targeting specific populations (i.e. LGBTQ+, race, refugees, gender, etc.)? If yes, please consider participating in this interview study (40-60 minutes) via Zoom about your experiences implementing or trying to implement affinity groups in educational settings. The first 10 participants will receive a $50 Amazon gift card following the interview.

Here is a link to get more information/participate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerrV4D8BnoISow19pnVY0XwbTYiOenKQgFdv7zQGVUwaOQPg/viewform

Online Safety Tips for Students

Here are the most crucial internet safety tips for students:

Report incidents of cyberbullying and block the attacker.

Only use trusted websites when shopping online.

Secure your accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication.

Enable smartphone security features, such as biometrics and automatic updates.

Back up your data regularly using a cloud service or external drive.

Review your bank and credit card statements monthly to track your spending.

Secure your laptop and other devices, and don’t leave them unattended.

Beware of unsecured Wi-Fi networks; use a VPN if you have to use public Wi-Fi.

Enable pop-up blockers to prevent malicious pop-ups from infecting your browser.

Use encryption tools like local data encryptors and VPNs for Internet data encryption.

Update your software regularly to minimize the number of vulnerabilities.

Watch out for phishing scams like job scams. Don’t click on suspicious links and double-check a company before responding.

Learn how to combat the dangers of social media. Never give out your location, address, or other sensitive information.

Get antivirus software to protect your devices from malware, spyware, trojan viruses, adware, ransomware, and other online security threats.

Use a VPN to protect your privacy when using public Wi-Fi or campus networks.

Like these tips? Here is a link to a complete Internet Safety Guide for students: https://www.antivirusguide.com/cybersecurity/internet-safety-college-students/

LINK for Counselors – Paramount Research Survey Takers – 10 Amazon Gift Card Winners

Thanks to all the Counselors that participate in the LINK for Counselors Paramount Research Survey this year. We received some great feedback from our readers. Paramount randomly chose 10 winners from all survey participants. These are this year’s winners who will all be receiving a $10 Amazon gift card by email.

Alana Murray – Illinois Counselor

Meredith DeBorde – Texas Counselor

Tony Settel – Vermont Counselor

Djuna Pickens – Texas Counselor

Angela Young – South Carolina Counselor

Doug Dressman – Ohio Counselor

Nicole Garcia – Colorado Counselor

Patty Kulpa – Texas Counselor

Beverly Vernon – North Carolina Counselor

Tracey B – Arizona Counselor

School for School Counselors Podcast

There is a new podcast available that is geared specifically for Counselors. Here is what it covers –

School counseling is one of the most rewarding professions on the planet, but also one of the most intense and misunderstood. Most school counseling resources continue to focus on ultra-filtered, perfect-world examples of school counseling instead of the raw, real-world realities of the profession we love: that’s why we created this podcast. The School for School Counselors podcast is for school counselors working their hearts out while fearing they’ll never meet the expectation of a “perfect” comprehensive program. It’s for school counselors who are feeling frustrated, discouraged, or misunderstood. And it’s for those of us who just simply LOVE working in and thinking about school counseling because we want to learn, grow and inspire positive change in students. If you’ve been looking for a circle of school counselor colleagues who just GET IT, and if you’re not afraid to be REAL about things like comprehensive school counseling programs, data-driven school counseling, and the joys and real challenges of the modern school counselor’s role on campus, you’ve come to the right place.

Want to check it out? It is available on most podcast mediums for download. Here is a link to their page with links to each of the options they offer: https://schoolforschoolcounselorspodcast.buzzsprout.com/share?fbclid=IwAR16v-ZzDxbA7IwmtN4hM9sOukzCXYVouZfpNNLDp2PTPdX7X80zzKQ3pbA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Test-Optional College Admission Policies: The Pros and Cons

The SAT and ACT have long been considered crucial parts of the college application process. But when the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to safely administer the tests, many colleges adopted test-optional admission policies, waiving their standardized testing requirements. Today – nearly three years since the pandemic struck – many colleges are still test optional. In fact, according to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, more than 1,800 colleges aren’t requiring test scores for fall 2023 applicants.

Judi Robinovitz, an educational consultant with more than 30 years of experience and founder of JRA Educational Consulting, says that although test-optional colleges allow students to decide whether or not to submit their SAT or ACT scores, admission officers will still consider your scores if you submit them. In fact, Judi believes test scores will remain a key consideration in college admission decisions.

“Test scores are still an important factor in college admission decisions for most colleges – second only to a student’s academic record,” she said. “First and foremost, colleges look at course rigor and academic performance. But many studies conclude that standardized test scores combined with high school GPA are a better predictor of first-year college success than a high school GPA alone.”

Opponents of test-optional admissions believe that colleges should reinstate testing requirements, while proponents sing its praises. So, is test optional here to stay and, if so, how can you decide what’s best for you?

Test Optional – A Closer Look

Test-optional policies vary by school. For example, sometimes test-optional colleges have exceptions, such as requiring test scores for certain majors and academic programs. In addition, some honors and scholarship programs require an SAT or ACT score, and home-schooled students and international students may be required to submit scores – even to test-optional colleges. Always review a college’s admissions page to familiarize yourself with all requirements – including its test-optional policy – before you apply.

In general, there are three types of test-optional policies:

Test Optional for Applicants Meeting Certain Criteria: Some colleges require SAT or ACT scores for the majority of applicants, but are test optional for applicants who meet specific standards, like achieving a certain GPA or demonstrating an outstanding academic accomplishment.

Test Flexible: Test-flexible colleges require applicants to submit a test score, but it doesn’t have to be the SAT or ACT. Instead, applicants may submit Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or other accepted test scores. For example, although Drexel University and NYU are currently test optional, both offer a test-flexible policy for applicants who choose to submit scores.

