# School Counselor — Definition & Explanation

> From the SchoolBrowse Education Glossary.
> HTML version: https://schoolbrowse.com/glossary/school-counselor

**In short:** A school professional who supports student academic achievement, social-emotional development, and college/career readiness.
A **school counselor** is a certified professional who addresses student academic, career, and social-emotional development through a comprehensive school counseling program. Modern school counselors focus on prevention and intervention, working with all students rather than only those in crisis.

## Roles and Responsibilities

School counselors provide academic guidance, social-emotional support, college and career counseling, crisis intervention, and consultation with teachers and families. They deliver classroom lessons, small group counseling, individual counseling, and system-level interventions.

## Counselor-to-Student Ratios

ASCA recommends a ratio of 250 students per counselor, though actual ratios often exceed 400:1. High caseloads limit counselors' ability to provide comprehensive services.

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: What does a school counselor do?**

School counselors support student academic achievement, social-emotional development, and college/career readiness through counseling, guidance, and consultation.
**Q: When should my child see the school counselor?**

Students can see counselors for academic planning, social-emotional concerns, college/career guidance, or personal issues. Counselors work with all students, not just those in crisis.

---
Source: SchoolBrowse Education Glossary (https://schoolbrowse.com/glossary). Please attribute and link to https://schoolbrowse.com/glossary/school-counselor when citing this definition.