Can I Get a Little Advice Here?

The survey and an accompanying report, which are by Public Agenda (a research group) and financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, suggest that high school counselors may be a weak link in the chain needed to get more students into college.

The report -- "Can I Get a Little Advice Here?" -- notes that tight budgets have resulted in student-to-counselor ratios well beyond those recommended by experts. But the overall tone of the study is critical of the counselors.

The findings are based on a national survey of 614 individuals aged 22 through 30 who had attended college (although not necessarily for long or long enough to earn a degree). Among the responses:

Finding 1: Most students give their high school guidance counselors fair or poor ratings.

Finding 2: Students who get perfunctory counseling are more likely to delay college and make more questionable high education choices.

Finding 3: High school counselors are viewed less helpful than teachers.

Finding 4: Advisors at higher education institutions get better ratings, but there's room for improvement.

For the full report, CLICK HERE