Middle School Counselor's Guide

NOSCA: National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

NOSCA’s Eight Components of College

and Career Readiness Counseling

Middle School

Counselor’s Guide

Own the Turf is NOSCA’s national advocacy campaign to galvanize and mobilize school counselors to provide

every student with the inspiration, planning, academic preparation and social capital to graduate from high

school ready for college and careers. NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

are the road map for this work. They outline an effective path toward creating a college-going culture in

schools, districts and communities.

This guide to the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling is part of a series — one each

for elementary, middle and high school counselors — that helps school counselors intentionally focus their

work on college and career readiness counseling.

The three guides illustrate how school counselors can use the Eight Components to establish a college-

going culture across the K–12 pipeline, promote college and career readiness for all students, and close gaps

between low-performing or traditionally underrepresented students and their peers.

The College Board’s National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) promotes the value of school

counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement. It seeks to endorse and

institutionalize school counseling practice that advocates for equitable educational access and rigorous

academic preparation necessary for college and career readiness for all students.

Acknowledgments

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling is a National

Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) publication supported by the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. This

publication is one of three guides to assist school counselors in implementing the Eight Components. The series of guides

was written by NOSCA team members Vivian Lee, senior director, and April Bell, associate director.

Many thanks are in order for the production of this publication. Special thanks to Patricia Martin of NOSCA for her

leadership and guidance throughout this endeavor; Jennifer Dunn, NOSCA director, for reviewing the guide and providing

valuable feedback; Dominique Jones, NOSCA assistant director, for managing the project; and KSA-Plus Communications

for editorial and design contributions.

the registered trademarks of the College Board. ReadiStep, SAT Subject Tests and YouCanGo! are trademarks owned by the College Board.

PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. All other products and services

may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.

NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and

Career Readiness Counseling

Middle School Counselor’s Guide  1

Contents

Your Role in College and Career Readiness Counseling 2

The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

for Middle School

1. College Aspirations 4

2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness 6

3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement 8

4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes 10

5. College and Career Assessments 12

6. College Affordability Planning 14

7. College and Career Admission Processes*

8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment*

Data Elements for the Eight Components of

College and Career Readiness Counseling 16

*Elementary and middle school counselors focus on components 1–6,

while high school counselors address components 1–8.

2  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

Your Role in College and Career

Readiness Counseling

1. Carnevale, A.P., Smith, N., and Strohl, J. (June 2010). Help wanted: Projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Washington, DC:

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

SCHOOL COUNSELING ACROSS THE K–12 PIPELINE

Imagine a school system in which every student graduates ready for college

and career. In this system, all students want to succeed, and they have the

tools they need to achieve now and in the future.

Every person in every school community can help students — in

elementary, middle and high school — develop the skills and aspirations

that are critical to preparing for college and career. As a school counselor,

your leadership is central to this work.

Between 2008 and 2018, 63 percent of job openings will

require some postsecondary education. But only 42

percent of Americans currently earn an associate degree

or higher by the age of 25.

What percentage of the

students you advise will earn a degree or certiﬁcation?

Effective school counselors convey the expectation

that all students, regardless of their background and

economic status, can become college and career ready.

The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness

Counseling are the road map for leading your school

in developing a college-going culture that includes all

students.

At ﬁrst glance, many of the Eight Components may seem

familiar, but in fact, they offer a new perspective. The

Eight Components are about focusing on critical issues

and making sure all of your decisions and actions are

directly linked to helping all of your students prepare for

success in college and their chosen careers.

Effective college and career readiness counseling

begins in kindergarten and continues through high

school. Middle school counselors build on the work of

counselors in elementary schools and pave the way for

the work of high school counselors.

For example, if high school students are going to

take Advanced Placement

(AP

) Calculus, they must

complete Algebra I by eighth grade. Attaining that goal

depends on reading proﬁciently by third grade. There is a

clear path, and NOSCA’s Eight Components describe it.

School counselors use the Eight Components

throughout students’ K–12 education:

 Elementary school counselors create early

awareness, knowledge and skills that lay the

foundation for the academic rigor and social

development necessary for college and career

readiness. (Components 1–6)

 Middle school counselors create opportunities to

explore and deepen college and career knowledge

and skills necessary for academic planning and goal

setting. (Components 1–6)

 High school counselors create access to college and

career pathways that promote full implementation of

personal goals that ensure the widest range of future

life options. (Components 1–8)

Taken together, the components are the building blocks

of college and career readiness counseling. Efforts of

school counselors build on each other throughout the

K–12 pipeline. The individual components also reinforce

one another. They are interconnected, and actions

related to one component can lay a foundation for

improvements in multiple areas.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide  3

2. Content describing how to work systemwide is derived from Lee, V. V., & Goodnough, G. E. (2011). Systemic data-driven school counseling practice

and programming for equity. In B. T. Erford (Ed.) Transforming the school counseling profession (3rd). Boston, MA: Pearson Merrill Prentice-Hall.

