Facilitate Partnerships to Improve High-Quality Advising in High School and College

Most high schools do not have sufficient capacity to support college and career advising for learners. In the 2023–2024 school year, only three states—Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Vermont—met the recommended student-to-counselor ratio of 250:1; the national average was 376:1.1 High-poverty schools and schools with a majority of learners of color are less likely to be well-resourced with counselors and have greater need for additional counselors to reduce their caseloads and provide better advising services to support learners in their career and college exploration.2

To address this supply challenge, some schools have created partnerships for college admissions officers to provide college advising services at local, lower-resourced high schools. However, this model has significant capacity constraints because college admissions officers can visit only a limited number of local schools.

Less costly and effective methods for growing advising capacity in high schools include “train the trainer” models, facilitated networks of advisers, and additional capacity provided by service programs. Too few high school counselors are trained to be effective college and career advisers and have other duties, such as responding to mental and behavioral health crises. Learners may also have stronger relationships with specific teachers, coaches, or other adults whom they see more frequently than their school counselor. Facilitated networks of advisers can include digital training resources and access to subject-matter experts to provide additional support as needed.