1. 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?

2. Introduction
Between January and October 2013, nearly 3 million Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 graduated from high school. Yet, only two-thirds of those individuals enrolled in college. 1
Postsecondary education is important for the well-being of individual citizens: Americans with a Bachelor’s or advanced college degree have higher average earnings and face lower levels of unemployment than individuals with only a high school diploma. Postsecondary schooling is also crucial for America’s continued economic competitiveness.
It is thus essential to facilitate students’ transition from high school to college.
This report examines American high schools’ counseling departments and the factors related to high school juniors’ actions, plans, and beliefs surrounding college enrollment.
College Enrollment and Work Activity of 2013 High School Graduates, Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 31,2014, from

3. Research Questions
What are students' trajectories from the beginning of high school into postsecondary education, the workforce, and beyond?
What majors and careers do students decide to pursue when, why, and how?
How do students choose science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses, majors, and careers?
See the National Center for Education Statistic’s website for more information:

4. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009
Data
High School Longitudinal Study of 2009
Nationally representative, longitudinal study of over 23,000 9th grade students enrolled in 944 public and private schools
Follows students through high school, postsecondary education, and into the workforce
Surveyed students, parents, school counselors, school administrators and math and science teachers
Incorporated a mathematics assessment which tested algebra, problem-solving, and reasoning skills

5. High School Longitudinal Study Timeline
Fall 2009
(9th grade)
Math Assessment and Surveys
Spring 2012
(11th grade)
Math Assessment and Surveys
Spring 2013
(12th grade)
Student/Parent Questionnaire
Expected High School Graduation
2016
Follow Up # 4
Expected College Graduation
2021
Follow Up # 5
This report analyzes data collected during the second wave of the study in 2012.

6. Part I What is Happening in High School Counseling Offices?

7. High School Counselors

8. Percentage of Principals Reporting the Following Priorities for School’s Counseling Program: Helping Students . . .
A small majority of principals selected helping students “plan and prepare for postsecondary schooling” as their first priority.
*Principals’ ranking of postsecondary education as a priority did not differ significantly by any of the school characteristics examined.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Details may not sum due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

9. Method of Assigning School Counselor, by School Type
The majority schools (57%) assigned counselors by students’ last name. Public schools were more likely than private schools to sort students by last name or by learning community. Private high schools tended to assign counselors to all students or to a specific grade level.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *. Counselor respondents were able to select more than one assignment method.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

10. Method of Assigning School Counselor, by Other Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Students in small and rural schools were often all assigned to counselors whereas students tended to be sorted by last name in large urban and suburban institutions. Schools with higher college admission test scores and lower poverty rates were also more likely to assign students by last name. Schools in the lowest test score quintile (compared with the highest two categories) and public schools in the highest poverty rate (compared with the second and third categories) instead tended to allocate counselors by learning community.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Counselor respondents were able to select more than one assignment method. Differences within the school characteristics presented (not in gray) which are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *. a College admissions test score quintile results are based on the average SAT or ACT score of the school’s graduating senior test-takers. ACT scores were converted to equivalent SAT scores and the scores presented in each quintile represent combined verbal and math SAT scores. Quintiles were calculated using the schools in the sample that were not missing on this measure.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

11. Percentage of Schools with One or More Counselors Whose Primary Responsibility was the Following, by School Type
Public schools were approximately 30 percentage points less likely than private schools to have a counselor whose primary responsibility was college selection or applications.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

12. Percentage of Time Counselors Reported their Counseling Department Spent on Various Activities
Counselors reported that college readiness counseling and high school course scheduling constituted most of their department’s time.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

13. Counseling Department Spent More than 20% of Time on College Counseling, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Private school counseling departments were significantly more likely to report allocating at least 20% of their time to college counseling. Also, there was a statistically significant—although very small—difference between a school’s poverty rate and whether its counseling department spent 20% or more of its time on college counseling.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

14. Schools’ Assistance with College Admissions Tests

15. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help With College Admissions Tests
As school size grew, the percentage of schools with the lowest student to counselor ratio (0 to 250) declined while the percentage of schools with the highest ratio (450+) increased.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

16. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help with College Admissions Tests, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
School size and affluence influence the extent to which schools assist students with exam registration and its associated fees. Private schools and those with 2,000 or more pupils were less likely to provide assistance with exam fees than public schools and smaller institutions, respectively. In terms of exam registration, large schools and urban institutions, as well as those with admissions test scores in the highest quintile (compared to those in the other quintiles), were less likely to offer help.
Notes: Estimates weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

17. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used This Help in 2011-12, by School Type
Students made most use of the information schools provided about when and where exams are offered. However, students’ use of other types of support was less common. In general, private school students were statistically more likely to take advantage of the various resources, especially the information schools provided about exam dates, exam registration, and test prep.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences by school type are statistically significant at the .05 level or below. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

18. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used This Help in , by Other Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Schools in the lowest admission test score quintile were more likely than schools in the two highest quintiles to report that a large proportion of students made use of help with exam registration fees. Also, the 11th and 12th grade students in schools with 60% or more low income pupils were significantly less likely to make use of assistance with exam registration and fees.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences by school type are statistically significant at the .05 level or below. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

19. Schools’ Assistance with College Information

20. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help with College Information
Nearly all schools helped students identify criteria in deciding where to apply (99%) and provided assistance completing college or university applications (98%). The vast majority of schools also provided access to information about colleges (96%), held information sessions for student and parents (94%), and/or held or participated in college fairs (92%).
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

21. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help with College Information,
by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
The smallest schools were significantly less likely to hold information sessions for students and parents. Also, results differed significantly overall by score quintile, although the lower percentage of schools in the highest quintile offering help with applications was not significantly different from the other schools when t-tests were conducted separately.
Notes: Estimates weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

22. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used This Help in 2011-12, by School Type
Private school students were significantly more likely to make use of all five types of assistance compared to their public school counterparts.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences by school type are statistically significant at the .05 level or below. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

23. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used This Help in , by Other Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Urban and suburban schools were more likely than schools from towns to report high student use of access to information about colleges and universities. Also, compared with counselors at schools in the first and third test score quintiles, counselors at schools in the two highest quartiles were more apt to report high student use of information sessions about college. Finally, smaller schools were more likely to report high student participation in college fairs.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences by school type are statistically significant at the .05 level or below. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

24. Schools’ Assistance with Financial Aid

25. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help with Financial Aid
The majority of schools provide information about aid for students to explore on their own and offer informational meetings about FAFSA.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

26. Percentage of Schools Which Offered Help with Financial Aid, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Private schools were significantly less likely than public schools to provide all of the types of help except for sending out reminders of FAFSA deadlines. Schools in the highest admissions test score quintile were also less likely to offer four forms of assistance. Finally, schools with a small percentage of low-income students were least likely to offer extensive help with financial aid.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

27. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used Help in 2011-12, by School Type
Private school students were significantly more likely to make use of FAFSA informational meetings and presentations addressing other sources of financial aid.
Notes: Counselor estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

28. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used Help in 2011-12, by School Type (Continued)
Private school students were significantly more likely to make use of FAFSA deadline reminders. However, is important to keep in mind the following:
Public high schools have lower average college-going rates than private schools.
These graphs incorporate only those schools which provide financial aid resources. As private schools tend to have few students who require these types of assistance, many private schools are not included in the cross-tabulation.
Notes: Counselor estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

29. Percentage of 11th and 12th Graders Who Used Help in , by Other Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Public schools with the highest proportion of low-income students were more likely than more affluent schools to both provide computer access and assist students and families with filling out the FAFSA. Since SES and performance on college admissions tests are correlated, it is not surprising that schools in the lowest test score quintile also were more likely than institutions with higher performing puipls to have 25% or more of their students take advantage of school assistance with FAFSA completion.
Notes: Counselor estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Includes only those schools which reported offering help. Differences by school type are statistically significant at the .05 level or below. Due to a small sample size and to better highlight patterns, the top three categories (25-49%, 50-75%, and %) have been aggregated. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

30. Following Student Outcomes Beyond
High School

31. Percentage of Schools Which Tracked Former Students, by School Type
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Survey Restricted Use File.

32. Private Schools & Student Tracking
Private schools were, on average, significantly more likely to both track students beyond the first year of college and to follow students through a survey.
This may occur because:
A lower proportion of public school students enroll in college.3
Private schools track outcomes in order to ensure future families see value in paying to enroll.
3. Analysis of base year HSLS data using the nationally representative school weight indicated that the median four-year college attendance rate at private schools was 77% vs. 39% at public schools.

33. Interactions with Counselors

34. Percentage of Students Reporting they Talked with High School Counselors about Options for Life after High School, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Overall, 63% of students reported they spoke with their high school counselor by Spring of Students attending private (vs. public) schools, suburban ( vs. urban, town, and rural) schools, and schools in the two lower poverty rate categories (vs. the higher two categories) were significantly more likely to have spoken to a counselor.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2SSTUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

35. by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Percentage of Parent Respondents they Talked with High School Counselors about Child’s Options for Life after High School,
by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
In total, 51% of parents reported they had spoken with their child’s counselor about life after high school. The percentage of parents who had such conversations was significantly higher at private schools than at public schools. The likelihood of speaking with a counselor was also significantly lower at institutions with more than 2,000 students.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2PARENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

