Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a School Counselor
What school counselors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Review student appointment requests. From there, the day usually includes meet with students individually and in groups, help with academic and graduation planning, and guide college and career planning. School counselors work school-year schedules, sometimes with summer weeks; college advisors often work year-round.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a school counselor working full time.
- Review student appointment requests.
- Meet a student about a schedule change.
- Teach a career exploration lesson in a classroom.
- Respond to a student in crisis and contact family.
- Lead a small group on stress management.
- Help seniors with college applications.
- Write recommendation letters.
Where school counselors work
Counselors work in schools, colleges and career centers, in offices and classrooms.
Hours and schedule
School counselors work school-year schedules, sometimes with summer weeks; college advisors often work year-round.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Meet with students individually and in groups
- Help with academic and graduation planning
- Guide college and career planning
- Support social and emotional needs
- Respond to crises
- Teach classroom guidance lessons
- Collaborate with families, teachers and outside agencies
Tools you’ll use every day
- Student information systems
- College and career planning platforms such as Naviance
- Assessment tools
- Scheduling software
- Referral resources
- Video meeting tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Help students in meaningful ways
- Variety of tasks
- School schedule
- Respected role
What’s hard
- Large caseloads
- Emotional crises
- Paperwork and scheduling
- Requires a master’s degree
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want to help students succeed
- I’m a good listener
- I can handle emotional situations
- I enjoy career and college planning
- I keep information confidential
- I’m willing to earn a master’s degree
Not sure? Take the free School Counselor fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow crisis and suicide prevention protocols
- Report suspected abuse as a mandated reporter
- Maintain confidentiality within legal limits
- Seek supervision and self-care