Hart, Phyllis J. and Maryann Jacobi. 1992. <em>From Gatekeeper to Advocate: Transforming the Role of the School Counselor.</em> New York: College Entrance Examination Board.<br />
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Hart and Jacobi examine the training of high school counselors and propose short-term changes, as well as long-term systemic changes for both schools and communities. The first section of the policy brief summarizes current literature, addressing problems with academic tracking in schools, the pivotal role of counselors in offering information and advice regarding college planning, and the potential benefits of including counseling in school reforms. The second section describes three counselors and how their backgrounds, training, expectations for students, and personal willingness to bend the rules affect their job performance. The third section details the counseling profession, including access to and outcomes of counseling, typical counseling activities and responsibilities, and problematic counseling models that are often vague and focus on competencies rather than student achievement. The fourth section focuses on how counselors are trained and how training programs and trade associations rarely address inequities in the educational system. The fifth section describes six major problems with counseling: lack of basic philosophy, poor integration within the school, insufficient student access to educational guidance, inadequate guidance of some students, lack of accountability, and failure to use other resources. The sixth section notes four ways in which counselors can move the profession toward positive changes, such as believing in all students&#8218; capacity to learn, coordinating school and community resources, and being accountable for student outcomes. Hart and Jacobi conclude with three strategies to achieve those goals, including professional preparation and licensing requirements, rigorous in-service training for counselors, and incentives to involve counselors in tackling school-wide problems, such as tracking and issues of equity and college access.<br />
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Vargas, Joel H. 2004. <em>College Knowledge: Addressing Information Barriers to College.</em> The Education Resources Institute. Accessed on July 27, 2007, from http://www.teri.org/pdf/research-studies/CollegeKnowledge.pdf.<br />
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	Vargas summarizes the existing literature on the barriers that low-income, minority, and first-generation students face in attending college. Defining "college knowledge" as the information that is necessary for students to apply to and attend college, Vargas claims that college-preparatory information and guidance are major components of successfully pursuing a college education. He also argues that there is a positive correlation between students&#8218; access to high school counselors and their enrollment in college-preparatory classes. Low-income, minority, and first-generation students and their families lack basic knowledge about college and have the greatest need for intensive guidance in educational and career goals. They are more likely to have trouble connecting their future career goals and educational decisions, for example failing to take courses required for college enrollment. These students are also more likely to have the greatest anxiety about college tuition and the financial aid process. Vargas also discusses the shift toward technological innovation, which may further exclude low-income and minority groups who do not have access to computers and the internet at home. Finally, the author presents research on the existence of community-based college access programs that serve college-aspiring and qualified students from underrepresented college backgrounds. Vargas concludes that these programs are effective interventions to address the inequalities in college knowledge by providing college awareness, high-speed internet access, and help in locating financial aid for students who need these tools the most.<br />
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Virginia State Department of Education. 1993. <em>Increasing the Academic Pool of Minority Students for Higher Education in Virginia.</em> Richmond, VA: Virginia State Department of Education.<br />
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	The Virginia State Department of Education studied the obstacles that limit the number of minority students who are academically and financially prepared for higher education in the state. Identified issues include inadequate preparation of teachers and guidance counselors for instructing and providing information about college preparation, the disproportionate tracking of minority students into non-college-preparatory programs, lack of information offered to minority students and parents, and the lack of parental involvement and community support. Recommendations include preservice training for administrators, counselors, and teachers regarding the needs of minority students; increased parental involvement and community support for minority higher education; seminars, workshops, and conferences that provide college information; and reduction of academic tracking in high schools.