How effective do you think student counsellors have been in advising students in the choice of their profession?

They should only present options. Choice will always have to be taken by the individual seeking advice. They need to take full responsibility for their own choices. That said, you will be able to find bad as good counselors. The bad ones influence their students making choices based on the counselors preferences, and not what the student themselves will conclude based on the given options in the situation.

They suggested that I become a bus driver. I chose a career path in business. 

For some kids, trying to figure out what work they want to do is one of the most difficult decisions of their lives. It is fraught with the uncertainty of not knowing whether it will be the right choice.

A good vocational counselor can help by doing a series of tests on aptitude, personality, values, and preferences, which will narrow the choice down to several options.

This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at November 13, 2016 9:16 PM MST