Test Blind: Colleges with test-blind policies will not consider test scores, even if you submit them. For example, Hampshire College, the University of California, and Loyola University New Orleans are test-blind schools. According to Loyola’s admissions page, “As a test-blind institution, Loyola will not consider your test score even if it is submitted…This allows the admission process to be more focused on GPA, academic rigor, student involvement, and the student’s personal statement.”

How Colleges Benefit From Test-Optional Policies

“Sometimes the most brilliant and intelligent minds do not shine in standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds.” –Diane Ravitch, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education.

Most colleges adopt test-optional policies to increase applications from a more diverse range of students. Studies indicate that many applicants who choose not to submit test scores come from groups that statistically don’t perform well on standardized tests, including students from low-income families, under-represented minorities, students with English as a second language, or first-generation students whose parents didn’t attend college.

In addition to attracting a more diverse pool of students, test-optional colleges show an overall increase in applications. Students who may not have previously applied because they didn’t meet the criteria – such as those with impressive academic achievements but without competitive test scores – generally feel more confident applying to test-optional colleges. And, because most applicants pay an application fee, colleges earn more revenue. Other benefits? Only students with high scores tend to submit their results, so the average SAT and ACT scores go up at test-optional colleges. That’s even more good news for colleges.

“When more students apply and SAT and ACT scores go up, a college’s selectivity goes up as a result,” Judi said. “Colleges have a larger pool of applicants, but the same number of spots available, so they’re accepting a lower percentage of students. This selectivity improves the school’s rank and attracts even more applicants. So generally speaking, when a college goes test optional, it receives more applications, higher SAT and ACT scores, and a much higher level of selectivity.”

To Submit or Not To Submit…That is the Question

Sometimes we are tested – not to show our weaknesses – but to discover our strengths.” – Unknown

By definition, the word ‘optional’ means “left to one’s choice; not required or mandatory.” But just because something is optional doesn’t mean you should opt not to do it. In fact, studies show that even for test-optional colleges, most students still submit scores. According to the College Board, representatives from test-optional colleges reported in a survey that about 80 percent of applicants chose to submit their scores.

Jason Robinovitz, Chief Operating Officer of JRA Educational Consulting, cited similar studies, noting that evidence substantiates that standardized test scores add value to a college application.

“When schools went test-optional in non-pandemic years, the majority of applicants continued to submit scores – and score averages actually rose,” he said. “If your SAT or ACT scores fall within a college’s mid-fifty-percent range – especially if they fall within the upper portion of this range or higher – it’s a good idea to submit them. Similarly, if your test scores are high in comparison to classmates in your school, submit them.”

But are there instances when an applicant should not submit scores?

Most college admission experts say that if your SAT or ACT scores aren’t representative of your academic achievements and don’t reflect your future potential in college, it may be beneficial not to submit. For example, Jason suggests that students with scores below the mid fifty-percent range who don’t have future tests scheduled might benefit from applying test optional. But applicants who do plan to take future tests might consider waiting for at least one more set of scores before deciding. Some colleges allow you to change your mind about applying test optional once your application is submitted, while others don’t. When in doubt, contact the college.

If you choose not to submit your test scores, then your GPA, activity résumé, personal statement, supplemental essays, recommendations, and other aspects of your application should be strong enough to stand alone and make college admission officers take notice. But are college essays becoming obsolete?

Although some educators have expressed concern that bots like ChatGPT might dilute the significance of college essays, most – like Jason and Judi – agree that personal statements and supplemental essays will remain a vital part of the college application process. However, as artificial intelligence gains traction, a student’s academic record and SAT and ACT scores may be even more important to college admission officers than ever before.

“Bots like ChatGPT use artificial intelligence to generate error-free essays, but they don’t show who you are as a person, or as a student,” Jason said. “Your personal statement should offer an engaging narrative that expresses your unique voice and style. It should be something nobody else but you could write, because it’s your story. A bot can’t do that– you can’t automate individuality or personality – so your personal statement and supplemental essays are still important. But when all is said and done, your academic record and SAT or ACT scores are the only true, accurate measures of your personal knowledge and abilities.”

Looking Ahead

Although many colleges are currently test optional, a number of prominent colleges still require applicants to submit test scores. Many college admission experts believe that test-optional policies make it more difficult to fairly and objectively evaluate students.

For example, MIT adopted a test-optional policy during the initial phases of the pandemic, but reinstated its SAT and ACT requirements in 2022.

“Our research shows standardized tests help us better assess the academic preparedness of all applicants, and also help us identify socioeconomically disadvantaged students who lack access to advanced coursework or other enrichment opportunities that would otherwise demonstrate their readiness for MIT,” the college explained in a statement on its admissions page. “We believe a requirement is more equitable and transparent than a test-optional policy.” 

So what does the future hold?

While many colleges are sticking with test-optional policies for now, most are still gathering data, evaluating, and determining their best course of action going forward. Meanwhile, the consensus among most college admission experts is that students should still prepare for and take the SAT and ACT. From there, applicants can determine whether or not they want to submit those scores.

“Many colleges offer test-optional as an alternative, but most admission officers still believe that submitting scores is a good choice for many students and that solid SAT or ACT scores are still important,” Judi said. “Including them can strengthen your application, make you a more competitive candidate, and increase your chances of getting admitted.”

Score at the Top offers tutoring, full-time schooling, courses for credit, test prep, college and grad school planning, and more. They deliver an array of educational services with one goal in mind: to help students do their very best in every aspect of their education. They are mentoring, personalized, and effective. Their students acquire skills for today, feed their curiosity, and develop learning habits to support an independent, fulfilling life. Check them out at www.scoreatthetop.com

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