Question

A high school counselor meets with a student who is having difficulty deciding what college to attend in the fall. The counselor discloses reflections on personal decisions he made relating to college choice and describes regrets. The counselor's comments are

A. appropriate, because they help the student understand that having difficulty choosing a college is a common problem
B. appropriate, because they allow the student to feel close to the high school counselor
C. inappropriate, because the counselor does not understand contemporary issues related to choosing a college
D. inappropriate, because they focus more on the counselor's experience than on the student's current decision

Answer 1

A counselor's comments sharing personal regrets about college decisions are inappropriate as they focus more on the counselor's experience than on assisting the student with their current decision-making process.

Step-by-step explanation:

The counselor's comments, while intended to empathize with the student's struggle in making important decisions about college, can be considered inappropriate because they steer the conversation away from the student's immediate concerns and towards the counselor's personal experiences, which may not be relevant or helpful to the student's decision-making process. It's important that counselors maintain the focus on the student and provide support and guidance that is directly applicable to the student’s unique situation, including their interests, academic goals, preferences, and career aspirations.

Self-reflection on past decisions can indeed shape our perspectives, but a counselor's role is primarily to facilitate the student's decision-making process. If a counselor's personal narrative is used, it should be brief and directly beneficial to the student's situation to provide relevant perspective or advice. Sharing reflections must be balanced with the necessity of keeping the student's needs, feelings, and situation at the forefront of the conversation.