High school college counseling is a craft that requires continuous evolution. This mantra was echoed during the recent 2023 College Board Summer Institute for International Counselors (CBSI), where like-minded professionals shared insights and best practices in the realm of college admissions. One idea that struck a chord with many was shared by Seth Allen, Pomona College's Vice President for Strategy & Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.

Seth discussed his personal strategy: an annual data project. The idea is to select a topic each year that would not only pique one’s professional curiosity but also generate outcomes that can positively impact his own work, his team, or his institution. Throughout the admissions cycle, time is dedicated to researching and analyzing data related to this topic.

This methodology aligns with the ethos of high school college counseling, where continuous growth and refinement are essential. Adopting this approach can be a game-changer for counselors striving to build “world-class college counseling programs,” which is borrowed language from the CBSI.

As I think about this approach, I think that by adapting Seth’s approach, high school college counselors can delve into various aspects of their programs. Here are five concrete ideas that counselors can explore through an annual data project:

1. Assessing Student Preparedness: Gauge the preparedness of students as they embark on their college applications. By examining historical data on student grades, extracurricular involvement, and college acceptance rates, counselors can identify trends and areas that need improvement. Even within this broad topic, there are a host of smaller – though not necessarily simpler or easier! – topics that one might explore.

2. Exploring Financial Aid Literacy: Assess the level of financial aid literacy among students and their families. Through surveys, find out how much they know about scholarships, grants, and loans. This data can be used to develop targeted programs that fill in the gaps in knowledge. As the landscape in the US in particular continues to change, particularly with the cost of attendance, this topic is likely to appeal to a range of students and families.

3. Analyzing College Matching: Examine how well students are matched with colleges that suit their needs and aspirations. Collect data on student preferences, admission results, and feedback from alumni to refine the counseling process for better college matching. There is also an opportunity, for example, to explore those institutions that should be more well-represented on matriculation or application lists at a school given common traits and student search criteria.

4. Evaluating the Impact of Counselor Interventions: Analyze the effectiveness of various counseling interventions, such as workshops, one-on-one sessions, and online resources. Collect feedback from students and compare their outcomes to determine which interventions have the highest impact. This is a topic that has been of tremendous interest at different institutions where I have worked, particularly as the administration seeks to assess effectiveness (“success”) of the college counseling office.

5. Monitoring Mental Health and Well-Being: The college application process can be stressful. Collect data on the mental health and well-being of students throughout the application process. Use this information to develop support systems and resources to help students manage stress. Each year the stress levels of students seem to continue to rise. Are there particular sources of this, and are there ways to combat it within your school context?

Seth’s concept of an annual data project offers an invaluable tool for high school college counselors to continually refine their craft. By selecting an area of interest and dedicating time to research and data analysis, counselors can make data-driven decisions that benefit their students and strengthen their counseling program. The key is to remain curious and open to change, as this is the pathway to excellence in college counseling. I’ll be taking some time this summer to reflect on a project that resonates with me, my team, and my school with the plan to delve into this project in the coming school year. What do you think of this idea? And what other projects might you deem worthy of your time?

Below is a video version of the above blog post, created using Fliki for the video and audio and SlidesAI.io for the slide deck. In all, with the blog post having been written, the slide deck and video took 4-5 minutes to create! What are your thoughts?