ACT Newsroom & Blog

 

By: Tina Gridiron, chief equity and impact officers, ACT's Center for Equity in Learning

 

College admissions has become substantially more complex since many institutions have implemented “test-optional” policies. ACT’s new State & Federal Policy issue brief, “How Standardized Tests Make College Admissions Fairer,” sheds light on the important role standardized tests play in supporting fair and equitable admission policies.

The brief explains how standardized tests, like the ACT test, offer an objective measure of academic readiness that ensures students, regardless of their background, have a fair chance to show what they have learned and are ready for after high school.

Drawing on research from Opportunity Insights, a team of researchers and policy analysts based at Harvard University, the brief also shows how test scores can often be stronger predictors of college success than high school GPA alone, as shown in the figure below. By including test scores as part of a holistic admission approach, colleges gain a fuller picture of each student’s readiness and ability to thrive in a rigorous environment.

Predictive Reliability

For Native American Heritage Month, ACT is pleased to feature student voices from the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (VTEC) Native Youth Community Project (NYCP). VTEC’s NYCP grant serves Indigenous youth by addressing the college and career readiness needs of high school students who are citizens of Virginia-based tribal nations. ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning and VTEC have worked together to support the postsecondary and workforce preparation, access, and success of these students. Through this collaboration, we are cohosting college and career information sessions, providing vouchers for students to take the ACT assessment for free, and exploring creative ways to showcase Indigenous students’ success as they progress in their college and career journeys.

This blog spotlights Native American students Armand Azocar and Lorelai Everheart as they share their college and career goals, inspirations, and advice for other Indigenous students, highlighting their journeys through the support of VTEC and ACT.

What are your academic and professional aspirations?

Armand Azocar, junior, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco, California; Upper Mattaponi Tribe in King William, Virginia:

After high school, I intend to pursue a college education in either interior design or industrial design. I also have a strong interest in exercise science and plan to attend college in Colorado to further my competitive cycling career.

Lorelei Everheart, senior, Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California; Pamunkey Indian Tribe in King William, Virginia: I am excited to pursue a college education in architecture. My goal is to design buildings that are environmentally sustainable and work with local ecosystems. I plan to incorporate traditional Indigenous designs and develop new architectural styles inspired by the art and heritage of my tribe.

What challenges have you faced in pursuing your education goals and preparing for your future career?

Armand: I have been fortunate not to encounter major obstacles in pursuing my educational goals or preparing for my future career. However, my high school is in a district that frequently has a lack of resources, which created challenges, particularly during my first two years. At that time, I struggled to keep my grades up because many teachers seemed uninterested, and the coursework felt disconnected from real-world issues. As a junior, I am enrolled in four AP classes, which has been a more positive experience. The courses are engaging and challenging, and my teachers are passionate about their subjects, which makes learning more enjoyable.

In addition to academics, I am also working on my career in professional cycling, which is expensive. To support this goal, I work as a bicycle coach at Wheel Kids to help cover the costs and gain experience in the field.

Lorelai: I experienced opposition to my indigenous approach to design in an art class. It was a painful experience, but it reinforced my belief that it is important to push for the recognition of indigenous designs to increase awareness of our contributions to society.

If you received assistance in applying to college, what kinds of support did VTEC provide that you found most helpful? (For example, one-on-one application guidance, financial aid night, college fair, help from a family member, etc.)

Armand: My mom is a professor, so she has been really helpful in figuring out how to apply and get financial aid.

Lorelai: I am grateful for the ACT college preparation I received from VTEC. Having access to such supportive resources has made a meaningful difference in my journey, and I am proud to have scored in the top 1%. I also owe a special thank you to my mom, who has been my biggest supporter. Her encouragement and guidance in school and planning for my future have been invaluable to me.

What advice or suggestions do you have for Indigenous students or people supporting Indigenous students as they navigate their education and career success journey?

Armand: I believe building strong social and emotional connections between each other is one of the most important things we can do as Indigenous people as we navigate our education and future careers.

