Objectives of this study were to (1) determine student use of counseling in relation to selected structural characteristics of the school counseling situation and personal characteristics of students, (2) obtain student evaluations of counselor helpfulness with educational and occupational planning in relation to structural characteristics of the school counseling situation and personal characteristics of students, and (3) determine the use of counseling services in relation to student educational and occupational aspiration-expectation configurations. Data were collected from a random sample of 15 rural high schools in northeast Alabama. To obtain a longitudinal design, 1,104 sophomores were interviewed in April 1966, and 680 of the same students were reinterviewed in April 1968. The research design involved an analysis of student use of counseling services and students' evaluations of counselor helpfulness in relation to 6 structural characteristics of schools and 5 social characteristics of students. Results revealed that several school and student factors were associated with counseling use, counselor helpfulness ratings, and occupational goals. These data strongly suggested that, among other factors, counseling use and helpfulness evaluations are related to socioeconomic class and residence; however, few structural characteristics of the school are related to counseling use or helpfulness. (Author/LS)