Counselor Guides Students On Post-Graduation Path

College adviser Chloe Wolma spends her time at East Lansing High School (ELHS) helping students prepare for their next steps following graduation.

Wolma started her work at ELHS in August after graduating from Michigan State University (MSU) with a bachelor’s of science in environmental biology/zoology.

Working in the AmeriCorps VISTA program with a mission to increase college readiness in Ingham County, Wolma took the opportunity to work at ELHS as a gap year before she returns to school to pursue her master’s in public health.

VISTA (Volunteers and Service to America) works to combat poverty and “education is one of the ways we combat poverty for sure,” Wolma said.

The college application process and post-graduation expectations have changed.

With the changes in the college application process, the fight to destigmatize the idea that a four-year degree is the only “right path” and with the overwhelming amount of post-graduate opportunities, Wolma is working to guide students on their own paths for post-high school.

“Even though it’s called a college adviser, it’s a little bit of a misleading title because I do all post-secondary education,” Wolma said. “Four-year degrees, two-year degrees, trade school, military. If any student came to me with any of these goals, I can help them. So I do a bunch of things, whatever the student really needs.”

The college adviser at the high school Wolma attended had a more narrow role. 

“I went to a pretty small school, my graduation class was only about 140 students, and we had a dedicated college counselor,” Wolma said. “She was just for four-year colleges, she wasn’t really looking into any of those other things. She was definitely helpful, so I am trying to take that experience that I had and make it a more inclusive and broader experience for all kinds of students.” 

School systems have changed since she was in high school, and Wolma is working to adapt to those changes and give students the best possible experience. 

Educating students includes presentations and one-on-one meetings.

Presenting in classrooms, talking about the general steps to take and doing one-on-one meetings with students is how Wolma works to educate students on available opportunities. 

“I am definitely working to combat that expectation of a four-year degree because I know it’s not for everyone,” Wolma said. “Especially in the post-pandemic times, a lot of students really re-evaluate what the role of ‘traditional school’ is in their life.”

She highlighted the multiple non-traditional degree programs and trade programs Lansing Community College (LCC) offers and encourages students to look at those paths as well as the traditional four-year programs. 

With many factors affecting college admissions such as colleges looking more at extracurricular activities rather than grade point averages (GPAs) and test scores (some colleges are not even taking into consideration SAT and ACT scores), Wolma has had to adapt the way she helps students apply for college.

Wolma has noticed less stress in her students now that many colleges are opting not to use standardized test scores in the admissions process . 

“It definitely has taken some of the stress off of students,” Wolma said. “I’m sure we both took those standardized tests and we know that they can be a really big source of stress for people.

“I’m able to tell students ‘You can focus on your GPA and on extracurriculars. If you feel like it’s not going to be good for you to cram for hours and hours each day for the SATs, you can re-prioritize,” she said.

Wolma clarified it is still important for some students to focus on standardized tests. The programs or universities the students plan on applying to have a big impact on what they should focus on when applying, so knowing what is required for an institution is important. 

“I always try to connect with the students, see what kind of people they are, and help them find the best route for them,” Wolma said. 

Wolma wants to meet students where they are.

There’s also been a large shift to emphasize mental wellbeing in the school systems. Wolma works to help students keep good mindsets during the sometimes stressful college application season. 

“I’ve definitely learned how to incorporate mental health into interacting with students,” Wolma said. “Really trying to meet them where they are and to just accept them with anything they come with.” 

Getting to know the students has not only been her number one priority, it is also her favorite part of the job. 

“There are so many cool students with such cool goals and unique interests, and the staff and teachers, as well,” Wolma said. “Having been a Michigan State student, it’s been cool to see this side, the more local side, of East Lansing.”