Empowerly counselor Barbara S. tells us about her journey in education and how she became a college counselor in the first place! From honing her skills in professional writing and editing to earning a master’s in counseling to better help students, Barbara brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. On top of that, Barbara has worked with students in college counseling for over 12 years now, and she brings her expertise and experience to every student relationship.
Let’s get started.
This interview is Installment 2 in our Coffee with a Counselor series. To read more profiles like this, check out other posts right here on our blog and subscribe to our newsletter!
About Barbara
Empowerly counselor Barbara grew up on the East Coast in New Jersey, near New York City. Today, she currently resides on the West Coast in Sonoma County, just north of the SF Bay Area.
Barbara herself attended the University of Pennsylvania for her undergraduate degree, and earned her MA in counseling from New College of California in San Francisco.
The pen is mighty…
Outside of Empowerly, Barbara also works with local students in her area. As a skilled writer with a strong foundation in the education field, she is also a freelance writer and editor. In fact, writing is how she came to work in college counseling! Among friends, she soon became a highly-requested reviewer for college essays. From there, the rest followed in line.
Why Empowerly?
Barbara explained that she wanted to diversify the types of students she was working with, “both geographically and academically—students outside of my local area.” That shift included students with diverse backgrounds and diverse goals.
Pursuing a wide variety of students to work with, Barbara has also expanded her own knowledge base over time. She says, “I’ve been able to become much more familiar with the STEM fields,” including the schools and programs for STEM students. In fact, “it’s become a specialty.” And given how popular science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are for college students today, this specialty is highly requested!
The special touch
What makes Barbara so talented as a counselor? In addition to her many qualifications and knowledge of the field, she brings her best to the table. When asked about her approach to her work with students, Barbara replied that it is the “same as my approach to life. I really value relationships that are based on mutual respect, so that’s how I approach my students.”
“I’m there as a guide to make sure they get everything done, have great essays, don’t miss any deadlines. But increasingly, through our process together, I want to empower them to take ownership of the process. It doesn’t mean I back out, but I want them to be the drivers of the train,” Barbara explained.
“The reason for this is at the end of the day (or year) it gives students a real sense of accomplishment and mastery, and allows them to really own the process and feel good about it.” For high school students looking to take some of their first big steps into the world, this approach makes all the difference.
A sweet success story
“A lot of my students—most of them in fact—are success stories. And there’s a reason for that,” Barbara says. “We work really hard to develop balanced, realistic college lists, so they’re rarely disappointed with the outcomes.”
That said, there was one student that came to mind. Barbara explained that she was a top student, and was initially disappointed to be waitlisted by so many colleges.
What’s something you’ve learned from your students?
“The level of motivation and dedication I see from my students is awe-inspiring, especially with the onset of COVID. Being so isolated, so ripped out of their normal schedules and patterns… I’ve seen students get really creative about finding ways to stay with activities that interest them, ways to volunteer, ways to create new businesses or programs. The level of devotion, dedication, and creativity is the thing that I’ve learned; you can make things happen. They really are amazing.”
One piece of advice for high school students?
As opposed to advice about studying hard, or preparing more for the SAT, Barbara thought for a moment and shared something profound. “I would say, find something that you love doing, and do it. Do it for a while, dig in, and dig deeper. Don’t do that thing because it will look good on your college application. Do that thing because the excitement and passion that you feel (about whatever the activity is) will shine through, in everything that you do—including applying to college.”
One piece of advice that has stuck with you?
“It’s very simple. Be the best version of yourself that you can be. That has stayed with me my whole life,” she said. In other words, “don’t try to be someone else, because that’s not going to work. So I try to be the best version of myself I can, with all my strengths and flaws and foibles. I work with what I have. That’s the best piece of advice I’ve received.”
Final Thoughts:
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