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I selected this article because it comes from the American Counseling Association.  Plus, it provides evidence of counselors positively impacting scholars in student achievement, personal and social development, and career development.  Even though the evidence is bullet-pointed, it is based on the research of school counselor effectiveness. It provides the sources of each piece of evidence to explore the impact of school counseling further.
According to the article, mental health services were “essential for many students to achieve academically, and recommend that such services be mainstream and not optional” (ACA, 2008).  School counselors positively influence student achievement by helping with testing anxiety, building community, better behavior, and assisting the students in planning for their futures. School counselors can connect with families and violence protection. It has been proven to prevent suicide in schools. Lastly, it is helpful in career development and assisting all students in making college choice no matter their background.
One fact that stood out to me was that “the U.S.Department of Education, the current U.S. average student/counselor ratio is 476:1. According to the American Counseling Association, the maximum recommended student/counselor ratio is 250:1. In some schools, the ratio is more than 1,000:1 in some schools” (ACA, 2008). Unfortunately, this remains true.  Currently, we only have one counselor at my school for about 500 students. It makes you wonder about the impact that could be made if there were more available counselors at our school.

Also, I believe that school counselors hugely impact career choice and college selection.  During high school, I met with my counselor often to plan for my future.  I was the first person in my family to graduate from a university. Without the help of my counselor, especially when I had to reapply to my first-choice college, I don’t think I would be where I am today.

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Understanding the Thought Feeling Action Connection