Lorelai: I have four pieces of advice for students who plan to apply for college:

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, as we honor the rich history, culture, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans to the United States, ACT is pleased to spotlight student voices from the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA). TEDNA is dedicated to empowering Tribal nations to serve their youth with the tools to succeed culturally, academically, and beyond. Over the years, ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning and TEDNA have collaborated on several programs and resources to advance college and career readiness and increase access to choices in education among Native students nationwide.

IOWA CITY, IA — High school students view their GPAs as only one piece of their overall academic performance, and they use multiple factors to decide whether they are ready for college courses, according to two studies released today by ACT.

These findings have important implications for the college admission process. Colleges should consider the variability of grading standards and nonacademic factors influencing GPA as part of the admission process. Additionally, high schools can play an important role in helping students learn about different metrics to evaluate their academic readiness, as well as the meaning and limitation of each metric.

“The findings underscore how colleges should continue to use a holistic approach to admission, encompassing a broader range of academic achievements, rather than placing too much of an emphasis on GPA — especially as research is showing widespread grade inflation in the aftermath of the height of the pandemic,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “This research is also important to identifying ways that high schools can better support students in achieving a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of their readiness for higher education.”

The research surveyed high school students about how they would evaluate their own academic preparedness for college and whether they felt their grades accurately reflect how well they have mastered course content. Researchers compared the students’ responses with their ACT test results and found that students who accurately evaluated their academic preparedness were more likely to use multiple sources of evidence in addition to their GPA — such as difficulty of high school courses, grades in college credit-bearing courses taken in high school, and standardized test scores.

Additionally, students with A averages were more likely than students with B averages to strongly agree that their grades reflected their content mastery. This indicates differing interpretations of high school GPA and shows how students may not have a clear understanding about how high school GPA is calculated.

The research reinforces the need for a more equitable approach to college admission, particularly regarding high school GPAs. The research indicates that while students perceive their GPAs as fair when comparing peers from the same school, concerns about fairness emerge when comparing students from different educational contexts.

“By encouraging students to showcase their capabilities through various metrics, colleges can better assess readiness for higher education,” said Dr. Edgar I. Sanchez, a principal research scientist at ACT who co-authored both studies. “Additionally, these studies highlight the need to educate students about different measures of academic preparedness, so they can advocate for themselves effectively.”

Based on these findings, there are several actions high schools can take to better help students prepare academically. Schools can guide students to utilize various academic measures, encourage enrollment in college credit-bearing courses, and focus on developing strong study skills. By implementing these strategies, schools can better support students in achieving a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of their readiness for higher education.

The research is based on two new studies in ACT’s Student Voice Survey Series. The first surveyed students on their perspectives of how their GPA reflects their mastery of a subject. The second study surveyed students on what academic preparedness means to them and what evidence they use to evaluate their academic preparedness. The studies included a sample of nearly 2,000 students nationwide who were surveyed between September and November 2023.

Key findings:

High School Students’ Perceptions of High School GPA, by Edgar I Sanchez, Ph.D., Joyce Z. Schnieders, Ph.D., Becky L. Bobek, Ph.D.

• High school GPA was the most common metric students used by students to evaluate academic readiness.
• Nearly one-quarter (22%) of students with an A-level high school GPA strongly agreed that their grades reflected their content mastery, while only 5% of students with a B-level GPA expressed the same confidence.
• 83% of students used two or more metrics in their assessment of academic readiness.
• 36% of respondents utilized all four metrics examined: high school GPA, standardized test scores, difficulty level of high school courses, and grades in college credit-bearing courses taken in high school.
• Among students using two metrics, the most common combination was high school GPA and standardized test scores (35%). The second most common combination was the difficulty level of high school courses and grades in college credit-bearing courses (20%).

High School Students’ Perspectives on Academic Preparedness for College, by Joyce Z. Schnieders, Ph.D., Becky L. Bobek, Ph.D., & Edgar I Sanchez, Ph.D.

• When describing academic preparedness for college, many students highlighted that it meant being ready for the rigor and pace of college courses, along with adjusting to the teaching styles in college courses.
• A majority of students self-rated themselves as academically prepared for first-year college courses (believing they had at least a 50% chance of earning a B or higher). ACT compared students’ self-rated academic preparedness in first-year college courses with whether they met the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks using their ACT subject scores.
• For English, 97% of students rated themselves as academically prepared; of those students, 82% met ACT benchmark, but 15% did not.
• For math, 89% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 61% met ACT benchmark, but 28% did not.
• For reading, 95% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 64% met ACT benchmark, but 31% did not.
• For science, 87% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 55% met ACT benchmark, but 32% did not.

