The purpose of this study was to understand how counselor educators perceive their gatekeeping role in assessing prospective students' personal characteristics as a relevant factor in graduate program admissions screening. A literature review revealed the subject of gatekeeping and evaluating learners for intellectual, interpersonal, and ethical competencies are important to the profession of counseling. However, there was a lack of research into the work of screening program applicants as a function of gatekeeping in the counseling profession. Thus, the research question explored the meaning faculty participants assigned to the graduate-level admissions screening process, their role and perceived value of that role, the evaluation of program applicants' personal characteristics or personal capacity to perform competently, and supports needed to effectively carry out adequate graduate-level admissions screening. A generic qualitative research design was selected to conduct semi-structured interviews with multiple, topic-directed, open-ended questions for data collection. Twelve counselor educators from accredited programs and multiple regions of the United States with experience in admissions screening for graduate-level counselor education programs made up the target population for this dissertation study. The invitation to participate in this study was distributed via email to a listserv group and there were no demographic parameters (e.g., age, race, gender, years of experience, etc.) established in the selection of the research sample. The researcher worked independently to collect, transcribe, and analyze the research data giving attention to diligent memoing, journaling, and bracketing practices of qualitative data analysis. The findings indicated admissions screening is the first gate in gatekeeping for the profession. Highlighted narratives showed concern for program quality, informing and protecting students, and professional advocacy. The character and fitness of program candidates were being evaluated during program admissions screening to not only benefit the cohort, the profession, and to protect future clients, but also with the best interest of candidates in mind. Furthermore, the participants' insights provided awareness of the potential for enhancing support from university administrations, department chairs, faculty peers, research studies, and training offerings for counselor educators carrying out the gatekeeper responsibility. Consequently, the emerging consensus from the research participants regarding the counseling profession's graduate admissions screening processes is that these processes are an important responsibility entered into conscientiously and collaboratively while at risk of inconsistency, subjectivity, and need for improvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]