EQUITY, DATA AND

WORKING SYSTEMWIDE

Being more effective and reaching all students —

especially traditionally underserved populations — may

require school counselors to work differently. To be

successful with the Eight Components, focus your work

in these ways:

Be equitable. Equity means giving every student

or student group what they need to be successful. For

example, participating in rigorous courses, such as

Algebra I, in middle school can affect how far a student

will progress in math all the way through high school.

The key to equity is making sure all students have the

opportunity to enroll in, and the support to complete,

rigorous courses. School counselors can advance equity

by participating on school leadership teams and using

data to identify trends in course taking among student

groups. They also can work with teachers to create

a welcoming learning environment for traditionally

underserved students taking Algebra I and other

rigorous courses; encourage their schools to develop

academic safety nets to support students who struggle

with their work; and teach parents and families how to

support their children as they take rigorous courses.

Use data to inform practice. Data provide the

starting point for understanding your school community.

Use data to identify which students and student groups

are successfully preparing for college and career — and

which are not. And use data to identify disparities among

student groups so you can more effectively reach the

students most in need.

Work systemwide. Lead a systemwide effort

to create a college-going culture in every part of your

students’ lives. Work directly with students individually,

in groups, in classrooms and across grades. And reach

out to them through schoolwide events, collaborations

with others in the school district, and activities that

engage families and the community.

This approach

gives students layers of support from a variety of adults

and peers — and it positions you as a leader in preparing

students for college and career.

WHAT TO MEASURE

Relevant data

This guide identiﬁes relevant data elements for

each component. These are data elements, such as

attendance, promotion and GPA, that are available in

most schools. (See page 16 for a list of the data elements

for all components for elementary, middle and high

school.)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

In addition to reviewing data for all students, break

down the data to assess performance of student groups,

paying close attention to traditionally underserved

populations.

 Race and ethnicity

 Gender

 Grade

 Income level (students who qualify for free and

reduced-price meals)

 Special education students

 English language learners

 Other student groups, as appropriate for your school

(e.g., students who are homeless or students with a

military family member who is deployed)

Disparities between student groups

When you review data for student groups, look for

disparities. For example, are attendance rates different

for males and females? Do promotion rates of students

from low-income families differ from promotion rates

for their more afﬂuent peers? By asking these questions,

you will identify gaps among student groups.

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Implement interventions systemwide — working with

students, schools, districts, parents and families, and

communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on

the students who need the most help, and then use data

to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will

create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps.

4  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

College Aspirations

Component

THE GOAL

Build a college-going culture based on early college

awareness by nurturing in students the conﬁdence to

aspire to college and the resilience to overcome challenges

along the way. Maintain high expectations by providing

adequate supports, building social capital and conveying

the conviction that all students can succeed in college.

WHY IT MATTERS

School communities that intentionally encourage high

aspirations for all students are more likely to help them

gain the academic preparation necessary to graduate

college and career ready.

WHAT TO MEASURE

Active and productive engagement in school is one

indicator of students’ aspirations. To assess your

students’ level of engagement, see if they are attending

school, behaving appropriately in school and performing

well academically.

Relevant data

 Attendance

 Discipline

 Promotion

 GPA

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups).

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do the attendance rates for homeless students

compare to those of students not considered

homeless?

 How do the discipline rates for males compare to

those of females?

 How do the promotion rates for Latino students

compare to those of white students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 1  5

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Connect students who have high tardiness, absences

and discipline referrals to potential mentors,

including more successful peers, high school

students and at least one adult in the school and/or

community. Focus on students’ attitudes and how

their behavior affects themselves and others.

 Help students improve their academic performance

and learning habits (striving for excellence,

organization, ﬂexibility, listening and communicating

effectively) to improve grades and promotion/

retention outcomes.

 Help students become successful learners and

contributing members of a diverse community. Focus

on respecting alternative perspectives, compromise,

consensus building, collective decision making, goal

setting, problem solving and conﬂict resolution.

School

 Collaborate with teachers and administrators to

review attendance, discipline, promotion/retention

and GPA policies and corresponding data. Pilot

changes across the school to ensure equity for

all student groups. Focus on students’ assets and

strengths and classroom management.

