Counseling is a noble profession, dedicated to helping those with mental, emotional or behavioral suffering – and it pays
well, too. As a result, plenty of young, ambitious and generous students plan to pursue counseling as a career.

However, becoming a counselor isn’t easy. Every state in the U.S. requires a few credentials, to include a certain level of counseling education as well as licensure from a regional or national board. These credentials take plenty of time and effort to obtain, so the pursuit of them is best accomplished with support from one’s counseling program.

Unfortunately, not all schools offer the services counseling students need to survive and thrive during and after participating in their programs. Thus, when preparing to enroll in a counseling program, students should value the following aspects that have significant impact on counselor success:

Accreditation

Far and away, this is the most important feature to look for in any degree program but especially in a counseling degree program. Counselors need a master’s degree to practice, but master’s degrees don’t count if they aren’t earned from an accredited institution.

Accreditation shows that a school adheres to certain expectations for curriculum and student success. Prospective counseling students should pay attention to two types of accreditation: CACREP and MPCAC. The former is much more common and represents the highest standard of counseling education; the latter shows a greater focus on psychology within a master’s program, which may or may not benefit students. Most students should pursue CACREP-accredited programs if they hope to find enviable jobs in the industry immediately after graduation.

Program Curriculum

A program’s accreditation status should say much about its curriculum, but students benefit by doing their own research into what a program focuses on teaching. For example, students who hope to apply their counseling experience to children and families should ensure that the curriculum of their programs focuses on counseling for these types of clients.

Most programs will post a rough outline of their curriculum online, either in the form of a required course schedule or else with descriptive passages. For more in-depth understanding of a program’s curriculum, you can contact professors or school administrators.

Program Format

In the past, students could narrow down which schools they would apply to based on where they were willing to live and work; these days, students can enroll in online programs hosted by far-flung universities without relocating. Still, it is important for students to determine whether an in-class or online program is right for their preferred methods of learning and other considerations.

Though both traditional and online courses facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skill, some program formats are better suited for certain types of students. For example, counseling students who have families and full-time jobs often prefer eLearning options, which give them greater flexibility in their education than synchronous, on-campus classes do. Most programs can be hybridized, with a mixture of classroom-based and digital courses, but students should know the format of their program (and their format preferences) before they apply.

Student Services

Studies show that access to critical student services is an important predictor of student success in an educational  program and after its completion. Therefore, students should search for programs that focus on facilitating student success through the following resources:

• Academic services. These most often take the form of various specialized tutoring centers, which help struggling students in certain areas like writing and math.
• Career services. At the edge of graduation, students often need help writing cover letters, building resumes and searching for jobs.
• Physical and mental wellness services. Students should have access to exercise equipment as well as counseling services to help them handle the stresses of higher education.
• Specialized services. Schools should be capable of accepting all types of students, even those with special needs like wheelchair ramps, text-to-speech tools, etc.

Student Success

Students should be interested in the experiences of students who have come before them because these are important predictors of the impact of certain programs. To that end, prospective counseling students should research student success rates during the program and after graduation. Excellent indicators of success are high graduation rates, high graduate job placements, high graduate salaries and similar statistics. Most top-tier schools will post this information online, like on William & Mary student success pages.

Networking Opportunities

Every professional needs a strong, stable and wide-reaching network, even counselors. School is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow future professionals and current experts in the field, but students should not have to work hard to make contact and solidify relationships. Programs should offer networking opportunities, through clubs, speaking engagements, student events, work-study options and more, that facilitate networking at this stage of counselors’ careers.

Counseling is an excellent career choice, but it does require some preparation. Fortunately, with the selection of an above-average counseling program, students can set themselves up for lasting career success.

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October 3, 2018