This document proposes a group for first-generation high school seniors who will be attending college. The group will meet weekly in their spring semester to discuss concerns about academics, social pressures, finances, and navigating college. It will be led by guidance counselors and cover topics from a book on preparing for college. The goals are to build support and prevent barriers to success. Students will evaluate each session and provide overall feedback to improve future groups for other students.

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Group Proposal:
First-Generation High School Students Attending College upon Graduation
Julie Jones
Master of Counseling Department, Chadron State College
COUN 634: Group Counseling
Dr. Sasse
December 12, 2021

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Group Proposal
Introduction
The purpose of this group is to help support, educate, and encourage seniors in high
schools that will be first-generation college students. Most college applications are typically
submitted in the fall, with acceptance letters arriving early in the new year. Therefore, this group
will not begin until students have been accepted to college and narrowed down their choices to
one or two schools. Students will be selected to participate in this group based on guidance
counselor or teacher recommendation.
Establishing support, specifically first-generation college students, is critical as they are
often overwhelmed and do not have the skills to build a successful experience. Research by Dr.
Adcock and Dr. Surface (2019) highlights the impact and value-added by guidance counselors
and additional student supports as they prepare for college. The authors build the case that
educators must realize that "one size does not fit all" for students to do well and successfully
navigate college. A group focused on the unique challenges students will face related to
academic, social, cultural, and financial stressors in college paves the way, ensuring that success
will be much more likely.
Overview
This group will be meeting for over three months, meeting most of their spring semester,
leading up to graduation. Students will be meeting to discuss their concerns, what they can
expect, and how to be prepared, seek help, and navigate social pressure in a college setting. The
nature of this group is to prevent or circumvent potential barriers that would impede a student’s
success as they transition to college. Additionally, forming a network will allow these students to

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support each other and be in an environment where they will be able to discuss strategies to
ensure they are more successful during their first year in college.
Students will be encouraged to stay in touch and become a support system, especially if
they attend different colleges or universities. The group will meet at their high school during the
school day to increase participation. Students will meet every other week beginning in March.
When considering spring break, there should be approximately ten separate times.
This group will focus on the standards and the Mindset and Behavior for student success
as described in ASCA. According to ACA, the Mindset Standards – Includes standards related to
students’ psycho-social attitudes or beliefs about themselves concerning academic work. These
make up the student’s belief system as exhibited in behaviors. The Behavior Standards that will
be addressed are during the group meetings are:
Learning Standards Self-Management Skills Social Skills
B-LS 1. Critical-thinking skills
to make informed decisions
B-SMS 1. Responsibility for
self and actions
B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and
supportive relationships with
students who are similar to and
different from them
B-LS 3. Time-management,
organizational and study skills
B-SMS 6. Ability to identify
and overcome barriers
B-SS 3. Positive relationships
with adults to support success
B-LS 4. Self-motivation and
self- direction for learning
B-SMS 7. Effective coping
skills
B-SS 5. Ethical decision-making
and social responsibility
B-LS 7. Long- and short-term
academic, career and
social/emotional goals
B-SMS 8. Balance of school,
home, and community activities
B-SS 6. Effective collaboration
and cooperation skills
B-LS 9. Decision-making
informed by gathering evidence,
getting others’ perspectives, and
recognizing personal bias
B-SMS 9. Personal safety skills B-SS 8. Advocacy skills for self
and others and ability to assert
self, when necessary
B-SMS 10. Ability to manage
transitions and adapt to change
B-SS 9. Social maturity and
behaviors appropriate to the
situation and environment
B-SS 10. Cultural awareness,
sensitivity, and responsiveness

