Disparities in College Counseling Support, Aspirations, and Enrollment of First-Generation College Students

• In Event: College Access, Counselors, and Military-Connected Students

Abstract

Analyzing data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:2009), this study examines disparities in access to college counseling supports by college generation status and how college counseling supports may differently influence the educational aspirations and college going of first-generation college (FGC) students. Our study is the first to provide national evidence that FGC students in high schools were less likely to have access to college counseling supports (i.e., lower student-to-counselor caseloads, counselors dedicated to college preparation, and counselors who prioritize college preparation). Our findings also show that FGC students who attended schools with enhanced college counseling support reported high level of educational aspirations towards the end of high school and had a higher likelihood of four-year college enrollment.

Authors

• Jamilla Jamison, Claremont Graduate University

• Guan Saw, Claremont Graduate University