 Help teachers integrate college/career information

into the curriculum to reﬂect students’ interests,

talents and abilities. Connect students’ interests to

academic preparation, postsecondary education and

real-world careers.

 Collaborate with teachers to develop interdisciplinary

learning opportunities that use creative and

performing arts and that make clear connections

between academics and careers (e.g., how art can tell

the story of history).

District

 Collaborate with elementary school counselors to

help students make smooth transitions into middle

school. Focus on clarifying academic requirements

to graduate college and career ready and outline

behavioral expectations. Hold parent meetings,

school visits and new student orientations.

 Create middle-to-high-school transition practices

that include summer skill-building sessions, parent

and student school visits, and orientation. Identify

students in need of extra academic and personal

support.

 Work with other middle school counselors to

develop districtwide practices that strengthen the

K–12 college and career ready pipeline by focusing

on middle school as the critical bridge between

elementary and high school.

Parents and Families

 Create school- and community-based events

for parents and families to gain information

about helping their children deepen their school

engagement (see all student interventions above).

Hold the events at a variety of times and locations

(community or recreation centers, places of worship,

civic centers, or malls) to accommodate a range of

schedules. Use materials written in parents’ and

families’ native languages.

 Help parents and families learn how to locate

resources (e.g., assistance with academic and

behavioral issues such as absenteeism) and to

navigate the school system so they can be advocates

for their children.

 Teach parents and families the process and

components of college and career readiness critical

to middle school and how it can open opportunity for

high school and beyond.

Community

 Develop community connections to increase student

exposure to jobs/careers that reﬂect their likes and

interests and begin to create awareness of their state,

national and global communities.

 Invite representatives from local college and career

and technical schools, historically black colleges and

universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions

(HSIs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and

Asian American Native American Paciﬁc Islander-

serving institutions (AANAPISIs) to meet with

students and families to discuss early college

planning and goal setting.

6  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

Academic Planning for College

and Career Readiness

Component

THE GOAL

Advance students’ planning, preparation, participation and

performance in a rigorous academic program that connects

to their college and career aspirations and goals.

WHY IT MATTERS

An academic plan is a road map to success. When

students develop an academic plan that speciﬁes the

courses they need and in what order, they can focus on

college and career planning and goal setting.

WHAT TO MEASURE

To assess your students’ academic progress, look at

their proﬁciency in key subject areas; enrollment in and

completion of rigorous courses, especially math; and

their academic performance in relation to grade-level

benchmarks.

Relevant data

 Proﬁciency in state tests for English, math and

science

 Students enrolled in and completing Algebra I

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups).

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do English proﬁciency rates of low-income

students compare to those of their more afﬂuent

peers?

 How do the Algebra I enrollment rates of African

American students compare to those of white

students?

 How do the Algebra I completion rates for Latino

students compare to those of Asian students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 2  7

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Help students identify the knowledge and skills

they have and those they must acquire for success

in middle and high school and beyond. Provide

concrete information about how taking courses such

as Algebra I in eighth grade can affect their future

opportunities.

 Help traditionally underserved students in rigorous

courses identify their strengths, build resiliency skills,

make personal commitments to learning and persist

to course completion.

 Help students gain the studying and test-taking skills

and the higher-order thinking skills (application,

synthesis, evaluation and creativity) necessary to

attain proﬁciency or higher in key academic areas.

Use college and career readiness content as a base

for teaching these transferable skills.

 Help students use good learning habits (plan

work, use multiple information resources, check

for accuracy, ask for feedback, follow directions,

ask clarifying questions, increase patience and

persistence, and self evaluate) and their learning

style to research, write and present projects about

careers focused on selected career clusters.

School

 Collaborate with teachers and administrators to

examine data about enrollment in rigorous, honors

and accelerated courses. Review policies that govern

entrance into these courses to ensure equitable

access, and monitor both enrollment and completion

for all student groups.

 Work with the school’s master scheduler to ensure

there are sufﬁcient sections of rigorous courses so

opportunity is equitable. Collaborate with those who

teach rigorous courses to acclimate traditionally

underserved students to higher levels of rigor.

 Build early-warning systems for all students

experiencing academic difﬁculty. Provide safety nets,

peer supports and mentoring to help students learn

concrete ways to improve their performance through

skill development.

District

 Collaborate with elementary counselors to assess

students’ participation in rigorous courses and

determine the range of skills that students have when

they enter middle school.

