10 Ways Your Guidance Counselor Can Help You Get Into College

When applying for college, many high school students don’t realize what an important resource their guidance counselor can be. Helping students get into college is a major part of what high school guidance counselors do–so make sure you use this free and helpful resource! Some students and their parents pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for private college counseling. While in some cases this can be quite helpful and a wise investment, especially if your school offers less than par guidance counseling, a good guidance counselor can do everything people pay private counselors to accomplish.
Here are 10 ways your guidance counselor can help you get into college.

1. A letter of recommendation (which means it’s worth your while to forge a strong relationship with your guidance counselor)
2. Information for how the financial aid and college application processes work, and a go-to person for any questions you have
3. Information about where to find scholarships
4. Information about colleges and universities you should consider, including ones you’ve never heard of that might be a good fit.
5. A sounding board to help you figure out exactly what you’re looking for in a college or university–an important first step before you seriously consider where to go.
6. Advice about how to fill out applications.
7. Advice on how to write a personal essay– and a set of eyes to read it and offer you tips on how to improve it.
8. Help filling out the FAFSA , or if the guidance counselor doesn’t do this, information on where you can go to get free help with the FAFSA.
9. Advice on what classes to take and extracurricular and other activities to participate in, to help make you a strong candidate.
10. A confidence booster to help get you through this difficult process.