National Survey Suggests Students Gain Little Help from High School Counselors in College Search
by Mark H. Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA
A new national survey released yesterday by the non-profit research organization Public Agenda, and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, paints a depressing picture of college advising. In their survey of young adults who graduated from college, the researchers explored how helpful the respondents’ school-based counselor was in meeting their college search, application, and financial aid advisory needs. The respondents found little to cheer.
Two-thirds of those surveyed rated their counselor “poor or fair” at “helping you decide what school was right for you,” with 62% indicating a similar rating in the area of financial aid advice. Over 50% gave “poor or fair” evaluations to their counselors for “explaining and helping you with the application process,” while nearly half said that they were made to feel like little more than a “face in the crowd.”
The researchers were quick to note the conditions under which counselors typically work, including excessive caseloads often double or triple the national recommended number of students. In many school districts, college counseling is one aspect of a counselor’s duties that may include academic advising, crisis intervention, and lunchroom duty.
Little in the report came as a surprise, and one might suspect that as executive director of the professional association representing educational consultants working in private practice, we would greet the findings with some degree of pleasure. In fact, I am deeply disturbed by the findings and place the blame where it belongs: NOT on the backs of hard-working, overwhelmed school counselors, but squarely at the feet of school boards who have refused to recognize the importance of good, well-trained counseling staff.
So let me be clear in terms of the solution:
(1) What I believe is simple: every student deserves great college and career advising, not just those in private school or wealthy suburban districts—or those who can afford the services of an educational consultant. Every child.
(2) Counselor caseloads should not exceed the recommended maximum of 250, as set by the American School Counselors Association.
(3) Every counselor doing college placements should take coursework specific to college counseling—few actually have—like online classes offered through UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine.
(4) A member of the counseling team should be specifically trained to advise students with learning differences on their school search and application process, as well as offer advice on the transition to college.
(5) Schools should find the resources to ensure opportunities for professional development. Counselors must know the latest trends and changes to admission policies, financial aid, and more.
(6) School districts must release counselors to visit campuses regularly, to better understand the social, academic, and community aspects of the college and be better able to advise students and families.
These six recommendations would go a long way to improving counseling by supporting the training and professional development of college counselors and recognizing the limits to effective advice when one is over-worked and under-supported.
Because the educational consulting community supports great counseling for every child, we hope that these changes—which Independent Educational Consultant Association members already benefit from—are extended to school counselors, and we stand with our professional colleagues as they seek the resources they need to more effectively serve students in finding great college matches.
Related posts:
- Students Use of Rankings in the College Search Process: Less or More Than We Thought?
- School District Moves to Contract with Educational Consultants for College Advising; are we moving toward the tipping point?
- Better Relations Between School-Based Counselors and Educational Consultants Is Focus of IECA Effort
- College-Bound Students who Work with Educational Consultants Enroll Very Differently Than Peers–New Survey Shows
- Virtual College Fair and IECA Partner to Bring Increased, No-Cost Services to Students
Mark – So well said – you have accurately outlined what should be a right for every high school student. How I wish we could pass a law to see that it is. There is this misperception that 17-18 year olds can accurately sort out the plethora of information out there in directories, the web and elsewhere … that tends to overwhelm me at times.
Had you considered adapting the summer institute for school counselors, or developing a shorter program for them? Would be happy to work on a committee to develop such an offering.
Suzanne, an interesting suggestion… I’ll pass this on to the Education & Training Committee, along with your generous offer to assist!
For the last few months, the standing members of the College Committee have been discussing ways to effectively reach out to school counselors to work together collaboratively and to show our support for the work that they do. Yesterday afternoon, in our monthly conference call, we agreed to support the recommendations that Mark has put forth. We encourage all IECA members to stand in unison as we collectively advocate with our school-based colleagues for systemic changes that will benefit all students.