36. Percentage of Students Reporting they Talked with a Hired Counselor to Prepare for College Admission, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Only 13% of students reported speaking with a hired counselor. Private school students were more likely to speak with the counselor than their public school counterparts. There were also significant differences by schools’ college admissions test quintile and locale.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2SSTUDENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

37. Percentage of Parent Respondents they Talked with a Hired Counselor to Help Child Prepare for College Admission, by Statistically Significant School Characteristics
Again, parents from private schools were significantly more likely to have spoken with a hired counselor than their public school counterparts. Also, differences by schools’ college admissions test quintile were significiant.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2PARENT. Differences within the school characteristics presented are statistically significant at the .05 level or below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

38. Percentage Distribution of Most Influential Individual in Students’ Postsecondary Education Decision-making Process
By far, parents were the most influential in terms of shaping students’ postsecondary plans. Only 3% of students chose their high school counselor. In considering the low percentages of students who picked school and hired counselors, it is important to keep in mind that counselors may be more influence in providing information about the steps required to realize students’ educational vision than in shaping the vision itself.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2STUDENT. Differences that are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are indicated using a *.
a Other includes: Coach or scout, military recruiter, and employer.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Survey Restricted Use File.

39. Part II What Can Schools’ Counseling Offices Do to Facilitate Students’ Actions, Plans, and Beliefs Surrounding College Enrollment?

40. Outcome Measures The six outcomes included whether the student:
Searched the internet for college options or read college guides
Had attended a program at, or taken a tour of, a college campus
Planned to enroll in a Bachelor’s degree program in Fall 2013
Disagreed with the idea that their family could not afford to send them to college
Believed that they would qualify for need-based financial aid
Planned to file a FAFSA

41. Students’ College Search, Visits, and Enrollment
Plans

42. Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ College Search, College Visits, and Enrollment Plans
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

43. Logistic Regression Results: Student’s College Search
The following had a significant effect on a student’s likelihood of searching for college options:
student spoke with counselor about college
majority of student’s close friends planned to attend a four-year college
parent’s expectation for the level of school child will attend In Fall 2013
students’ Spring 2012 standardized math score
sex
Students who reported talking to counselors had 93% greater odds of having started the college search than their otherwise equivalent counterparts. A couple of the factors that counselors may be able to influence were significant as well. Students who counted more than half of their close friends as planning to attend a four-year college and students who had parents who expected them to attend a four-year college in Fall 2013 had significantly greater odds of having searched for information on the Internet or read college guides. Students with higher 11th-grade math scores and who were female were also more likely to have searched, all things equal.

44. Logistic Regression Results:
Student Attended a College Program or Tour
The following had a significant effect on a student’s likelihood of having attended a college program or tour:
student spoke with counselor about college
student participated in a college prep program
parent’s expectation for the level of school child will attend In Fall 2013
parents’ highest degree attained
Students who spoke with their counselor had 76% greater odds of having attend a program or tour at a college compared to those who did not interact with the counselor. Two measures that counselors may be able to influence remained significant as well. Odds of taking the additional step of visiting a college campus were 189 percent greater for students who participated in a program that includes college preparation and 98 percent greater for students whose parents expected they would attend a four-year college in Fall As for controls, having parents with a bachelor’s degree or higher also had a positive significant relationship on taking this action.

45. Logistic Regression Results:
Student Planned to Enroll in a Bachelor’s Program in Fall 2013
The following had a significant effect on a student’s likelihood of having planned to enroll in a Bachelor’s degree program in the Fall of 2013:
student spoke with counselor about college
majority of student’s close friends planned to attend a four-year college
parent’s expectation for the level of school child will attend In Fall 2013
in 9th grade the student planned to enroll in an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree program immediately after graduation
student’s Spring 2012 standardized math score
parents’ highest degree attained
Students who had spoken to a counselor had 41 percent greater odds of having bachelor’s degree plans in Spring 2012 than did students who had not spoken with a counselor. Two additional variables that counselors may be able to influence were significant as well. Having more than half of their close friends who planned to attend a four-year college was associated with students’ having significantly higher odds of having bachelor’s degree plans. Students whose parents expected them to enroll in a two-year college or occupational school in Fall 2013, however, had 52 percent lower odds of having bachelor’s degree plans. Three control variables were significant as well. Not unexpectedly, ninth-grade students who planned to enroll in some postsecondary education had greater odds than those who did not plan to enroll of having bachelor’s degree plans two-and-a-half years later. Students who had higher math test scores and who had parents with bachelor’s degrees also had significantly greater odds of planning to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program after high school.

