It is impossible for so few professionals to provide substantial and meaningful help for so many college- bound students. School officials in other jurisdictions agree. The angst in many Northern Virginia homes is hard to miss. Many adults see their worth as parents riding on the results their children's attempts to win admission to their favorite schools. Private high school tuitions are now higher than many college tuitions, yet no one seems to be complaining as long as the graduates get into well-known universities.
Parents know that public school counselors are overworked.
That is one reason some seek private consultants, particularly if their children have mediocre academic records that will thrill neither counselors nor college recruiters. The growth of private counseling is astonishing, industry experts say. Mark H. Sklarow, executive director of the Fairfax-based Independent Educational Consultants Association, estimates that at least 3,000 consultants nationally are working with high school students, compared with only 500 three years ago. But public school counselors here say they know their students better than private counselors, have stronger contacts with teachers and colleges and do just as well in the growing competition for space in the most selective schools. And compared with most districts, counselor caseloads in Northern Virginia are low.