Sometimes you need a Switzerland
Full disclosure…I used to hate Independent College Counselors. As a high school counselor, I didn’t fully understand the need or the role that they could fill. I was like a dog with a fire hydrant…claiming my territory. You know, that wonder woman mentality…why would they need to hire someone when they have me as their school counselor?
From a parent perspective, I couldn’t imagine the need for a College Counselor either. I was determined to not “game the system” and I figured I applied to college “back in my day” without the assistance of anyone but my parents and I turned out alright.
But counseling looks different these days. My caseload is above the recommended ratio, my responsibilities have grown, and I wear more hats than a hat rack at a Mad Hatter’s tea party! I’m someone who gives my all in everything I do, especially in my profession. However, I often leave school feeling dejected because I couldn’t accomplish everything I wanted. It quickly became clear that, within the constraints of my role as a high school counselor, I couldn’t provide students with the dedicated attention they need for the college application process.
When my kids turned into teens, I suddenly realized that navigating academic planning and college prep felt like crossing a minefield. I needed a neutral party, my very own Switzerland, to help guide us through the process without turning into a nagging parent.
And then, on top of everything…my struggles as a high school counselor and my struggles as the parent of very opinionated teens…the world of college admissions seemed to go crazy overnight. These days, it seems like you need straight A’s, perfect test scores, a cure for cancer, and a house full of foster kittens just to get into any college!
While that rhetoric is certainly exaggerated, college acceptance has changed since the days I typed my applications on a typewriter. So I swallowed my pride, as a high school counselor who can not and should not do it all and a parent who wanted a child who would still speak to her and set off to find that mythical college counselor who could be the voice of reason in our household chaos, a UN peacekeeper for those heated discussions about test prep, and a manager for the overwhelming college application process.
We found great counselors—wonderful, insightful individuals who worked magic with teenagers. But here’s the plot twist: their programs and communication style essentially took my children under their wing and left me standing outside in the cold. That’s not what I signed up for! I wanted to be part of the journey, from academic planning all the way to the moment I’d tearfully write that first tuition check. I didn’t want to be just the chauffeur and ATM on this college application road trip.
Being a parent means you’re constantly humbled. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, life throws you a curveball, and you realize—time and time again—that your perspective needs to change. That’s exactly what happened with my opinion of college counselors. No longer did I think having a college counselor was unnecessary or frivolous. It became a requirement to keep the family sane, help us showcase our kids’ accomplishments (cancer cure or not) and maintain the hope that they would come visit us in the nursing home someday.
So, I decided to become the college counselor for other frazzled parents and their teens. Think of me as the neutral territory. I’ll help your family navigate this wild journey, keep you from going off the rails, and maybe even have some fun along the way. Because let’s face it, sometimes the best way to handle this humbling parenting journey is with a good laugh and a Switzerland.
