NACAC Recommendations

August 11, 2008 Must Read

Potholes on the Road to College.

Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago.

NACAC supports equitable access to college preparation in our schools. See NACAC's policy recommendations related to this report below. Visit the Must Read Archives.

Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) has introduced the Pathways to College Act (S 3326) to address the issues raised by this report.

Notable Quotes:

• "...compared to their more advantaged peers, low-income and first generation college students do not have similar access to the guidance, information and support needed to effectively navigate the college application process." 
• "Attending a high school with a strong college-going culture shapes students' participation in the college application process."

Policy Proposal on School Counseling

NACAC members' priority legislative goal is improving access to college. Through the professional experience of members and research conducted and commissioned by the association, a need for federal support for school counselors has become apparent.

• Complete Legislative Proposal
• Part I: School Counselors and School Improvement
• Part II: Access to Postsecondary Advising
• Part III: College Access Information
• Part IV: Graduate Coursework in School Counseling Pilot

Research on School Counseling

NACAC is at the forefront of college admission-related research, and is uniquely positioned to provide information on the role of school counselors in college access.

• Research to Practice: Effective Counseling in Schools Increases College Access. From NACAC's White Paper by Patricia McDonough.
• White Paper: Counseling and College Counseling in America's High Schools. Patricia McDonough, Professor, Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles.
• NACAC's State of College Admission Report, 2007.

NACAC's Policy Principles

NACAC members are college counseling and admission professionals dedicated to helping students make the transition to higher education. As such, they identify improving college access for all students as the major priority for the association. Based on NACAC research and collaboration with thirty other organizations in the Pathways to College Network, NACAC has identified three policy principles that govern the association's recommendations on college access (click these links for research supporting each principle):

• Access to Quality Counseling
• Need-based Financial Aid
• College-Preparatory Curriculum for All Students

See NACAC's 2008 Recommendations for specific recommendations for FY09 appropriations, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and the Higher Education Act (HEA) regarding these principles.

For More Information

Contact NACAC staff at legislative@nacacnet.org