 Work with high school counselors to communicate

high school academic opportunities and

requirements to help parents and students prepare

for the transition from middle school. Identify

students who will need academic support.

 Collaborate with other middle school counselors

to develop lesson plan banks of best practices and

data-driven strategic planning ideas that support

districtwide academic goal attainment for all

students.

Parents and Families

 Create outreach efforts for parents and families that

outline critical information provided to students

about academic performance, skill development and

planning for college and career readiness (see all

student interventions above).

 Help parents and families learn how to help their

children develop and implement a program of

study, create a positive and productive learning

environment at home, and understand the

consequences of not engaging in the process.

 Help parents and families effectively communicate

with school personnel to gather critical information

about their children’s learning needs, maintain

regular communication to closely follow their

children’s progress and intervene rapidly if needed.

Community

 Team with community programs where students

can build reading, numeracy, technology and job

readiness skills to increase their effectiveness as

learners. This is especially important for underserved

students.

 Promote community engagement opportunities

that link science, technology, engineering and math

(STEM) ﬁelds and college and career readiness

through real-life hands-on activities such as robotics.

 Locate community champions who can serve as

role models and promote academic excellence, goal

setting and career awareness.

8  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

Enrichment and Extracurricular

Engagement

Component

THE GOAL

Ensure equitable exposure to a wide range of

extracurricular and enrichment opportunities that build

leadership, nurture talents and interests, and increase

engagement with school.

WHY IT MATTERS

Enrichment and extracurricular activities increase

students’ engagement and academic performance and

assist them in gaining conﬁdence and achieving goals.

These experiences give students the opportunity to

explore and experiment in activities that can lead to their

future college and career options.

WHAT TO MEASURE

Engagement in enrichment and extracurricular activities

is measured by participation, including taking on a

leadership role.

Relevant data

 Participation in enrichment activities (e.g., academic

support, summer bridge programs, TRIO and STEM

initiatives)

 Participation in extracurricular activities (e.g.,

organizations, teams, camps, clubs and scouts)

 Students in leadership positions in enrichment and/or

extracurricular activities

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups.)

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do low-income students’ participation rates in

enrichment activities compare to those of their more

afﬂuent peers?

 How do participation rates in extracurricular activities

of white students compare to those of African

American students?

 How does female students’ percentage of holding

leadership roles compare to that of male students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 3  9

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Help students develop enrichment and extracurricular

portfolios that can increase their options for high

school and postsecondary activity participation

and enhance their future admission applications.

Portfolio items may include work samples, audition

recordings, artwork, community service and

leadership positions.

 Support students’ participation in school, local,

regional and national competitions that provide

opportunities for positive competitive interactions in

endeavors such as debate, athletics, music, dance,

drama and STEM.

 Teach students how to identify and research colleges/

career/technical schools that offer academic majors,

minors, special programs, and enrichment and

extracurricular activities that appeal and connect to

their current interests, abilities and talents.

 Teach students how to analyze, review and translate

their inventory and survey results and how to

use them to inform decisions about choosing and

participating in activities.

School

 Collaborate with your school’s leadership team to

conduct a school and community audit of enrichment

and extracurricular activities. Ensure that all activities

provide all students with participation and leadership

options.

 Encourage teachers to integrate enrichment and

extracurricular activities into the academic curriculum

to make connections to subject-matter disciplines

through class and homework assignments and

projects.

 Encourage faculty and staff to provide meaningful

student service-learning and community service

opportunities that may be applied as future high

school credit and enhance future postsecondary

admission applications.

 Help activity leaders, coaches and mentors develop

letters of recommendation and certiﬁcates to conﬁrm

students’ participation and leadership roles.

District

 Collaborate with elementary and high school

counselors to share information about auditions,

tryouts and sign-ups for age-appropriate scholarships

and grants for enrichment and extracurricular

engagement before students enter high school.

Share information about participation prerequisites

and requirements, including information on National

Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and

performing arts criteria.

 Collaborate with elementary and high school

counselors to develop district-approved lists of

resources, materials and individuals/organizations

that provide school- and community-based

enrichment and extracurricular support, services

and assistance.

Parents and Families

 Create outreach efforts that help parents and families

understand and engage in their role of supporting

their children’s participation in enrichment and

extracurricular activities (see all student interventions

above).

 Teach parents and families how to identify their

children’s unique ideas, interests, talents and abilities.

Provide resources and materials that encourage and

support learning, curiosity and development, such as

home lesson plans for academic and activity portfolio

and calendar development.

