Supporting the information gathering practices of academically advanced college‐bound students

Abstract

For academically advanced college‐bound students, decisions about where to apply, and ultimately, where to enroll are influenced by a wide range of factors. One key factor in the decision‐making process is access to quality information about universities. This qualitative descriptive study used semistructured interviews with 10 high school seniors to explore the research practices academically advanced high school students used as they formed initial choice sets and subsequently eliminated options in the college decision‐making process. Participants in this study primarily researched the availability of academic support, career development opportunities, and peer support. These students used online sources, word of mouth, campus visits, and university contacts to find answers to specific questions about school culture. These findings suggest a need for counselors and school psychologists to help students access credible college information sources and to provide support for students as they evaluate that information in light of academic, social, and career development goals.

College Choice: Considerations for Academically Advanced High School Seniors

“…Institutions of higher education that are seeking to recruit academically talented students should consider providing information on the academic environments their institutions offer, in addition to financial aid packages and other traditional methods of recruiting. High school seniors are moving toward independence, but they can still benefit from college and career guidance with school professionals (e.g., teachers, counselors, school psychologists) who honor their need for decision-making autonomy and help them build information-gathering and decision-making competence (Meyer & Cranmore, 2020b; R. M. Ryan & Deci, 2017).…”

“…Note. Interview data from Questions 12 to 18, 23, and 24 were extracted and analyzed as the focus of separate studies (Meyer & Cranmore, 2020a, 2020b.…”

“…Would you be willing to talk to us at the end of your second semester of college? Note. Interview data from Questions 12 to 18, 23, and 24 were extracted and analyzed as the focus of separate studies (Meyer & Cranmore, 2020a, 2020b).…”

“…Student and parent priorities may differ, so family relationships, economic capital, and prior student achievement also factor heavily into choice set development (Lansing, 2017;Litten, 1982;Rowan-Kenyon et al, 2008). Access to information, and the quality and accuracy of that information, directly impact the choice sets students create (Han, 2014;Litten, 1982;Meyer & Cranmore, 2020b;Rowan-Kenyon et al, 2008). Grant and Schwartz (2011) acknowledge that "freedom, autonomy, and choice are essential to human well-being" but also concede that there "can be too much of a good thing" (p. 69).…”

Reflexive disclosure in qualitative research publications in school psychology (2006–2021)

“…For example, Craggs and Kelly (2018, p. 60) stated “at the time of the research, the first author was a trainee school psychologist with experience in working with CYP in a variety of roles within secondary and higher education and youth justice settings. The second author is a senior school psychologist and tutor on the professional doctoral training program at the University of Manchester.” Similarly, Meyer and Cranmore (2020), who studied how high school students identify potential colleges to attend, revealed the first and the second author were Advanced Placement teachers and school counselors, respectively, at the site of their study.…”