Achieving the Dream: The High School Counselor Role in Supporting the Transition of Undocumented College-Bound Latino/A Students

School counselors are in a unique position to support undocumented students as they pursue higher education. However, there is little research exploring what counselors are implementing in their schools to maximize the success of this underserved population. This study looks at the strategies counselors are employing to construct their role as well as the challenges they are facing when supporting college-bound undocumented students. Using a phenomenological approach, data was gathered from 14 school counselors across 10 school districts within the Central Valley in California. The findings revealed that counselors recognized their role in delivering college information and resources, connecting with parents, communities, and colleges, providing direct counseling services to students, and advocacy efforts as it applies to make higher education equitable for undocumented students. However, school counselors are still facing challenges when counseling this group of students. These included inadequate counselor training and resources, time constraints, difficulty identifying undocumented students, and the lack of support from district and administrative leaders.