 Teach parents and families how to use school and

community resources to locate free and low-cost

enrichment and extracurricular activities that support

academic learning and engagement and career

interest development.

Community

 Collaborate with community leaders to distribute lists

of community organizations that offer enrichment

and extracurricular opportunities that support the

districtwide college and career readiness agenda.

 Collaborate with federal, state and local enrichment

programs that are geared to identifying and

supporting underserved students, parents and

families (e.g., GEAR-UP, 4-H and precollege

programs).

10  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

College and Career Exploration

and Selection Processes

Component

THE GOAL

Provide early and ongoing exposure to experiences and

information necessary to make informed decisions when

selecting a college or career that connects to academic

preparation and future aspirations.

WHY IT MATTERS

Deepening students’ self-awareness — and the

connection between who they are and their ability to

fulﬁll their future educational goals — is a critical part of

college and career exploration and selection.

WHAT TO MEASURE

To assess students’ movement through the college

and career process, look at participation in continuous

exploration and selection experiences and engagement.

Relevant data

 Participation in college and career exploration

programs

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups.)

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do participation rates in college and career

exploration programs for African American female

students compare to those of white female students?

 How do seventh-grade English language learners’

(ELL) participation rates in college and career

exploration programs compare to those of seventh-

grade non-ELL students?

 How do participation rates in college and career

exploration programs of Latino students compare to

those of African American students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 4  11

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Help students develop programs of study to make

connections between students’ middle and high

school academic preparation and their postsecondary

success.

 Teach students how to research a wide range of

institutions and how to obtain, review and navigate

admission applications (paper and online) and

learn about the various application sections,

including directions, essay topics and work-sample

submissions.

 Help students sign up for college/career/technical

school mailings, listservs and social media groups to

get institution updates and newsletters. Use student-

led discussion groups as platforms for students to

share information and resources about colleges and

careers.

 Provide students with information about different

types of institutions (e.g., two- and four-year, public

and private, in-state and out-of-state). Show students

how their schoolwork now can connect to various

degrees, majors, school supports and amenities, and

institutional costs.

 Create experiential opportunities, such as working

with a mentor, on-site ﬁeld trips and job shadowing,

to help students identify links between their personal

and educational aspirations and their school

performance (e.g., reading, math and language

proﬁciency).

School

 Collaborate with teachers to integrate college/career/

technical school admission application processes

into existing academic curriculum. Activities

might include writing personal essays, developing

academic and extracurricular resumes, and gathering

and documenting personal and family information.

 Collaborate with academic department heads to

distribute course selection information that charts the

relationship between middle and high school courses

and postsecondary majors and career options.

Explain the types of rigorous courses recommended

for various future career opportunities.

District

 Collaborate with high school counselors to align

college and career information in middle and high

school so students’ planning is continuous and

supports the district’s college and career readiness

agenda. Include information about postsecondary

institutions that offer precollege programs, initiatives

and resources.

 Coordinate districtwide visits to college and career

fairs and college/career/technical schools that include

student engagement with campus ofﬁces such as

admission and ﬁnancial aid, academic departments,

and campus life (e.g., student support services, clubs

and organizations, residence life, counseling, and

community service).

Parents and Families

 Create outreach efforts to teach parents and

families about their role in assisting their children

in continuous college and career exploration and

selection processes (see all student interventions

above).

 Teach parents how to help their children compare

and contrast postsecondary institutions’ attributes,

offerings and admission requirements.

 Assist parents and families with signing up for

college/career/technical school mailings, listservs and

social media groups to retrieve newsletters and other

forms of information that may be relevant to their

children’s academic interests and career goals.

Community

 Connect with area nonproﬁt organizations to pool

resources to develop before- and after-care academic

programming that supports your school and

community’s college and career exploration goals

and increases student engagement during out-of-

school time.

 Collaborate with local postsecondary institutions to

develop messages about middle and high school

graduation requirements and prerequisites for

accelerated programs.

12  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

College and Career Assessments

Component

THE GOAL

Promote preparation, participation and performance in

college and career assessments by all students.

WHY IT MATTERS

Testing, such as ReadiStep™, EXPLORE, PSAT/NMSQT

PLAN, and career assessments, is one critical element

of college and career readiness. Teaching students

how testing and academics will help them attain their

aspirations is a critical part of helping them set and reach

their goals.

WHAT TO MEASURE

To assess your students’ testing needs, look at their

preparation, participation and performance for college

and career assessments.

Relevant data

 Participation in career/interest assessments

 Participation in ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE

and PLAN

 Performance in ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE

and PLAN

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups.)

