Article

School Counselors, Foster Care Alumni, and College Degree Attainment: An Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) Approach

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Abstract

Foster care alumni (FCA) face several challenges in their pursuit of post-secondary education, including the instability of their high school experiences, the greater risk of summer melt, and institutional hurdles they face once they have arrived on-campus. Utilizing an Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) approach, the authors summarize the extant research and provide examples of how school counselors can best prepare students for the variety of obstacles they may experience. Specific implications for school counseling practice and research that can further promote success for FCA are also identified.

Keywords: foster care, college counseling, school counseling, advocating student-within-environment, college degree attainment, youth transitioning from foster care

How to Cite:

Smith, C. L. V., & Dimmitt, C. (2025). School counselors, foster care alumni, and college degree attainment: An Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) approach. Counseling Scholarship & Practice in Educational Communities, 1(1), 153 – 184. https://doi.org/10.7275/cspec.2336