proposal is important for all educational personnel, for students, and for students' families.
Discussion and Examination of the Theoretical Rationale
College selection (placement) guidance has been a function of high school guidance services since the earliest days of formalized high school counseling practice (Alaniz, 1990, pp. 49-61). An historical overview suggests, however, that placement philosophy in high school guidance programs has been changing since around 1915. There has been an increasing array of choices for consumers of all types of goods and services in American society. Individuals have, over the past several decades, became consumers with the power to demand variety in choice and quality. In some respects, the consumerism trend has been mandated by political and economic power. Along with this power comes the knowledge that purchases, which are made in every area of life, should be made with a clear knowledge of the quality of the goods, and with some assurance that those goods will meet the needs of the purchaser. In this same context, college attendance is treated as a commodity, which is to be purchased, and which in turn must meet the needs of the student. The student, together with her or his parents, therefore, conduct searches for colleges that will meet their specific needs. College choice also has come to be viewed as an integral element in the determination of the future economic and social status of an individual. This set of factors creates a marketing arena in which colleges must make their particular strengths known to and appear attractive to prospective students.
From a narrow perspective, placement can be defined as a service by which schools assist their students in making the transitions to their next endeavors(Wirth-Bond, 1991, pp. 131-137). Usually, that next endeavor involves either further education or training, or employment. Placement may be classified into two c...