CollegeNow Counselor Responsibilities Guidelines
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a school counselor may vary by school, but there are some common expectations. Counselors are primarily responsible for advising students about taking Concurrent Enrollment courses, and placing them appropriately regarding course pre-requisites and the academic skills required for each course.
The decision to take a course for college credit and initiate a college transcript is an important step for high school students, and we rely on school counselors to help students determine if that step is the right one for them.
Counselors also help students prepare documentation for the Certificate of Residency application. Usually a high school transcript from the previous year is sufficient as proof of residence.
We will provide counselors with a list of students at the beginning of each semester so that they can help teachers determine which students already have a valid certificate of residence on file with Tompkins Cortland Community College.
- Contact Sarina Perreault at smp@tompkinscortland.edu (607.844.8222, Ext. 4311) for any inquiries on certificates of residency.
- In addition, counselors act as a liaison between your school and our office for other miscellaneous administrative functions.
- For more information on Concurrent Enrollment contact Rhonda Kowalski at rmk@tompkinscortland.edu.
Guidelines
High school students can and do succeed in the college-level online learning environment. In fact, more than 90 percent of CollegeNow students earn an A or B in online courses. Counselors and advisors play an essential role in ensuring student success in college-level online coursework.
As an advisor, you should be a person familiar with the student’s skills, the required college-level entrance skills, and the implications of beginning a college transcript.
This page can be printed and used in advisor and mentor meetings. The CollegeNow staff is available to assist high school advisors in determining whether a student can be successful in an online course. In cases of uncertainty, we are happy to provide a diagnostic skill assessment for the student. Please contact collegenow@tompkinscortland.edu to discuss diagnostic options.
The following checklist is designed to help you determine whether a student can succeed in an online environment.
Does the student possess the college-level skills necessary to succeed?
Each of these skills is expected for every student in an online course. If you are a counselor acting as an advisor, consider consulting with the appropriate subject teacher to check on the student’s specific skills and abilities. Current AP Language and Composition students may enroll in courses with an ENGL101 co-requisite; courses listing an ENGL101 pre-requisite may only be taken by students who have passed ENGL101 or earned a score of 3 or higher on the AP Language and Composition exam, or who are currently enrolled and excelling in AP Literature and Composition.
Writing Skills
These skills are expected for students to enter English 101 and other 100-level courses with college-level writing requirements. A student with these skills has competency in the following:
- Ability to organize an essay (5 paragraphs, with intro/conclusion, and basic thesis statement).
- Understanding of audience and when to use standard written English.
- Basic understanding of organizing and developing written work.
- Knowledge of basic grammar and mechanics:
- Syntax rules (e.g., subject-verb agreement).
- Subject/verb agreement.
- Proper use of modifiers (adjectives, adverbs, articles, pronouns).
- Critical thinking skills.
- Reading level: High school or above (see reading requirements).
Reading Skills
These are the reading skills required to succeed in 100-level college courses, especially online courses that require reading and comprehension. A student with these skills has competency in the following:
- Effective note-taking strategies while reading.
- Identifying stated and implied main ideas.
- Discriminating between primary and secondary details.
- Recognizing methods of development, patterns of organization, and logical relationships between ideas.
- Making inferences from academic reading.
- Distinguishing between fact and opinion.
- Understanding and interpreting figurative language.
- Analyzing the issue, reasons, and conclusion in arguments or theories.
- Evaluating the audience, writer’s credibility, tone, and level of detail.
Arithmetic
These basic math skills are essential for all college-level courses, not just math classes. They are necessary for "math literacy" in various subjects, such as psychology. A student with these skills has competency in the following:
- Basic arithmetic (+, -, /, *) with whole numbers.
- Arithmetic with fractions, including negative numbers.
- Arithmetic with decimals.
- Computing averages.
- Finding square roots (basic level).
- Solving word problems using basic math skills.
- Prime factorization of numbers.
- Understanding absolute value (e.g., |-5|).
- Basic-level exponents.
- Interpreting and calculating scientific notation (e.g., 2,000,000 = 2 x 106).
Has the student demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills?
For most students, the primary adjustment to the online environment is time management; a student is required to log in to a course at least three times per week and complete all readings, assignments, and discussion posts by specified deadlines – all without the structure of a traditional classroom.
Review the implications of beginning a college transcript
Implications of Beginning a College Transcript. When a student enrolls in a college-level course, a college transcript is initiated. Low or failing grades can negatively impact the student’s academic future, including academic standing and future financial aid eligibility. Please make students aware before they register of the importance of their college-level course grades.
Review TC3’s Academic Integrity Policy with the student.
All students earning college credits through Tompkins Cortland are subject to the college’s standards of Academic Integrity.