North Allegheny students spend only a brief two years at the senior high, and this time is filled with the final preparations for students’ transition into adulthood. As students begin to drive and vote, slowly inching closer to independence, they must decide what their first steps will be after graduation.

While these decisions weigh heavily on students, the upside is that the school counselors have a great deal of experience in this area. Through the years, thousands of students have filtered in and out of NASH, and the counselors have the expertise to help students find the path that best suits them. 

There are many reasons — from selecting classes, applying to college, and discussing career options to talking about personal struggles or sharing concerns about peers — that students choose to seek out their counselors.

However, many students have difficulty starting these conversations; and while there are no stupid questions, sometimes the hardest part is knowing which questions to ask. 

To aid in answering this question, NASH counselors offered their insight and provided examples to give students a general blueprint. They shared questions that they often receive as well as others that students may not always think to ask.

Mrs. Insana shared some general, guiding questions for students who feel unsure as to where to start when thinking about options after high school.

• Can you help me find a post-secondary path that is a good fit for me? 
• I want to go to college and need help finding colleges that have my area of interest, can you help? 

For students who know that they would like to pursue higher education, Mr. Thompson supplied an array of more specific questions about college applications:

• How do I complete the Common Application?
• How do I send my SAT or ACT test Scores…or should I even send them?
• Can you help me with the SRAR (Self-Reported Academic Record)?
• Can you review my college essay and give me feedback?
• How many colleges should I apply to and is it better to apply early?
• How do I request teacher recs? How many do I need? How do I send my transcript?

Mrs. Insana emphasized that students can seek help from a counselor for any personal struggles that they may be dealing with. It can be as simple as “I’m struggling with my classes. Can you help with this?” 

A question that students can ask their counselor prior to senior year to prevent burnout and mental fatigue is “How do I plan out my courses so I do not get overwhelmed but still challenge myself?” Since counselors work with numerous students every year to make schedule changes, discussing concerns beforehand can save both students and counselors some stress.

Mrs. Bielawski stressed the importance of reaching out and scheduling a meeting during homeroom, lunch, or a study hall to discuss plans for after high school. 

“Once we know student interests, strengths, and life goals, we can suggest personalized ideas to help them reach their future goals,” she said. This way, counselors can better understand their student’s individual needs and provide them with information that aligns with their ambitions.

Ultimately, the school counselors want to form relationships with their students, so asking questions is the first step.

“Students often feel bad that they have so many questions for us when we meet individually,” said Bielawski. “We want them to ask all of the questions they have! There is no such thing as having too many questions. We are here to help.” 

If you’d like to make an appointment with your counselor, click here.