Higher education institutions have been grappling with significant enrollment declines and have urgently implemented retention strategies to sustain their student populations amid shifting demographics and economic challenges (American Association of Community Colleges, 2023; Hanover Research, 2021). However, these programs often neglect the…

High school counselors support students across three areas or domains: academic, socioemotional, and college and career development. Growing confusion and tensions around the time and responsibilities of school counselors have accompanied ever-evolving changes with their roles and coincided with continual efforts to address the K-12 and potential…

High school counselors support students across three areas or domains: academic, socio-emotional, and college and career development. Growing confusion and tensions around the time and responsibilities of school counselors have accompanied ever-evolving changes with their roles and coincided with continual efforts to address the K-12 and potential…

Dual enrollment is an early college opportunity for high school students who are in an eligible high school class with a qualified high school instructor. Research has shown that participation in an early college program like dual enrollment increases college persistence and retention rates post high school. However, students from underrepresented…

While many policy makers attempt to close the educational divide, precollege programs have the ability to creating a college going culture and develop college aspirations throughout the entire K-12 pipeline. Exposure to college culture and the college system grants students opportunities to develop college aspirations, skills, confidence, and…

Grade 7 students are not college-ready because they do not have skills for applying, accessing, or identifying their college needs. Students do not know the opportunities and resources available to help gain acceptance into college and feel they cannot apply for college due to financial, academic, career, or personal reasons. Districts fall short…

Helping students transition from high school to college typically involves creating online transition programs in high school, which could lead to higher retention rates in college. The course developers that create online transition programs for high school-aged students understand that online learning methods are an excellent way to reach more…

Recent research based on the Dweck's mindset theory has shown that persons with a growth mindset who believe traits such as intelligence are malleable may put forth more effort and have greater academic success than those with a fixed mindset. However, little research has been conducted on mindsets of college students, many of whom enter…

Research shows that students who take advanced mathematics courses perform better on measures of college readiness than students who take less rigorous courses. However, no clear effect has been shown on requiring all students to take more advanced courses. This study examined whether increases in the number and level of mathematics courses…

The landmark theoretical model of Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) was developed almost twenty years ago as a critique of American meritocracy and the deficit views of Students of Color (Yosso, 2005). Most research on CCW since that point has been qualitative in nature, specifically in-depth interviews to understand how Students of Color exact…

There is an education gap that exists in our nation. Black students are more likely to encounter obstacles and barriers that are associated with college attainment when compared to their White peers. This study sought to understand factors that hinder college readiness and success among Black students who graduated from The Neighborhood Academy…

First-generation Latina students are applying to four-year universities; however, they are doing so in low numbers. Those who do apply, select community colleges and "Familismo" and "Marianismo" may be hindering them from pursuing four-year schools. Research on first-generation Latina students is replete with data collected…

At the high school level, advanced students are especially hyper-focused on grades, test scores, and college admission. Little information is available on the experiences of participating in these courses from the student's perspective. The purpose of the descriptive phenomenological study was to identify and report the lived experiences of…

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine the high school counselors' perception of their ability to influence low socioeconomic students' postsecondary enrollment decisions in seven Title I high schools in southern California. Perna and Thomas' Student Success model and the Delivery System of the American School…

The work of professional school counselors in helping students achieve academically and increasing their college-going rates is significant work. Research indicates that high school and even middle school is often too late for students to begin the process of college and career planning. This dissertation includes two manuscripts. The first…