College Counselor

Chicago Scholars Foundation•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Chicago Scholars is dedicated to preparing its Scholars for success in college and beyond, while also preparing the world to embrace their potential. The organization focuses on college acceptance, matriculation, persistence, and career access for its Scholars. They aim to help Scholars not just survive but thrive, moving from achieving to excelling, and from attending/working to belonging and exceeding. Chicago Scholars centers diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and racial justice (READI) to launch and lift Scholars, enabling them to lead and leverage their power. The organization transforms the leadership landscape by addressing barriers for academically driven, first-generation college students from under-resourced communities. Through college counseling, mentoring, and a supportive community across College Access, College Success, and Career and Leadership Advancement phases, they ensure Scholars realize their full potential. Notably, 76% of Chicago Scholars graduate college within 6 years, significantly higher than the peer average of 49%. Upon graduation, Scholars assume leadership roles in Chicago, contributing to the economic future of their communities and the city. Chicago Scholars believes education is social justice, empowering bright, first-generation, and low-income students with the resources and opportunities to attend top colleges, graduate on time, and become future leaders. Since 1996, they have impacted over 5,000 young leaders in Chicago. Their values include dreaming big, showing up with a positive attitude, embracing differences, modeling the way, caring for each other, and keeping their word.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
3-5 years of experience
Must live in the Chicagoland area
Strong READI values/training
Experience working with parents/guardians
Programming experience
FAFSA training/experience
Ability to operate effectively flexibly in changing contexts and operating environments.
Demonstrates awareness and respect of cultural and individual values. Listens to ideas from others even when different from own. Share time, energy, and knowledge with others to ensure they can succeed.
Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work.
Able to break down tasks into manageable sections in order to make informed decisions and solve problems. Able to perceive and resolve a gap and overcome obstacles between a present situation and a desired goal.
Ability to meet people where they are at, treat them with respect, and influence them.
The ability to read and interpret information effectively, clearly articulate a plan of action, and influence others by way of written and verbal mechanisms.
Curiosity about emerging technologies and are comfortable integrating AI into everyday tasks.
Proactively identify areas of friction in workflows where AI can improve speed, quality, or insight, while maintaining a strong understanding of data security, privacy, and ethical considerations in AI use.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred
Technical Knowledge Translation skills preferred (Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.)
Experience supporting DREAMERS preferred

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of senior high school students using all aspects of the college counseling curriculum through 1:1 and group sessions to ensure their Scholars enroll in a match, fit, and financial fit college institution.
Work with the Associate Director of College Counseling to ensure that Scholars are engaged in mandatory and optional programs, college counseling, mentoring support, family workshops, and annual events.
Manage caseload communication and outreach by engaging in monthly counseling session curriculum planning and maintaining entry of session attendance, notes, and application submissions.
Identify and support Scholars who are at risk.
Advise a caseload of 100-120 Scholars through the entire college application and selection process.
Schedule and meet with Scholars and families per the monthly college counseling curriculum.
Submit thorough case notes accurately and on time within Salesforce.
Implement the curriculum as designed and collect all necessary materials from Scholars, including college applications, financial aid award letters, etc.
Identify Scholars who are at risk and in need of additional support or interventions; collaborate with mentors and College Readiness staff to provide support and resources to Scholars.
Provide support, leveraging other counselors and mentors, to prevent summer melt and ensure that Scholars enroll in and matriculate to a match and fit college in the fall following their high school graduation.
Collaborate with high school college counselors, if needed, to best support Scholars.
Act as a resource and professional role model to Scholars who have questions and concerns about their CS College Counseling experience.
Support the recruitment process from start to finishing including high school visits, program application review, selection, and implementation.
Support Chicago Scholars internal scholarship application review.
Facilitate and support Scholar and family programming including evening and weekend workshops and events such as New Scholar Orientation, College Fair, and Onsite College & Leadership Forum.
Occasional support of college Scholars seeking individualized guidance on transferring, re-enrollment after significant time off, complex financial aid situations, and other situations if/as needed.
Attend weekly in-person all-staff meetings (Tuesdays), monthly Program Team meetings, bi-annual retreats, and weekly/monthly team and sub-team meetings.
Attend and support required all-staff and Program Team events.
Other duties, as assigned.