The Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) program is a 100% federally funded grant program from the U.S. Department of Education designed to serve first-generation and low-income students by providing pre-college programming. The program has six objectives, the final objective being degree attainment for past participants. This action research study…

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…

Objective: In 2009, the Kentucky General Assembly found unacceptable and costly the ongoing high numbers of high school students requiring remediation once they enter higher education. The state passed legislation to better align secondary and college education, establishing a diagnostic cycle that would become its Targeted Interventions (TI)…

Underrepresented groups on college campuses, first-generation college students (FGCS) face several obstacles which put them at risk of developing Impostor Phenomenon (IP). Research has shown that IP can negatively affect performance, lend to burnout and withdrawal, hinder individuals' abilities to properly assess performance, and inhibit one's…

We conducted a study of predictive analytics (PA) applied to state data on post-school outcomes (PSO) of exited high-school students with disabilities (SWD). Data analyses with machine learning Random Forest algorithm and multilevel Bayesian ordered logistic regression produced two key findings. One, Random Forest models were accurate in…

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…

Society is accustomed to advancing the meritocratic ethos that sends the children of affluent and professional families on to four-year liberal arts colleges while leaving behind others who are fully capable but who come from low-income or working-class families or from families of color. Such students often feel that a liberal arts college…

As the pandemic subsides in the United States and parts of the country edge toward normalcy, NACAC professionals believe that virtual recruitment resources that colleges invested much effort in developing will not vanish. They say that virtual recruitment will have long-lasting staying power as a supplement to in-person recruitment. This article…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how a high school counselor's perceived self-efficacy impacts high school student advising sessions as it pertains to the student's program of study and course selection. The foundation of this study was grounded in Bandura's (1986) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). This single case study was…

The purpose of this Equity Tool is to provide insights to/about Students of Color, student mentors, school guidance counselors, and community college/university advisors, towards understanding current/future higher education endeavors.

High schools are viewed by policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike as key institutions in facilitating access to college, especially for minoritized students from low-income families. A school-wide strategy for making college accessible is for high schools to establish a college-going culture that normalizes college attendance, elevates…

Background: The United States continues to invest considerable resources into developing the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent. Efforts to shore up interest in pursuing STEM careers span decades and have increasingly focused on boosting interest among diverse student populations. Policymakers have…

Purpose: This study offered insights into how Chinese college admission reform brought about school changes and influenced students' motivation and learning behaviors. Design/Approach/Methods: Four classes in one public high school in the Shanghai Municipality were observed in their homeroom activities and during class breaks. Students and…

For regional students, going to university frequently involves moving away from important home, family and community connections to forge new connections in unfamiliar environments. This is a daunting prospect discouraging many from considering university as an option. But what if university could come to them, allowing them to stay where they…