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Students and leaders will complete activities together while meeting and refer to the book
"How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You're There) by Andrea Malkin
Brenner and Lara Hope Schwartz as a guide.
Students will evaluate their experience immediately after each group with questions and
exploration surrounding that week's specific topic. Overall feedback and evaluation of the group
session will occur through discussion at the end of the group and an anonymous questionnaire.
Staying in contact with students while they are enrolled in college or after the first semester
would also be helpful as we assess if the group's purpose and format were helpful and in what
ways that could improve it.
Membership
As previously stated, first-generation seniors who have been accepted to college will
comprise members of this group. Participation will be voluntary; size will not be limited.
Leadership
Leaders of this group will consist of guidance counselors and may also have various
guest speakers (college advisors, teachers) contributing during specific topics. It may be
beneficial to have co-leaders to prevent any disruption if outside conflicts interfere with a
guidance counselor’s attendance.
Session Format & Flow
Initial Stage of Group, Session 1
During this phase, the participants and the leader will discuss the purpose of the group
and discuss fears about participating in the group. Along with members the group and leader will
identify and clarify personal and overall goals. The main points covered will focus on academic,
social, safety, financial, roommate, managing stress, declaring majors, learning how to use
support systems in college (college advisors, counselors), and personal issues/pressures students

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will be expected to navigate. Students will be able to contribute to topics or give their thoughts
regarding subjects that they want to learn more about. Participants will also be given the book by
Brenner & Schwartz (2019) and be asked to peruse the chapters and topics prior to the next
meeting. During this time, the leader should also ask the group to discuss their biggest fears as
they think about attending college in the fall. At the conclusion, there should be discussion
regarding the importance of feedback from week to week. Leaders will discuss how they plan to
assess how comfortable students are with their understanding of what they have learned from
meeting to meeting.
Transition Stage, Session 2-3
Establishing trust and getting to know each other can happen through various ice-breaker
scenarios or questions or a weekly check-in with students. During this time, it might be helpful
for students to share information about them, especially as it pertains to the nature of the group
topic. Each member could include the following information in their introduction: where they are
going to college, what they plan to study, will they live in the dorms, how far away the college
is. After introductions, leaders should also ask students to share what they are most excited about
and what they are most worried or stressed about in terms of their college experience in the fall.
During these first few meetings, the leaders must address any issues with group members
who pose a challenge. Leaders should review rules that the group consensually decided during
their initial session to prevent struggles. To encourage collaboration, the leaders should also ask
the members to help determine the outline, timing, or order of topics they have decided to
discuss.
Working Stage, Session 3-9
Hopefully, these sessions will consist of deeper discussions, learning, and ultimately
cohesion and universality. The focal point of each session will be pre-determined; however, it

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should be flexible if students feel as if they want further explanation or time about a topic. At
this point of the group stage, self-disclosure, trust, and willingness to take risks when sharing
should be encouraged and supported. Evaluations at each group's closing should be critical to
ensure students are engaged and feel as if the topics are helpful.
Final Stage, Session 10
During this closing group session, students will discuss how they feel regarding their
initial fears. Leaders should also spend time highlighting the fun, exciting, and unique period of
their life. Students will be encouraged to share information and discuss ways to support each
other and stay in touch while in college. At the conclusion, leaders will explain that the group
members will be sent an email with an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire will ask for
their opinion regarding which topics they felt were helpful, issues they felt needed more time or
emphasis, and the importance of their feedback on future groups of students who participate.
Conclusion
The group leader, or guidance counselor, will stay in touch with students as they
transition to college the following year. Students will be encouraged to provide evaluation
feedback before attending college. However, the guidance counselor will stay in touch to obtain
objective data that will serve as a tool to measure how successful the student was during their
first year of college. The goal of this group is to ensure that students will be more successful in
their college and eventual career paths.

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Works Cited
Adcock, P. K., & Surface, J. L. (2019). School to college to career: The need for seamless
transitions. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 85(5), 36–44.
American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA Student Standards; Mindsets and
Behaviors for Student Success. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Brenner, A.M., Schwartz L.H. (2019) How to college: What to know when you go and when you
get there. St. Martin’s Press.