Questions to Ask the School College Counselor During Junior Year

High schools differ in how much access parents have to the college counselors. School counselors may offer meetings for parents and parents should schedule a meeting, if offered. Come prepared with questions about the college process and your child’s specific college considerations. Here are some questions to consider discussing with your child's counselor.

• How does the college process work? How many times will our child meet with you, and how often can we meet with you?

• Will you write the school counselor recommendation for the Common App? How do you collect information for the letter? (It is helpful for parents to know whether they will be asked to complete a questionnaire with information to be used for this recommendation letter.)

• When should we begin visiting colleges? Do you have any specific recommendations for our child?

• Do you provide students with a suggested college list? When should we expect to receive that?

• Do you have any guidance on how our child should request recommendation letters from their teachers?

• Do you review the personal statement for the Common App? If our child drafts it over the summer before 12th grade, when will you review it?

• What can we do to be supportive in the process?

If you have questions or would like to learn more about college admissions, please visit Excelsioradmissions.com or click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to learn how I can help with your college admissions process.