The Director of College Counseling is responsible for all aspects of the college placement program at the Episcopal School of Acadiana. A primary objective for the individual is to continually grow the program and enhance the services offered the families of the school while ensuring the program remains true to the mission of ESA and adheres to NACAC’s Guide to Ethical Practice in College Admission.

The College Counseling program’s priority is supporting each student in finding the colleges that are the best fit for the individual student’s talents and aspirations. It is the Director of College Counseling’s responsibility to engage each student as an individual in the process and assist him in making wise, well-informed decisions about his future. Though it is the student’s responsibility to “do the work,” the Director of College Counseling needs to teach the student to identify goals and interests, where to find and how to use resources, how to manage time and anxieties about the process, and to be sure all materials are submitted in a timely manner.

The Director of College Counseling is a member of the Upper School administrative team and reports directly to the Head of the Upper School. The Director of College Counseling is expected to be a highly visible member of the faculty, possess strong public speaking and writing skills, be able to convey the mission of the school and the value of an independent school education, explain how the College Counseling program supports the philosophy and objective of the Episcopal School of Acadiana, and demonstrate a commitment to “the whole school.”

Office:

• Oversee the daily operation of the College Counseling office
• Maintain an attractive, informative, and up-to-date College Counseling center

College Counseling Program:

• Counsel students grades 9 -12 (and their parents) in regard to the entire college selection, application, admission procedures, and in understanding application requirements and organizing materials
• Plan and coordinate programs that enhance the school’s constituents on college counseling issues
• Meet regularly with seniors and senior parents, both formally and informally, to help them assemble a college list best suited to the students’ strengths and interests
• Facilitate the filing of each application for admission and scholarships – this includes completing secondary school reports, mid-year reports, compiling teacher evaluation forms and narratives, and any other additional information Offers guidance to seniors on the composition of necessary writing.
• Handle admission office requests regarding students and applications in a timely fashion
• Write individual evaluations for each member of the senior class on behalf of the school
• Respectfully advocate for students with colleges to which they have applied
• Assist student athletes with understanding eligibility and recruitment rules and filing appropriate paperwork with the NCAA Clearinghouse
• Teach Senior Seminar, a weekly meeting with seniors designed to help seniors with the mechanics of completing a college application and discuss transition issues
• Meet with junior families to discuss the college counseling process, review grades and standardized test scores, and present an initial individualized list of colleges that are appropriate for the student to consider
• Plan and chaperones annual college tour for 9th - 11th grade students
• Facilitate parent-student communications
• Inform students and families of test prep opportunities and serve as a liaison between the prep company, the school, and families
• Advise students regarding summer enrichment opportunities
• Plan campus visits from college admission officers and host in person or virtually
• Work with the Head of Upper School and the Academic Dean to identify potential candidates for nomination-based scholarships and special programs. Assist the nominees complete and submit their application for these recognitions.
• Continually assess college counseling program and plans and develops enhancements to improve the program
• Stay abreast of developments and trends in the college admissions field

Data/Resources:

• Revise and update the school profile, the College Counseling Handbook, and annual letters to students and parents
• Review junior and senior transcripts to check accuracy of GPA and other information
• Maintain accurate and historical records regarding standardized test performance, college applications submitted, college admission decisions, financial aid awarded, scholarships won, academic performance, college matriculation and any other pertinent data to the college process
• Maintain Scoir database: college contacts, student information/parent information, standardized test scores, college counseling questionnaire
• Review historical and current data to identify emerging trends or issues in the college counseling program or academic program
• Prepare an annual in-depth summary of the graduating class’ college counseling statistics including merit aid offered
• Prepare a review of the College Counseling program over several years to identify strengths, weaknesses, emerging trends, and analyze historical data.
• Update the core curriculum with the NCAA on an annual basis
• Update student/parent data in Scoir as necessary including test results
• Submit graduating class data to the National Student Clearinghouse and serves as the contact person for school at NSC
• Track graduates’ college progress as available via National Student Clearinghouse
• Maintain “database” of summer programs and opportunities for students
• Stay abreast of developments with national standardized tests and keep all constituents informed

Personal Professional:

• Travel to college and universities to market ESA and have first hand knowledge of specific campuses
• Attend professional development opportunities including annual national and regional conferences for ACACs and ACCIS and represent the school at those events
• Maintain and cultivate relationships with college admission officers including hosting them during in person or virtual visits

Institutional:

• Markets ESA actively to college and university admission offices, informing them of our mission and programs so as to better place our students’ performances in context
• Works with faculty to help them understand how to best write letters of evaluation for students to capture a student’s individuality while highlighting strengths and demonstrating an ability to work on weaknesses
• Writes college counseling articles for school publications as needed
• Serves on or leads an Upper School grade team
• May be required to teach 1 or 2 sections of an academic course
• Participates in the Senior Retreat
• Performs related work as assigned by the Head of School or Head of Upper
• Supports the school and its leadership
• Attends school and community-wide events
• Supports the efforts of the admissions office as needed

A Master's degree in School Counseling, Counseling Psychology, or Counseling Education is preferred. A college degree in Psychology, Social Work, or Sociololgy is required. Minimum of two or three years of previous experience in this field is also preferred as well. 

About Episcopal School of Acadiana

ESA is an independent PK3-12th grade school serving students from the seven-parish area of south Louisiana known as Acadiana. Our Lafayette Campus houses grades PK3 through 5, with a state-of-the-art classroom facility and an Enrichment Center that hosts art, music, language, technology, science, the library, and the learning center, as well as administrative offices. The Cade Campus, home to 6th through 12th grades, is a 100-acre rural site that once operated as a sugar mill. ESA’s academic program is recognized statewide, regionally, and nationally, and ESA alumni succeed in colleges and careers around the world. ESA employs individuals without regard to race, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or other characteristic as protected by federal, state, or local law.

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