46. Students’ Perceptions of College Affordability, Beliefs about Need-Based Financial Aid Eligibility, and Plans to Apply for Financial Aid

47. Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ Perceptions of College Affordability
The following had a significant effect on students’ perceptions of college affordability:
majority of student’s close friends planned to attend a four-year college
parent’s expectation for the level of school child will attend In Fall 2013
students’ Spring 2012 standardized math score
parents’ highest degree attained
race/ethnicity
None of the counseling characteristics were significant. Nevertheless, two factors that counselors might influence that were significant in the descriptive results continued to be positive and significant: students’ counting a majority of their close friends as planning to attend a four-year college and parents’ having four-year college expectations for their child. As for controls, students’ earning a higher math score and parents’ possessing bachelor’s degrees were associated with significantly greater odds of viewing college as affordable, while being Hispanic rather than white was associated with significantly lower odds.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

48. Multinomial Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ Beliefs about Whether They Qualify for Need-Based Financial Aid
The following had a significant effect on students’ beliefs about qualifying for financial aid :
school had one or more counselors responsible for college applications
student spoke with school counselor about college
student’s Spring 2012 standardized math score
parents’ highest degree attained
race/ethnicity
sex
These results compare students who answered either “yes” or “no” to a question asking whether they qualify for need-based financial aid.
Attending a school that has a counselor whose primary responsibility was college applications and/or college selection was associated with students’ having 37 percent greater odds of believing they would qualify for need-based financial aid. Likewise, students’ talking to a counselor was related to 33 percent greater odds of believing they would qualify. Several controls were also statistically significant. The higher students’ math score and the higher their parents’ educational attainment, the lower students’ odds were of believing they would qualify. On the other hand, Hispanic and Asian students had greater odds than white students of thinking they would qualify for need-based aid, and female students had greater odds than male students.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR. Includes only those students who plan to continue their education.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

49. Multinomial Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ Beliefs about Whether They Qualify for Need-Based Financial Aid
The following had a significant effect on students’ beliefs about qualifying for financial aid :
student participated in college prep program
majority of student’s close friend planned to attend a four-year college
parents’ highest degree education
These results compare students who answered either “yes” or “don’t know” to a question asking whether they qualify for need-based financial aid.
While none of the counseling characteristics were statistically significant independent of the other variables, one factor that counselors may be able to influence was significant. Students who participated in a program that provided college preparation had greater odds of believing they would qualify for need-based aid. Having a parent with a bachelor’s degree or higher was associated with 44 percent lower odds of students’ believing they would qualify for aid.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR. Includes only those students who plan to continue their education.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

50. Multinomial Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ Intention to Complete FAFSA
The following had a significant effect on students’ intentions to file a FAFSA:
school offered assistance with FAFSA completion
sex
school type
These results compare students who answered either “yes” or “no” to a question asking whether they will complete the FAFSA. Compared to males, females had significantly greater odds of planning to complete the FAFSA.
Students who attended schools that assisted families with completing the FAFSA had lower odds of planning to file one. This finding is counterintuitive. This is most likely an anomaly: as students do not receive assistance with FAFSA completion until senior year, this finding may indicate that such efforts do not have a spill-over effect influencing the aid application plans of students in lower grades.
The only other significant factors were being female (associated with greater odds of planning to apply) and attending a private school (associated with lower odds of planning to apply).
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR. Includes only those students who plan to continue their education.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

51. Multinomial Logistic Regression Results:
Students’ Intention to Complete FAFSA
The following had a significant effect on students’ intentions to file a FAFSA:
student spoke with high school counselor about college
student participated in college prep program
in 9th grade student planned to enroll in an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree immediately after high school
parents’ highest degree attained
sex
These results compare students who answered either “yes” or “don’t know” to a question asking whether they will complete a FAFSA.
Students’ talking to counselors was highly significant. Students who had done so had 57 percent greater odds of indicating plans to complete a FAFSA. In addition, participating in a program or activity that included college preparation was associated with greater odds of planning to apply—43 percent greater odds to be precise. As for controls, female students and students who had postsecondary aspirations by ninth grade had greater odds of filing a FAFSA, while students who had parents with a bachelor’s degree had lower odds of doing so.
Notes: Estimates are weighted by W2W1PAR. Includes only those students who plan to continue their education.
ǂp<.1, * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

52. Summary of Significant Predictors for Students’ Actions, Plans, and Beliefs about College as of Spring 2012
Notes: * p<.05 Cells for characteristics not included in the regression analyses for these outcomes are shaded in gray. Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up Restricted Use File.

53. Key Findings
Students’ talking to counselor about options after high school was repeatedly positive and statistically significant, even after controlling for other factors.
College prep programs appear to influence students’ thinking about need-based financial aid as well visiting college campuses.
There was frequently a positive relationship between having a majority of friends with four-year college plans and the student outcomes examined.
Parents’ educational expectations for their child were related to students’ intentions to enroll in college in Fall 2013.
Students’ postsecondary aspirations as of ninth grade were significant in relation to their Bachelor’s degree plans by Spring of 2012 and their intention to file the FAFSA.