Latest Research
State-by-State Student-to-Counselor Ratio Report
This report to provide a glimpse at the 10-year trends in student-to-counselor ratios from 2004-05 to 2014-15.
What's New
Defining Access: How Test-Optional Works
A report on test-optional admission and recruitment practices by Bill Hiss, Steve Syverson, and Valerie Franks, hosted on the NACAC web site.
Learn MoreNACAC Survey: Colleges Report Transfer Students are Crucial to Enrollment Goals
More than two-thirds of US colleges view transfer students as considerably important in meeting enrollment goals, according to the 14th annual edition of NACAC’s State of College Admission report.
Learn MoreReport: School Counselors Continue to Grapple with Large Caseloads
School counselors in American public schools currently serve an average of 482 students, a caseload nearly twice the recommended maximum of 250.
Learn MoreResearch Reports
NACAC research illuminates complex elements of college admission counseling and comprise a unique body of knowledge in the field.
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State-by-State Student-to-Counselor Ratio Report
This report to provide a glimpse at the 10-year trends in student-to-counselor ratios from 2004-05 to 2014-15.
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Supporting International High School Students in the College Admission Process: A Qualitative Study of College Counselors
This study explores the unique challenges and needs of counselors advising nonimmigrant international students in US high schools.
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How Can High School Counseling Shape Students' Postsecondary Attendance?
Among the first to demonstrate that school counselors have a positive impact on student outcomes that is both quantifiable and statistically significant, this study provides a powerful tool for counselor advocacy efforts.
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Use of Predictive Validity Studies to Inform Admission Practices
This report sheds new light on the important role predictive validity research can play in informing admission practices.
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Preparing Students for College: What High Schools are Doing and How their Actions Influence Ninth Graders' College Attitudes, Aspirations, and Plans
In order to understand the ways US high schools are preparing students for the college transition process, NACAC, in partnership with MPR Associates, analyzed data from the US Department of Education's High School Longitudinal Study. The report largely examines high school counselors including how their attitudes and interactions with students affect ninth graders’ college aspirations.
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A National Look at the High School Counseling Office: What is it Doing and What Role Can it Play in Facilitating Students' Paths to College?
This report draws on data from the second wave of the US Department of Education’s High School Longitudinal Study to explore how high schools and counseling offices across the country support students as they transition from high school to college.
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Individualized Learning Plans for College and Career Readiness: State Policies and School-Based Practices
This report, developed by NACAC & Hobsons, highlights promising state- and school-level practices using individual learning plans (ILPs) to prepare students for success beyond high school.
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College Counseling for Latino and Underrepresented Students
In order to understand the role of the school counselor in preparing Latino and other underrepresented students for the transition to college, Excelencia in Education and NACAC conducted a national survey and observed counseling practices at six US high schools that were successfully supporting underrepresented populations during the college application process.
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Career Paths for Admission Officers: A Survey Report
This report presents the results of a survey of NACAC admission professionals, offering insightful observations on their career experiences and advice to others to advance in the profession.
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Professional College Knowledge: Re-Envisioning How We Prepare our College Readiness Workforce
This discussion paper highlights core professional competencies which should guide the college counseling field.
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