As a former School Counselor, the results in this study saddened me because I hate to think of my former students walking out of high school with no contact or connection with me. However, I firmly believe that it is next to impossible for a School Counselor to fulfill the many roles they are often assigned. How can the same person who spends months dealing with the logistical and organizational nightmare of the master schedule also be an effective advocate for the struggling drug-using student while also being a knowledgeable and careful college advisor while also being the SSD contact person and weekend SAT administrator? The skill sets are not necessarily overlapping, although I have encountered dedicated and exceptional counselors who manage to do all those assignments well. The exception rather than the rule. What graduate program prepares any counselor to do any of those jobs well? I feel like advocating a smaller caseload, however critical to the survival of school counselors, does not address the root of the problem. Why not go all out and advocate for counselors to be able to do each job the way it should be done, by reassigning those tasks that do not need a counseling background, such as registration, scheduling, test administration, so that counselors can actually spend their time with their students. I could even get behind the idea of separating the guidance roles from the college counseling roles, although with some hesitation. I hope that this study prompts us nationally to ask what we want and need specifically of trained school counselors, rather than continuing to use that office as the dumping ground for all the mismatched tasks that no one else can or will do.
One important aspect of this discussion is the fact that so many school boards across the nation are facing severe budget cuts. No longer are counselors afforded the “luxury” of smaller caseloads, professional training and the like–even in the so-called wealthier suburbs where I live. Our school districts in south Orange County, namely Saddleback and Capistrano, are mired in budget woes and and are having 9 and 8 furlough days, respectively, to help close their budget gaps. Class sizes are increasing again. And, cuts across the board are routine. There is no money for a lot of things educators, informed parents, and IECA members know are best for children.
Our HS counselors are overworked and have enormous caseloads averaging 500-650 students. Our average high school student population rate is 3,000 kids. Our counselor’s job has been reduced to watching out and helping the kids who are in danger of not graduating and ensuring they get enough credits to do so. Never mind that the credits/classes aren’t preparing them for the possibility of 4-year university upon graduation. over 50% of student in our “wealthy” area fail to have the classes they need to go straight to 4-year colleges. You an only imagine the impact that is having on our community colleges.
There is precious little time left for our counselors to talk to the other student about college and give advice and guidance. Further, many parents in our area under the mistaken impression that applying to college is the same as it was for them 20-30 years ago in our state. It’s not. It is highly competitive. An even then, once in the classes may not be available and the time to graduate is extended by semesters and even up to two years in the highly selective schools!
It all boils down to money and priorities, and even the most conscientious school board only has so much money to spread around.
-A parent’s perspective
This is a sad but true reality. Most students I speak with tell me that their guidance counselor at school works in a reactive way and deals with the “at risk” students and in terms of the college process, only has time for the extremely high performers. Unfortunately it is not solely the fault of the school counselor who does have way too many things on his/her plate due to budget cuts and department structure.
However, the school counselor master degree programs around the country are focusing on therapy-based counseling. I completed my program a few short years ago from a very reputable, private institution and was not required to take one class on the college admissions/application process. I suggested to my program director back then to have elective courses where students interested in high school counseling could take courses that pertain to them, students interested in middle school counseling could take courses necessary for their job, etc. I think many people graduating from these required programs are in fact not really prepared to deal with the large caseloads and specific work required of them.
I am starting the UCLA certification this Spring and am very excited to FINALLY learn about the things I had been waiting to learn throughout my 2 years of graduate school.
I don’t think that large case loads and increased responsibility can be an excuse any longer. I want to be clear that I am not blaming the school counselors though, I think that the school systems need to re-evaluate how their students are receiving college admissions guidance, advice and assistance. Separate the departments or contract out independent professionals like they do in elementary schools across the country for things like reading (its not that the classroom teachers are unable to teach reading, its just that there are specialists who can focus on providing that critical piece of learning in a different way – they can just focus on that!) – the college process is very similar and specific in that way!
Students would then feel that they are getting the proper attention and necessary help for their social and emotional issues while also feeling secure and confident about the help they are also receiving throughout the college admissions process.
Thanks!