The National College Advising Corps, which is honored to be part of the Social Innovation Fund and the AmeriCorps portfolio, works each day to improve the preparation for and prospects of success in post-secondary education institutions for economically disadvantaged students.

By hiring and training recent college graduates of partner universities – many of whom are first-generation college students themselves – as full-time college advisers and placing them in underserved high schools, the Advising Corps serves communities across the country to provide the advising and encouragement that many students need to make their college dreams come true. Currently, 327 advisers serve over 116,000 students in 14 states. Our CNCS-supported advisers engage in both proven and innovative strategies to ensure each student receives the necessary guidance to prepare for and matriculate to higher education.

The Advising Corps measures impact in a number of ways. Through our rigorous evaluation being conducted by Stanford University, our partnerships have demonstrated impact on both the students and families we serve as well as the CNCS-supported advisers. Some highlights include:

Compared to seniors who have not met with the Advising Corps adviser at their school, students who have met with the adviser are (survey data):

25% more likely to apply to college 34% more likely to get accepted to four-year institutions 20% more likely to be accepted to college 76% more likely to attend a financial aid workshop 33% more likely to expect to receive a federal grant for postsecondary study 32% more likely to attend a college info workshop, college night, or college fair 45% more likely to take an ACT or SAT test prep course 25% more likely to take a class for college-level credit 17% more likely to take the PSAT; 48% more likely to take the ACT 17% more likely to apply to three or more institutions 12% more likely to be admitted to three or more institutions

As we are dedicated to creating a new generation of leaders who are committed to national service and improving our communities, our CNCS-supported advisers are answering this call. The advisers report the top reasons for joining the Advising Corps are: providing opportunities to the underserved; giving back to the community; engaging in national service; and having an interest in youth development programs.

99% of advisers report intentions to attend graduate school 37% plan to study education

The Advising Corps meets a critical need: with guidance counselor caseloads reaching 500 students per counselor nationwide, our advisers work full-time with students to knock down the barriers to higher education. Our advisers, by partnering with schools and communities, are helping students search for schools that will best meet their needs and interests, assisting with the completion of admissions and financial aid applications, accessing test prep and college application fee waivers and ensuring that students take the final steps needed to complete the college enrollment process.

A college degree is a ticket to a brighter future for our communities and students. We are honored to serve our nation in this way.