The High School Counselor's Role in Today's College Decisions

New Research Reveals What Counselors Think About Today's Students, College Planning, and Institutional Partnerships 

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Encoura®, an industry-leading educational technology, marketing, and research organization, together with NextGrad® and High School Counselor Marketing, today released the 2026 High School Counselor Report: What 1,600 Counselors Reveal About Today's Students, College Planning, and Institutional Partnerships. The research reveals how high school counselors are helping students navigate growing uncertainty around the value of college, affordability, career pathways, and the college-planning process.

Based on responses from more than 1,600 high school counselors, the report provides a firsthand look at the challenges students and families face, the pressures affecting counselors, and what counselors need from colleges to better support students. The findings show that students are weighing the financial and career implications of college more carefully, while counselors are managing expanding responsibilities with limited time and resources.

The report highlights several key findings:

• Students are questioning the value of college. Nearly half of counselors say students frequently question whether college is worth it, citing debt, career uncertainty, workforce opportunities, and alternatives to a degree.
• Affordability is shaping college decisions. 78% of counselors said tuition and cost limit students' options, while 77% identified affordability as the biggest factor shaping college decisions.
• Many students do not feel prepared to make postsecondary decisions. 75% of counselors said students feel only somewhat prepared or less prepared to make postsecondary decisions.
• Students are considering a broader range of pathways. 71% of counselors reported growing student interest in trade, vocational, and workforce programs, while 68% reported growing interest in community colleges and two-year pathways.
• Counselors want stronger connections with colleges. 72% said dedicated counselor contact from colleges would improve communication and support, while 83% identified personalized email as their preferred communication method.

For students and families, counselors' limited capacity comes as the college-planning process becomes more complicated. Counselors reported that financial aid, scholarships, deadlines, applications, and postsecondary options remain difficult for students to navigate. The report identifies clear, practical guidance, simpler systems, and stronger support from colleges as opportunities to reduce confusion and help students make more informed decisions.

The report also points to a broader opportunity for colleges to rethink how they engage high school counselors. Counselors value institutions that maintain consistent, year-round relationships with schools and counseling staff and provide practical resources, accessible points of contact, and support that helps students and families navigate the process.

"High school counselors have a front-row view of how the college decision is changing," said Raquel Bermejo, Ed.D., Encoura's Director of Thought Leadership. "Students and families are asking tougher questions about cost, career outcomes, and whether college is the right path, while counselors are navigating an increasingly complex process with limited capacity. Colleges can be stronger partners by making information easier to understand, strengthening counselor relationships, and providing practical support that helps students and families move forward with confidence."

"Families are among the most influential voices in a student's college decision, yet many are navigating a process that feels increasingly overwhelming," shared Glen Hauser, High School Counselor Marketing's Director of Sales and Marketing. "This research reinforces that colleges and universities have an opportunity to do more than market their institution — they can become trusted guides."

"Higher education has an opportunity to rethink meaningful engagement with high school counselors – it's not about how often an institution reaches out, but the value they bring to every interaction", said Michael Margolies, NextGrad's CEO. "Counselors are looking for partners who understand their challenges, respect their time, and help simplify the college planning process. The institutions that embrace this shift from outreach to partnership will be better positioned to build lasting relationships and help more students find their path to success."

For colleges and universities who are seeking strategies to strengthen relationships and improve access for students and families from all pathways, this report empowers them with the data and recommendations to make meaningful connections through more effective and equitable outreach.

To learn how colleges can strengthen partnerships with high school counselors and better support students and families throughout the college-planning journey, please visit https://www.encoura.org/resources/papers/2026-high-school-counselor-report/.

Members of the media who would like to speak to the author of this report or obtain a copy of the report can contact Todd Boullion at [email protected].

About Encoura, LLC
Encoura is an educational technology, marketing, and research organization serving thousands of higher education institutions across the nation. Since 1972, Encoura has been a leading provider of strategic consulting, data science, and engagement solutions that connect institutions to the communities they serve. At the heart of Encoura is Encourage®, the nation's largest free college and career planning program.

For more information, visit https://encoura.org. For more information about Encoura's college and career planning program, Encourage, visit https://encourageme.com 

About NextGrad
NextGrad connects prospective students with life-changing opportunities through our digital screens in high schools across North America. With over 2,000 schools in our ever-growing marketing infrastructure, we help institutions reach the right students at the right time. Our mission is simple and powerful: to inspire every high school student to advance and succeed. NextGrad is designed to support institutions of any size or budget. By delivering messages in environments where students are already engaged, NextGrad ensures your institution makes a meaningful first impression and reaches students before they even start their searches.

Learn more at nextgrad.com. 

About High School Counselor Marketing
High School Counselor Marketing is the industry leader for providing accurate and updated counselor data. From Ivy League institutions, to community colleges, to scholarship organizations and related industry businesses, HSCM is the go-to source for verified and updated counselor lists with information that includes individual email address, contact name, mailing address, school, district, county, CEEB code and more. Other counselor outreach products include their weekly High School Counselor digital newsletter as well as High School Counselor digital directories.

Learn more at highschoolcounselormarketing.com. 

SOURCE Encoura