New Factors for College-Bound Students to Consider

In this ASCA School Counselor article, Don Fraser of the National Association for College Admission Counseling suggests that high-school counselors research the following criteria for students to help them become more savvy consumers of higher education:

• Academic services available – The level and sophistication of support for struggling students is important, even if applicants don’t think they’ll need it.

• Retention efforts and student advising – What is the college equipped to do to help students get through to graduation? 

• The retention and graduation rates for the student’s demographic – Overall retention rates aren’t very helpful, says Fraser. If the college hasn’t broken the data down by race and sex, that’s a red flag.

• Career services available – Are drop-in appointments the extent of support? If so, the college isn’t very invested in helping students find a job after graduation.

• The employment rates for similar graduates – “If your student wants to be a psychology major, then he or she should ask about the post-graduate outcomes for students who graduate with a psychology degree,” says Fraser. 

• Average debt upon graduation – Applicants need to know how well students are funded, on average.

“Beyond the Traditional Factors: Learn How You Can Help Your Students Construct a Better 

List of Potential Colleges” by Don Fraser Jr. in ASCA School Counselor, November/December 

2012 (Vol. 50, #2, p. 22-26), http://www.ascaschoolcounselor.org; Fraser can be reached at

dfraser@nacacnet.org. 

From the Marshall Memo #465