TAKE ACTION
WE NEED MORE COUNSELORS,
ADVISERS & MENTORS
70% of all jobs will require some education beyond high school by 2027 and college counselors are crucial in helping students access higher education. However, the national average for a student-to-counselor ratio in the United States is 376:1, when it should be 250:1.
“Forty-eight states are above the recommended average, and only one-third of public high schools in the United States employ counselors focused on college advising.”
The research is abundant on the importance of a college counselor. The National Association for College Admission Counseling determined that high school seniors who met individually with a school counselor were 3.2 times more likely to attend college and 6.8 times more likely to complete a FAFSA. And, According to Inside Higher Ed, “students assigned to counselors… are two percentage points more likely to graduate high school, 1.7 percentage points more likely to attend a four-year college and 1.4 percentage points more likely to persist in college into a second year.”
Be an Advocate
Join us in advocating for increasing the number of CAMs in public high schools across the US. It’s time to ensure every student has the guidance they deserve to make informed choices about their future!
Here’s how:
Attend a policy convening
Write your legislators (look them up here)
Pen an op-ed in your local magazine or newspaper
Attend a local School Board meeting
Vote to increase funding for counselors in your local schools
Spread the word through your social networks
Sign up for The CLASS News
Be a CAM
If you’re passionate about helping students navigate their futures, becoming a high school college and career counselor, adviser or mentor is an incredibly rewarding path. With a direct impact on young lives, you’ll guide students toward higher education, vocational training, and career opportunities that align with their goals and talents.
College Advising Corps recruits and trains recent college graduates to serve as advisers in underserved high schools.
As an adviser, you gain valuable leadership experience and problem-solving skills that today’s employers require, plus an enviable professional network that will serve you for decades to come. And you’ll transform more than a few lives along the way!
The journey to be a counselor begins with a bachelor's degree in counseling, education, psychology, or a related field.
Next, you’ll earn your master’s in school counseling or college and career advising. There are hundreds of colleges and universities across the country programs in school counseling, counselor education or counseling psychology.
THANK YOUR CAM
Who was the Counselor, Adviser, or Mentor who impacted your life? When we think back on our lives, we can all remember someone who helped us along our journey whether it’s a family member, friend, coach, teacher, counselor, advisor, or mentor.
“Let’s start a movement of gratitude by thanking those individuals who showed up for us, encouraged us, and guided us through the big and small moments of our lives.”
^ Watch Daveed thank his CAM
Post your message of gratitude on your social channels, tag @theclassdoc and use hashtag #ThankYourCAM to add your voice!