About ACT

ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.  

Contact: publicrelations@act.org

 

Each November, ACT celebrates National College Application Month. It’s a time to increase awareness of the ways we can expand access for all students to high-quality education experiences beyond high school, and to intentionally support and celebrate high school seniors throughout the college application and admission process.

This year, we are seeing troubling new data indicating that fewer freshmen are enrolling in college – including institutions that serve high percentages of students from low-income families. That makes it even more crucial to mark this month with programs, ceremonies, and activities designed to encourage students to plan for college. States including Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, and New York have issued proclamations or announcements recognizing these efforts. College Application Campaigns in these states and others across the U.S. are taking extra steps to encourage seniors who are still deciding where to apply to get those applications submitted.

Learn more about National College Application Month in the video from Lisa King, director of ACT’s American College Application Campaign. Then, access the resources below to support your National College Application Month activities.


Additional links:

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A record-high 78% of ACT exam takers who graduated in 2024 tested through State and District programs that provide school-day testing at no cost to students, according to new data released by ACT.

“Every student deserves to understand their readiness for life after high school,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “When students are able to test during the school day at no cost to them, it opens doors to postsecondary, scholarship, and career opportunities for many students who didn’t know that college could be an option. These states, districts, and schools are removing barriers and helping ensure students remain steadfast on their paths from high school to college and career — and are helping strengthen their communities in the process.”

ACT — the mission-driven provider of assessments, research, and work-ready credentials — has partnerships with state departments of education and local school districts that have helped increase the number of students who participate in school-day testing. These programs help remove financial and access barriers and help students understand their potential for success in college.

“Since 2014, Alabama has ensured that every student has the opportunity to take the ACT,” said Dr. Eric Mackey, state superintendent of the Alabama State Department of Education. “We celebrate the strides we've made in reducing barriers to testing, which has helped open doors for countless students to either pursue postsecondary education or enter the workforce — whatever path they feel is right for them. Although we’ve made progress, we’re committed to addressing the remaining challenges and ensuring every student has the opportunity to get a holistic view of their college and career readiness.”

While the percentage of students testing during the school day grew in comparison to self-selected weekend testing, average scores remained steady. The national average ACT Composite score for the high school class of 2024 — students who were freshmen during the first full year of COVID-19 learning disruptions — was 19.4, comparable to the 19.5 average for the class of 2023.

Additionally, 30% of 2024 high school graduates met three or four of ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks in English, math, reading, and science, while 57% met one or more benchmark. Students who meet the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks have a roughly 50% chance of earning a B or better in the corresponding first-year college courses and a roughly 75% chance of earning a C or better.

ACT data from prior graduating classes shows that 84% of students who have met all four benchmarks graduate with postsecondary degrees within six years. Only 38% of students who meet zero benchmarks and 56% of students meeting one benchmark graduate in that time.

Additional Research Findings:

• Roughly 1.4 million high school seniors took the ACT test, comparable to last year’s total.
• The average ACT Superscore, which is the average of a student’s best scores from each section across multiple test attempts, was 19.9.
• Twenty-six percent of PreACT test takers who said they didn’t plan to attend college ended up enrolling.
• Fifty-eight percent of high schoolers who took the ACT WorkKeys assessment from 2022-2024 qualified for the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate at a Silver level or higher, meaning they demonstrated essential foundational skills for the majority of jobs in the U.S.

About the Data

The data released include ACT test score results from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including 23 states with required or optional statewide school-day testing programs. View the data using the data visualization tool.

About ACT

ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of educational research, ACT’s assessments, learning resources, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.  

Contact: Allie Ciaramella;  allie.ciaramella@act.org

To commemorate their journeys from application to graduation, ACT has invited these scholars to share their stories. Jennifer Bui is a first-generation Asian American college student at Kirkwood Community College, pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing. Following her graduation in spring 2025, she plans to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Iowa with hopes to one day achieve her dream job of becoming a nurse practitioner.

