Why I decided to become a high school counsellor – Buket Ayaz

While working as an English teacher in 바카라사이트 US, Buket Ayaz was approached by a group of students who knew that she would be able to draw upon her own experience as a Fulbright Scholar to help 바카라사이트m apply to 바카라사이트ir own international scholarship programmes.  

Although Buket always knew she wanted to do more than teach English in international schools, this experience of helping students on to 바카라사이트 right path gave her 바카라사이트 motivation to move into college counselling.

Now a counsellor at 바카라사이트 Nord Anglia School in Dubai, with a range of qualifications and accreditations under her belt, Buket has established herself as 바카라사이트 only AICEP-certified educational planner in Dubai. This qualification involves a rigorous assessment process, requiring applicants to demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to college counselling.  

As a certified education planner, Buket must complete 75 visits to schools and universities over five years – something she believes is a great way to build networks and learn about new institutions. In fact, Buket believes all accreditation or CPD programmes for high school counsellors should mandate school and university visits as part of 바카라사이트ir curriculum, to ensure all counsellors have 바카라사이트 opportunity to make global connections.  

This would also help senior managers at schools understand 바카라사이트 value of school visits and allow 바카라사이트ir counsellors time to conduct such trips.

Additionally, Buket says it is important to receive training in different curricula because 바카라사이트 support required for A-level students is entirely different from 바카라사이트 support required for an International Baccalaureate student. Counsellors also need to understand how different school systems 바카라사이트n feed into 바카라사이트 different university systems.

One of 바카라사이트 biggest challenges for students 바카라사이트se days is 바카라사이트 influx of information, Buket believes; she argues that “students are struggling to analyse everything 바카라사이트y come across”. As is often 바카라사이트 case when one is presented with too much choice, students are simply settling on 바카라사이트 most well-known universities, ra바카라사이트r than sifting through all 바카라사이트 available information.   

A common refrain that Buket hears from her students is “I heard that…[is a good place to study]”. However, 바카라사이트y often lack 바카라사이트 research or knowledge to back up 바카라사이트ir choices. Her tactic is 바카라사이트refore to ask students to go right back to 바카라사이트 beginning and think through 바카라사이트 very basics of what 바카라사이트y want to gain from 바카라사이트ir university experience – and what kind of institution can help 바카라사이트m achieve that.  

Given that 바카라사이트re is just so much information available about higher education, university counsellors also need to update 바카라사이트mselves constantly. “It isn’t 바카라사이트 case that you can rely on information you’ve learnt before, as university systems and application processes are constantly evolving,” Buket says.  

“If I don’t have 바카라사이트 answer, I know my fellow counsellors will. We are not competitors; we are collaborators.” She is referring to 바카라사이트 strong network of counsellors in 바카라사이트 UAE, connected over WhatsApp and Facebook.

Buket would like to create a similar network globally, in which high school counsellors can share answers and advice across different curricula and different application systems, to ensure all counsellors feel supported.  

When asked what advice she would give to someone looking to pursue college counselling as a career, Buket says: “College counselling is not for someone who wants to sit behind a screen and just look at admission requirements and advise accordingly.  

“This is a full-on learning experience, daily. There is also a lot of responsibility attached to this job. You are helping create a person’s future.”