Why students drop out of school and how to prevent them from doing so has been a recurring theme in research literature. Many factors influence the decision to drop out, including student access to counseling. This question of access to counseling is explored in this paper so as to identify variables that can be manipulated through policy decisions to reduce the dropout rate. Using the National Education Longitudinal Study, the dropout behavior between middle school (N=17,424) and high school (N=16,749) students is compared. The results show that eighth graders living in a single-parent family have more access to counseling, as did sophomores living with a guardian or other type of family, than do other students. The students' school behavior and attitudes are significant determinants of access to counseling. Family background also influences dropout behavior, but over time, the negative impact of living in a single-parent family diminishes. Findings also indicate wide differences among ethnic groups. Whereas access to academic counseling is positive for Hispanics and Whites, such access has a negative impact for Blacks on the decision to dropout throughout middle school and high school. The results indicate that providing more academic counseling will reduce Hispanics' and Whites' dropout rates but more research is needed to decipher the dynamics between counselors and Black students. (RJM)