Strategies for School Counselors in College and Career Advising

Designed to help you strengthen your outreach to low-income students and those who would be first in their family to attend college. The four sessions will deepen your understanding of:

1. The changing career landscape (and jobs of the future)
2. The cultural beliefs of students and families that are sometimes a barrier to postsecondary education
3. How school counselors and college access professionals can work together as a team to better serve students
4. How to advocate to administrators and others for your unique role in helping students plan their next steps after high school
5. How to act as a change agent to create a college-going culture at your school to promote students’ awareness of postsecondary options and increase their engagement in the planning process
6. How to raise teacher and student expectations that education after high school is an option for all students

SESSIONS

1. Understanding the National Workforce Landscape and 21st Century Careers
2. Cultural Competency and Equity
3. Understanding, Communicating and Advocating for the Role of the School Counselor in College and Career Planning
4. Creating a Schoolwide, College-Going Culture

Developed to deepen your financial aid proficiency to help students and parents complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply to college and other postsecondary education options. This course teaches you to:

1. Communicate the intricacies of financial aid, including terminology, to parents and students
2. Increase the number of FAFSA applications by students
3. Help parents and students understand the total cost of college as well as the variety of financial aid opportunities available to them
4. Collaborate with administrators, teachers and parents to prepare students for college admission tests
5. Assist students in completing the application process for education opportunities after high school

SESSIONS

1. Guiding Parents and Students through the Complexities of Financial Aid
2. Assisting with the Financial Aid Process
3. Preparing for College Admissions Tests
4. Postsecondary Admissions: The Application Process

A big-picture course with practical applications, designed to help you guide students as they make important decisions about their future. The course will enable you to:

1. Help students form a plan for high school and beyond, based on their careers of interest
2. Analyze data to uncover and address issues of equity in access to college prep opportunities
3. Gain a more comprehensive understanding of postsecondary options and communicate this information to students and parents so they can make more informed decisions

SESSIONS

1. Supporting Student Career Awareness and Development
2. Engaging Students in Career Awareness and Planning
3. Using Data to Address Equity and Guide Academic and Career Planning
4. Helping Student Make Postsecondary Choices

Tailored specifically for school counselors and college access professionals in middle schools. Through this module, you will learn:

1. How to act as a change agent to create a college-going culture at your school to promote students’ awareness of postsecondary options and raise teacher and student expectations
2. Tools and strategies to help students connect career aspirations to academic planning, including employment-area forecasts and career clusters for your state
3. How to use state-level career planning resources in your state
4. How student engagement and motivation increases when planning for careers
5. Ways to support students in their transitions from elementary to middle grades to high school

SESSIONS

1. Developing a College-Going Culture in Your School or Organization
2. Helping Middle Grade Students and Families Understand the Value and Affordability of Postsecondary Education
3. Engaging Middle Grades Students in Self-Exploration of Career Interests and Skills
4. Using Data to Address Equity and Create Early Warning Systems
5. Engaging Middle Grades Students and Families in Academic Planning and Transitions
6. Helping Students Develop Mindsets and Skills for Academic and Career Success

THE COMPONENTS

1. Goals for learning
2. Online readings
3. Online resources, such as lesson plans, how-to-guides and interactive websites
4. Practical activities (online and offline)
5. Short webinars and videos demonstrating practices proven to be effective
6. A culminating project to help you implement on the job what you learned in training
7. Resources to help you improve interaction with students immediately

THE METHOD

The Academy is a true learning community. You participate on your own time and your own schedule as part of a cohort, taking part in online discussions with colleagues, led by a professional facilitator.

ENROLL TODAY

The Go Alliance Academy professional development courses are four to six hours a week, spanning four weeks. Academic credit courses are six to eight hours per week spanning four weeks. You’ll earn CUE’s or CEH’s for each course completed.

College and Career Advising for Special Populations (6 sessions)

To adapt advising for students in special circumstances – foster youth, for example, or students who have disabilities or are homeless – counselors need specialized knowledge. This course will give you:

• deeper understanding of special populations (and ways to build support systems for them)

• insights into helping diverse students explore postsecondary options and plan their academic choices accordingly

• ways to optimize the guidance you provide into the application process for college and financial aid — and making the transition to what’s next

College and Career Advising for Educators (4 sessions)

For Teachers

As a teacher, you can play a key role in helping students identify and pursue their education beyond high school. This course helps you:

• better understand the national workforce landscape and 21st century careers

• contribute to the creation of a college-going culture at your school

• engage students as they become aware of careers and plan next steps after high school

• support students’ exploration of postsecondary education and preparation for applying to college

Working with Your School Counselors to Achieve School Improvement Goals (4 sessions)

For Principals

This course helps principals engage with counselors to take the steps needed to achieve goals in school improvement. You will learn how to:

• develop leadership skills for change

• use data to assess and inform school change

• create a college-going culture

• work with your school counselors to achieve change