Much like @txstella, our kids’ high school counsellors are each responsible for approx 500+ students. Their job description is to manage students’ course selections, their progress towards graduation, helping draft IEPs and being present at IEP/504 meetings, coordinating college presentations, working with various alternative high school scenarios (part home school for medical reasons, “fresh start” programs), writing recommendations, etc. They really do not have time to offer the kids much help in the college process aside from referring them to resources where the motivated student can find all the information available. Really, the kids are often more internet savvy than some of the older “counsellors”. My kids did their own research, and utilized all sorts of sources for winnowing down their lusts. Much input from us, friends, relatives, college mailings, tours…
It would have been nice to add another voice to the chorus, but not having input from a guidance counselor had zero impact in our situation. In an inner city school, I can appreciate that this might be more important. But then again, in an inner city school there are far more pressing issues that may consume a counsellors time.