Why This Education Reformer Says College Counselors Should Have Been ‘Life Counselors’ Instead
High school guidance offices nationwide display college pennants on walls. Counselors track application deadlines, SAT scores, and financial aid packages. The message remains consistent: college represents the path to success.
Mike Feinberg spent decades reinforcing that message as co-founder of the KIPP charter network. Today, he argues education systems need fundamental change in how they advise students about post-graduation options.
“All of my college counselors could have, should have been career counselors or life counselors where college is an important pathway but not the only pathway,” Feinberg explains.
The Cost of Limited Counseling
The critique stems from observing outcomes among charter school graduates. While many thrived through college and beyond, others struggled—accumulating debt without completing degrees, pursuing majors with limited employment prospects, or never attending college despite years of college-prep curriculum.
For students who never intended to pursue traditional four-year degrees, high school represented a missed opportunity to explore vocational interests, develop trade skills, or identify strengths outside academic settings.
“We basically shamed vo-tech out of the high schools, which was a terrible mistake,” Feinberg acknowledges. “And we told kids and parents that if you want to be successful in this world, you have to go to college.”
Expanding the Definition
The solution doesn’t require eliminating college counseling. Feinberg maintains that college preparation belongs in all schools—rigorous academics benefit every student regardless of post-graduation plans.
However, effective counseling should present multiple pathways: traditional four-year colleges, community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeships, military service, and direct employment. Each pathway deserves equal legitimacy rather than treating alternatives as consolation prizes for students who “can’t handle” college.
WorkTexas, the workforce training nonprofit Feinberg co-founded in 2020, reflects this philosophy. The Houston-based program provides trade instruction while maintaining the high expectations and comprehensive support that characterized his earlier education reform work—just directed toward different post-secondary outcomes.
The question isn’t whether college matters. The question is whether schools can expand their definition of success.