The goal of this study was to provide insights on the extent to which high school students receive support for college and career planning, the mechanisms through which they receive this information, and how this varies across students and settings using data from a multi-state, multi-study project focused on advising for postsecondary…

Preparing students for both college and careers has been an explicit national policy objective for more than a decade. Recently, the "College for All" discourse prominent in the early 2000s has faded as more resources and attention have been focused on career-connected learning. New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) has been at the…

Research has shown that ninth grade is uniquely important for student success, yet despite increased investments, leaders aren't always equipped to meet ninth graders' distinct needs. The transition from middle to high school is both critical and complex, as students encounter significant changes during this time, including taking on more advanced…

College choice models have been used since the 1980s to try and explain the processes and influences high school students use to decide if and which college to attend after graduation. These models focused solely on college attendance and lacked attention to the nuanced needs and resources found in rural communities. In this three-paper…

Students with aligned educational and occupational expectations have improved college and labor market outcomes. Despite extensive knowledge about the ways social background and school context contribute to educational expectations, less is known about the role of social intuitions in shaping expectational alignment. Drawing on data from the 2009…

There is a gender gap among females studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors and pursuing STEM careers. More males than females pursue these majors and careers. This study explored how high school counselors influence the choices of STEM majors for female students. The researcher explored the perspectives of seven…

After years of pandemic, lockdowns, remote learning, and anxiety, it is no surprise that high school students are feeling stressed. But how does that stress affect them as they search for colleges? To answer that, RNL and ZeeMee went straight to the source and polled high school seniors about the stress, anxiety, and worry they felt. The…

This Information Capsule utilized National Student Clearinghouse and Senior Exit Survey data to report on the post-secondary plans and college enrollment of Miami-Dade Public Schools' graduates who were part of the 2015-2016 cohort. M-DCPS' four-year graduation rate for students enrolled for the first time in the Fall of 2016 was 47%. This rate…

The research summarized in this paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on student performance on the ACT® test, focusing on students who are Native American. It compares outcomes during the three years preceding the pandemic (2018, 2019, and early 2020) to outcomes in 2021 and 2022 while accounting for changes in the tested population…

Effective alternative high schools service the whole child - academically, socially, emotionally, and developmentally. It is critical to address the needs of the child through wrap-around support services that include Building Positive Relationships, Providing Supportive Safety Nets at School, Offering Counseling Services, Having a Food and…

Students underrepresented in higher education often require unique support throughout their career and college planning. Rural Appalachian youth characterize a large population of underrepresented students. This article describes a theory-based multiweek career education curriculum aimed at increasing career and college readiness that was…

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…

Based on the experiences of 15 Latina/o undocumented parents, this qualitative study identifies three distinct ways Latina/o immigrant parents understand their role in their children's post-secondary aspirations: "confident partners," "motivational supporters," and "uncertain spectators." By comparing and contrasting…

This qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions and experiences of local homeless liaisons supporting students experiencing homelessness who are preparing for and transitioning to college. Findings suggest that when it comes to preparing students experiencing homelessness for college, liaisons are very involved by addressing students'…

Most college readiness reforms in high school focus on academic preparation for college, while underprepared students who do not intend to enroll in college are often left underserved. Using a unique source of data from essays written by students, we examine the role that high schools play in supporting students who test below college-ready in…