Conquering Counseling: Postsecondary Students and Successful Strategies for Preparedness

Abstract

This study examines the needs of urban high school students, in regards to college preparedness and readiness. Using one urban high school's junior class, students filled out an anonymous survey pertaining to their knowledge of the overall college admission process. This research is being conducted under the premise that, as educators, we want our urban minority students to pursue a form of higher education after high school. According to the research, a majority of urban students do not have the support that is needed to complete the multiple tasks of applying to college and de facto stratification by income has been occurring for over two hundred years. The findings implicate that there are areas that the students are lacking in knowledge. The areas include lack of knowledge about student aid programs and equal opportunity programs. In addition, the research shows that a majority of the students do not have sufficient time with their counselors in order to develop plans for college. Using literature and the research results, the information will not only be aiding counselors in discovering what students may already know but also providing recommendations as to how to fill in the knowledge gap. Suggestions for counselors are made, as well as areas for future research.