School Counselors I need your thoughts (home, school districts, college)

[AAA86]

Alright, so I'm a grad student studying to be a school counselor from Southern California. I was looking at moving to NC after I graduate. I also have my BA in Communications. I want to know what the situation is with school counselors in NC. What are the schools like? I've looked online and I see job postings for school counselors but I want to know whats going on over there. I know here with the state LA unified is in they are laying off counselors every year and not replacing them. I also want to know what its like to be a counselor out there. Here each counselor has about 800 students if not more because of the budget cuts. According to the stats on ASCA website the counselor to student ratio is about 300, is that true? that would be a dream to a counselor out here.

I can graduate in August but was thinking of applying to an internship at the NC department of public instruction doing research, since its a summer internship i would be graduating next December. I don't know what would be better going for the internship and trying to get to know people before I move out there by working with them or just finishing in August and going to visit multiple times and try to land a job.

Any advice will be helpful!
Thanks!

Oh and I do know someone who lives out there already

[zthatzmanz28]

Not sure about other counties, but where I am the counselors are now test prep administrators and spend the majority of their time getting EOG material together during the year.

[leighbhe]

Are you trying to be a counselor in middle or elementary school? I think the counselors tend to concentrate on different things depending on the school. I got my masters in counseling, focusing on college student development, but went to graduate school with the school counselor where my kids are currently in school. He works with kids have transition issues, classroom issues, home issues, etc His job varies widely from day to day, to be honest! And, he has told me that it is tough to just come in from another state to get a job in wake county. After a year of a hiring freeze, wake county is finally hiring again...so there is a wide pool of people to choose from. And, it seems that as teachers and administrators change schools, everyone knows everyone! I think doing an internship is a very good idea and a way to get your foot in the door.

Leigh

[TuborgP]

Look in the mirror and what do you see? If you see a person who looks like the over supply part of the counseling market that is one thing. If you look like one of the people who are in short supply that is another thing. Counselors work closely with students and families and school districts are sensitive in creating balance within their counseling core. It is not just ethnicity but also gender. You will never know why you weren't hired but reality is reality. It is helpful to know the college application inside out for some schools and the school to work needs for other schools. If you know both at the high school level you are better off. Middle and elementary school are more developmental related and that need carries into the first year of high school or the middle transition years. Just remember the single mom with no father figure for her challenging son can often want a male counselor to be that model.