When the time comes to apply to universities, parents panic; they are confused about the process, fees and deadlines. One thing is for sure, they want to help their teenagers decide on the best options in order for them to be successful. But the reality is, the world has changed a lot. There are thousands of new career options; technology and artificial intelligence have made a big impact on the world. The education system has changed and if there is anything positive about this pandemic, it’s the enormous transformation that we are now starting to see.
Parents have a huge desire to help their teenagers make the best decision, reduce their anxiety, relax and be committed to the application process. They would like for them to get into an Ivy League School, so they can feel proud and share the news with their friends and family. So, they begin the “search” for a College Counselor. Someone with vast expertise on getting students into NYU, Harvard, MIT, Boston College or any of the most prestigious universities nationwide.
But what happened first? The egg or the chickens? Eggs certainly came before chickens, but chicken eggs did not—you can’t have one without the other. This is the first oversight parents made when looking for a college counselor. They think that they will “help” their kids without realizing the amount of confusion that teenagers have when comes to choosing a professional career. However, my biggest concern is, they also think that a college counselor and a career coach will do the same – maybe they don’t even know the difference. In reality, a college counselor offers you a service to help your kids get into a “particular” school where their GPA, SAT scores and others matters will play an important part. While a career coach will focus more on helping students to self-discover and explore. They will help them discover their passion, talents, skills and if the need to develop something in particular to embark on the life they want. It will also help them decide what career goes with their personality. All these discoveries will make students aware of who they are and help them design the right career path.