Who was your motivation for going to college?

My parents are my biggest motivation to go to college. I always knew that I wanted to go to college, but with my parents' support and motivation to excel in school, it made me want to go to college even more and get a degree in the major of my choosing. Having two immigrant parents and seeing how hard they worked to support me made me want to go to college and get an education because I was put in a position to be able to.

What are you currently studying? What degree do you hope to earn?

I’m currently finishing up my prerequisite courses to enter the nursing program and obtain an Associate Degree in Nursing at Kirkwood. After that, I plan on furthering my education at the University of Iowa and obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and going back to school to become a nurse practitioner.

Why did you select this area of study?

I selected the medical field – specifically nursing – because I've always known I wanted to be something in the medical field. In high school, I obtained my certified nursing assistant license and realized that I wanted to be a nurse and help people.

Who inspired or supported you in your college-going journey?

My parents supported me, but my aunt inspired me and showed me that college is possible. Seeing my aunt go to college and go through her own journey and the hardships she faced but persevered through inspired me at a young age, making me want to go to college and be a first-generation college student.

What was the biggest challenge you faced as a college student and how are you working to overcome it?

My biggest challenge as a college student would be time management. Finding a balance between my personal and school life has helped a lot with time management and self-discipline.

What advice would you give to a first-generation college student today?

Keep on going and enjoy the time you are at college. Joining new clubs, making friends, and excelling in your schoolwork are all things that are beneficial and something all college students should try to achieve.

What goals have you set for yourself? How do you plan to achieve them?

My main goals are to excel in school and graduate from Kirkwood and the University of Iowa and get my degrees. I hope to achieve this by getting better at self-discipline and time management.

What does this ACT scholarship mean to you?

The ACT scholarship means a lot to me and I'm very appreciative and grateful to have been awarded this scholarship. This scholarship has helped me with the financial burdens that can come with college and has helped me to further my education.

By: Jasen Jones, program director, Workforce Strategies and National Partnerships

U.S. residents who identify as Latino – or Hispanic, Chicano, Latinx, or other parts of this broad community – have the highest labor force participation rate of any racial group in the nation and are projected to represent one in five workers by 2031. Because of the size and potential of this population, it’s critical to fully engage these workers and leaders, particularly as employers face continued skill shortages in nearly every labor category.

In the lead-up to Hispanic Heritage Month and the 2024 ACT Workforce Summit, I had an enlightening discussion with Deborah Santiago, CEO and co-founder of Excelencia in Education. ACT has a longstanding partnership with Excelencia, which is celebrating 20 years of service as the premier source of information on accelerating Latino student success in higher education to enhance our workforce, leadership, and economy. Our conversation touched on such timely topics as stackable credentials, providing services for career advancement, and connecting Latino talent to employers.

“It feels like sometimes we're kind of a hidden gem in our workforce environment,” Santiago says. “In this challenging environment, when we have a dearth of the workforce that we need, let's meet this Latino community – all communities – where they're at, and be a partner with these communities in ways that advance into to higher wages, livable wages, so that this community can flourish and all of our communities can flourish.”

Listen to the podcast to learn:

• What Excelencia research says about where Latinos are earning degrees, and how employers can reach these graduates to ensure they are equitably represented across all levels of the U.S. workforce, including ownership, management, and high-wage opportunities.
• How to debunk common myths about the Latino workforce.
• The importance of partnerships across businesses, colleges, and other segments of the workforce ecosystem in meeting employer demand.
• The secret ingredient to effective community-based organizations and services.
• How a training program at one of the largest and most diverse colleges in the U.S. achieved a 100% job placement rate, and other lessons for employers from the 39 institutions to receive the Seal of Excelencia, a certification recognizing colleges and universities that are intentionally serving Latino students.

Additional links:

Find more episodes of the ACT Ready for Work podcast.

Access ACT Workforce Solutions.

Learn about the 2024 ACT Workforce Summit happening Oct. 2-4 in Atlanta.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Today ACT, the mission-driven provider of assessments, research, and work-ready credentials designed to support education and workplace success, announced the appointment of Ramit Varma to its board of directors. As an accomplished ed tech innovator, Varma will bring a wealth of wisdom and experience using transformative technology to solve systemic problems. Varma will serve a three-year term on ACT’s Board of Directors.

