Unfortunately, college admissions people do not always agree. Until admissions people begin to see the arts as equal in stature to, say, athletics or science, efforts to integrate the arts into the curriculum aren't going anywhere. The counselors do that, I've been told, because they know that most college admissions officers will recalculate students' general and class ranks without the art, music, and drama grades. When we think of professionals, lawyers, physicians, and architects usually come to mind. Professionals display a service orientation to clients.
Educators are also dedicated to their clients, but the similarities to other professions end there.
Professionals are likely to be governed by the internalized standards of their field, established as part of the collegiality created during their professional preparation. There is little equivalent collegiality among educators. Professionals refer more often to colleagues. For students, the common denominator among good teachers is caring. I don't have to change.