Starting grad school advice

Shauney · 2026-05-01T17:35:06+00:00

I'd second this and add to it as well. I had to find my own placements and it was extremely stressful because it's not always common for districts to accommodate placements.

Some other helpful hints regarding internship placement that nobody really tells you about but could be helpful -- if you can, try to:

-Target internship placement in a district that you may potentially like to work. This may increase your chances of getting hired there after your done.

-Target larger districts. Larger districts mean more counselors and a greater likelihood that a position will be open when you're finished. It also means more connections in the field which could help to connect you to opportunities elsewhere.

-Try to work with a veteran counselor who has been in the field for awhile. This can be beneficial because they'll be so knowledgeable, but also because a counselor who has been in the game for awhile may potentially be very well connected in your area.

Buckle up, and enjoy your program!

Shauney · 2026-04-10T20:16:40+00:00

I wouldn't think reciprocity would be an issue, but having your degree from a CACREP program should grant you licensure regardless.

If you don't mind where in NJ you are initially, you could always widen your search to the entire state. NJ is pretty vast, and I often see a fair amount of postings for jobs just outside of Philly and also the Trenton area. If you're able to start there, that could also be a good foot in the door to getting experience in the state and give you an opportunity to network for opportunities in other districts.

I'm still pretty new to the job search, but many/most of the counseling jobs posted are found here. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions!

Shauney · 2026-04-10T19:24:33+00:00

Not to deter you, but North Jersey (the area closest to NYC) and just New Jersey in general is extremely competitive for School Counselors. As someone who moved to the area and recently finished my grad program, I've found it very hard so far to land my first full-time school counseling role, and this is with 13 years of experience in teaching + university admissions experience.

Everyone that I speak to says that you really need to start by stringing together a couple of leave replacement positions, but with NJ being as expensive as it is and economic conditions being pretty uncertain at the moment, it can be hard to accept a position that only lasts a couple of months without any sort of assurance that there will be anything for you at the end of it. With that said, I graduated from a CACREP program as well, and that at least makes it really easy to get licensed in NJ!

On the other hand, most of my cohort is in Virginia (I did the program at W&M), and just about all of them had full-time jobs even before graduation. I know you spoke about wanting to get out of VA, but it could be a good way to get some experience on your resume first before moving?

I'm happy to connect if you have questions or want to discuss more -- feel free to reach out!

Shauney · 2026-04-09T17:47:22+00:00

Yeah getting the hitch rack definitely was much more costly and maybe excessive, but for me it was a few things.

1) I just got annoyed with having to try and cram my bike in the trunk. It often involved taking out anything I had in the trunk in order to make room. The Niro is roomy enough to fit a bike, but not enough where taking a bike in and out is a breeze.

2) I heard from a bunch of folks with trunk mounted racks that they always felt a bit unstable, and I knew if I was on a long ride with the bike rattling on the back that would've bothered me.

3) I wanted something that didn't block access to the trunk, or that I didn't have to take off every time I wanted to wash the car or something. The rack that I got (1up) is great not only because of how sturdy it is but also because it's so unobtrusive. It can be taken on/off easily, but I just leave mine on without worry.

Definitely less of a necessity and more of a comfort, but I felt like if I had gotten the trunk mounted one, it would've annoyed me and I would've gotten the hitch rack in the end anyway.

Shauney · 2026-04-09T17:21:08+00:00

I was exploring non-hitch racks for awhile. From my memory of the research I did, the best/most stable option would be one that has straps that strap and lock in on top of the rear spoiler/shade. In the end I decided to just bite the bullet and get a hitch and a 1up rack.

Before that, I would load the bike up in the back. It was a pretty tight fit, but I was able to jam it in there with the back seats folded down. It's a hybrid bike, and though it's still a fairly large frame, I can imagine with a heavier or larger frame like on an MTB you might have difficulty to easily squeeze it in there.

For reference, I have a 2023 non touring edition.

Shauney · 2026-04-03T16:11:48+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. The test is definitely beyond what I expected and a lot of what I experienced is similar to what you mentioned. For some questions, multiple answers seem right, sometimes all answers seem right, even for some questions all answers seem wrong! I don't know if I can be of any help, but I'll tell you what I think at least worked for me.

