A sample of 204 counseling students and counselors with differing levels of experience and education from Utah colleges, universities, and public schools was asked to rate themselves and the ideal counselor on 38 semantic differential scales. Discrepancy scores derived from self-ideal differences were analyzed and found to support the hypotheses that inexperienced counseling students report greater self-ideal counselor discrepancies than experienced counselors. The differences dissolved, however, when the effects of increased formal training achieved by experienced counselors were controlled. Indices of both experience and formal training were shown to be related to reduction in counselors' self-ideal counselor discrepancy scores. Experience and formal training were also shown to be interactive, and when their interaction effects were partialed out, counseling experience was shown to have a greater influence on reducing discrepancy scores than was level of formal training. (Author)