Written by Arlenne Lozano
College life can leave students feeling overwhelmed, stressed or confused, but that is why seeking a school counselor is beneficial to students. School counselors and advisers provide students with help.
Chemistry and Health Science major Jocilyn Guerra said, “I see a counselor definitely mostly due to course scheduling and transfer plans. Each [counselor] has always taken the time to ask me how I am and that if I ever need anything or have any other questions to simply just talk to them about any problems or concerns.”
Recently graduated high school students who are coming into their first year of college can also feel overwhelmed. They are introduced to an entirely new atmosphere in a place that has higher expectations from its students. Many of these new college students may need to seek help from the school counseling program. Former Austin Community College student and Youth Ministry major Justin Zielecki said, “I think it is really important that these new students seek help from a school counselor. It is especially important for the first year-and-a-half so that students can get the feel of how everything works. They shouldn’t have to do it all on their own because that can cause unnecessary stress. Seeking help from the counselors can help its students enjoy their time at college.”
According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), Texas counselors must have a master’s degree, complete a school counselor preparation program, have two years of classroom teaching experience and a minimum score of 240 on the School Counselor Exam (TExES #152).
Counselors are certified to be a reliable source for students. “Students often trust their counselors or advisers because they are reliable,” said Guerrera. “They provide a lot of information on uncommon knowledge about college and life in general.” The ASCA recommends a student-to-counselor ratio of 1-250.
When students walk into their counseling or advising appointment, some come in with an expectation of receiving help and knowing they’re cared about by the counselor or advisor. Zielecki said, “I have been to various appointments throughout my time at ACC. My experiences were very good for the most part, however, I did notice a few inconsistencies among the counselors and advisers. Some are really helpful and others make you feel rushed. LIke, ‘Good, got it. See you later.’ and you end up leaving just as confused.”
The ratio of 1-250 can cause students to feel rushed at times. “There are a few times where I have felt a little rushed during meetings,” Guerrera said. “Considering the enormous amount of students they have to talk to, I think that advising and counseling should be a much bigger and much more integrated system into student’s lives.”
Nonetheless, despite a few inconsistencies, many students continue to rely on and trust their counselor and/or adviser. With the qualifications that ACC’s counselors and advisers have, they seem to continue helping students be successful.
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