ConnecPath Launches Web Version To Empower Guidance Counselors as National Shortages Reach Crisis Point

Pioneering education technology start-up, ConnecPath today launches the web version of its successful mobile app as it strives to better connect students with university and career information in the face of chronic guidance counselor shortages.

The launch of the web version marks the second phase of ConnecPath’s development and means it can offer a seamless experience across multiple device types.

ConnecPath’s research shows that while students prefer to engage with the ConnecPath app, which launched in October, counselors prefer a browser-based solution. The mobile version prioritized the user experience of the end user: students. However, as a communication and knowledge sharing platform between college advisors and students, ConnecPath also recognized that optimizing the user experience for counselors was of critical importance.

According to the latest NACAC figures, the current ratio of counselor to students is 1:482. For students this means little access to professional guidance and support, while counselors are placed in an almost impossible position with huge time constraints.

“The issue ConnecPath is trying to solve can be likened to that of a chronic disease which is pervading the education industry – a permanent shortage of school counselors,” said Leo Sanada, ConnecPath Chief Executive Officer. “With just one counselor to almost 500 students, it’s virtually impossible to deliver quality, tailored and timely guidance to students. A dramatic increase in counseling personnel is highly unrealistic so we have set out to harness the power of the very latest technology such as AI to solve the problem.

“Following the success of the ConnecPath mobile app for students, we have turned out attention to empowering college advisors, a specific position of school counselor. This is an absolutely critical mission – if we can utilize technology to help them work more efficiently, there are significant time saving benefits. This time can be put back into the counselor-student relationship, enriching the consultation available to students across the country.”

Much like the mobile app, the web-based ConnecPath works on a chat system. Counselors can answer questions from students such as ‘what is the benefit of going to an in-state university?’ and ‘a college has waitlisted me. What should I do now?’ quickly and easily through the user-friendly interface. This streamlines student access to counselor resources and means counselors themselves can work more efficiently, improving the quality of the service offered to students.

The web app is currently running in a closed beta, with high schools and admission consulting companies invited to request access to trial the service with their students.

The release of the ConnecPath web service comes just weeks after the Silicon Valley start-up secured a booth at the leading education tech event, SXSWedu after wowing judges with a winning pitch in Tokyo during November’s Edvation Summit.

To find out more about ConnecPath visit: https://connecpath.com.

Download the app on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/connecpath/id1292213455?mt=8

Or Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.connecpath.forum&hl=en