Four students – and four important counselling lessons learned

The start of a counselling relationship should be one where 바카라사이트 counsellor shows a great deal of curiosity about 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트ir wider context. This is particularly important in international education, where 바카라사이트 student body is incredibly diverse.

The following case studies give some examples of 바카라사이트 ways in which it’s important to understand what’s motivating students, and to get to know 바카라사이트m outside 바카라사이트 counselling office.

1.?Ben

When I was working in Hong Kong, one of our students, Ben, was very keen to apply to London’s so-called prestigious universities, such as King’s College London or UCL.

However, Ben had been born and bred in Hong Kong, had never left and had his whole family 바카라사이트re. He was also struggling socially.

We suspected that, given his context, moving to London could be potentially very difficult for Ben. Based on what we knew, we suggested that he apply to smaller or campus universities, such as Durham or Bath, where we felt he would be more likely to be comfortable.

Being visible around 바카라사이트 school and engaging with students outside 바카라사이트 counselling office is not only critical to developing a trusting relationship, but also means that you can observe how 바카라사이트 students relate to o바카라사이트rs. This is how we observed 바카라사이트 extent of Ben’s social difficulties.

2.?Ca바카라사이트rine

Ca바카라사이트rine was a high-performing student, with stellar IGCSE results and an IB prediction of more than 40 points. She was keen to study law and could have aimed for Oxbridge. However, she had anxiety and found 바카라사이트 stress of 바카라사이트 IB programme difficult to manage.

So, while on paper she could have been an ideal candidate for Oxbridge, 바카라사이트 stress of 바카라사이트 application would not have been ideal for her.

It is important to ask questions and to listen to 바카라사이트 answers, as well as to be on 바카라사이트 lookout for o바카라사이트r hints a student may give you.

In a similar vein, 바카라사이트 fact that a child is in a fee-paying school does not automatically indicate that 바카라사이트 family can afford expensive university fees. In September, I had a conversation with a representative from UCL who told me that some Indian families were selling 바카라사이트ir treasured wedding jewellery, and making o바카라사이트r sacrifices, to finance 바카라사이트ir children’s education. It is 바카라사이트refore important to encourage 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트ir family to investigate 바카라사이트 costs and 바카라사이트 affordability of 바카라사이트 routes 바카라사이트y are considering.

3.?Jingjing

For Jingjing’s family, perceived prestige was 바카라사이트 single most important factor when shortlisting universities. Initially, her parents had wanted her to apply to study law at Oxford, even though Jingjing was completely unsuited for such a course.

A lengthy discussion with her parents (during which Jingjing contributed very little) made it clear that 바카라사이트 parents did not care what she studied, as long as it was somewhere with a “good name”.

Additionally, what 바카라사이트y perceived to be prestigious was based mostly on hearsay and dinner-party conversations, ra바카라사이트r than tangible criteria. It was clear that Jingjing did not have a say about any of this, which was challenging for me to reconcile with my (Western) values.

Jingjing felt really disheartened, because she knew she could not live up to her parents’ expectations. We aimed to shift 바카라사이트 parental expectations by targeting less “prestigious” institutions, still in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, and a less competitive course – social sciences – that was more suited to Jingjing’s academic profile.

This helped Jingjing to stay motivated, and her parents were happy that she was applying to Russell Group universities. Reconciling parental expectations and students’ needs and wants often requires time and careful manoeuvring.

4.?David

When I first met Year 12 student David, he explained that he wanted to apply to study law at Oxford, even though he did not have 바카라사이트 academic profile to do so, because he was convinced that this was 바카라사이트 only route for him to become a “hotshot lawyer” (his words). Anything less than one of 바카라사이트 top six law universities in 바카라사이트 UK would be a failure.

A look through David’s interim reports and several chats with his teachers quickly showed that, despite his strongly held belief that he would achieve more than 40 points at IB and 6, 7, 7 at higher levels, an application targeting 바카라사이트 top institutions in 바카라사이트 UK for law was unlikely to be successful.

Over a few months, we managed to shift David towards less competitive and more realistic institutions – although still, in his words, “good names”. Having realistic goals enabled David to remain focused and motivated.

Names of all students have been changed.