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In high schools across America, many students are well underway into their third marking period (or wrapping up their second semester). 

For high school freshmen, it is a sigh of relief as they are finally getting used to the course load high school presents. 

For high school sophomores, they are adjusting their schedules and extracurricular involvement to reflect their somewhat clearer post-graduation plans and goals.

For high school juniors, many are hoping to gain resources for their SAT test (that many are denying is fast approaching). 

For high school seniors, many are taking their final round of college (virtual) tours, and considering their options as most admission decisions and financial aid packages have come in.

For high school guidance counselors, they are behind the scenes working tirelessly to help each student achieve their academic and professional goals, maintain the mental health of the student, and are reassuring each parent about the success of their student despite any financial, mental, or physical setbacks or disabilities a student may have.

According to the Balance Careers, guidance counselors are described to “help students develop the academic and social skills needed to succeed, personally and professionally.” Read the full article here.

High school is such a critical time for people to grow and develop into independent and confident adults as they are put into society.

Looking back I do not know how I would have made it through without the constant support of my guidance counselor. 

I remember scheduling meetings with her to ensure I was taking all the required classes I needed to graduate. I asked her what I could be doing to properly prepare for the college application process.

I asked her for many resources to ensure I was successful in the classroom and during the application process. She always had just what I needed to be confident in my journey to college.

As someone who is college-bound (or even veterinary school-bound😅), you definitely need to confide in your high school guidance counselor.

Below is the transcript of an interview I conducted with my high school guidance counselor.

By the end of the interview, I hope that you will understand why a relationship with your guidance counselor is encouraged.

THE Interview

Name: Ms. Shannon Gronau

Job Title: School Counselor, MS, NCC, Nationally Certified Counselor

Company: Dover High School Dover, DE

What are your responsibilities as a guidance counselor to high school students?: 

My responsibilities are to support students in three main areas: academics, personal/social development, and college/career planning. At the high school level, we offer individual student counseling, small group counseling, informational workshops, peer support groups, and classroom presentations. 

What is your favorite part of your job?:

My favorite part of the job is watching students grow over the years into young adults and become who they set out to be. My main goal is to help students develop their own voice and plan for their future while supporting them through high school.  

I focus on empowering my students so that they feel prepared to tackle obstacles that may come their way. I also have taught a leadership class over the past 5 years in which students mentor their peers and focus on developing their leadership abilities. I have witnessed so much growth from teaching this course that I truly believe that students who feel encouraged and supported will thrive. 

Why is a relationship with your school guidance counselor encouraged?:

  Having a relationship with your school counselor is so important because we are basically a student’s biggest cheerleader! We are there to support students and advocate for their needs in many areas. If we cannot answer a question, we will work with you to get an answer. If you are having a bad day, we are there to listen. If you need resources, we point you in the right direction. If you are uncertain about your future, we are there to develop a plan with you. If you need help in college admissions, we are your go-to people to help you step-by-step. College admission offices also value the relationship that students have with their counselors in terms of letters of recommendation, transcripts, and other supporting materials. It is highly beneficial for students to have ongoing contact with their school counselors during the college application process. 

How can a high school student go about establishing and maintaining a relationship with their guidance counselor?: 

Each School Counselor has their own way of meeting and communicating with students. Since we are currently virtual, we primarily meet with students via zoom. Additional options are over the phone, email, text, scheduling in person appointments. Before Covid, students were able to ask for a pass from their teacher to see their counselor or schedule an appointment in the guidance office via email or by leaving a note with the guidance secretary. 

It is so important to communicate with your School Counselor regularly when you need to. I have students that will meet with me once a week, and I have some who email when they need to. The important thing is contacting your School Counselor and being consistent. If you set up a meeting, make sure you attend it. If you have to reschedule, just let them know! The more consistent you are, the better we can help. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and share your experiences! School counselors are trained in many areas and are ready to help you with whatever you are going through. We want to get to know you!

What role do you play for juniors and seniors who are in the college planning process? College application process?: 

This year we launched a new program called Naviance, a college and career exploration tool for 9-12th grade! This program allows students to not only organize their college and career information, it provides inventories, quizzes, and search tools that help students discover what else is out there for them. Naviance is also used for seniors to communicate with the colleges that they are applying to by sending letters of recommendation and transcripts. It is a one-stop shop for everything college and career related!

