Do You Know What Your School Counselor Should Be Doing for You This Spring

I’m not here to bash school counselors. They’re doing important work under tough conditions. But as a parent, you deserve to know what your teen should be receiving from their school counselor this spring.

And if you're not getting it, it’s okay to ask for more.

Here’s what I want you to look for—especially if you have an 11th grader.

1. You Should Have a Timeline Right Now

It’s April. That means decisions need to be made, and actions need to be taken.

You should have a clear timeline from your school:

• When is your child taking the SAT or ACT?
  
• When are teacher recommendations due?
  
• When should you start the personal statement?
  
• What are your summer visit plans?
  

Ask yourself:
Have you seen a detailed month-by-month plan?
Do you know what’s expected of you between now and next spring?

If not, that’s a red flag.

2. There Should Be a Thoughtful College List in Progress

A real one. Not a random list from a website or one built on rankings alone.

A strategic college list should consider:

• Cost
  
• Location
  
• Intended major
  
• Likely career direction
  
• Academic fit
  
• Personal vibe
  

Your school counselor should be helping you weigh all of these. But many counselors are overloaded, handling 100–300 students each.

They don’t always have time for deep, family-specific planning.

You deserve more than a generic list.

3. Your Child’s Story Should Be Taking Shape

GPA and test scores matter—but they’re not enough.

Colleges want to know:
Who is this student? What do they care about? What impact have they made?

Your teen’s story includes:

• Extracurricular activities
  
• Jobs or internships
  
• Community involvement
  
• How they spend their summers
  
• What they want to explore next
  

This is the time of year when those dots should start connecting.

If your counselor hasn’t asked about any of this, something’s missing.

A lot of families come to us because they want a second opinion. Not because they don’t trust their school, but because this is too important to leave to chance.

Would you go to just one doctor for a big diagnosis? No—you’d get a second opinion. The same goes for college planning.

Here’s what we offer that schools often can’t:

• Time to listen to your teen’s goals and anxieties
  
• Tools to build a list based on your priorities
  
• A game plan for essays and deadlines
  
• Strategic advice on summer activities
  
• Support during every step of the process—even after school ends for summer
  

Remember, schools can only do so much.

Most counselors work hard.
They care.
But they’re stretched thin.

That’s why we exist. We fill the gap when you need more personalized, consistent guidance.

We can help.

What Should You Do Right Now?

• Check in with your school counselor. Ask for a timeline, a list plan, and story-building conversations.
  
• If they’re unavailable, overwhelmed, or vague, get help.
  
• Book a free Discovery Call with us. We’ll assess where you are and what your teen needs next.
  

You don’t have to do this alone. And you shouldn’t.

Let’s make sure your teen’s future stays on track.