26-27 College Match Counselor (New Orleans)

Collegiate Academies; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Collegiate Academies seeks a College Counselor to guide students through college preparation, applications, and financial aid processes in New Orleans. You will partner with families and teachers to ensure students access four-year and two-year options and competitive scholarships.

The role emphasizes collaboration, equity, and data-driven planning to meet individual goals, with duties spanning academic planning, FAFSA assistance, and recommendations for admissions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience teaching, preferably with students from similar backgrounds to Collegiate Academies students.
• Commitment to college access and equity.

Responsibilities

• Educate students, families, and team members about basic college admission requirements for in-state and selective programs.
• Support students in creating individualized college plans based on data and family preferences, including GPA and ACT targets.
• Ensure that 100% of seniors register for and complete the ACT toward their goals.
• Assist students in gathering and crafting documents for college applications: transcripts, personal statements, and other supplements.
• Coordinate exposure to colleges through visits and scholarships from organizations such as Gates and Questbridge.
• Help teachers and advisors write meaningful letters of recommendation for college applications.
• Support FAFSA completion and communicate financial aid timelines to families, ensuring aid packages are reviewed and accepted.
• Develop relationships with college admissions offices to facilitate enrollment and smooth transitions for graduates.
• Collaborate with families to plan visits to colleges and support timely enrollment decisions.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About Collegiate Academies

Collegiate Academies schools are at the forefront of the increase in New Orleans’ and Baton Rouge’ students attending college. We build world-class public schools that prepare all students for college success. We embrace meeting the needs of every student. For us, when we say "all" scholars, we mean Black and Brown scholars, scholars who come in 5 years below reading level, students who are ready for AP classes in the 9th grade, students who are overaged for their grade, students who have an IEP or 504 or BIP, the list goes on! Our mission is radical. Black and brown students too often hear that college isn't an option for them. We are proud that our high schools have the most growth in our cities for populations that historically see many obstacles to college acceptance. And we continue to inspire our scholars' college future while relentlessly removing barriers. As a result we celebrate yearly as we see our scholars matriculate into college and postsecondary options like Brown University, Tulane University, Opportunities Academy, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with selective scholarships like from Posse Foundation, The Gates Scholarship, and TOPS.

Our School Teams

Each CA school collaborates to grow stronger in pursuit of being a world‑class public school filled with adults who continually grow themselves while finding joy in the work of getting to do something radical in our incredible communities.

As a result:

• You are surrounded by excellent teammates who want to help you grow with them. Our fastest growing teammates and leaders continually evaluate your choices against those of the strongest examples around them who achieve extraordinary results regularly.
• You get to work on a team instead of “in a silo” as you chase goals that support the growth happening in classrooms. We choose to build a shared school culture where 100% of scholars are thinking and all teammates contribute directly to that scholar culture, regardless of role. Our strongest teammates create opportunities to teach college ready habits to scholars daily, even from “office” roles.
• We’re a collaborative team who share the work of meeting the goals it takes to be college ready. We deliver and share intentional feedback to each other daily through in-person feedback, written feedback on major projects, and daily observations. And then share that data with the team to keep us all focused on college success.
• You’ll get to celebrate with scholars and teammates as they reach milestones in the classroom, on the field, on the streets during Mardi Gras, and professionally. The excellence we demand from kids and adults results in so much growth and so many achievements we get to enjoy together.

Roles And Responsibilities

College Preparation

• Educate students, families, and team members about basic requirements to be admissible to college for in-state four-year programs, selective four-year programs, and two-year programs.
• Support students in creating individualized college plans based on student data and student and family preferences for college options, including setting goals for GPA and ACT based on current standings and long term goals.
• Ensure that 100% of seniors sign up for and complete the ACT until they reach their goal.

College Applications and Enrollment

• Support students in collecting and crafting documentation needed for college applications: score reports, transcripts, personal statements and other supplemental documents as needed.
• Work to prepare students eligible for multicultural school visits and scholarships provided through community based organizations (CBOs like Gates and Questbridge) for successful interviews and visits.
• Support teachers and advisors in writing meaningful recommendations for students applying to schools where recommendations are needed.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

• Work with families to ensure all students apply for the FAFSA successfully and all colleges receive financial aid information that all students accept their financial aid packages in a timely manner.
• Build relationships with financial aid offices at colleges and universities where students will attend to facilitate a smooth enrollment process for 100% of students; arrange visits and presentations for those schools at the school campus.
• Continue to maintain relationships with admissions officials and officers to advocate for students through their application processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2+ years of teaching experience, preferably working with students from similar backgrounds to Collegiate Academies students.