College Success Counselor (26/27 School Year)

Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School•New York, NY

About The Position

The College Success Counselor position provides support to Brooklyn Lab scholars and creates a college-going culture with a focus on persistence, completion, and career readiness. This role involves cultivating relationships with postsecondary institutions, scholarship providers, and workforce partners, and developing internship and job placement pipelines. The counselor will represent LAB at various events, foster partnerships with college admissions professionals, and lead the college application process, ensuring students have balanced college lists and receive assistance with personal statements and essays. They will also provide direct advising on financial aid, including FAFSA and CSS Profile completion, and review award letters. Additionally, the role includes co-teaching or pushing into classes to deliver curriculum on college readiness, applications, and financial literacy, supporting standardized test administration, and counseling students on academic standing and graduation requirements. Family engagement through workshops and communication is key, as is creating a positive, inclusive college-going culture. The counselor will maintain student files, use platforms like Overgrad and Naviance for data management, and track key performance indicators such as graduation rates, SAT performance, FAFSA submission rates, and college application/acceptance rates. They will also monitor at-risk students and develop intervention plans, and provide support to alumni throughout their postsecondary transition, tracking their progress and securing ongoing internship and employment opportunities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum of three years of experience providing direct counseling, advising, and coaching to high school students
Working knowledge of current retention practice theories with an emphasis on research, assessment, and data-informed decision making
Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities for first-generation college students
Strong financial aid and scholarship support knowledge and experience
Demonstrated event planning and project management skills
Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in student personnel administration, counseling, higher education, or a related field preferred

Responsibilities

Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with postsecondary institutions, scholarship providers, and workforce partners.
Develop and sustain internship and job placement pipelines for students through external partnerships.
Represent LAB at events such as college fairs, open houses, orientations, graduations, and student recognition ceremonies.
Foster partnerships with college admissions professionals and university outreach centers.
Lead and manage the entire college application process, offering personalized guidance and support to all students.
Ensure 100% of seniors have comprehensive, balanced college lists that include match, reach, and safety schools.
Assist students in drafting and revising compelling personal statements and application essays.
Write detailed, personalized letters of recommendation for all seniors and support faculty in the recommendation process.
Provide direct advising on financial aid processes, including FAFSA and CSS Profile completion, reviewing award letters, and supporting families in making informed matriculation decisions.
Co-teach or push into 11th and 12th-grade classes to deliver curriculum on college readiness, applications, and financial literacy.
Support standardized test administration (SAT, PSAT) and manage associated preparation programs and logistics.
Counsel students on academic standing, graduation requirements, and promotion criteria (Operation Finish Line).
Develop and deliver strategic communication, events, and workshops for families to demystify the college and financial aid process.
Engage families to raise awareness of postsecondary opportunities and support their students' application journeys.
Create a positive, inclusive, college-going culture that prioritizes building relationships and one-on-one support for all students.
Maintain accurate and confidential student college admissions files and academic records.
Use platforms like Overgrad, Naviance, and College Board tools to streamline counseling efforts and data management.
Track and analyze key performance indicators such as year-over-year improvements in graduation rates and SAT performance, FAFSA submission rates (target: 80%+), four-year college application rates and acceptance rates (target: 80%+), and college enrollment and matriculation trends.
Monitor at-risk students and develop personalized intervention plans through early-alert systems and retention data analysis.
Provide support to alumni throughout their postsecondary transition and track their progress toward college matriculation.
Collaborate with internal staff and external stakeholders to secure ongoing internship and employment opportunities for alumni.