The endangered college counselor: the average high school student-counselor ratio is now 500 to 1. What can colleges do about that? - The Admissions Angle

University Business, March, 2004 by Howard Greene, Matthew Greene

Recently, a family was in our office discussing their college admission process. The student, a senior, had sent her college applications out and was curious about the next steps, as she waited for spring admission decisions.

"Well," we said, "your school should be sending out a midyear grade report, and updating the college on your academics and activities. Have you talked with your counselor?" Moro, Dad, and daughter looked at each other, grimmaced, and then looked at us.

"There have been problems ..." they said, and went on to explain that the school had lost several students' applications in transit, thus rendering them incomplete in the college admission office. The students were too late in finding out, and so had not been considered for admission. And there had been other issues, as well.

Such incidents are not isolated ones. What is behind such difficulties?

Simply put, today there is a disturbing absence of adequate guidance counseling in most public high schools. Across the 27,000 public secondary schools in the U.S. there are 97,000 guidance counselors, representing a tiny 1.7 percent of all school personnel. It's no surprise then, that when parents and students are told about the average student-counselor ratios--about 500:1 nationally, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (www.nacac.com)--they are shocked. And when they experience firsthand the limited access to counselors in their own high schools, they become frustrated and dismayed.

College admission officers, too, are equally surprised and discouraged when they discover how overloaded counselors in high schools are. They have long relied on their high school counterparts to steer appropriate students in their direction, counsel inappropriate or under-prepared students to pursue more appropriate directions, and (through recommendation letters, telephone calls, and one-on-one meetings) provide essential personal information about individual students. Then too, as important as advising students on the college admissions process, there is the critical need to counsel students and parents about the financial aid process. Recent national surveys reflect most families' lack of information regarding application for aid and the actual costs of college. Clearly, this combination of factors is preventing many colleges from reaching countless students who would succeed in their institutions.

A DISMAL STATE OF AFFAIRS

The last thing any of us should do is point a finger at the high school guidance counselor. This is an individual who often must handle not only a very large cohort of college-bound seniors, but also must monitor disciplinary and course-planning matters; work with students who are experiencing behavioral, learning, or mental health issues; and sometimes, even teach a class or coach a sport. In the pecking order of funding our public schools, counseling--especially college-oriented guidance--is often at the bottom of the list of priorities. As the demographic boom widens, and we continue to see growing high school graduation numbers during this decade, many schools are building new physical plants, and hiring new academic teachers. Unfortunately, few high schools seem to be keeping pace with the need for advising.

In some states, most recent (1999) student/counselor ratios are so unbalanced that one can only conclude little to no college planning and financial aid counseling is likely to take place for most students. The student/counselor ratio in California, with over six million students, is almost 1,000:1. Minnesota: 800:1. Illinois, Utah, and Arizona: Over 700:1. Only a few states can boast ratios in the 250-350:1 range, and no state has fewer than 200 students per counselor. Worse, since 1990, the national ratio has shown little improvement, dropping only slightly, from 516:1 to 490:1 in 1999. NACAC recommends an ideal student/counselor ratio of 100:1, but has adopted a 250:1 ratio as an "initial policy goal" it shares with other counseling associations, such as the American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org) and the American School Counselors Association (www.schoolcounselor.org).

WHAT CAN IHES DO?

In light of the current state of affairs, we believe the most pertinent question to be asked is this: What can colleges do to help families negotiate the transition to post-secondary education? Answer: As a college administrator, you can play an important role in helping to alleviate the dismal student/counselor ratio crisis, and help your own school and students in the process. Here's how (and more on why) you should:

1--Your school needs to help high schools and communities ready students for entrance and success in your institution. It's simple: Without well-prepared applicants and enrollees, colleges will need to Lower standards, increase remedial programs, and lower expectations for enrolling a diverse socio-economic student body. The truth is, this isn't all about guidance counselors, either. Current debates over remedial work, college retention and graduation rates, and the dearth of qualified students of color, are no doubt fueled by the general lack of focus in our high schools (public institutions, especially), regarding the preparation of students for college entrance. That includes everything from a) strengthening a college prep curriculum to help students meet requirements, and b) establishing a "college-bound culture" in every school, to c) educating students regarding the amount and type of aid available for qualified or needy students.