Access to higher education remains a challenge for many students who face academic and informational barriers to college entry. This guide targets high schools and school districts, and focuses on effective practices that prepare students academically for college, assist them in completing the steps to college entry, and improve their likelihood of enrolling in college. The guide contains specific steps on how to implement the recommendations that are targeted at school- and district-level administrators, teachers, counselors, and related education staff. The guide also indicates the level of research evidence demonstrating that each recommended practice is effective. This practice guide includes five recommendations for how high schools and school districts can improve access to higher education. The first two recommendations focus on preparing students academically for college by offering a college preparatory curriculum and assessing whether students are building the knowledge and skills needed for college. These two recommendations reflect the panel's belief that students are best served when schools develop a culture of achievement and a culture of evidence. The next recommendation describes how high schools can build and sustain college aspirations by surrounding students with adults and peers who support these aspirations. Recommendations 4 and 5 explain how high schools can assist students in completing the critical steps to college entry, including college entrance exams and college and financial aid applications. Appended to this guide are: (1) Postscript from the Institute of Education Sciences; (2) About the authors; (3) Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest; and (4) Technical information on the studies. (Contains 5 tables, 5 exhibits, and 264 footnotes.) This report was prepared for the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences by the What Works Clearinghouse, a project of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.]