Hi,
My daughter goes to a Public school in Austin, Texas and I am struggling to get some information/direction from the school counselor especially since this the first time we are going through college applications being immigrants. Would you recommend a private college counselor who can help in identifying colleges, provide guidance on essay writing, etc.
If yes, can you pls suggest any good counselors in the Austin, Texas area?
Thank you in advance!
Sri
You may find an independent counselor to be quite helpful - ideally look and see if they offer a la carte services verses a complete package. It is nice to have the options, if you find you really only need help with one or two pieces. Otherwise, it may work to invest in the full package. I would recommend looking at the Independent Education Consultants Association website (IECA) and they will have a directory by area. I know there is another association - but can’t remember the name.
Ask for contacts of former clients, do your homework, as it is all about fit. Have a clear idea of what you want and make sure the counselor has experience in those areas. Make sure the counselor has been in business for years verses just starting out.
Many people on this forum don’t find counselors to be helpful, but in my limited experience (and experience of friends) there are good professionals out there and you must do your homework. Individual counselors verses big firms seem to be a more personal way to go too. No counselor should make promises and all should be about fit and creating a balanced list.
Lastly, if you don’t have it already, buy the Fiske Book of Colleges 2020 (very inexpensive) and this guide is a great way to easily read about different schools as your child’s list comes together. For essays, check out the College Essay guy online (he will also run free webinars) and also his book - College Essay Essentials is great. A counselor should not write or really edit an essay - just some brainstorming and direction.
Good luck - the process seems overwhelming, but will come together 
There are community organizations that can help, especially for families that are first generation applicants. I would pursue that option first.
As a school counselor myself I am so sad to hear you aren’t getting the help you need. Is there a dept chair you can reach out to? Or an administrator you can seek help from?
I agree with the answers form the members above. To help you grab a general understanding of your question, College Confidential recently covered this topic in an article that may help answer your question. Read more here: https://insights.collegeconfidential.com/how-a-hs-counselor-can-help
Completely sympathize with your situation. Our kids went to a large public where overworked GC’s were spending most of their time and energy on just getting their students through school. We used a locally recommended counselor for our older child who helped her get organized as far as laying out the various components and timelines for applications of a targeted group of schools. The good news is after you go through the process one time, you can pretty much handle the mechanics on your own for the next child.
If you are looking for services beyond just helping your child through the process, such as essay/app editing/packaging, that is another story, and you will really need to do your diligence as there are going to be huge variances in the quality of the counselors.
I tried, but all that I get from the HS is that their counselors are swamped with an average of 150-200 kids under them. I had to end up getting a private, independent counselor.