My child’s school already has a college counselor; isn’t that enough?

Although your child probably already has access to college counseling at their school, it may not be enough or the right kind of support. Counselors at Houston-area public schools routinely work with more than 500 students each.

Counselors at elite private schools have a significantly lower student to counselor ratio, but that closer-knit community comes with its own risks. The counselor might feel they know the student so well (including teacher break room gossip) that they steer them in a certain direction even if inadvertently.

Furthermore, private school counselors must also serve the school’s best interest, which can mean that they push students to go to the same 20 liberal arts colleges they sent all the similarly-bucketed students before yours.

However, seeking outside guidance is often less a judgement on your school’s counselors and more about the benefits of multiple, sage opinions.