For Chamblee’s counselors, the busy season never ends. In both spring and fall, they are responsible for course requests and changes as well as the incoming and graduating classes. As the end of the 2022-2023 school year approaches, students are eager to register for their new classes and are hopeful to avoid the pitfall of incorrect scheduling or missed credit requirements. 

“We are a large school with approximately 360 students on each counselor’s caseload,” said counselor Anna Brachey. “It does make it challenging scheduling everyone for the classes they need for graduation … if a class is full or does not work with a student’s schedule, I am usually able to help them find an alternative course option that works for the student.”

Counselors must take note of course requests and graduation requirements, as well as the separation between magnet, gifted, and standard track classes, all while maintaining county-mandated class sizes and planning periods. This complicated balancing act often means that students will have errors on the first version of the schedule they receive, although these errors are usually fixed upon request. 

“So far I’ve gotten the courses I’ve requested,” said Tanaya Dave (‘25).

However, course selection is harder for some students. Scheduling errors become trickier when dual enrollment and other special course requests are put into the mix. Because of this, many students looking to do dual enrollment seek out advice from peers who have gone through that process, rather than asking counselors for help.

“Basically, [counselors] don’t help you much if you want to do dual enrollment,” said Will Zeldin (‘23). “You have to have friends who’ve already done it.”

But not all students have had negative experiences with their counselors, whether it be in normal course selection, dual enrollment, or college advisement. 

“I haven’t really interacted with her too much, but [my counselor] has been okay,” said Aiden Lee (‘24). “She is really helpful since she manages all the Georgia Tech dual enrollment.”

Considering the extreme caseload of Chamblee’s counselors, a few errors are bound to happen—and although this may lead to some disgruntlement, the majority of students are able to receive correct schedules within the first week of the new school year due to the work of the counseling team. 

“My favorite part of being a school counselor is being able to help students overcome obstacles in high school,” said Brachey. “It is really rewarding seeing my students use the skills we work together in sessions to meet their academic, personal, or college/career goals.”

Chamblee’s counselors are sure to only see increases in their workload until the end of the year, and inevitably, the fall season will be one of course change requests and complaints; but ultimately, students will settle into their desired courses and the year will go on smoothly, all thanks to the counseling department.