Access to higher education has been critical in financial stability; however, not all individuals have equal access to higher education. More specifically, students who have been identified as underrepresented, including those who are low-income, first-generation, or a minority, face several challenges in gaining access to college. There are several resources and programs that are geared toward helping these students gain college access. The literature suggests that high school counselors play an important role in aiding underrepresented students in college access. Literature also indicates that school culture has implications in student college enrollment. With this considered, it is vital to discover how both perceived roles and the actual role of the high school counselor combined the overall school culture impacts college access of underrepresented students to answer the question of -- "Is the role of the high school counselor differentiated by the school culture and how does perceived roles of the high school counselor impact college access for underrepresented students?" The goal of this study was to address the challenges and barriers that are faced by underrepresented students in gaining access to post-secondary education, assess how the high school counselor and school culture can make an impact on their college access. The 9 Principles of the College Going Culture Survey was utilized to assess teachers, counselors, and administrators within the Lafayette Parish School System, regarding their perceptions of their respective schools and population of students they serve. The study sample included 134 participants out of 739 completed the 9 Principles of the College Going Culture survey. The study was based on 3 main concepts, including underrepresented students, high school counselor, and school culture. Each of the concepts were connected by organizational culture theory guiding the study. The results indicated no differentiation of college going culture levels by school roles; however, there was differentiation between principles of the college going culture, more specifically, clear expectations and family involvement. Additionally, the implementation of the college going culture exhibits a higher score among participants who believe a major duty of the high school counselor is to provide social/emotional counseling. Findings also suggests that the implementation of the college going culture is differentiated by the percentage of underrepresented students served by participants. With this being considered, a school's culture and the role of the high school counselor are both critical as they relate to college access for underrepresented students. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]