“The entire team at ACT is excited to welcome a leader like Ramit to the board,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “We look forward to benefiting from his strategic thinking and innovation mindset as ACT offers new ways to help all people achieve education and workplace success, and we are honored that he will advise us as we continue our efforts to support learners and their champions.”

Varma takes a unique, forward-thinking view on AI technologies. His passion lies in ensuring AI tools are used to find optimal solutions for global needs. Over the past decades his work as a founder of education companies shows an impressive track record of merging technology with curriculum and instruction to unlock learner potential. For Varma innovation begins by focusing on the need, and tools are in the background to enable transformative change.

Varma’s accomplishments during a long and distinguished career in ed tech and higher education prepare him to make significant impact on ACT’s Board. He is CEO and co-founder of Breakout Learning, an AI-powered platform designed to facilitate meaningful small-group discussions that inspire critical thinking and peer-to-peer interaction. He also co-founded Revolution Prep, pioneering online tutoring in a first-of-its-kind online match of tutors and students. As a lecturer at top business schools and an in-demand keynote speaker, he has taught on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Varma holds an MBA from UCLA and a BS in electrical engineering.

Varma will be joining the board with Karen Cator, Bethlam Forsa, Damian Giangiacomo, Evan Glucoft, Janet Godwin, Tony Miller, and Steve Tapp.


About ACT
ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.

Contact: Allie Ciaramella; allie.ciaramella@act.org

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A new study examining the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the predictive validity of high school grade point average (HSGPA) and ACT Composite scores has uncovered significant changes in how these metrics forecast first-year college performance. The research, conducted by ACT, reveals that while the predictive power of high school GPA has notably decreased since 2020, ACT Composite scores have remained a reliable indicator of students' early college success.

Early success in college has been shown to be an indicator of successful and timely degree completion. HSGPA and standardized test scores such as those from the ACT have been used to predict a student’s first-year college GPA (FYGPA), which offers insights for students to better prepare for higher education and for colleges to identify students who may need additional support.

ACT researchers reviewed and analyzed students’ ACT Composite scores, self-reported HSGPAs, and official FYGPAs. The researchers used HSGPA and ACT Composite score to predict a student’s FYGPA, and then analyzed how these predictions differed from the student’s actual FYGPA.

The research found a rise in the mean HSGPA from 3.44 in 2017 to 3.59 in 2021. At the same time, ACT Composite scores decreased from 22.51 in 2018 to 21.90 in 2021.

“When you examine how these trends correspond with first-year college GPA, our research demonstrates that after the onset of the pandemic, high school GPA has become a less consistent predictor while ACT Composite scores have shown relative stability in predicting first-year GPA,” said Dr. Edgar I. Sanchez, a lead research scientist at ACT and author of the report. “In light of these findings, we must reevaluate the predictive power of high school grades and use a more holistic approach for predicting student success, so students have an accurate assessment of how they’re likely to perform in their first year of college.”

As colleges work to ensure they are accurately evaluating students as part of the admission process, and education grapples with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study’s findings provide important considerations for how colleges can best evaluate student performance.

“As many colleges increasingly rely on high school GPA for admission, course placement, and scholarship decisions — particularly with standardized test scores becoming optional — understanding and addressing the effect of grade inflation is more critical than ever,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “Accurate assessment of academic readiness is essential for supporting students effectively and ensuring they are prepared for the challenges of higher education.”

The study is based on an analytical sample of 40,194 students across 10 postsecondary institutions. Based on these findings, colleges and other decision makers should consider a more holistic approach, in which HSGPA and ACT Composite score combined provide a unique value and nuanced prediction of student FYGPA. Using both HSGPA and ACT Composite score together improved predictions of FYGPA more effectively than using either measure alone, according to the study.

