Counseling Services at College of San Mateo - FAQs
Counseling Services
FAQs

How can I make an appointment to see a counselor?

Due to the shelter-in-place order announced for San Mateo County on 3/16/2020, our physical location on the College of San Mateo campus will be closed until at least April 6, 2020.
We are still available to serve you remotely. If you have a basic question or would like to make a counseling appointment, please use the Counseling Services Request Form or call 650-574-6400 to receive a return call. We will respond to you as quickly as we can. Thank you for your patience. 

Once our campus reopens, call (650) 574-6400 or go to the Counseling Support Center, Building 10, Room 340.

Are counselors available in the evening?
Yes. The CSM Counseling Department is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 am - 7 pm by appointment. During the closure, appointments will be handled remotely by phone or Zoom videoconferencing. 
 
Do I have an assigned counselor at CSM?
No, students select the counselor with whom they want to work. Our counseling faculty are "generalists" and all can assist students to achieve associate degree, university transfer, vocational certificates, and other educational interests. We encourage students to select one counselor to develop a student-counselor relationship. A counselor will partner with you and assist you to identify and achieve your educational and career goals.

How often should I meet with a counselor?
Students should declare a specific educational goal following the completion of 15 semester units of degree applicable course work. At that point, students are required to meet with a college counselor at least once a semester to discuss educational goals and create and monitor a Student Educational Plan (SEP).

I am very unclear about educational goals, major selection, and how to survive in college. What should I do?
In addition to meeting with a counselor to begin to discuss educational decisions, Counseling Services staff can help you understand your educational goals and options and help you use tools to research what college major might be the best fit for you. Also, look at the Career Services page as well as the CRER/COUN curriculum listed in the Schedule of Classes. Many of these classes are designed to help new students learn how to choose a major, how to transfer, how to accomplish an associate degree, and how to survive in college. We recommend you use ALL of these resources to help you plan and achieve your goals.

I attended another college or university other than College of San Mateo, Skyline College, Cañada College. How can I find out if those classes from my previous college can count toward my educational goals at CSM?
If you would like to apply prior coursework to a CSM associate degree, vocational certificate, or a university general education certificate then you must request a Transcript Evaluation. Follow the steps to request an official evaluation of how your prior coursework will be applied to your CSM goals.