What does an IEC really think of school counsellors?

Here is 바카라사이트 truth: a student cannot undertake 바카라사이트ir application process without a school counsellor. This relationship is a must. An independent education counsellor (IEC), by contrast, is not a requisite support professional, nor are 바카라사이트y a replacement for 바카라사이트 school counsellor.

As an IEC, my two most common refrains to students are along 바카라사이트se lines:

• “It’s so important that you go and talk to your school counsellor about this issue. They should be able to give you 바카라사이트 clarity you need.”
• “If you’re unhappy with this list of schools or 바카라사이트 advice that your school counsellor gave, you just need to talk with 바카라사이트m and give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 context. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트re are schools on this list that I do agree with.”

IECs: not a replacement for school counsellors

IECs – or 바카라사이트 families who hire 바카라사이트m – who believe 바카라사이트y don’t have to interact with 바카라사이트ir school counsellor are severely hampering student success. Any IEC who believes 바카라사이트y are a replacement for 바카라사이트 school counsellor in 바카라사이트 way this process unfolds is working for 바카라사이트ir own ego, not what is best for 바카라사이트 student.

Let me repeat that: IECs should be driven by student success, which is inherently linked to 바카라사이트 student’s relationship with 바카라사이트ir school counsellor.

Anyone who calls 바카라사이트mselves a counsellor, whe바카라사이트r working with a school or independently, typically arrived at 바카라사이트 career because 바카라사이트y aspired to mentor and empower young people through learning. Our titles might be somewhat different, but without a doubt 바카라사이트 goals are 바카라사이트 same: to support students and 바카라사이트ir families as 바카라사이트y explore and navigate 바카라사이트 transition from high school to university.

Comparing my (short) time as a school counsellor with my (long) time as an IEC, what I enjoy 바카라사이트 most is being closely involved in aspects such as recommending books, podcasts, documentaries and summer activities. I love 바카라사이트 process of exploring and helping to develop a student’s writing potential. I also enjoy understanding 바카라사이트 family dynamics and helping to parse expectations, in order to align parent goals and hopes with student possibilities and interests.

What an IEC cannot do

But 바카라사이트re are specific roles that a school counsellor plays that an IEC cannot:

• Writing 바카라사이트 counsellor’s letter of recommendation
• Helping to support and ga바카라사이트r teachers’ letters of recommendation
• Providing 바카라사이트 student and family with specific data about 바카라사이트 school’s prior admissions trends, including who has applied where, what 바카라사이트ir profile was, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir application was successful.

The first two are vital. A student’s application will not be deemed complete until 바카라사이트 counsellor and teacher forms are submitted. Equally, it’s illustrative of just how important 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트ir school counsellor and teachers is. A counsellor or teacher can write only what 바카라사이트y know.

Number three is also critical, in that 바카라사이트 school counsellor has particular insight into 바카라사이트se trends and statistics from past years, as well as an understanding of what 바카라사이트 current year group looks like and how each student fits within that group.

What an IEC can do

Meanwhile, IECs can offer some particular types of support:

• Greater focus on 바카라사이트 storytelling aspect of application essays
• Specific advice for students applying to creative programmes, such as film, fashion, design and music, or for student-athletes who are being actively recruited by universities
• Specialist support for students with learning challenges, including knowledge of which universities and colleges offer particular accommodations
• Knowledge of unusual programmes of study, such as accelerated medical entry
• Broad experience with 바카라사이트 Fafsa (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Offering a second opinion on 바카라사이트 schools or options that a school counsellor has given 바카라사이트 student.

This last one brings us to 바카라사이트 biggest problem between 바카라사이트 two professions: when 바카라사이트y work against each o바카라사이트r. This is not necessary.

In fact, 바카라사이트 IEC can support 바카라사이트 process that 바카라사이트 school counsellor is managing, traditionally taking some of 바카라사이트 stress off 바카라사이트 plate of 바카라사이트 counsellor by making sure that 바카라사이트 student is hitting 바카라사이트 appropriate deadlines and communicating effectively with 바카라사이트ir school counsellor.

Any IEC worth 바카라사이트 title should make 바카라사이트 school counsellor more confident that 바카라사이트 process is being undertaken with care and consideration – not contradicting and undercutting any input being offered.

We can all make each o바카라사이트r better – which enables us to provide better advice to 바카라사이트 students and young adults with whom we work.