In a post-secondary planning meeting last spring, I sat across from one of our highest achieving students in the class of 2020. Latina, and the first in her family to consider college, she looked at her list of college options and glanced up at me: “I’m not sure where to start,” she said. In family meetings, she’s both a student and a translator, relaying information to her mother in Spanish about the confusing college process. Through my advising experiences with her and other students who are considering college for the first time, I’ve thought about what college access looks without counselors and resources for all students.
The allocation of resources (time, staff and budgetary support) to a college counseling program benefits all school constituents. Studies have shown that college attendance rates increase with a college prep curriculum, a college-going culture, and staff who are committed to supporting students (College Board, 2011). However, there continue to be discrepancies in the quality of postsecondary support in high schools across the U.S. Nationally, the average counselor-to-student ratio in secondary schools is 268:1. In my role, I’ve considered the level of support required to help first-generation and low-income students navigate the college process. Often, these populations aren’t guaranteed guidance in their postsecondary planning process. In schools with larger low-income student populations, counselors were less likely to spend their time engaging in postsecondary counseling and these schools were less likely to have a dedicated college counselor (NACAC, 2018).
Despite this clear resource shortage in schools, the need for effective college counseling for underrepresented populations cannot be overstated. Counselors provide access to critical postsecondary social capital (ASCA, 2015) and in some instances, prove to be the most important voice in the college search and selection process for underrepresented populations (i.e. first-generation and/or African American).
The work must be done, but how? For public school counselors seeking to develop effective postsecondary planning for underrepresented students, consider the following program additions:
Sources:
College Counseling for Latino and Underrepresented Students, NACAC (2015)
The College Completion Agenda, College Board (2011)
State of College Admissions, NACAC (2018) - School Counselors: Academic and College Counseling
Are School Counselors Impacting Underrepresented Students' Thinking about Postsecondary Education? - ASCA (2015)
The allocation of resources (time, staff and budgetary support) to a college counseling program benefits all school constituents. Studies have shown that college attendance rates increase with a college prep curriculum, a college-going culture, and staff who are committed to supporting students (College Board, 2011). However, there continue to be discrepancies in the quality of postsecondary support in high schools across the U.S. Nationally, the average counselor-to-student ratio in secondary schools is 268:1. In my role, I’ve considered the level of support required to help first-generation and low-income students navigate the college process. Often, these populations aren’t guaranteed guidance in their postsecondary planning process. In schools with larger low-income student populations, counselors were less likely to spend their time engaging in postsecondary counseling and these schools were less likely to have a dedicated college counselor (NACAC, 2018).
Despite this clear resource shortage in schools, the need for effective college counseling for underrepresented populations cannot be overstated. Counselors provide access to critical postsecondary social capital (ASCA, 2015) and in some instances, prove to be the most important voice in the college search and selection process for underrepresented populations (i.e. first-generation and/or African American).
The work must be done, but how? For public school counselors seeking to develop effective postsecondary planning for underrepresented students, consider the following program additions:
- Invite financial aid and admissions professionals from local two-year and four-year institutions to host workshops with families
- Develop a quick “handy guide” with resources for students to pick up in the counseling office and update this annually
- Create demo accounts for the Common Application and FAFSA and create screencasts for students and families that can be accessed via phone or computer (Free Resource: Screencast-o-matic)
- Manage a counseling Twitter or Instagram and plan tweets and posts in advance over the summer or with annual planning
- Team up with teachers for college planning lessons and units (e.g. SAT/ACT prep, college essays in junior english and borrowing/lending for financial aid in math)
Sources:
College Counseling for Latino and Underrepresented Students, NACAC (2015)
The College Completion Agenda, College Board (2011)
State of College Admissions, NACAC (2018) - School Counselors: Academic and College Counseling
Are School Counselors Impacting Underrepresented Students' Thinking about Postsecondary Education? - ASCA (2015)
Shannon Jeffries is the founding College and Career Coordinator at a charter school in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and University of Maryland College Park, where she received her bachelor's in psychology and her master’s in education, respectively. Before transitioning to a secondary setting, Shannon worked in college admissions for two years. Through her experience in admissions, she developed a passion for college access and success for students from underrepresented backgrounds. In her personal life, Shannon is a published writer and wellness educator committed to the inner and interconnectedness of black women.
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