When I was in high school, I didn’t see my guidance counselor that often. I generally knew which classes I was supposed to take, and I kept my nose clean on school grounds. However, when I did see her, my guidance counselor was patient, gave good advice and knew exactly who I was. I appreciated knowing if I had a question about a class or university, there was someone able to answer it.
According to a recent study by Public Agenda, the majority of American high school students do not have this positive experience. A recent New York Times article and two blog posts on “The Choice” describe the study and include one high school counselor’s response to the criticism contained in the report.
The first article and blog post explain the contents of the study, which said that most students feel dissatisfied with their guidance counselors and that they are treated as a number rather than a student. The study pointed out, however, that the national ratio of students to counselors ranges from 265-1,000 to 1 instead of the “optimal” 100 to 1.
The second blog post is written by one of the counselors who responded to the first post. Robert Bardwell, a guidance director at a Massachusetts high school, explains that guidance counselors are expected to supervise exams, do extra paperwork and complete other tasks that take time away from ministering to the needs of the students directly. This and the too-high ratio of students to counselors lead to less than optimal performance and students who feel their needs are not being met. Bardwell explains that counselors need administrator support and adequate numbers to get their jobs done correctly.
What do you think? Have you had positive or negative experiences with Columbia’s high school guidance counselors? Do you think having more of them would help? Just today, I listened to two friends of mine complain that the MU English department only has one academic adviser and could use another, so the problem isn’t limited to high schools. I’m curious to hear your thoughts, Columbia. How are we doing helping students make choices about college?
SchoolHouseTalk 