Hire a Success Coach to Follow the Yellow Brick Road to College Graduation
Inside Track posted a job description for acollege success coach recently. Apparently this is not a new title or company having been in business since about 2002. However, I found the mechanics of this coaching model interesting because it appears that universities hire InsideTrack to keep their enrollment up especially with first year students and in costly professional development/
The company, Inside Track, says that they are: "enabling partner colleges to increase retention, enrollment, revenue and graduation rates". Presumably this coaching service also keeps state funding and/or raises a school's profile in US News & World Report's lists as well.
The success coach is tasked to removing roadblocks to success. Does this relieve Baby Boomer parent angst? Sure, because this is what Inside Track says on their website:
"It can be stressful for parents when their children start their post-secondary studies. Knowing that their children are receiving dedicated, regular guidance brings parents real peace of mind".
Peace of mind costs about $125 per month on top of tuition, room and board or at least that is one fee I saw on the website. These Baby Boomer kids get coached in the following:
"Commitment to Graduation, Finances, School Community, Academics, Effectiveness, and Health &
Support"
I can see the cost benefit/ROI of a school paying coaches to improve retention as well as how parents are relieved of the worry that their children will not find gainful employment upon graduation and come
home to roost forever. However, this certainly can inculcate in a young adult, much like handing them a credit card upon arrival in their freshman year, the notion of needing a coach just to succeed,
as in needing credit to consume.
Does this model imply that we are raising a non-empowered, non-responsible generation who can't successfully function on the planet without being coached to do it? Or does it also speak to the lack of efficacy of the current tenured professorial system who lack their own performance-
Does it also point to a broader broken socio-economic system that hands out credit cards to freshman then offers finance coaching so they don't drive themselves into debt? School concessions sell fast food while booze/drugs are easily accessible and then students are coached on health? Is there something wrong with this picture or is it just me?
Frankly, I find this coaching model disempowering to young adults unless they are from a high risk population where retention support would be desirable. If that is then the case, unfortunately, with Inside Track that support comes from a coach with no in-depth training, expertise, or even knowledge to bring to the table in terms of academic advising, or career development aside from the cursory training delivered by the company.
No certification seems to be required of a success coach beyond a BA degree. In fact they promote this as a learning and growth employment position for the coach which I could translate to mean "we pay you squat". From their job description requirements, one could equally qualify for a customer service position at Enterprise Rent a Car.
The many that have persevered more than 20 years to require a California State license to lend crediblity to title of Counselor have got to find this new coaching twist, well, disconcerting. Seems to me that the
whole coaching industry needs regulation, and oversight more than counselors need licensure.
But I do get it.
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