High school counselors and college admission representatives play an integral role in shaping students’ futures by assisting them in making college-related decisions that are suited to them.
At the end of every school year, it’s common to see high school seniors neck deep in the college application process. Most college application dates clash with school finals, thus giving students less time to thoroughly research the colleges they are applying to. In such situations, these groups of professionals emerge as extremely helpful guides.
High School Counselors – Students’ Link with the Outside World
High school counselors act as students’ link to higher education as they help them navigate through the extremely challenging process of college applications. By homing in on their interests and figuring out what subject areas students are truly passionate about, high school counselors steer students towards colleges they feel will bring the best out of them.
College Admission Representatives – Helping Students Make the Right Choice
College admission representatives travel from school to school, meeting students and educating them about the institutions which they represent. They talk about the various facilities provided on campus as well as the curriculum that promises to prepare students for the time when they eventually start their careers. Most college admissions representatives are assigned by various colleges to be near high school students should they need any assistance.
For most high school students however, high school counselors continue to play a significant role, not just in the college application process, but in other areas of schooling as well. College admission representatives, though extremely helpful otherwise, in the end are meant to side with the colleges they represent. This, in turn, influences the pitch they give to students who may or may not necessarily fit the criteria of nor want to apply to the colleges that are being talked about.
High school counselors, on the other hand, meet students on a regular basis and on some occasions, even develop a level of camaraderie with them. They are well aware of how well a student is doing in class, what his capabilities are, what subjects he’s interested in as well as what he plans to do in the future. With this knowledge in hand, high school counselors are in fact in a much better position than college admission representatives to guide students who are just beginning to apply to colleges.