Abstract
Despite the importance and universality of academic counseling, minimal research has been conducted on academic counseling in higher education, primarily when focusing on the virtual counseling modality. In this phenomenological study, we sought to understand the lived experiences of
community college students as they engaged in face-to-face counseling sessions before the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that students' experiences are centered around these primary themes: (a) counselor availability; (b) rapport builder;
(c) validation; (d) staying positive; and (e) feeling capable. In addition, findings demonstrated that community college students experienced favorable counseling sessions and had a smooth and positive transition into a virtual modality. Additionally, this study reported a positive and approving
perception of face-to-face and virtual counseling sessions. Finally, this study revealed that participants' experiences with academic counseling, regardless of the modality, maximize their potential for achieving their desired educational outcomes.