Post-Placement Counselor – Boarding School

Organization Summary: Prep for Prep is an education and leadership development program that creates ethical and effective leaders who reflect our diverse society. Prep identifies New York City’s most promising students of color, prepares them for success at the nation's top independent schools throughout the Northeast, and supports their academic and personal growth through college graduation. Today, nearly 5,000 students and alumni in the Prep for Prep Community are leaders in every field imaginable.

The Opportunity: The Post-Placement Counselor plays a critical role in the support and development of Prep for Prep students. The counselor is the point person who helps Prep for Prep students manage the academic, social, and emotional journey through upper school graduation. The Post-Placement Counselor is a student advocate, a mentor, and ally. 

This position reports to the Associate Director of Post-Placement Counseling.                                                  

Essential Duties for a Post-Placement Counselor – Boarding School include:

● Maintaining a minimum of once every three months face-to-face individual/group contact and providing academic and personal counseling for each of about 80 students. 

● Maintaining records of each individual/group contact.

● Monitoring academic and social progress of assigned students by means of careful, regular collection and review of grades, comments, and disciplinary records; maintaining a written record of the problems and progress of each student, including mid-year and end-of-year reports. Recommending students for tutoring and after-school study halls and monitoring their progress.

● Getting to know each assigned student and his/her family situation well enough to present each student at Consultation Meetings with Prep’s Director of Mental Wellness.

● Meeting with school officials, deans, advisors, school counselors, and other appropriate personnel regularly and meeting with the parents of assigned students on an as-needed basis.

● Keeping the Associate Director of Post-Placement Counseling informed of significant problems or emotional issues impacting assigned students that may threaten the student’s good standing at a school or emotional issues impacting assigned students which may threaten the student’s good standing at a school.

● Planning and organizing social activities in New York for boarding school students, keeping assigned students informed about activities and opportunities at Prep, and counseling appropriate students to take advantage of these opportunities.

● Assisting in the planning, organizing, and supervising the annual summer three-day boarding school retreat and the PREP 9 Immersion program.

● Supervising students on day and overnight trips: including at least one week-long Spring college trip 

● Attending Counselor training in the summer

● Assisting legal guardians in completing appropriate and required financial aid application forms

Required Skills, Experience, and Competencies include:

● Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred

● 1 to 3 years of prior experience with advising, mentoring, or teaching middle-aged students

● Previous experience attending, working with, or working for independent schools preferred

● Sound judgment, compassion, a self-directed work ethic, and a commitment to achieving Prep for Prep’s Mission

● Superior written and oral communication skills

● Able to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization and its partners

● Excellent organizational skills, able to plan and manage multiple competing priorities, ensure delivery to deadlines, and maintain attention to detail

● Proactive, creative, and takes a solutions-based approach to problem-solving

● Self-motivated and have an ability to work independently

● Team player and enjoys working in collaboration with others towards a common goal

● Competent user of Excel, Word, PowerPoint databases, GSuite and Zoom.

● Flexible and adaptable. This role requires some evening and weekend work

● Embody and advocate for Prep for Prep’s values of Excellence, Integrity, Commitment, Courage, and Community

● Cultural competency and knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work

● Ability to travel/drive to various locations

● Spanish language proficiency is a plus

Compensation: The salary range is $65,000 - $72,500.

How to Apply: Please email a cover letter and resume with the subject line “Post-Placement Counselor – Boarding School” to personnel@prepforprep.org and rosorio@prepforprep.org.

Prep for Prep is an equal opportunity employer.