Xavier’s guidance counselors work behind the scenes
Guidance counselor Alexis Quintero writes her last couple of letters of recommendation, as most students’ deadlines were November 1, 2022. She will soon begin preparing graduation pamphlets and scheduling classes for next year.
Counselors at Xavier College Preparatory do so much for the students, and a lot of it is behind-the-scenes. Whether it be college admissions, tracking grades, setting up schedules, writing recommendations, preparing for graduation or many other tasks, the counselors are constantly working on something for students.
Each counselor is responsible for approximately 65 students per grade, roughly 220 students per counselor. As college admission time rolls around, they are writing almost 60 recommendations, putting in a lot of hard work.
Kathleen Gannon, Xavier’s director of counseling says, “We work on writing the best letter of recommendation that we can. I give workdays for the counselors to stay home and focus on the letter, so they have fewer distractions.”
For counselors, the students’ recommendations are vital. They ensure Xavier’s students stand out among others across the country.
“We go to workshops and conferences and meet with college representatives,” Gannon says as the counseling team prepares for the busy college admissions time. “Building relationships with the school’s representatives is important when it comes time for our students to get into the colleges of their choice.”
Xavier’s guidance counselors do more than assist in the college admittance process. Another guidance counselor, Catherine Emmerling, says, “I think the students use our help most for college, but I wish they knew we could help with other things too.”
Another critical aspect of Xavier’s counseling department is preparing for the upcoming year. “The most time-consuming part of being a counselor is the whole scheduling process in the spring when we meet with students to discuss upcoming schedules,” says Emmerling.
Xavier’s counselors have multiple meetings with each of their assigned students. They discuss big decisions regarding which classes to take and what will look best for each student based on their future college plans.
Students can go to the counselors for anything. “We will help you when you have nowhere else to turn,” says counselor Alexis Quintero. Students can ask any questions they may have. “Every question is a good question; we love questions,” Gannon says.
“I love when students come and talk to me about their days and they follow up with me. Whether celebrating the little wins or consoling the letdowns, the counselors are here,” Quintero says.
“The most stressful thing is when we cannot help a student the way that we want to,” Emmerling says. Quintero agrees, “It is most stressful when we aren’t able to help the students resolve an issue immediately.”
Xavier hires the best counselors possible for students, and it is seen through the counselors’ hard work and dedication. “I love being a counselor at Xavier. It is a great environment to work with high-achieving young women,” Emmerling says.
Having a staff that enjoys and finds pleasure in their work is essential for achieving excellence, which Xavier prides itself on. “Women of Faith Pursuing Excellence” is Xavier College Preparatory’s modeled motto.