How Guidance Counselors can Help

"I could never get into my high school counselor's office," recalls Doug Spielman, grade 7-12 guidance counselor for the Flambeau, Wisconsin, public school district. "When I finally did, he looked up, told me that the applications for college were on the wall, and went back to drinking his coffee. It left a bad taste in my mouth." Today, Spielman's approach as a counselor is a bit different. "We have an open-door policy for students and parents."

On the average, U.S. high school guidance counselors today are assigned anywhere from 40 to 700 students each. But this doesn't mean parents should stay away. "I encourage parents to get to know me, and find out what I can do for their kids," says Spielman. He sends out newsletters, and invites parents to meet face to face.

Spielman may sound like a parent's dream, but guidance counselor Herb Webb of Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts, says parents should expect a lot from the counselors at their kids' school:

• Counselors will talk to all students about any personal issues or problems they're facing as they move through adolescence.

• They can help sophomores plan a courseload that will meet the requirements for all kinds of postsecondary education, including junior, community, technical, or four-year college. Counselors can also recommend elective courses and extracurricular activities for college-bound students.

• They advise juniors and seniors when and where the PSAT, SAT, and ACT are being administered, and may also help interpret their test scores.

• Counselors can give seniors pointers on completing college applications. They can also give advice on visiting, choosing, and paying for college (they're a great resource for scholarship and financial aid information). Counselors also make sure that students' high school records are up to date, and forward them to college admissions' offices.
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