Book Review: College Counseling for School Counselors

Book review: "College Counseling for School Counselors" by Patrick J O’Connor, PhD

As a school counselor, you have the chance to absorb all of the information aimed at your students. You read it thoroughly, make decisions based on new information, and then pass it on to your students.

Patrick J. O’Connor’s latest book, “College Counseling for School Counselors,” is written just for you. O’Connor dives into the world of school counseling as it relates to college prep and delivers a comprehensive, easy-to-follow text as the baseline for building a successful college counseling program at your school.

No matter what the scenario is for your students (athletes, special needs, exceptional talents), O’Connor maps out a plan for activities for any kind of student. The inclusion of a three-year calendar is helpful in getting a school counselor from start to finish on a realistic timeline.

The homework in the book isn’t just deliverable to your students, but also to yourself as a school counselor. O’Connor invites readers to list five goals that can be actionable for the school’s college counseling program. He encourages school counselors to develop real curriculum for college counseling, citing the elements of a strong plan.

The highlights of this book include access to resources along the way and goal-setting initiatives. Some of the topics covered are: College planning early on, testing, curriculum and support, student diversity, recommendation letters, essays, paying for college, and how to make it all happen at your school.

O’Connor is on the political science faculty of Oakland Community College and is associate dean of college counseling at Cranbrook Schools, both in Metropolitan Detroit.

You can purchase his book online.