College Freshmen’s Perceptions of their High School College and Career Readiness Counseling

Authors

Alexandra Novakovic, DePaul UniversityFollow
Eva N. Patrikakou, DePaul UniversityFollow

Abstract

School counselors provide college and career readiness (CCR) counseling and socioemotional support to assist students in planning and pursuing postsecondary education. However, little is known about students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of meetings with school counselors during their preparation for postsecondary education and career planning. The present study surveyed first-year college students who have successfully navigated the college-planning process to explore their perceptions regarding the frequency and degree of helpfulness of meetings with their high school counselor. Results indicate that the frequency of meetings with the school counselor for CCR counseling predicted degree of perceived helpfulness overall, accounting for 60% of the variance. This finding was also discovered for specific CCR counseling topics including applying for postsecondary education, financial planning, finding direction, as well as socioemotional counseling. The strongest demographic factor that influenced perceived helpfulness was minority status, with minority students finding their meetings with the school counselor more helpful than non-minority students. Implications for practicing school counselors and counselor educators are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Novakovic, Alexandra and Patrikakou, Eva N. (2025) "College Freshmen’s Perceptions of their High School College and Career Readiness Counseling," Journal of College Access: Vol. 10: Iss. 4, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol10/iss4/4