My College Counselor Learning Journey

While historically, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to meet and interact with a meaningful number of college counselors to understand their perspectives and challenges, this past year was special as in May I was invited to participate in the Prairie Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I also have a high school senior going through the college search process, so seeing the world out of his lens is providing even greater insight into his anxieties and considerations.  Additionally, one of our former admission counselors from my institutional days is now the co-lead college counselor at a prominent independent school giving me further insight into his daily joys and challenges.

Admittedly, some of these challenges are relatively unique as his school graduates less than 100 students per year, and the student to counselor ratio is less than 10 to 1.  Note, that according to the American School Counselor Association, this ratio, nationally was 376 to 1 in 2023-2024.  This poses even greater challenges for counselors who are working to facilitate and provide individual attention during the college admission process.  Add to this the proliferation of the independent college counseling industry, that has grown into the thousands, and it is no wonder students may receive varying levels of individual attention and consistency in college-search guidance.        

At my son’s high school, an independent school where the ratio of students to counselor is greater than 10 to 1 but less than 376 to 1, I’ve seen first-hand the use and misuse of AI in the college search process.  At the Prairie Conference, we had a meaningful discussion about the use of AI in the college counseling process.  Having spoken on the use of AI in higher education in a couple of podcast and webcast venues, I’ve referenced its use as a tool versus a crutch.  When prompted appropriately, with some thought and understanding of the student, can it facilitate a helpful college search query?  I think absolutely.  Used blindly without context, and the result can send a student towards colleges that do not meaningfully match.  So, in the land of “it depends” answers, if someone were to ask me if AI is helpful, I would say…it depends on the counselor’s in-depth understanding of the student, his/her interests, and a sound knowledge of the higher education landscape both regionally and nationally. 

One of the meaningful takeaways from the Conference concerned national politics.  To an increased and meaningful degree, students were considering whether the college was in a red or blue state as this could influence the policies and practices on campus.  This could also impact the degree to which diverse perspectives both socially and religiously were appreciated.  The political considerations also bled into the topic of available healthcare on campus in certain states for specific types of cases. 

All this to say, my experience with and appreciation for college counselors could not be higher.  The profession is both an art and a science.  Getting to know a student on a personal level and helping him/her self-actualize their hopes and dreams is an art in seeking to understand while showing care.  Having a broad-based knowledge of the nuances associated with different higher education institutions regionally and nationally is a science to be research and studied.  Being able to creatively draft student recommendations that draws out the unique characteristics of a student in articulating what makes his/her heart go pitter-patter is an art.  Helping a student and family navigate the application, financial aid, and admission process is a science. 

From my perspective, the profession, as the Jesuits say, involves cura personalis – care for the whole person.  It also involves a meaningful investment of time – searching for that group of colleges and universities, as to me, there is not one perfect institution for a student, that best match a student’s interests – beyond the college major.  It is an honorable profession, that while at times can be a little misunderstood, ultimately works to serve in helping a student find access to higher education such that he/she achieves his/her hopes and dreams.  Thank you, college counselors, for your care in support of students.