How to help underserved students reach college.
Recently I had the opportunity to facilitate a discussion with a group of 27 high school counselors about college counseling. The issue was framed as "How do we help low income/underserved students reach college and be successful there?"
There were many inspiring and enlightening examples, as well as a sharing of some of the barriers faced by the counselors. At the end of the day the following options emerged as ways of dealing with the issue:
- focus on parents and their roles/responsibilities/needs;
- instill more college information in the high school curricula;
- more ACT test prep; and
- provide more information about the benefits of going to college.
There were many inspiring and enlightening examples, as well as a sharing of some of the barriers faced by the counselors. At the end of the day the following options emerged as ways of dealing with the issue:
- focus on parents and their roles/responsibilities/needs;
- instill more college information in the high school curricula;
- more ACT test prep; and
- provide more information about the benefits of going to college.