Key findings:

• The onset of the pandemic saw significant grade inflation in high schools. This study demonstrates that after the onset of the pandemic, HSGPA has become a less consistent predictor of FYGPA.
• The relationship between ACT Composite score and predicted FYGPA has remained stable across all cohorts indicating that the ACT Composite score was and remains a consistent predictor of FYGPA despite the pandemic.
• Using both HSGPA and ACT Composite score together improved predictions of FYGPA more effectively than using either measure alone.
• The mean ACT Composite score slightly decreased from 22.34 (2017) to 21.90 (2021).
• The mean HSGPA increased from 3.44 (2017) to 3.59 (2021).
• The mean FYGPA showed a steady increase from 2.81 (2017) to 2.92 (2019), dropped to 2.78 (2020), and then rebounded to 2.84 (2021).

About ACT
ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.  

Contact: Allie Ciaramella; allie.ciaramella@act.org

By: Lisa King, director, American College Application Campaign

#WhyApply Day is a celebratory day each year when students, school staff, families, and higher education advocates show their support for those pursuing secondary education. This day sheds light on the importance of applying to college and is meant to inspire those who have yet to decide. Please join us on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, on your favorite social media platform (e.g., TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X) and share why you believe students should apply to college, using the hashtag #WhyApply. Follow the conversation on ACAC's official Facebook and X accounts.

“Why should I apply to college?” This is a question many students ask themselves. Here are just some of the reasons college applications can seem daunting and ultimately not get completed: a lack of motivation, financial concerns, uncertainty about where to attend, long application processes, and being a first-generation student without family or friends who could provide insight.

But the “why” in the question is what speaks to the bigger picture of college. It’s not just about doing what everyone expects of you. It’s about the opportunities provided by attending and giving your future self the best chance at success.

When asked what inspired her to apply to college, Missouri 2024 Hume High School graduate and University of Central Missouri student Emily Wadel said, “The possibility of what I could be and what I could do in the future with my degree [...] The connections and the people are incredible and the memories you’ll make — good and bad — will shape you into a better person.”

And what could some of those good memories be? Studying abroad, learning about new cultures, navigating through self-discovery and independence in a healthy environment, joining extracurricular clubs and activities, and more.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Thirty-nine percent of students agreed they had trouble finding the information they were seeking when gathering information to learn about postsecondary education options, according to a new study. The study, released today by ACT — the mission-driven provider of assessments, research, and work-ready credentials designed to support education and workplace success — surveyed students in Grades 11 and 12 about resources they use for college information gathering, including whether they had difficulty finding information about colleges, the sources they used to learn about college, and the sources they found most helpful.

A troubling finding from the study is that there are disparities in access to information. The study examined how college information gathering differs based on the family incomes of students, parental education level, and a student’s race/ethnicity. While about one-third (34%) of white students indicated they had difficulties finding the college information they wanted, a higher percentage (44%) of Asian and Black students reported difficulties with finding college information.

“Deciding what college or postsecondary option is best for you can be overwhelming, yet there has been little examination of what sources students consider helpful for learning about college,” said Research Scientist Dr. Joyce Z. Schnieders, who authored the report along with Principal Research Scientist Dr. Becky L. Bobek. “We found 78% percent of students agreed that the more information they used, the more confident they felt in making a college or major decision. Yet these findings also show there is a staggering information gap for today’s students that requires immediate attention from postsecondary institutions and high school staff who aid students in making the momentous decision about whether to pursue postsecondary education — and, if so, at what institution they want to pursue it.”

By: Yoruba Butler, strategy director for postsecondary success, Alabama Possible

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, when students meet one-on-one with a school counselor to discuss their future, they are 3.2 times more likely to attend college.

Every fall, ACT’s American College Application Campaign (ACAC) hosts the #WhyApply social media campaign to encourage students nationwide to apply to college as they plan for their futures. This year, more high schools than ever before participated in ACAC events, helping more than 467,000 seniors submit at least one college application in school, during the school day. A vital part of the campaign’s success is the support efforts of high school counselors and advisors, who guide students through the college application process as part of the ACAC.

As high schools across the country prepare for #WhyApply 2024, Yoruba Butler, strategy director for postsecondary success at Alabama Possible who works closely with the Alabama State Department of Education, discusses the crucial role of high school counselors and advisors in supporting college application success and eliminating barriers to college access.

