Our First-Ever High School Counselors Survey
Each year after we publish our America's Best Colleges rankings, we study ways to improve them so they continue to reflect current developments in higher education and use the best data we can collect. As a result of the most recent evaluation process, U.S.News & World Report for the first time ever is asking high school counselors for their views on undergraduate programs at American colleges and universities.
Since we started doing the America's Best Colleges rankings over 20 years ago, high school counselors have frequently asked why we don't seek more input from them. "We know a lot about colleges, and we play a key gatekeeper role in the college admission process," they say. We agree. We know that high school college counselors play a pivotal role in assisting students and their parents as they make choices about pursuing higher education. We hope that the counselors we survey will respond so their views can be heard.
The high school counselors we are asking to participate are all from the 1,600 public high schools nationwide that made the December 2007 U.S.News & World Report's America's Best High Schools rankings. One U.S. News survey to rate colleges in the national universities category is being sent to one counselor at each of 800 of these high schools nationwide, and a separate survey to rate colleges in the liberal arts colleges category is being sent to one counselor at each of the other 800 schools.
How will U.S.News & World Report use these data? We think it's responsible to wait until we analyze the results before we commit to how to utilize this information. Nevertheless, our goal is to publish the findings in some form in the upcoming 2009 edition of America's Best Colleges, available in August 2008.
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Reader Comments
what about private school counselors?
Curious as to why only public school counselors are being surveyed.
My question ignores the dubiousness of only surveying public school counselors at the 1600 "best" schools in the first place, but I'm sure other posters will heap scorn on you for that one and for this whole exercise generally.
Bob Morse responds. This is our first year doing this. We are all ready studying how to expand the sample for next year to include other counselors.
how to utilize this information
Is it fair to say there is no significant purpose or goal to this exercise other than selling magazines?
Bob Morse responds: It's completely unfair to say that. Our goal, which has been proven by the public's very positive response to what we have published for over 20 years, is to provide information to prospective parents and students on the relative merits of schools which is not available to them from other sources.
College Admissions
I would be more interested in learning what the college admissions officers think about the high schools. Do students from particular high schools stand a better chance with certain colleges? Do the high school guidance counselors have any advice for working with the colleges to get students from their high schoool admitted?
Bob Morse responds: Thanks for your comments. Those are important questions that need to br answered. Many counselors are able to answer these questions from their experience in the field.
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