Counselors
Academic advising is a crucial part of a school counselor’s role, they do so much more than just recommend which classes to take each year. Counselors also play an essential role in guiding their students’ college and career decisions, and ensuring their social and emotional well-being.
Moreover, a school counselor’s impact goes well beyond high school. Students who were supported by their counselor were more likely to graduate high school and apply to college, had fewer behavioral problems, made more informed college decisions, improved their ACT and SAT scores, and had better attendance.
Getting to know their school counselor should be a priority for every high school student, considering the far-reaching influence counselors have on academic success.
The more a counselor knows a student’s academic strengths, weaknesses, extracurricular activities, interests, and hobbies, the better prepared they will be to advise students in their academic journey to reach their post-secondary goals.
Besides guiding students towards credit completion for graduation, counselors can steer students to curriculum that will help them attain their learning objectives and appeal to their interests. Similarly, a counselor can recommend alternatives or tutoring resources for students who may be struggling academically and wish to switch classes.
School counselors also advocate for students who need disability accommodations. They mediate between school psychologists, school social workers, teachers, parents, and administrators to develop an education plan based on a student’s individual needs.
