Final answer:
Students should be referred to a full-time counselor prior to admission due to long wait times, widespread mental health issues, and a high staff-to-student ratio.
Step-by-step explanation:
The college should refer students to a full-time counselor prior to admission for several reasons. First, the wait times for appointments with counselors are too long, with wait times of approximately 10 days reported by one campus counselor. Second, mental health issues are widespread within the student community, as evidenced by a recent survey where 75% of 250 students reported having experienced mental health issues at some point. Lastly, the staff-to-student ratio is too high, with the recommended ratio being one full-time equivalent staff member for every 1,000 to 1,500 students according to the International Accreditation of Counseling Services.