The Counselor's Podcast

Using Data to Improve Your School Counseling Program

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:13:27 -0400

In "Using data to improve your school counseling program," Dr. Trish Hatch, director of the school counseling graduate program at San Diego State University, discusses the evolving role of the professional school counselor and the different types of data a counselor can easily collect to develop a meaningful guidance program improvement plan. This overview focuses on "Where to Start!"

Interview with Julie Hartline, 2009 School Counselor of the Year

Mon, 11 May 2009 08:01:24 -0400

Richard Wong, Executive Director of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), conducts an insightful and inspiring interview with Julie Hartline, this year's winner of the School Counselor of the Year Award. As the department chair for Campbell High School in Symrna, GA, she shares how her unique background has influenced her approach to school counseling. In addition, Julie discusses how her team implemented the ASCA National Model and the impact that it has had on their school's program.

Thinking Ahead, Preparing Now ... Engaging Juniors and Their Families in the College Planning Process

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:01:21 -0400

Patricia Kozlowski, career center coordinator at Algonquin Regional High School (MA), shares some of her school's innovative programs and creative approaches that provide parents and students with the necessary information and encouragement during this critical time.

Developing a Collaborative Relationship Between the School Counselor and Principal

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:01:51 -0400

In "Developing a Collaborative Relationship Between the School Counselor and Principal," Jill Cook discusses how counselors and principals can develop a powerful alliance in school reform that focuses on improving achievement for all students.

The Importance of Career Advising

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:01:13 -0500

In this episode of The Counselor's Podcast, "The Importance of Career Advising in Preparing Students for Transition to High School", Amy Milsom discusses important considerations for addressing the career development needs of students as they transition from middle to high school.

Implementing Action Research in a School Counseling Program

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:01:37 -0500

In "Implementing Action Research in a School Counseling Program",
Beth Doyle, school counselor at Loudoun County High School in Loudoun County (VA) presents one example of how her department has incorporated the Action Research Model to show the positive influence of their guidance curriculum.

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in Education

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:01:06 -0500

In "Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in Education", Lonnie Rowell, Ph.D., Associate Professor at The University of San Diego and Director of The Center for Student Support Systems (CS3) will discuss how using action research can create a culture of inquiry in which school staffs regularly look to the data.

Creating a Successful Pathway to College: The CPS F-55 Initiative

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:01:54 -0500

Veniese Bradley, a postsecondary specialist in the Chicago Public Schools' Department of College and Career Preparation, discusses how F-55, the initiative to encourage each senior to complete the FAFSA, apply to five post-secondary institutions, and submit five scholarship applications, if eligible, enables more CPS students to successfully prepare for, apply to, and enroll in the postsecondary education institution of their choice.

College Should Be a Match, Not a Prize

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:14:55 -0400

Frank Sachs, Director of College Counseling at The Blake School in Minnesota, shares his 25 plus years of experience and discusses how to keep students and families focused on a meaningful college search process and not get caught up in the hype of the popular media.

Ethical Considerations of College Advising

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:01:33 -0400

In this episode, Marty Elkins, Director of College Counseling at the Groton School in MA, discusses how to effectively and equitably advise your college bound students.

Reflect, Rejoice, Revitalize

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:01:27 -0400

In "Reflect, Rejoice, Revitalize," Dr. Tamara Davis, an Associate Professor of Psychology in the School Counseling Program at Marymount University in Virginia, shares her ideas and encouragement as you look to reinvigorate yourself this summer.

What to Expect in Your First Semester

Mon, 12 May 2008 08:01:02 -0400

Melissa Mellott, author of The Little College Handbook: A First Generation's Guide to Getting In and Staying In, shares some valuable information and advice about the transition from high school to college in this podcast geared for counselors, students, and families.

The Hidden Cost of College

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:49:00 -0400

Jennifer Abel, author of Collegiate Admissions Guidebook takes an in-depth look at "The Hidden Cost of College." This information will help your seniors and their families prepare a comprehensive and realistic budget for their freshman year and beyond.

Avoiding the Senior Year Frenzy: Helping Juniors to Prepare Early

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:01:17 -0400

In "Avoiding the Senior Year Frenzy: Helping Juniors to Prepare Early", Eva Marie Garza explains how she works with a diverse group of juniors as she prepares them for their senior year.

Improving Student Success

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:01:00 -0500

Tammi Mackeben, 2007 recipient of the American School Counselor Association's School Counselor of the Year Award and school counselor at Ernesto Serna PK-8 School in El Paso, Texas, shares her thoughts on how to improve student success through the development of a comprehensive school counseling program.

Advising the Student Athlete in College Admissions

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:01:00 -0500

In our latest episode of The Counselor’s Podcast, Nancy Icenhower, Director of Guidance Services for West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional Schools, shares her experiences in advising the student athlete.

