Student-to-Student Counseling. Preliminary Report.

This document reports on the success of a peer counseling program funded on a college campus through the EXXON Education Foundation. The program sought to: (1) increase the size of the counseling staff; (2) provide students with necessary survival skills, diagnostic testing, and counseling; (3) minimize unnecessary attrition and early transfer; and (4) increase the probability of success in college through certain counseling objectives. Ten students, chosen through a rigorous selection process, were provided with 30 hours of paid training in which they learned the many duties and responsibilities that they would have as peer counselors. Initial results from implementation of the program were even greater than the authors expected. Some early results of the student-to-student counseling were: (1) the total number of withdrawals during the semester decreased; (2) the total number of program changes was reduced by nearly 200; (3) faculty, staff, and students felt that the image of the university in responding to the individual had been strengthened by the program. A more complete evaluation of the project is planned at the conclusion of the first complete year. (Author/PC)