What Does Your High School Guidance Counselor Do?

The guidance counselor is there to help students make excellent educational and career choices. He or she has a lot of information about what resources the high school has to help students find employment after graduation or to further their education at an institute of higher learning. If you are starting your college search, you will find that you will be able to get a lot of help from your high school’s guidance counselor in collecting the materials and information that you will need.

Preparing for Graduation and Taking the Best Courses Possible

Your guidance counselor can tell you what courses you need to take and pass in order to graduate on time with the rest of your class. More importantly, he or she can also inform you of which classes are the best to take if you want to improve your academic record. For example, you counselor knows what AP or honors courses are available at school and can tell you when to take them. Finally, your guidance counselor is also the person that will send your academic record transcripts to the colleges to which you eventually decide to apply.

Finding Colleges and Preparing to take the SAT or ACT Tests

Your guidance counselor can help you find the colleges that are most appropriate for you based on your academic record as well as your own personal interests. He or she can also help you register for the PSAT, SAT or ACT tests. Finally, if you have questions about the requirements for application to different colleges, your guidance counselor can explain these requirements to you and give you advice about how to meet them. He or she may even be able to tell you about any programs your high school may have to help students prepare for taking the SAT or ACT.

Finding Financial Aid for College

Guidance counselors also have access to a great deal of information about sources of financial aid for college. There are many different organizations out there, colleges, private groups, as well as federal and state government that offers students financial aid to help pay for college. Many schools are very expensive and one scholarship or source of funding may not be enough. Ask your guidance counselor to help you find all the options that may be available to you.