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

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.

What can you do? Lobby. Your institution and its admission representatives--many of whom are members of NACAC and sister organizations such as AACRO and ACE--can continue to lobby for improved K-16 planning assistance in the schools, and more trained college guidance personnel in the high schools.

2--Your institution needs to support high school counselors--directly. The wealthiest suburban public schools, along with the better-endowed independent schools, are providing the most college-planning support for their students, but even they often do not meet the needs or expectations of students and parents. Although not all expectations are reasonable, our experience is that in most cases, the requests and needs of families are standard and non-exceptional. Yet many schools--even those in wealthy districts with 100-200:1 ratios, fall short on many tasks. There is simply too much for the counselors to do, the system is too complex and ever-changing, and families seem to have less time than ever to work with the school on the process.

What can you do? Don't be complacent: Keep interacting with The professional counselors in the field to improve, adapt, and adopt practices (that take into account the limited resources available to most school districts) to support counselors--particularly counselors with most of their time dedicated to college advising.

Your college or university can and must continue to contact students and parents directly. Recent polls of college students indicate that their parents and friends were the major influences in their decision to attend college in general and one institution in particular. Colleges can help families understand their admissions process and requirements, and encourage students to apply for admission and for financial aid if they need it (see "What Is the True Cost of Your College?" in the February issue). Increasingly, school counselors, if they are present in the lives of students at all, are being bypassed by students and parents researching colleges on the Internet and through guidebooks, making unannounced campus visits, and applying blindly online or via the Common Application or Common Application software.

What can you do? Reach out to students directly. Think out of the box: Implement new ways to encourage application by students you have identified as potentially admissible. Duke University (NC), for instance, is forwarding unsolicited applications on CD-ROMs, along with an invitation to apply. Tulane University (LA) is offering a waiver of the application fee and a push to apply online for early action admission. Similarly, Emory University (GA) is sending outright encouragement to certain students--along with instructions and directions to the college Web site. Remember, though, that when it comes to your Web site, ease of use and accessibility can be a determining factor for many students. And while asking a lot of detailed application questions can help you identify the seriously interested students in your applicant pool (and help you learn more about the background and goals of every applicant), we find that many qualified, interested (but harried) students shy away from some college applications that ask them to do too much. Finding the right balance for your institution and your applicant pool is essential

Also along the lines of "reach out directly," realize that your institution may not be able to rely on high school counselors alone to do the things expected of them. Primary among these roles is writing a general school recommendation for each student. Counselors at elite private schools are trained and expected to write lengthy, detailed, personal recommendations for each applicant. Yet how is it possible for the average public high school counselor (possibly spending only half of each week on college advising) to write 500 quality recommendation letters that will be of real use to colleges? Should students at such schools be penalized for what may be the result? The most exceptional students might still be well recommended, but what about all those "good kids" in the middle of the class? Counselors are also often responsible for sending transcripts, school reports, and profiles, and organizing teacher recommendation letters (many colleges require two of them). Furthermore, if your Admissions staffers have a question about an applicant, they may want to call and hear back flora the high school counselor. What if he of she does not have the time? Again, should the student be penalized? We suggest that colleges try as much as possible to communicate directly with students and parents. That means notifying applicants when recommendation letters or transcripts have not arrived. It means recruiting not only in the high schools, but also in community centers, public libraries, and boys' and girls' clubs. It means helping to educate parents (particularly those who did not attend college or who do not speak English well) about the college process and associated costs and opportunities for aid. On site at high schools, it means helping the counselors by attending panel discussions, and presenting clear information sessions that not only tout the benefits of your institution, but also address the essential aspects of preparing for college.

4--Your college or university should consider reforming its admission process to take into account the need to help students (individually) to find your institution and present themselves to you.

What can you do? Simplify the application process, perhaps by accepting the Common Application without lengthy supplements. You can integrate interviewing into the admission process, both on campus and through a network of alumni and regional recruiters. (What better way to get to know a student personally, identify his interest and appropriateness for your institution, answer questions about your college and the application process, and help him get to college?) Online applications are becoming more commonplace; the University of California system, for example, is moving entirely to online applications in the next few years. Creating a simple online application can help more students access your institution directly from your Web site, which should be as attractive and informative as possible. While we don't believe that colleges should drop teacher or counselor recommendation requirements (these components can offer essential insights into students), we encourage colleges to put these recommendations into context and consider the workload of the writer when interpreting the length or quality of the recommendation. Finally, we encourage colleges to consider supplemental recommendations--from students' advisers, coaches, ministers, employers, grandparents, peers, or others--as potentially very helpful components of an application. These "non-official" supporters may indeed be best qualified to address an applicant's character, values, work ethic, and intellectual attributes.

Howard Greene and Matthew Greene are independent education consultants, and the authors of the Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning. To contact them, visit www.greenesguides.com.