High School vs. University Counselling: Key Differences from a Counsellor’s Perspective

As a counsellor who once worked in a high school for 17 years, I recently pursued professional and personal development by shifting to work at a university. While my main duty is intact, namely, providing mental health counselling to students, I realized that there are some fundamental changes in terms of counselling methodology, crisis response, and, more importantly, the definition of a competent counsellor.   

I think there are at least seven aspects where high school counselling is different from university counselling:

A High School Kid

A University Sutdent

High school student in counselling

University Student counseling

High school kid in counselling

University Student in counselling

1. Student Development & Autonomy

High School	University	Practical Tips
Students are still legally minors (often under parental authority).	Students are legal adults; autonomy and confidentiality are paramount.	When in doubt about involving parents, always check policies — parental involvement is very restricted unless there’s a safety risk.

2. Confidentiality & Privacy Laws

High School	University	Practical Tips
FERPA (U.S.) or provincial equivalents, but often more leniency with sharing info within school teams and parents.	Much stricter adherence to privacy legislation (e.g., FIPPA in Ontario). Parents have no automatic access to student records or mental health info.	If a parent calls for information about their child, never disclose without explicit written consent from the student — even for something small.

3. Scope of Support

High School	University	Practical Tips
You may address academic stress, family conflicts, emotional regulation, and peer dynamics.	Still covers emotional and academic stress, but often includes mental health crises, identity issues, and more complex personal circumstances (financial hardship, immigration stress, housing insecurity).	If you’re unsure whether an issue falls under your role or should be referred to another campus service (e.g., health clinic, accessibility office, financial aid), check with your manager first.

4. Crisis Management

High School	University	Practical Tips
Clear crisis protocols, often involving parents, guidance, and principal.	Crisis protocols may involve campus security, mental health teams, or local hospitals — parents might not be contacted unless legally necessary.	Learn your university’s exact crisis escalation flowchart early on. When a case feels borderline, don’t hesitate to ask a manager how to proceed.

5. Academic Accommodation

High School	University	Practical Tips
Teachers can make informal adjustments; guidance office may coordinate.	Formalized through Accessibility Services; faculty must follow documented accommodations.	Never promise academic accommodations directly; refer students to the proper office unless your role explicitly includes that authority.

6. Boundaries & Communication

High School	University	Practical Tips
Some casual communication with students outside school hours may be acceptable.	Much stricter boundaries; communication is usually limited to official university channels.	Stick to email or the campus counseling system; avoid personal messaging unless it’s an emergency protocol.

7. Campus Culture

High School	University	Practical Tips
Small, closed environment; relationships are long-term and staff often know all students.	Large, diverse, and transient population; many one-time sessions or short-term connections.	Be prepared for a more transactional flow — focus on empowering self-help skills since follow-up may not always happen.

When to Definitely Ask Your Manager

• Any situation involving parent requests for information.

• A mental health crisis where you’re unsure whether to involve campus security or external emergency services.

• A grey area about your scope of authority (e.g., approving academic extensions, granting absences, contacting faculty).

• Boundary concerns (e.g., if a student requests a meeting off-campus or adds you on social media).

• New or rare cases you haven’t encountered in a university context before.

  
  

As a newcomer of the workplace, I need to know WHEN I should ask questions in order to keep my new work on the right track. I think a quick-check decision tree is very helpful:

Quick-Check Decision Tree: “Act or Ask?”

Step 1 – Identify the situation⬇

• A. Routine Support (stress, time management, homesickness, adjusting to campus life) → ✅ Act directly.

• B. Complex / New Situation (academic accommodation requests, parental involvement, unusual behavior) → ⚠ Go to Step 2.

• C. Crisis / Safety Concern (suicidal ideation, threats, physical health emergency) → 🚨 Go to Step 3.

• 
  

Step 2 – Complex / New SituationAsk yourself:

1. Have I handled this exact scenario in this university setting before?

2. Am I 100% sure about policy & procedure?

3. Could acting now have legal or policy consequences?

➡ If No to any → ASK MANAGER FIRST➡ If Yes to all → ✅ Act directly, but document actions in case review is needed.

Step 3 – Crisis / Safety Concern

1. Is the student in immediate danger?

   • Yes → Follow emergency protocol (campus security, 911, mental health crisis line).

   • No → Proceed to Step 4.

     
     

Step 4 – Crisis but Not Immediate

1. Is the student expressing suicidal thoughts but no current plan?

2. Is there a risk of harm to self or others in the near future?

➡ Yes to any → Contact Manager or On-Call Crisis Staff Immediately➡ No → Provide support, document thoroughly, and schedule follow-up/check-in.

Step 5 – Parental or External Involvement

1. Has the student given written consent to share information?

   • Yes → Proceed according to policy.

   • No → Politely decline and explain privacy rules; refer to manager if parent persists.

   
   

Pro Tip for Confidence

Whenever you need to ask a manager, you can phrase it as:

“I want to make sure I’m following our policy correctly in this situation — could you confirm the right process?”This frames you as policy-conscious rather than uncertain.

In conclusion, both the counsellor and the student look different in university than in high school. It may not be a good practice for a counsellor who has savvy experiences in high school to apply his old skills to a university student who is seeking counselling. There must be some adaptation from the counsellor’s perspective. In the meantime, a student who experienced counselling in their high school level may also need to adjust themselves to the style of counselling support in their university because the support might be very different from their previous experiences.