College Advising Corps @ Boston University (CAC) strives to increase the number of low-income, first-generation college, and underrepresented students entering and completing higher education. CAC recruits and trains recent college graduates from partner higher education institutions to serve as full-time advisers. Through a 2013 Social Innovation Fund grant, CAC provided college advisers in 33 Boston public high schools and in one additional Boston area charter school.
Study Goals:
The study aims to answer questions regarding the program’s impact on the college-going culture of schools, its effect on parents, and its influence on the advisers.
Research Questions:
The research questions were:
- What is CAC’s impact on college enrollment, college choice, and enrollment intensity, particularly for the targeted students?
- What is the program’s impact on students’ pathways to college?
- How does CAC affect the college going culture?
- How did CAC influence parents’ involvement in the college choice process?
- How does CAC affect advisers’ attitudes and life choices?
- How was CAC implemented in Boston including fidelity of treatment, the characteristics of services, and variations in implementation?
- Was CAC cost-effective?
Findings:
The study found the following:
- CAC improved college enrollment for students, with a significant positive impact when students were disaggregated by income status, race/ethnicity, and gender.
- CAC was found to have significant positive findings on college enrollment for Hispanic, low-income, and male students.
- The enrollment impacts of CAC are not concentrated in four- or two-year schools.
- Students who reported meeting with a CAC adviser were more likely to complete intermediate college preparation tasks than those who did not meet with an adviser.
For more information, download the full report and report brief.
Full report
Further information
GreenLight Fund