New Study: “Guidance Counselors College Advice Unhelpful To Students”

A new study about college bound kids; commissioned by billionaire Bill Gates is causing quite a stir.

The results: a large percentage of high school graduates believe their guidance counselors provided little meaningful advice about college or careers.
“Most young adults who go on to college believe that the advice of their high school guidance counselors was inadequate and often impersonal an perfunctory.  When asked about their experiences with their counselors in high school, about half say that they felt like “just another face in the crowd.”

Most troubling out of this in depth study was how many young people were less likely to select the right college.   Which resulted in students selecting the wrong college based on academic reputation.  Attending schools that were less likely to give financial aid.  And going to colleges that would have little chance of helping them get a good job after graduation.

A Counseling System Under Stress

“Responses from the more than 600 young adults surveyed by Public Agenda (a non-profit research organization who conducted the survey), all of whom had begun some form of higher education, suggest that the existing high school guidance system is a perilously weak part of the nation’s efforts to increase college attendance and ramp up degree completion.

As the survey demonstrates, the judgments young people make about their high school counselors are often harsh, considerably harsher than the judgments they make about their high school teachers or their advisers at the postsecondary level.

But before we discuss the details of the survey, it is useful to present some context about the challenges facing the counseling system nationwide. Although professional groups such as the American School Counselor Association say that a student–counselor ratio of 100 to 1 is optimal, this is far from the typical state of affairs in most public schools. In California, the ratio is closer to 1,000 students for every counselor available. In Arizona, Minnesota, Utah and the District of Columbia, the ratio is typically more than 700 to 1. Nationwide, the average is 265 to 1.1“

It is also important to note that advising students about college choices is just one of the many tasks that a counselor is faced with performing.  Disciplining issues, scheduling, and various other administrative mix-ups are included.  Add this all up and it’s easy to see why so many students are left with little to no help from counselors.

In response to this lack of help in selecting the right college, many parents are looking to outside sources to fill the void.  This has caused a string of private companies to pop up and offer college admission, career counseling, college research, and financial aid advice.  With many students and parents benefiting greatly from these firms.

But like any new field, it has caused several less then ethical outfits to sprout up like weeds.

Here are a few guidelines and questions to consider when looking to a private firm for any college admission and aid needs…

Do they have happy customers?  And are those customer testimonials available for viewing?

Are they certified or endorsed by any credible organizations?

Do they pressure you to buy their service on the spot?  Or do they give you a ton of free advice and ample time to make a decision?

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7 Comments

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Editor's Note: Scott Weingold has been ranked one of the top ten college funding advisors in the country, according to The National Association of College Funding Advisors. He has co-authored the book, “The Real Secret To Paying For College. The Insider’s Guide To Sending Your Child To College – Without Spending Your Life’s Savings.” and has published two student success handbooks: “The College Admission Application Boot Camp Handbook” and “The No Nonsense Insiders Guide To A Successful Freshman Year And Thereafter.” Scott also publishes a popular free online newsletter, “College Funding Made Simple" which reveals insider’s tips, methods, and strategies for beating the high cost of college.

Scott is the co-founder and a principal of Ohio-based College Planning Network, LLC, one of the nation’s largest and most reputable college and financial aid servicing centers. CPN is a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling and the Better Business Bureau.

Scott, along with his college funding advisory team, helps thousands of families throughout the country with their college planning needs and offers a series of free educational teleseminars and workshops on “How To Pay For College Without Going Broke In The Process!”

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