The American School Counselor Association (ASCA), recommends a student to counselor ratio of 250:1, however, in many schools across North Carolina—which ranks second to last in per student spending—this recommendation is far from being met.  

In 2023, 39% of North Carolina high school students who took the NC Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported feeling sad or hopeless and 18%  seriously considered attempting suicide. According to the ASCA, during the 2024-25 school year the student to counselor ratio in North Carolina was 360 students to every counselor. In Wake County, the ratio is lower but still not within recommendations, with 329 students to every counselor.  Even in the case that counselors get time with students, how can they connect authentically with each individual student when the ratio is so drastic?  

As a recent high school graduate in Holly Springs, I’ve seen firsthand how my peers struggling with mental health issues often face long waits for counseling support, leaving teachers and other staff trying to meet growing needs. 

 A lack of support in this way can be detrimental to not only the well being of students, but also their academic performance. Wake County high school educator Erin Nelms told me that she’s noticed her freshman students specifically are lacking in motivation. “There’s less thinking and more just wanting to be told what to memorize,” Nelms said. “I would say students struggle most with a combination of motivation and curiosity.” It’s clear that students need the most help when they first start high school considering the new environment can be stressful or overwhelming in the beginning and being unable to get that help leads to bigger issues later down the road.

According to North Carolina School Report Cards, during the 2024-25 school year 30% of students scored ‘Not proficient’ for their English II course and more than double that, about 68% scored the same for their Math I course. We can’t overlook students’ ability to reach professional support or the effect that mental health  has on academic performance and test scores. 

“With depression someone can not even show up to class. For anxiety, it goes back to being overwhelmed and thinking too much which impacts test scores and lowers your grade.” Dr. Wade Green, a psychologist, told me.

Several students across Wake County schools describe feeling disconnected to their assigned counselor. This type of disconnect and lack of trust can make reaching out significantly more difficult. One Wake County high school student told me “I think students build better bonds with teachers than counselors because they’re always with them.” Another student reported long waits for a chance to even speak with a counselor, saying, “In the beginning of the school year especially, it was very difficult to get in touch. It would probably be like 2 weeks. One time it was almost three months just to get a response.” Experiences like this show the counselor shortage goes beyond numbers and directly impacts students’ well-being.

Inability to get in touch with mental health professionals during adolescence can have many harmful effects long term. As social worker Kellie McClellan told me, “there needs to be more support in schools. I see it now because I work with adults.” Students are often told that high school is supposed to prepare them for adulthood, however the lack of mental health support during adolescence hinders  that transition. 

Green emphasizes the importance of practicing healthy habits early on, saying, “Things like depression and anxiety can definitely carry over into adulthood. We need to teach the kids coping mechanisms in high school so that those can carry into adulthood instead.” 

Many students across Wake County continue to suffer in silence as the shortage of school counselors makes it difficult to get the help that they need. It’s very easy for unaddressed mental health concerns to lead to bigger problems in the future and if there isn’t some sort of change soon, this problem affects not only the current youth, but our future adults as well. 

Sage Abrams is a North Carolina-based writer and recent high school graduate who covers education and student advocacy, drawing from her own experiences in the public school system.

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