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do Native American students’ participation rates

in career/interest assessments compare to those of

Latino students?

 How do the ReadiStep performance rates of African

American students compare to those of white

students?

 How do the Asian students’ participation rates in

EXPLORE compare to those of white students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 5  13

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Help students understand the connections among

assessments, academic planning (program of

study), college and career exploration, and future

life aspirations. Pay attention to students who do not

participate in assessments to promote equity for all

student groups.

 Help students become test savvy by developing

test-preparation skills that include how to overcome

test anxiety, identify types of test questions, make

educated guesses and interpret scores.

 Teach students how to use assessment results to

identify knowledge and skill gaps and take ownership

of their learning. Emphasize the importance of

assessments and also assure them that a one-time

assessment is not the sole determinant of their

future.

 Help students use career interest inventory results

in positive ways that promote self-knowledge and

connect to their future ambitions. Provide real-life

experiences, such as classroom visitors, ﬁeld trips

and technology-based activities, to show students a

broad range of future possibilities.

School

 For all college and career assessments given at

school, identify policies, practices and procedures, or

structural barriers that may limit test participation or

negatively affect performance.

 Collaborate with teachers and administrators to

develop a positive culture and climate around

assessments. Emphasize that assessments are a

means of increasing one’s knowledge of self and

career opportunities.

 Help teachers integrate college and career

assessments into the curriculum in ways that ﬁll

knowledge and skill gaps and make concrete links

between academic content areas and college and

careers.

District

 Collaborate with elementary school counselors to

gather information about career-related interest

inventories or career-focused information used in

elementary school to create a smooth transition for

students entering middle school.

 Collaborate with high school counselors to share

information about college and career/interest

assessments to assist in identifying skill gaps for

students as they transition to high school.

 Collaborate with middle school counselors across

the district to plan districtwide career activities that

reﬂect students’ interests and support district goals

for college and career readiness.

Parents and Families

 Create outreach efforts to help parents and families

promote a positive perspective on assessments and

to show their children how to use assessments as

tools for gathering information and learning about

themselves (see all student interventions above).

 Help parents and families create a positive home

environment focused on preparing students to

participate in assessments. Emphasize reducing test

anxiety and preparing for test day.

 Provide parents and families with information about

potential college and career assessments/inventories

available in high school. Include the appropriate use,

timing and interpretation of assessment results to

inform academic planning in productive ways.

Community

 Collaborate with local libraries, recreation and civic

centers that have online capabilities to provide

students, parents and families with access to

questionnaires, surveys and inventories so they can

share exploration experiences outside the classroom.

 Create partnerships with community leaders that

represent careers identiﬁed in students’ assessment

results. Provide opportunities for students to visit job

sites to broaden their understanding and knowledge

of various careers.

 Collaborate with community leaders to ensure that

they convey the accurate meaning and purpose

of assessments and assessment results to the

community.

14  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

College Affordability Planning

Component

THE GOAL

Provide students and families with comprehensive

information about college costs, options for paying for

college, and the ﬁnancial aid and scholarship processes

and eligibility requirements, so they are able to plan for

and afford a college education.

WHY IT MATTERS

Understanding ﬁnancial planning and the use and

management of money is critical for students and

families. These skills will assist them in making sound

ﬁnancial plans and decisions related to students’ future

educational goals.

WHAT TO MEASURE

Continued participation in ﬁnancial literacy and ﬁnancial

aid planning initiatives encourages students and families

to engage in the timely collection and preparation of

ﬁnancial information and documentation needed for

future completion of the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA).

Relevant data

 Participation in early awareness ﬁnancial literacy and

ﬁnancial aid initiatives

 Participation in ﬁnancial aid planning processes

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Data by student groups

Break down the data to assess performance of

student groups, paying close attention to traditionally

underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the

student groups.)

Disparities between student groups

For example:

 How do English language learners’ participation rates

in ﬁnancial literacy initiatives compare to those of

non-English language learners?

 How do low-income students’ participation rates

in ﬁnancial aid initiatives compare to those of their

more afﬂuent peers?

 How do participation rates in ﬁnancial aid planning

processes of eighth-grade white students compare to

those of eighth-grade Latino students?

WHAT TO DO

Work systemwide

Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts,

parents and families, and communities — to reach

everyone. Focus your work on the students who need

the most help, and then use data to assess the impact

of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable

interventions and begin to close the gaps.