In addition, School Counselors meet individually with all of their students in their junior year and continue to plan for their future. This will include course planning for senior year and preparing to apply to colleges, jobs, or military. Throughout the year, we also offer college visits, workshops, and informational classroom lessons for students in grades 9-11. 

During senior year, we have college application month that runs from October through December! During this time our goal is to have 100% of our seniors apply to college. We do a college application week at the end of October where counselors walk seniors through the college application process. Throughout senior year we host many events in addition to individual appointments to make steps towards life after graduation. 

What advice do you have for a high school student who is starting their college application process?: 

My main advice would be to start by doing your research and get organized. Pay attention to deadlines for college applications, FAFSA, and scholarships. If you are a Delaware student, delawarestudentsuccess.org has a ton of resources and workshops that you can attend virtually. For out of state students, you can use your state’s college and career websites or you can use bigfuture.org. 

After you do some soul searching and research, have your list of questions and deadlines ready when you schedule your appointment with your School Counselor. Reaching out to them first is completely okay and encouraged! You can always forward your questions ahead of time so your counselor can research anything they didn’t know off-hand. Not that organized? That is ok! Just make an appointment and your counselor can help you get started. 

My second piece of advice would be to know what is important to you in a college. Is it your major? Location? Cost? Extracurriculars? Knowing what you prioritize in a college setting will help you to make your big decisions. Start touring colleges as early as possible (even virtually helps). Make contacts with admission counselors or even professors in the major you are interested in. Try to job shadow for a day in the field or even interview a professional to get more information. 

My third piece of advice would be to know that it is ok to not have all of the answers right away. All of our paths are different and unique. Sometimes it takes experience to know what you want in the future. The more you experience you have, the more information you can get to make a decision. 

What benefits can you give to connecting to the admission counselors at the higher education institutions a high school student may be considering?: 

Connecting with the admission counselors at the colleges and universities you are applying to is incredibly beneficial. It’s basically connecting the bridge between your high school counselor and your future college counselor. It will help you get information about the school’s academic programs, scholarships, and events, but mainly will be the most helpful during the college application process. You can keep in contact with what you are still needing in your application and be informed about any programs that you may qualify for based on your specific circumstances. The admission counselor can then point you in the right direction on where to go next if you become a student at their institution. Once a college student, make a connection with the academic advisor to continue getting support. 

Do you have any other advice, knowledge, tips you can provide especially to high school students who are considering pursuing higher education? Any advice for students considering pre-veterinary majors or careers in the veterinary field?: 

• Be yourself in all aspects. Colleges want to know who you are and what your goals are in the future. Make sure you reflect that in your application and essay.
• Ask yourself, what will I do with this major? What is the end goal?
• Start researching and making connections early, especially in junior year. It goes fast. 
• If you feel overwhelmed, reach out, it is ok! There is a lot of info out there but you are not alone in the process, that is what your School Counselor is there for!
• Don’t sell yourself short. I’ve heard some students convince themselves they are not “smart enough” to go to college or be successful in the future. Please know that your young life has many possibilities ahead of you, focus on your future, not the experience of others. 
• Worried about finances? Apply for FAFSA no matter what you think the outcome would be. Even just completing the application may qualify you for scholarships or programs through the college you are applying to. Communicate with your financial aid office at the college you plan to attend to get more financial resources.
• It is ok to start somewhere more affordable. When I was in high school I told myself I would never go to college because it is too expensive. I started at a two-year school because I had to pay for college myself. When I was young, I never thought in a million years that I would graduate from college with a Masters’s degree. But here I am!
• If you are passionate about the work that you do every day, it won’t feel like work!
• Advice for pre-vet majors- get some experience in the field before college (a vet office, farm work, animal shelter, etc) It always helps to get a little experience under your belt! 

I hope this was helpful. Best wishes to you in your future! 

The readers of Grown with Hope would like to thank Ms. Gronau for her contributions to our journey to veterinary school.