The COVID-19 pandemic has literally stopped the world on its feet. Normal life has been interrupted across the globe, but as we adapt to the new normal, students who were looking to join college are still faced with the old selection headaches. This is a huge issue now that some courses are coming out to be more important than others. High school counselors can play a big role in advising the students looking to join college, for them to make the correct choices.
Relationship Between High School Counselors and College Admission Officers
These two professionals are expected to work arm in arm to ensure that students who want to join college make the right choices. While this relationship is beneficial, it can be tricky to navigate. The challenge lies with the communication lines between the involved parties, and the willingness of admission offers to engage with the counselors. The lines of communication can be fostered from either end, and it does not have to be the counselors reaching out to the admission officers.
Importance of High School Counselors
Student Support
Student support is perhaps the most important role of high school counselors at this time. Most students leaving high school do not have a clear idea of what they would want to do, and many end up choosing the wrong courses in college. As the students are young and subject to uncertainty, they need a cool and experienced head to explain to them all the options that lie ahead. The counselor will assess the student’s capabilities and strengths based on their performance in high school and give recommendations on what they think is best for them.
Note that the counselors do not choose the college courses for the students, and the final decision lies with them. Their work is to give some insight into some of the options available and inform them of the good and bad of each. At the end of it, the student should be confident enough to pick a suitable course that is aligned with their strengths and passion. They will also help them to choose the right college.
College admission officers can also help with this by ensuring that these students get the right information regarding their colleges and courses offered. The key to making sure that the students make correct decisions is by availing as much information as possible to them. Well, they should not choke them with huge brochures, but a readout with data regarding the courses offered will do the trick. These courses change in the colleges, and admission officers will want to update them frequently. Allowing students to rely on outdated information can lead them to make the wrong decisions. This is even crucial during this COVID-19 pandemic period as some students might lean towards the courses that are offered online for them to start learning as opposed to waiting for the schools to open fully.
The role of high school counselors should not be underestimated, as the work they do goes a long way in determining the fate of many students who want to join college. We have seen cases of students signing up for a course and then changing their minds later on, and jumping to another one. This is a waste of time and money, and it is prudent that the students get it right from the word go. Counselors also encourage them to focus on courses that will still have relevance in the next decade as opposed to going for things that are almost becoming obsolete. When students choose the correct colleges and courses that fit their strengths, they will definitely excel and become good career people over the years.
If you are a college admissions officer and would like to reach out to high school counselors with the latest information. Start your strategy, contact us. We have high school counselor email lists available.
Another great resource is Covid-19 Will Make Colleges Prove Their Worth