08/30/2026
Although I did my practicum as a college and career counselor at a high school - I am still shocked every year how late my students receive information about the letter of recommendation requirements (brag sheets, Naviance, etc), updated transcripts, financial direction (FAFSA, scholarships, etc), or guidance on their college lists and essays....
High school counselors often do not focus on college applications until senior year because they face overwhelming workloads with high student-to-counselor ratios (sometime caseloads of 200-500 kids) and receive very little formal training in college admissions, along with daily tasks that focus on immediate crises, mental health support, scheduling, and graduation requirements. In addition - they have to send in the school reports, letters of recommendation, and mid-year reports to the colleges, meeting tight deadlines. And there's much much more!
Yes - this is truly overwelming!
Please give your school counselor grace - however, don't let this sabatoge creating top knotch applications (essays, letters of rec, activities, supplemental details, portfolios, etc).
