1. Make options visible to eligible students

College information is useful when students can identify realistic options, costs, and application steps and get support to act. The WWC guide asks high schools to help students understand where they are eligible to apply and connect planning with advising. Review academic records and interests with each student while keeping multiple pathways open. Research on high-achieving, low-income students makes access to guidance a relevant question: strong grades do not ensure that students know which opportunities are available.

2. Turn information into a sequence of tasks

Create a student-specific list of possible colleges and deadlines, then break the process into actions such as completing applications, requesting recommendations, sending transcripts, and filing for financial aid. Help students compare published prices with estimated net costs and identify documents needed for aid or fee waivers. Follow up on whether each step was completed; an information session alone does not show that an application was submitted. Discuss costs in light of aid and student circumstances rather than tuition figures alone.

3. Expert perspective: the scope of Hoxby and Avery’s study

Hoxby and Avery descriptively analyze data on SAT I or ACT test takers from the 2008 high school graduating class. June 2012 is the Table 6 measurement date for each enrolled student’s share of coursework earned toward a four-year degree; it is not a binary degree-receipt measure or the application-cohort year. This observational analysis does not establish that the same choices apply to all students or regions today, or evaluate the advising checklist here. Advisers can review a student's interests, admission options, estimated net cost after aid, and commuting or living circumstances together. This checklist is a practical suggestion in this article, not an intervention evaluated by that paper.

4. Track access and each stage separately

Advising records should show whether students understood their options, which application steps they completed, and where they still need help, not just whether they received information. Application submission, financial-aid filing, admission, and enrollment are separate stages. The WWC guide and One-Offs study do not guarantee local outcomes, so review whether counseling reaches different student groups and whether promised follow-up occurs. Explain costs and procedures in language students and families can use to make their own decisions. A counselor can coordinate with teachers so students know which transcript, recommendation, or financial documents are needed and when. If an application result differs from expectations, revisit access to information, affordability, application requirements, and alternative pathways rather than treating the outcome as a measure of the student’s ability. The aim is an informed choice that remains feasible after admission, not simply a larger number of applications.

Sources: WWC | Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do · The Missing “One-Offs”: The Hidden Supply of High-Achieving, Low-Income Students