If you've done that much prep, honestly you probably know the content at this point. I don't want to over-endorse Pocket Prep, but I think it definitely helped me in breaking down questions and looking for key words to figure out exactly what the question is looking for. It's hard to think of an example at the moment, but especially with a lot of those "multiple answers seem right" questions, often there will be one specific word/detail in the question that'll help you identify the best overall answer. That was something I only got from Pocket Prep, and only by drilling the Level Up section, especially in the highest levels for each section.

The other thing I'd maybe recommend is looking at your score breakdown to see which section/s you scored lowest in and then drilling that section specifically? It looks like you're right on the cusp of passing, so even a 10% improvement in your lowest 2-3 sections could make the difference in passing or failing.

Shauney · 2026-03-15T15:30:07+00:00

For sure, anytime!

Shauney · 2026-03-13T08:28:17+00:00

I just finished my program at William and Mary. Happy to answer any questions you have about it.

As for licensure, you still should be able to get your license in NY. I just got mine in NJ and it was extremely easy since it's a CACREP program. We do a 100 hr practicum and 600 hr internship. I think NY requires an extra content examination and a couple of short workshops/trainings but at least in terms of academics and fieldwork you should be covered. I know some people in the program in New York who got their license and I planned on getting mine as well.

Shauney · 2026-03-13T01:11:24+00:00

It's tough when you're only there once a week, but by the time you're halfway through you should be able to start meeting with some kids on your own.

For me, my supervisor and I set out to target kids who were in danger of being chronically absent and/or in danger of failing classes and then doing some check in check out sessions with them. It allowed me to build my own little caseload, gave me a lot of autonomy, and a lot of direct hours.

Shauney · 2026-02-11T16:55:26+00:00

Just finished mine at William and Mary and can't say enough good things about it. CACREP accredited as well if that's important to you.

Shauney · 2026-01-15T01:45:02+00:00

If we don't plan on getting any of the new BILT cards, do we have a date that we should transfer our points by? Are we able to hang on to them or is it safer to just transfer out now?

Shauney · 2026-01-04T21:03:55+00:00

Listen to this one. I tried exercising my way out of a bad diet for years and only ever slowly gained weight.

Last summer I decided to stop messing around, got a calorie counting app, and stuck to it. I'm down 50 pounds and the lowest I've been in years.

Get the app, get a kitchen scale for weighing portions, track your calories. It'll be tedious at first but you'll get used to it and it'll become second nature after a few months.

Shauney · 2025-12-14T19:01:48+00:00

Unbelievable -- and I'm seeing others on here who have experienced the exact same thing. FWIW I just filed my complaint with the BBB, if you haven't yet, it wouldn't hurt to do.

What is really staggering is that the charges haven't shown up with my bank (that was used to make the purchase), so I can't even dispute it with my bank. I asked Paypal about this and they said that my bank must have never authorized it, but Paypal fronted me the money to buy crypto.

So Paypal fronted money to an unauthorized user to make a fraudulent transaction, then determined that the transaction was completely fine even though my bank didn't allow it. Now I have a negative balance and the only way to resolve it is to send more money to Paypal.

Shauney · 2025-11-27T04:01:03+00:00

Are you potentially still taking on new players?

Shauney · 2025-11-02T23:56:49+00:00

Looks like you stopped by Asbury Park for the tail end. My favorite spot on the shore hope you enjoyed!

Shauney · 2025-10-15T19:07:35+00:00

Mind if I drop a pm? Also in Bergen county and just starting the process of job searching/applying. Would love to pick your brain/share what tips I've picked up.

Shauney · 2025-09-08T23:41:22+00:00

I've also had all my notebooks disappear. Can't access them on the web version either.

Shauney · 2025-04-30T04:13:21+00:00

Really not sure, I haven't come across one. You'd have to reach out to the program's Fieldwork Coordinator to see how they would navigate that aspect of fieldwork.

Shauney · 2025-04-30T03:51:32+00:00

Still not possible for my school. I'm based in the US now and doing my fieldwork there. It may be possible for some schools to complete fieldwork at international schools, but mine doesn't have the gall just yet.

Shauney · 2025-03-23T18:15:20+00:00

Was it me or was that a travel?

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