Building and Bridging Pathways Through Identities
As a Grade Level Coordinator, I recognized the privilege to identify as a first-generation college graduate because it has allowed me to build a rapport
Adaptability as a Form of Equity
Implementing a social justice and equity framework when working with students is crucial for their empowerment and success. As a coordinator for Avenues for Success
Building Student-Driven College & Career Access Programming- Part 2
I believe that the people who are closest to the problem should be centered when finding the solutions. Therefore, when addressing the problems of access
Building Student-Driven College & Career Access Programming- Part 1
Student persistence and retention has been a primary concern across all higher education institutions with many placing a priority on four year graduation rates and
First-Year College Experience & Finding a Sense of Belonging
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Shifting The Silencing Of Black Joy
We are six months into the year and life has truly attempted to interrupt black joy. As I reflect, it’s as though we get bombarded
The In-Between
Dear school counselors, When first asked to write a blog post about my article on college readiness, I was only too happy to write about
My Education is the Explosion of My Mother’s Dream Deferred
I come from places where enduring inequalities is the norm. I’ve seen my mother come home exhausted after a long day of work struggling to
Over the Rainbow: A Career Development Group for LGBTQ+ Teens
LGBTQ+ students face many barriers, often including school violence, harassment, and bullying (GLSEN, 2019; Rockenbach et al., 2017; Strear, 2017; Zamani-Gallaher & Choudhuri, 2016). Continuous
Career Academies as a Strategy to Promote College and Career Readiness for High School Students
The most critical contemporary objectives of secondary schools in the United States are to prepare students to be college and career ready. Yet, definitions of
Study Abroad: Perspectives from Historically Underrepresented Student Populations
Over the past few decades, colleges and universities within the US have welcomed a more diverse student population than in years past. To support all
Campus Visits as Predictors of Postsecondary Enrollment: Implementation and Lessons Learned
Introduction In 2014, College Access Partnerships at Appalachian State University (AppState) launched a 7-year grant program, Appalachian GEAR UP, aimed at increasing the number of
From Traditional to Tailored: How School Counselors Should Consider the Career Development Needs of Minoritized Youth
Career Development in the 21st century is wrought with historical complexities, current disparities, and future problems that warrant a critical investigation. Despite small gains in
A Case For Learning Communities
As we navigate through the pandemic, we can admit the past two years have been very difficult. In the case of students, in addition to
The Path to Online Learning
What are students supposed to count on during times of uncertainty and change? Forced to suddenly move from a traditional face-to-face routine to a foreign
Equity-Based Career Development and Postsecondary Readiness Special Issue and the NEED for the School Counseling Profession
Now more than ever, a postsecondary education or training is needed given the shift in the workforce and the credentialing needed for employment in certain
The Pandemic’s Impact on Students’ Postsecondary Decisions- Part 2: Where Do We Go From Here?
“COVID-19 has decimated many people’s mental health and it will take a long time to recover.”~High School Student, Class of 2022 ACT’s recently released (February
The Pandemic’s Impact on Students’ Postsecondary Decisions: Part 1
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed an educational system rife with inequitable access to resources and insufficient support needed to overcome barriers already contributing to existing
Journal of College Access Puts the Focus on Undocumented Students
The Journal of College Access has published a special issue, “College Access and Success for Undocumented Students.” This edition sought manuscript submissions that offered innovative
Don’t let the pandemic change your college plans, apply to college today!
Should I still apply to college? Is college still worth it? How can I even think about applying to college with everything else that is
#GraduateStudentsNow- Brittani Williams
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor/higher ed professional? I grew up in a low-wealth community, in a single-parent home. I am
Culturally Responsive Education: Reflection – Beyond the School Walls
Liberation Through Education- Part 3 Looking Back to Move Forward Over the last couple of weeks I have experienced some very proud and exciting moments.
