By Reid Higginson, Director of Policy Research at College Access: Research & Action (CARA)

A growing body of research finds that students are not receiving adequate preparation for the postsecondary planning process. Far too many students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds are leading “constrained college searches,” where they fail to look at or apply to a robust range of postsecondary options that match their abilities and interests. Other students complete this initial step but then fail to follow through on the necessary paperwork for admission or financial aid.

Rethinking the high school curriculum can change this: when students spend time in class learning about postsecondary options and applications, they’re able to make more informed choices about their futures. Not only does this lead to increased college enrollment, it also improves postsecondary persistence and results in higher earnings, especially for students from low-income backgrounds who often lack access to this information, both in and out of school.

Despite its value, explicit class time dedicated to postsecondary exploration and applications remains far too uncommon. Or, when postsecondary instruction does exist, it is often housed in tracks that do not reach all students, conducted outside the school building or school day by an external organization, or doesn’t start until 11th or 12th grade, after key decisions and developmental processes, like building social capital and a postsecondary-going identity, have already begun.

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