Just Ask Your School Counselor.

In two recent reports from the College Board’s Annual Survey of School Counselors and the Education Trust, a startling percentage of high school counselors surveyed revealed that they felt under-trained and often unable to adequately advocate for their students. The cause may be due to the fact that there is little direct training in the area of college counseling, which accounts for roughly 20 percent of high school counselors’ time on the job.  Recommendations from both reports place the onus on colleges to provide more training in these areas, a process that may take anywhere from 5 to 10 years to produce market results.  Perhaps more startling is that this isn’t the first time that these findings have surfaced.  In fact, counselor educators have known of similar reports for years but have denied their credibility, given the strong ratings its programs have received from the Council for Accreditation (CACREP).  Regardless of the findings, trends show a greater number of students applying to college, creating more work for high school counselors.  A greater depth of education at all levels can only be a positive factor in helping students strive toward a brighter future.