Did you know this week is National School Counseling Week? The week of February 5-9, 2018 is the time to recognize school counselors and all that they do for students. If you are not sure what school counselors do, here is a list of just some of the things they do for students.

• Help student choose classes.
• Provide academic guidance.
• Help students understand and overcome social and/or behavioral problems.
• Provide individual and small group counseling.
• Conflict mediation.
• Help students develop skills, such as organization and time management.
• Introduce career and major possibilities.
• Identify opportunities, such as college fairs, part-time jobs, volunteer opportunities, scholarships, etc.
• Write letters of recommendation.
• Introduce all things related and needed for college admissions, such as required tests, fee waivers, and special circumstances.
• College application and essay recommendations.
• Help students understand paying for college, including talking about the FAFSA and how financial aid works.
• Organize special events, such as college fairs, college nights, and assemblies discussing important information students need to know.

School counselors do a lot for their students and their schools. If you have not reached out to your school counselor for guidance yet, get to know them. They are a great resource for some many things. Not sure what career you want to have when you are older? They may have recommendations or could introduce you to a career explorer resource. Not sure what colleges to consider? School counselors know about a lot of colleges, including local colleges and colleges across the country. Don’t know how you are going to pay for college? They may provide FAFSA workshops and have scholarship lists, including scholarships only open to local students.

School counselors do a lot! Some counselors work with less than 100 students, while there are some school counselors who have a caseload of over 1,000 students! They are busy and sometimes may not seem accessible, but they are working hard to help students. Plus, you can always reach out to them if you need help or guidance. Thank your school counselor today for all of the great things they do.

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