2012

Essential to the role of the professional school counselor (PSC) is to create comprehensive school counseling programs that are aimed at helping students prepare for life after high school (Hatch, Shelton, & Monk, 2009; Roberts, Bouknight, & Karan, 2009). High school graduation marks the beginning of a new era for students as they begin to explore a variety of post-secondary options and plan for adult life. While the vast majority of high school graduates will pursue degrees in higher education some will seek employment (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). Regardless of which path they choose, most students at this later stage of adolescence are becoming increasingly self-reliant and have begun to establish a some sense of personal identity as they begin their search for the meaning of life (Newman & Newman, 2009). Most high school graduates are optimistic about their future and feel that their career paths will lead to financial reward (Johnson, Duffett, & Ott, 2005) allowing them to live to life to their fullest capacity as happy, independent adults.