Middle School Counselor’s Guide: Component 6  15

WORK SYSTEMWIDE

Students

(Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade)

 Teach students how to make personal ﬁnancial

decisions and how to identify the characteristics

of being ﬁnancially responsible. Provide concrete

examples of everyday living costs and expenses (e.g.,

food, gas, utilities, transportation and rent/mortgage).

 Teach students about various ﬁnancial aid

opportunities (e.g., scholarships, grants, loans,

work-study, savings plans) from sources such as the

federal government, state higher education agencies,

postsecondary institutions, organizations and private

funders.

 Teach students how to research and apply for (with

parental consent) age- and grade-appropriate

scholarships and grants from various funders. Ensure

that students know how to identify and adhere

to various ﬁnancial aid application deadlines and

requirements.

 Provide students with ﬁnancial aid glossaries and

tools such as net price calculators to build ﬁnancial

literacy and provide information about how to pay

for college/career/technical school and in-depth

examples of future lifestyle options and the level of

wealth needed to attain them.

School

 Encourage teachers to integrate ﬁnancial literacy and

ﬁnancial aid vocabulary into the existing academic

curriculum. Incorporate videos, interactive classroom

activities and assignments that cover income and

careers, money management, ﬁnancial planning,

credit and debt, and saving and investing.

 Collaborate with your school librarian to develop a

resource center that includes free age-appropriate

ﬁnancial literacy and ﬁnancial aid information,

resources and tools in multiple languages from

federal and state entities such as the U.S. Department

of Education, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S.

Financial Literacy and Education Commission, and

the state higher education commission.

District

 Collaborate with other middle school counselors to

share information about federal, state, district and

school-based scholarships and grants. Share tips,

strategies, guidebooks and sample applications.

 Collaborate with other middle school counselors

to review and analyze trends in districtwide high

school FAFSA data. Use these data to support your

school and district’s ﬁnancial literacy and ﬁnancial aid

awareness agenda.

Parents and Families

 Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents and

families are aware of their role in helping their

children deepen their ﬁnancial literacy and their

knowledge of ﬁnancial aid processes (see all student

interventions above).

 Ensure that parents and families understand federal

privacy laws (regarding children under age 13) such

as The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of

1998 (COPPA) and the Children’s Privacy Protection

Final Rule, which address parental consent and the

collection, use and disclosure of student-, parent- and

family-identiﬁable information.

 Ensure that parents and families engage in the

ﬁnancial aid application preparation process

knowing that their special, unique and/or ﬁnancial

circumstances may not prevent their students from

applying for and/or receiving most ﬁnancial aid.

Assist parents and families in documenting special

circumstances that may qualify them for special

ﬁnancial aid programs and support.

Community

 Collaborate with faith-based institutions to publish

paper and online announcements in bulletins,

newsletters and message boards about school and

community-based ﬁnancial literacy and ﬁnancial aid

awareness initiatives.

 Partner with local businesses and ﬁnancial

institutions to develop and provide scholarship and

stipend opportunities for students.

 Collaborate with ﬁnancial institutions to give

students, parents and families information about

opening student checking and savings accounts,

creating and managing personal budgets, and

avoiding credit card problems.

16  NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling

The chart below shows key data elements for each of the Eight Components.

Data Elements, By Component

Elementary

School

Middle

School

High

School

1. College Aspirations

Attendance

  

Discipline

  

Promotion

  

GPA

 

Dropout



2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness

Students reading on grade level in grade 3



Proﬁciency in state tests for English, math and science

  

Students enrolled in and completing Algebra I

 

Students enrolled in and completing AP courses



Students enrolled in and completing courses required for in-state university

admission



3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement

Participation in enrichment activities (e.g., academic support, summer bridge

programs, TRIO and STEM initiatives)

  

Participation in extracurricular activities (e.g., organizations, teams, camps, clubs and

scouts)

  

Students in leadership positions in enrichment and/or extracurricular programs

  

4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes

Participation in college and career exploration programs

  

College and career/technical school application completion



College and career/technical school application submission



5. College and Career Assessments

Participation in career/interest assessments

  

Participation in ReadiStep™, PSAT/NMSQT

, EXPLORE and PLAN

 

Performance on ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE and PLAN

 

Participation in SAT

, SAT Subject Tests™ and ACT



Performance on SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACT



6. College Affordability Planning

Participation in early awareness ﬁnancial literacy and ﬁnancial aid initiatives

  

Participation in ﬁnancial aid planning processes

 

Scholarship application completion



FAFSA completion



7. College and Career Admission Processes

Two- and four-year college acceptance



Career and technical school acceptance



Early action or early decision acceptance (four-year institutions)



8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment

Final transcripts processed



Two- and four-year college enrollment



Career and technical school enrollment



Data Elements for the Eight

Components of College and Career

Readiness Counseling

About the College Board

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-proﬁt organization that connects students to college success

and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education.

Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,900 of the world’s leading educational

institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board

helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs

and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT

and the Advanced Placement

Program

. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of

students, educators and schools.

For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center was established to help transform education in America.

Guided by the College Board’s principles of excellence and equity in education, we work to ensure that

students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in college and beyond. We make critical

connections between policy, research and real-world practice to develop innovative solutions to the most

pressing challenges in education today.

Additional Resources

 College Board — www.collegeboard.org

 College Counseling Sourcebook — http://store.collegeboard.com/sto/enter.do

 CollegeEd

— http://ce.collegeboard.org/about-ce/

 National Career Development Guidelines — http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/Home_Page

 National PTA Standards — www.pta.org/national_standards.asp

 NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling — http://nosca.collegeboard.org

 NOSCA’s Own the Turf College and Career Readiness Counseling Toolkit —http://nosca.collegeboard.org

 School Counselor’s Strategic Planning Tool — http://nosca.collegeboard.org

 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) — www.sreb.org

 YouCanGo!™ — http://youcango.collegeboard.org

www.collegeboard.org advocacy.collegeboard.org http://nosca.collegeboard.org

NOSCA: The National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

creates a national presence for school counselors by:

 Developing, publishing and nationally disseminating tools and materials that will enhance school

counselors’ capacity to practice in ways that promote college and career readiness for all students.

 Creating processes and strategies that will help school counselors solidify their position as important

players in educational reform, using data to demonstrate accountability measures that promote

educational equity.

 Providing research, training and conferences that will help school counselors in attaining the knowledge

and skills needed for providing college and career readiness counseling for all students.

NOSCA: National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

11b-4382 120504769

Advocacy is central to the work of the College Board. Working with members, policymakers and the

education community, we promote programs, policies and practices that increase college access and

success for all students. In a world of growing complexity and competing demands, we advocate to ensure

that education comes ﬁrst.

NOSCA: National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

NOSCA’s Eight Components of College

and Career Readiness Counseling

Elementary School

Counselor’s Guide

Eight Components of College

and Career Readiness

Counseling

Equity • Leadership • Transformation

The College Board National Ofﬁce for

School Counselor Advocacy

11b_4416_8_Components.indd 1 10/5/11 9:46 AM

Equity • Leadership • Transfor mation

The College Board National Of ce for School Counselor Advocacy

School Counselor Strategic Planning Tool

Every student should graduate from high school with the educational preparation and social capital

necessary for success in college and the workforce.

School counselors are well positioned as the school professionals best able to guide all students

toward college and career readiness. To be effective leaders in establishing a college-going culture,

counselors must be strong advocates for their students and their profession and possess the skills

to drive positive change in the school.

Strategic planning is an essential tool for school counselors to use to drive positive change in schools.

Strategic planning helps school counselors use data to set clear goals and develop strategies with

measurable outcomes for student achievement and success. Using this process helps school

counselors to align college and career counseling with school improvement plans. It makes the case

that college counseling is an effective way to meet the goals set by principals and district leaders. This

allows counselors to become school leaders and advocates for all students. A clear plan enables them

to build college and career readiness programs at each level of K–12 education.

“My counselor’s strategic planning

helped us transform the school

community into one where everyone in

the building was focused on getting all

our students ready for college.”

— Sharon Sevier

Director of Guidance and Counselin g

Rockwood School Distric t

Eureka, Mo.

NOSCA’s strategic planning process:

• Makes the most of the school counselor’s time

and resources

• Links goals, interventions an d outcomes

• Provides evidence to advo cate for systemic change

• Eliminates “random initiatives”

• Provides results mea sured in student outcomes

NOSCA’s strategic planning process helps school counselors:

Step 1:

Analyze Data

Step 2:

Set Goals

Step 3:

Choose Solut ions

Step 6:

Institut ionalize

Equity Gain s

Step 5:

Collect/ Report

Outcome Data

Step 4:

Implement

the Plan

11b_4393_counseling_page.indd 2 10/5/11 9:53 AM

NOSCA: National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

NOSCA’s Eight Components of College

and Career Readiness Counseling

Middle School

Counselor’s Guide

NOSCA: National Ofﬁce for School Counselor Advocacy

NOSCA’s Eight Components of College

and Career Readiness Counseling

High School

Counselor’s Guide