Choosing a Rural College

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:17:13 -0500

In "Choosing a Rural College," Terry Cowdrey from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York describes the many advantages to attending college in a small town or rural area.

Choosing a Small College

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:01:00 -0500

In "Choosing a Small College," J. Carey Thompson from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky describes some of the benefits of attending a small college.

The Personal Essay: Making the Connection

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:55:02 -0400

In "The Personal Essay: Making the Connection", Jonathan Katzenbach from the University of Pennsylvania explains how the personal essay should represent the applicant's voice.

How Colleges Read Applications

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0400

In "How Colleges Read Applications," Shawn Abbott, Director of Admission at Stanford University, describes the different components of a successful college application.

Planning for College Admission

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0400

In "Planning for College Admission," Yasmin Rivera-McGinnis from Wellesley College describes the different steps of the application process in a Spanish-language presentation.

How to Spend Your Summer Vacation

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:01:00 -0400

In “How to Spend Your Summer Vacation,” Joe Sheppard from Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts describes ways in which students can create a meaningful summer experience and how their choices may or may not impact their college applications.

The 3 R's of the Gap Year: Rewards, Risk, and Reflection

Mon, 14 May 2007 08:00:00 -0400

For many reasons, some students choose to take a gap year after high school and delay the start of their college education. Phil Trout, Director of College Counseling at Mounds Park Academy in Minnesota, describes some of the many options available to students who are interested in exploring a gap year.

El comienzo del proceso de universidad

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:00:00 -0400

En esta presentación Español, Goria Zelaya, una consejera de colegio para Escuela Buckley y la Academia Acelerado de View Park Preparatory en California, ofrece su consejo a los estudiantes que van a comenzar la búsqueda de universidad.

(Beginning the College Process: In this Spanish-language presentation, Gloria Zelaya, counselor at both The Buckley School and View Park Preparatory Accelerated Charter High School in California, offers her advice to students who are beginning the college search process.)

The Myth of the One and Only College

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:00:00 -0400

Having guided thousands of students through the college admission process, Tom Rajala, Associate Provost for Enrollment at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California offers his advice for searching for a campus that best fits your needs.

Making the Most of College Visits

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 08:00:00 -0500

Drawing upon years of experience in counseling and working with the Fiske Guide to Colleges, Bruce Hammond from Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque offers great advice for helping students get the most value out of their college campus visits.

Counselor Recommendations: Gathering the Information You Need

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 08:00:00 -0500

Writing powerful letters of recommendation for students is an important task for school counselors. In this presentation, Marcia Hunt of Pine Crest School in Florida describes some of the ways she gathers information about students in order to write the best possible letters of recommendation.

Great Counseling Begins with Listening

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:00:00 -0500

Too frequently, students and parents begin and end the college search process with the few schools they have heard of, whether or not those schools are the best fit for the student. In this presentation, Will Dix of the University of Chicago Laboratory High School shares his experiences in guiding students toward schools that match their interests, using careful questioning and listening techniques to draw students out.

Managing the December Madness

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 08:00:00 -0500

When college admission decisions begin to arrive in the midst of holiday planning and exam season, the tone of a school can change dramatically. In this presentation, Jonathan Reider of San Francisco University High School describes the December Madness and some of the ways he helps his students survive it.

Managing Student and Parent Expectations

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 00:01:00 -0500

Managing student and parent expectations throughout the college process can be challenging. Seniors may need some guidelines to keep a healthy perspective on the application process, and Juniors need their counselors to introduce them to new colleges and help them build a well-balanced list of colleges to consider. In this presentation, Cathy Curtis from Shanghai American School in China describes some of the ways her school guides students in all of these areas.

Special Edition: Straight Talk on SAT Optional

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 00:01:00 -0500

In a world where many students believe their future hinges on one standardized test score, why might a college de-emphasize those scores in the admissions process? What does “SAT optional” mean, and is it good or bad for students and colleges? In this special feature presentation, Monica Inzer, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Hamilton College in New York answers these questions and more.

Interviews: Do They Matter?

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:01:00 -0400

As students search for every possible advantage in the college admission process, they often wonder if interviews will strengthen their applications. In this presentation, Matt DeGreeff of Middlesex School in Massachusetts shares his interview tips for students and his realistic assessment of what matters to colleges and what doesn't.

Teachers: How to Avoid Being Wrecked by Recommendations

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 08:00:00 -0400

Advising teachers on ways they can make their letters of recommendation for students as effective as possible is an important task for the counselor of college-bound students. In this presentation, Linda Connelly of New Trier High School in Illinois shares her tips for guiding teachers through the recommendation process.

Helping Students Write Effective College Essays

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:01:00 -0400

The college essay can be a source of tremendous anxiety for students, and counselors are frequently called upon to offer advice on writing the most effective essay possible. In this presentation, Ralph Figueroa of Albuquerque Academy in New Mexico offers his tips for guiding students through this important part of the college application process.