The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of the social and economic lives of individuals, families, and communities. It also highlighted and deepened existing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities. Education, too, was negatively impacted by the pandemic. Research has provided ample evidence about the challenges related to learning…

This article explores the college-choice processes of two college students who graduated high school from rural areas in New York State. Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) three-stage model of the college-choice process was used as the theoretical framework for this study. To gain in-depth knowledge about students' predisposition, search, and choice…

While much research has examined lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ+) students' high school and college-going experiences, few studies have explored what LGBQ+ students consider during their college choice process. Utilizing Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) three-stage college choice model, this study analyzed 14 semi-structured interviews with…

Earning a college degree in the United States, especially from a college or university deemed elite or prestigious, is seen as the path to a more financially secure and prosperous life for the student and their family. Competition for financial aid or admission to top-ranked colleges and universities is fierce. For this reason, families of all…

Despite growing diversity among Asian Americans, little attention has been given to the diverse experiences and outcomes of Asian American subgroups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Using a nationally representative data set, High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this study examines Asian American…

This brief examines which students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) are more likely to earn the STEM endorsement and whether STEM endorsement completion predicts college enrollment. Analyses show that gender, STEM magnet program enrollment, and cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) predict STEM endorsement completion.…

There remains a need in education scholarship to understand how social processes act across levels to influence one another, drive cultural norms, and direct students' postsecondary pursuits, with careful consideration of students' held identities and the communities in which they are embedded. Utilizing narrative constitution of identity and the…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to gain insights into the activities and outcomes associated with participation in the Temple Education Scholars (TES) dual enrollment program, an initiative for seniors attending high school in a large city in the Northeast region of the United States. The objectives of this study are twofold: (1) to…

Leveraging rich data on the universe of Texas high school graduates, we estimate how the relationship between geographic access to public two- and four-year postsecondary institutions and postsecondary outcomes varies across race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status. We find that students are sensitive to the distance they must travel to access…

Colleges and Universities continuously attempt to increase enrollment each year; while prospective students struggle to gauge whether a degree offers a clear and articulable return on investment. The purpose of this action research study is to investigate influencing enrollment factors (hereinafter "factors) that determine a prospective…

COVID-19 has changed the college search and selection process. Transforming the focus according to student need will continue to be important to support and recruit the next class. Some experts say the pandemic will forever change higher education and young people's attitudes about it, but others believe the crisis has shown most colleges can…

Objective: Concurrent enrollment programming is on the rise in the United States. Offering authentic college coursework to high school students has been shown to increase college enrollment, persistence, and graduation, as well as cut down on cost and time to degree. This study provides perspectives on concurrent enrollment directly from students.…

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to understand how a knowledge-building intervention changes the perception of rural high school juniors on the perception of staying local for college after high school. This study also investigates the ways in which participants used their social capital to begin to change the stigma of…

When do students start the college planning process? How many plan to take the SAT or ACT? How much do they value a college degree? RNL and Halda surveyed more than 2,200 high school students to answer these and many other key questions. Read our 32-page college planning report and discover a wealth of findings on: (1) when students start to…

Relying on a multitude of studies from the college choice literature, I propose an updated model of college going and choice that draws on four conceptual, theoretical, and analytic approaches. With guidance from the economic, sociological, information processing, and combined theories of college choice, I situate my proposed framework within this…