As a statewide entity, Alabama Possible, through its Alabama Goes to College Campaign works hand-in-hand with Alabama educators to provide them with resources that ease their responsibilities with the college application and admissions process. The campaign offers FAFSA assistance to educators and their students through a help desk and professional development webinars. Whether we meet in person or virtually, our goal is to provide the best assistance that promotes a college-and-career-going culture at their schools.

First, we want to express our deep appreciation for Alabama’s exceptional educators. They have one of the most challenging jobs, and their dedication deserves recognition!

Students thrive when given clear processes. Providing them with a breakdown of dates, timelines, and milestones can reduce stress and improve their ability to complete items in a timely manner. A student’s senior year is already challenging with responsibilities that may have nothing to do with their postsecondary experience — students have familial obligations in addition to their homework, the college application process, and any extracurricular activities or memberships with high school auxiliaries. With this in mind, educators can alleviate some stressors and provide emotional support by encouraging students to remain aware of submission dates and deadlines. They can help students be proactive by creating a tracking document to monitor what steps they have completed and the ones they still have to address. Tracking their progress enables students to see the amount of progress they have made.

Another possible avenue to minimize some of their stressors could be hosting an event focusing on “transparency.” In these events, students freely share concerns with their classmates and discuss various strategies that may have worked or perhaps did not work so well. Openly sharing their experiences allows students to collectively realize that they are not alone on their postsecondary journey.

One of the most common barriers students may encounter during the college access process is the pervasive belief that college is not for them. Attending college is for everyone, though not everyone may choose to attend. Educators are change agents, letting students know that their differences make them unique and that none of these differences should be seen as barriers to college.

We hope that we will be able to disarm and remove the term “first-generation” from our vocabulary in the future. Until then, we know that educators work tirelessly to provide resources for first-generation students and other student populations that are traditionally underresourced. Supporting these students requires collaboration, not isolation. The best resource to encourage this student population is exposure, including college campus visits, encouraging students to participate in dual-enrollment programs, and inviting guest speakers to share their personal experiences with students. By being inclusive and transparent, what a student may see as a barrier now could be the very thing that someone else realized is an asset, thanks to the guidance and knowledge our educators provide.

Another common barrier is the thought that education is not affordable. Some students may not even consider a postsecondary pathway because they believe it will financially burden their families. As it relates to the financial aid process, and as we experienced this year with the FAFSA, students are also sometimes heavily affected by conditions outside their control. These conditions include language barriers or having parents who are undocumented. Alabama Possible is fortunate to have a close partnership with a community-based organization in the Birmingham metropolitan area that has expertise in serving this population. Their valuable assistance has enabled educators to call on them when they have needed interpreters and translators.

High schools and communities can support educators by providing dedicated time, opportunities for collaboration, and material or financial resources for postsecondary planning. External organizations can hold informational meetings or volunteer their time to assist students during on-site college application events. Goal setting and accomplishing goals come with a change in students’ thought processes. Therefore, it is critical to provide students with resume writing workshops, mock interview exercises, internships, and community-student mentorship programs. These activities not only provide exposure but also provide students with an alternate way of seeing how and why a postsecondary journey — and planning it — is so important.

Our most precious commodity is time. If we could grant our educators more than 24 hours in a day, it would be the greatest gift of all. Since we can’t extend the day, we can instead support our educators through campuswide initiatives that share the responsibility of the planning process. The importance of staff and administrative engagement from the day a student begins high school is crucial. There are benefits to being proactive and not waiting until senior year to expose students to the benefits of postsecondary education and training. This way, younger students are being prepared in advance by joining conversations, participating in workshops, attending college fairs, and volunteering at events that support and celebrate seniors’ postsecondary journeys. In closing, we’d like to highlight one of the most innovative and ambitious approaches shared by an educator this past academic year. They created a collaborative Google Drive folder where their students could create and share a folder with the educator. In this folder, students could add important documents like resumes, certificates and awards, letters of recommendation, and any essays they had written. This ingenious initiative encouraged student responsibility while also allowing the educator to provide any needed assistance, fostering a supportive and organized environment.

ACT established the ACT Scholars program to nurture the academic talent of graduate and community college students at the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College, respectively. ACT emphasized scholarships for students from populations for whom the cost of higher education could have presented a significant barrier to college access and accomplishments.