When you could really use some guidance

I was listening to some parents chat about the relationship their teenagers have with their school guidance counselor. These parents were describing one-on-one meetings, advice given about extra classes and lots of phone calls to schools for college-bound students.

And all I could think was that I didn't even know my high school counselor's name.

So, I am really glad to hear that high school guidance counselors are way more involved with their students than I remember them being. (Or maybe the majority of them were always involved and my school was an outlier.) With so much pressure for students to get into college or at least fto determine the next steps after high school, it is important to get all the help you can.

Which is why I was surprised when I read that most college students are not taking advantage of their career services center. I mean, if you were using the guidance office to help you navigate through the admissions process, wouldn't you feel comfortable using the career center to help you start your career?

But maybe the issue is the center itself. I am pretty sure we had one at my college, but I don't recall ever using it. Nor do I recall seeing flyers for it or it having seminars or any type of an outreach program to let us know it was there, waiting in the wings to help us.

Maybe this is all one giant marketing issue.

Do you feel that your teen is taking advantage of all the services available to them while they are in school? What do you think the gaps are? Talk to me in the comments.