Are School Counselors Doing Enough — or Just Doing Paperwork?

School counselors are supposed to support students through academic, social, and emotional challenges. But many students say they barely know their counselor’s name.

The question is not whether counselors want to help. It’s whether the system gives them the time and tools to actually do it.

📋 What Are Counselors Supposed to Do?

According to national guidelines, school counselors should help students with mental health, college planning, conflict resolution, and more.

But in reality, many are drowning in administrative tasks like scheduling, test coordination, and paperwork. Some serve hundreds of students alone.

📊 The Numbers Are Concerning

The recommended student-to-counselor ratio is 250 to 1
In some schools, counselors are responsible for 500 or more students
A 2023 study found that only 20% of students met with their counselor more than once a year

When counselors are stretched thin, students lose access to emotional support and personalized guidance.

😟 What Students Are Saying

Many teens feel their counselor is only available for transcripts and schedule changes. Others say they didn’t feel comfortable opening up because their counselor seemed rushed or disconnected.

It’s not that counselors don’t care. It’s that the system often turns them into managers instead of mentors.

🧰 What Needs to Change

For school counselors to actually support student mental health and growth, schools need to:

Hire more counselors to reduce the student load
Define clear roles that prioritize emotional and academic guidance over admin work
Offer mental health training so counselors can better support diverse student needs
Create time in the school day for real student check-ins

💭 Final Thoughts

School counselors can be a lifeline, but only if they’re given the support to truly show up for students.

Right now, too many are stuck behind a desk, buried in paperwork. It’s time we let them do the job they signed up for: helping students thrive.