Out of over 1.9 million students in the 2018 ACT-tested graduating class, 44% took the full ACT® test at least twice in hopes of improving their scores. Camara and Allen (2017) support this practice, confirming that factors such as time in the classroom between test administrations are associated with increases in ACT Composite scores from the…

Adam Sapp, assistant vice president of admissions at Pomona College (CA), grew up in a town with a population of 950 residents. He graduated with 47 other seniors and was one of only five in his class headed directly to a four-year college. Sapp's experience mirrors that of thousands of other students nationwide, clearly demonstrating the need to…

Finding the right college is a challenge for all students, but Black families face additional challenges and questions when navigating the admissions process. Veteran admissions experts Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown demystify this complexity by advising families on when to begin the process, where to apply, and how to be a…

"Rethinking College Admissions" probes the many facets of higher education admissions and translates research-backed insights into actionable strategies for innovative, equitable admissions practices. Edited by scholars OiYan A. Poon and Michael N. Bastedo, this collection gives readers an evidence-based understanding of postsecondary…

This guide is the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) commitment to principled conduct among professionals who support students in the college transition process from secondary school to postsecondary education and in the transfer process between postsecondary institutions. College counseling and admission professionals…

School counselors are a primary source of college and career information for students and families, including students interested in pursuing a degree in fine arts. The admission process to fine arts programs can be complex and involve multiple steps; however, providing this guidance is clearly in line with the role of school counselor, as defined…

Higher education in the United States is a complex and multilayered system where open-access community colleges coexist with highly selective, 4-year institutions to which only a handful of students each year gain access. Each institution plays a unique role in this marketplace, and students across the spectrum engage with the system at…

In September 2007, the College Board formed the Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century in response to a request from the Guidance and Admission Assembly Council (GAA Council) to more closely examine the high school-to-college transition process. Students and parents complained about the lack of transparency in the process, the confusing…

This article describes an exploratory and descriptive study that examined the parental involvement beliefs, attitudes, and activities of 22 high school counselors who work in high-poverty and high-minority schools. More specifically, this study examined school counselors' beliefs and activities about involving parents in the college admission…

In September 2007, the College Board formed the Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century in response to a request from the Guidance and Admission Assembly Council (GAA Council) to more closely examine the high-school-to-college transition process. Each spring, at the conclusion of the college admission cycle, there is much discussion in the…

This discussion paper represents one of the National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC's) first post-Testing Commission steps in advancing the knowledge base and dialogue about test preparation. It describes various types of test preparation programs and summarizes the existing academic research on the effects of test…

This guide is designed to help college-bound student-athletes and their families understand the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules for progressing from being a high school athlete to a student-athlete in college. Students are encouraged to work closely with high school counselors, recruiters and college admissions officers to…

For students with mild to moderate, non-visible disabilities, navigating a college education without the support team they had in high school can be challenging. Help students become effective self-advocates and maximize their postsecondary possibilities with this cutting-edge book, which balances current research with the most practical guidance…

While admission to a community college is simple--"apply and you're in!"--the institution itself is quite complex. Community colleges serve several purposes: transfer, vocational, recreational, and remedial. Community colleges see students through many lenses. Can we bring clarity and focus to the picture of the community college student? What…

Provides a step-by-step guide for writing a college essay so that students are better prepared to complete college admission forms. (JOW)