College Counselor

East Side House Settlement•Bronx, NY

32d•Onsite

About The Position

East Side House (ESH) is a community resource in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan that believes education is key to creating opportunities. The Student Success Center (SSC) is a youth-led college access program focused on college and career preparedness, planning, and applications. The College Counselor will work with appointed DOE staff to support students in supplemental programs and services, guiding them through the college process and collaborating with schools on George Washington Educational Campus to develop a shared college process.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in education, human services, or related field.
Minimum of two years’ experience with youth at risk and/or school setting.
Prior experience with counseling and/or groups.
Ability to work with a culturally diverse population.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, presentation, and leadership skills.
Demonstrated initiative, creativity, flexibility, and follow-through.
Excellent analytical skills.
Excellent skills in verbal and written communication, including effective platform delivery.
Must be computer literate and capable of hands-on work in Microsoft Word / Word Perfect or similar word processing programs.
Employees must be clear to work at ESH. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background checks and/or screenings.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide students with post-secondary readiness support and work-readiness skills development.
Educate students and parents about colleges, the college admissions process, trends, procedures, and testing; advising students and families as they go through the process; and helping students and families aspire realistically and choose wisely.
Meet with students, individually and in group sessions, to talk about the college process and individual college choices.
Advise MH Campus students on curricular choices, as needed, and works with social services to assist non documented students to understand US college admissions, especially aspects unique to them.
Communicate effectively with students, peers, supervisors, and funders.
Conduct 1:1 advising for all students.
Coordinate integration of Grades 9-12 (as applicable) college and career awareness programming into the school day programming, focusing on both long-term career goals as well as post-secondary education goals to get there.
Complete college and career advising training in the past 3 years aligned to support students graduating with strong plans.
Ensure at point of graduation students have a confirmed plan for postsecondary education, training, apprenticeship, public service or workforce entry in STARS.
Ensure students develop a college and career plan in a career navigation platform (i.e. Xello, Overgrad).
Ensure enrolled students have completed a FAFSA application.
Keep parents informed through phone calls and monthly letters about test dates, local college events, and financial aid.
Keep track of admission decisions, statistics, and compile data for monthly submission to Program Director.
Stay abreast of issues and trends in college admissions, higher education, testing, as well as keeping up to date about specific colleges.
Recruit, sustain and oversee Youth Leaders and their progress of Student Success Center.
Engage teachers, school staff and stakeholders in creating a college-going culture.
Provide individualized support for completion of applications which includes FAFSA forms as well as other local, state-wide and national applications.
Maintain membership in professional organizations: the College Board, the National Association of College Admission Counselors, etc.
Identify and establish linkage with ASAP, BON, EOP, HEOP SEEK, and various other programs on their college campus to support students.
Create and facilitate (2) two workshops per month that address and helps support the college process and other post high school higher learning opportunities.
Liaise with CARA around training, supervision, and program development.
Plan, support and attend Youth Leader Summer Training and Academic Year Conferences annually.
Create and facilitate one (1) workshop monthly for parents and students that address the college process and other post-secondary higher learning opportunities.
Provide data collection for high school graduation, college admissions, and other post-secondary placements as an annual culminating report, using provided template.
Liaise and support the promotion and guidance of students with East Side House scholarship opportunities.
Celebrate and recognize student accomplishments (incentives include but not limited to – Gift cards, Movie tickets, and Guarantee spot on upcoming incentive trips.)
Support and assist with alternative school initiatives.