#SDSUSCFellows- John Johnson
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor? I grew up in a small city on the other side of Michigan called Muskegon
#SDSUSCFellows- Emily Johnson
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor? I started out as a teacher where I taught English for two years. I had
#SDSUSCFellows- Kimberly Twarowski
What is the biggest challenge you faced in your own educational journey? After I received my Master’s degree in Florida, I moved back to Michigan,
Parents, an Underutilized Resource
Though I do not have “school counselor” as my title, I have had the privilege of being able to collaborate in a variety of professional
#SDSUSCFellows- Stacey Hickman-Jackson
If you could go back and visit your elementary, middle, and or high school counselor, what would you tell them? I don’t have much to
#SDSUSCFellows- Rayme Martineau
If you could go back and visit your elementary, middle, and or high school counselor, what would you tell them? I didn’t have an elementary
#SDSUSCFellows- Ruby Griggs
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor?Education is powerful. It opened a lot of opportunities for me. I liked school growing up
#SDSUSCFellows- Rakiba Mitchell
What is the biggest challenge you faced in your own educational journey? My biggest challenge was in undergrad. There was a teacher who would not
#SDSUSCFellows- Stephanie Patrzik
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor? I went into the profession of teaching and started my work with elementary students. I
#SDSUSCFellows- Cathy Longstreet
What is one thing you would tell your younger student self now? Take more time looking into different career options. Talk to people who are
What Students Need Now
Our children are falling behind in their academic career to the extent that they will not graduate in four years of high school. Students do
#SDSUSCFellows- Rebekah Ward
What inspired you to become a school counselor? I was inspired to become a school counselor because it just felt like that’s where my role
#GraduateStudentsNow- Gabrielle J. Jackson
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor? I have been a certified English teacher since 2011. While I love the job, within
Dear Parent
Dear Parent, You are good enough: when you let your child watch tv instead of do homework when bathing is a weekly activity when your
What is the Purpose of High School?
Open up an internet browser and type “What is the purpose of high school?” into the search engine. The results vary, but at the core
“All We Need Is…” A Perspective Piece
As the world commemorated the graduating class of 2020, albeit, in untraditional ways, the Class of 2021 held their breaths in hopes of reduced COVID
Double Jeopardy
School counselors are especially positioned to help schools and students recover from the pandemics. There are two viruses (Racism and Covid-19) happening at the same
Supporting Students Through Imposter Syndrome
“How did I get into this program?” “Do I really belong in this college?” “People here are going to find out that I’m a fraud”
Conquering Imposter Syndrome
In 2016, I found a black hole in my stomach, and it would always appear at certain points in time, and suck my insides up,
What are my Postsecondary Options?
The big questions many high school students are tired of hearing are “where are you going to college?” and “what is next, after high school?”
#GraduateStudentsNow- Zachary George Short
What inspired you to want to become a school counselor? When I first entered my undergraduate studies at Rensselaer, I faced a lot of unanticipated
Where Should I Apply as a BIPOC?
“Which colleges should I apply to?” College counselors across the country guide students through this important question every year. Counselors discuss important aspects such as
Got College and Career Information? It’s Complicated!
We know that access to the best information influences students’ college decisions. Yet, Black, Brown, and Indigenous students, and those residing in low-income homes or
Tapping Into Transition and Bridge Programs to Address Summer and COVID Melt
The transition to college is fraught with challenges, particularly for students who have been underrepresented and marginalized in higher education. Far too many students who
Using Hip-Hop Based Practices to Foster College and Career Readiness for Students in Urban School Settings
“I believe everyone is born into the world to do something unique and distinctive.” Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays We echo the sentiments of Dr. Mays.
Text-Message College Advising: The Great Equalizer?
Sadly, high school students’ zip code and their family background are the best predictors of whether and where they begin higher education. We all want
Learning Communities: A Safety Net to Improve Academic, College, and Career Outcomes for Black Males
Far too often, the narrative around Black males in the P-16 educational pipeline has been from a deficit oriented perspective. Specifically, when it comes to
Types of Financial Aid
What are Grants? A grant is money from the federal government that does NOT have to be repaid as long as you meet all obligations.
Reach Higher Stories from Riverside, CA
A School Counselor and AVID Coordinator share Reach Higher Stories from Riverside, CA, and all over the nation! In 2018, my friend, Dan, and I
Financial Aid: What is it? How to apply?
What is Financial Aid? Financial aid is money meant to help students pay for college. Financial aid can come from various sources: federal government, state
What is College Counseling Now?
Never has it been more evident that our postsecondary pipeline and advising systems need a major overhaul. Students and adults have long noted that the
Back to Basics
When my daughter was 14, I asked her whether she thought she might like to go to college at the university where I taught. She
Forget the College Counseling Timeline- What Do We Do Now?
2020 brought both new challenges and shed light on the same problems we’ve experienced in the field of college counseling for years. In “normal” times,
Rethinking College Advising During A Pandemic
Billions of dollars have been spent and countless efforts employed to close college opportunity gaps and while we have witnessed encouraging trends to provide more