Navigating senior year of high school and especially applying to and preparing for college can be one of the most crucial and stressful times in a student’s life. From taking both the SAT and ACT to completing the SSAR, FAFSA, and the Common Application, to filling out countless scholarships and applications, the number of tasks to finish before graduation seem endless. Having a helpful and supportive mentor or guidance counselor to help you handle these tasks can make all the difference in the world.

The past couple years were especially difficult for the previous senior classes who were impacted by the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the switch to online education and communication. Communicating became much more difficult through a computer screen for many, and it was much more difficult to learn through Zoom and other online communication platforms. In addition to learning, students’ mental health also declined during the pandemic because resources for in-person mental healthcare weren’t as available. 

With schools having made the switch from online to in-person instruction, students need clear communication and guidance more than ever before. Online communication hinders a guidance counselor’s ability to get to know a student personally and makes it more difficult for students to receive the help that they need. With that being said, it is especially important for students to have access to a guidance counselor on campus who can provide assistance to students whenever they may need it.

All students work at their own pace and will therefore have different needs at different times. For example, students who applied to colleges much earlier than others in their class may have had less available resources to help them complete all of the necessary steps to apply early. Others may need step-by-step instructions and closer guidance. That is why it is important for guidance counselors to get to know students and help them with their personalized goals and needs. 

Many seniors have had to seek outside help and guidance from other mentors or their peers for things that a guidance counselor should be able to provide them with. Both distance and communication are large factors in this issue and can be resolved by having a qualified guidance counselor on campus.

By having an Open Door Policy and a guidance counselor on campus, students wouldn’t have to anxiously monitor their email inbox and could instead verbalize their concerns to a guidance counselor face-to-face. Online, the Open Door Policy no longer applies because guidance counselor availability is confined to a specific window of time. Students should have access to a guidance counselor at their convenience, not the other way around.

Are you satisfied with the level of counseling provided to you?

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