Post-Secondary Planning
An instrumental part of working with youth is helping them prepare for the future; school counselors play a significant role in helping students determine their goals and plans for post-secondary education. School counselors play a significant role in the college admissions process, including goal setting, crafting application materials, recommendation letters, and more.
CSCORE does not endorse any of the following research studies or resources. Instead, our goal is to present you with the latest research and interventions. It is up to you to decide if the study is reliable and valid.
Web Resources
General Information
ACT
This site offers a suggested timeline for counselors to help them prepare their students for college.
College Board
The authors of the SAT have a website dedicated to school counselors. This site has information on many topics relevant to college planning from facilitating the college application process to explaining financial aid.
Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students
This practice guide from What Works Clearinghouse provides four evidence-based recommendations for designing and delivering comprehensive, integrated advising to support students’ educational success.
Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do
This guide from What Works Clearinghouse targets high schools and school districts, and focuses on effective practices that prepare students academically for college, assist them in completing the steps to college entry, and improve their likelihood of enrolling in college.
Naviance
Naviance offers a computer program package designed to be used by counselors and teachers. It also offers a podcast designed for educators.
College Search
College Navigator
The U.S. Department of Education co-created this website with students to inspire and encourage youth and adults to attend college. The site provides information on how college will benefit you financially, how to go about applying to college, how to find financing, plus a lot more.
Recommendation Letters
College Board
This article contains tips for counselors writing recommendation letters including links to pdf forms for students and parents to fill out information to assist their counselor in writing their recommendation letter.
Journal Research Articles
ACCESS TO SCHOOL COUNSELING AND THE CONNECTION TO POSTSECONDARY STEM OUTCOMES
Brookover, D. L. (2021). Access to school counseling and the connection to postsecondary STEM outcomes. Professional Counselor, 11(4), 383-399.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS AS SOCIAL CAPITAL: THE EFFECTS OF HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE COUNSELING ON COLLEGE APPLICATION RATES
Bryan, J., Moore‐Thomas, C., Day‐Vines, N. L., & Holcomb‐McCoy, C. (2011). School counselors as social capital: The effects of high school college counseling on college application rates. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89(2), 190-199.
CAN PERSONALIZED TEXT MESSAGES AND PEER MENTOR OUTREACH INCREASE COLLEGE GOING AMONG LOW-INCOME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES?
Castleman, B. L., & Page, L. C. (2015). Summer nudging: Can personalized text messages and peer mentor outreach increase college going among low-income high school graduates?. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 115, 144-160.
ARE SCHOOL COUNSELORS IMPACTING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS' THINKING ABOUT POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION? A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE STUDY
Cholewa, B., Burkhardt, C. K., & Hull, M. F. (2015). Are school counselors impacting underrepresented students’ thinking about postsecondary education? A nationally representative study. Professional School Counseling, 19(1), 1096-2409.
EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF HIGH SCHOOL CONTEXTS ON POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT
Engberg, M. E., & Wolniak, G. C. (2010). Examining the effects of high school contexts on postsecondary enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 51(2), 132-153.
EVALUATION OF AN SCCT-BASED INTERVENTION TO INCREASE POSTSECONDARY AWARENESS IN RURAL APPALACHIAN YOUTH
Gibbons, M. M., Hardin, E. E., Taylor, A. L., Brown, E., & Graham, D. (2020). Evaluation of an SCCT-based intervention to increase postsecondary awareness in rural Appalachian youth. Journal of career development, 47(4), 424-439.
CONNECTICUT PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS: COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING SERVICES AND SMALLER RATIOS BENEFIT STUDENTS
Lapan, R. T., Whitcomb, S. A., & Aleman, N. M. (2012). Connecticut professional school counselors: College and career counseling services and smaller ratios benefit students. Professional School Counseling, 16(2).
ESTABLISHING A COLLEGE CULTURE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS THROUGH P-20 COLLABORATION: A CASE STUDY
McClafferty Jarsky, K., McDonough, P. M., & Núñez, A. M. (2009). Establishing a college culture in secondary schools through P-20 collaboration: A case study. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 8(4), 357-373.
Full Article
SCHOOL COUNSELORS, FOSTER CARE ALUMNI, COLLEGE DEGREE ATTAINMENT: AN ADVOCATING STUDENT-WITHIN-ENVIRONMENT (ASE) APPROACH
Smith, C. L. V., & Dimmitt, C. (2025). School counselors, foster care alumni, and college degree attainment: An Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) approach. Counseling Scholarship & Practice in Educational Communities, 1(1), 153-184. https://doi.org/10.7275/cspec.2336
A COLLEGE READINESS INTERVENTION PROGRAM'S IMPACT ON COLLEGE-GOING SELF-EFFICACY AND COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE
Wilson, R. D. (2018). A college readiness intervention program’s impact on college-going self-efficacy and college knowledge (Doctoral dissertation).
Full Dissertation
Curriculum Materials
Roads to Success
The Roads to Success program offers a free college and career curriculum for grades 7 through 12. The website has detailed lesson plans on how to motivate your students to attend college.
Evidence-Based Interventions
Tier 1, Grades 6-12
A curriculum focused on bringing career-related and academic courses together. Looks to link with community and local industry.
Tier 1, Grades 6-12
A national collaborative program that looks to prevent school dropout and improve high school graduation rates.
Navigation 101: Career Planning
Tier 1, Grades 6-12
A series of webinars focused on bringing educators the information needed to bring career planning into their schools.
Tier 2, Grades 6-12
A research article focusing on students who are accepted to college but do not enroll. The article suggests several different ways to prevent this.
What Works Clearinghouse: Dropout Prevention
Tier 2, Grades 6-12
A Federal Department of Education guide that includes information on warning indicators and reviews educational research on dropout prevention.
Books & Book Chapters
Parents & Educators
O'Connor, Patrick J. (2015). College Counseling for School Counselors: Delivering Quality, Personalized College Advice to Every Student on Your (Sometimes Huge) Caseload. Outskirts Press.
Youth
Fiske, E. (no date). Fiske Guide to Colleges. Sourcebooks.