Why One Counselor Can Change Your Entire College Journey (Especially for First-Gen Students)

Your counselor is more than an academic advisor—they’re your career coach, life mentor, and college success partner. Learn how to build that connection and why it matters for first-gen and transfer students.

Beyond academics, counselors often serve as unofficial mentors, advocates, and emotional support systems.

Additionally, many students come to college without ever having written a resume or gone through a job application. Counselors can provide crucial career guidance—reviewing resumes, preparing for interviews, and connecting students to networks and resources they never knew existed.

For many first-gen, low-income, and underrepresented students, higher education can feel isolating. The system wasn’t designed with their experiences in mind. This is why finding someone to trust—like a counselor—is so critical.

Students who proactively seek out and stay in contact with a counselor are more likely to persist, transfer, and graduate. They’re also more likely to access broader opportunities, both within and beyond the academic world.

The importance of this connection can’t be overstated. As one counselor put it, “You need to find that person you connect with.” That relationship could be the very thing that carries a student through difficult semesters, opens unexpected doors, and serves as a compass when the path ahead is unclear.

If you're a student, especially one who is first-generation or unfamiliar with the college system, make an appointment with a counselor. Then make another. Let that relationship grow. Counselors are not gatekeepers—they're guides, mentors, and champions who are ready to walk alongside you.

And if you're already connected to a counselor, take the time to check in regularly. Even if you don’t think you need help today, there’s likely something new you’ll benefit from tomorrow. Every step forward becomes clearer when you have someone helping you see the path.

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