Which low-income students beat the odds to get college success and payoffs, and what advice do counselors give them?

As college-for-all policies expand grants and financial aid opportunities, low-SES students are more likely than ever to attend college. However, in our report “The New Forgotten Half” to W.T. Grant Foundation (2015), we discovered that although attendance rates for low-SES students have increased, completion rates have not matched. Now, we ask, which low-SES students complete various college credentials, and which get job payoffs, both monetary and nonmonetary? Using ELS: 2002-2012 data, we propose to analyze credential options, how they serve students at different income levels, and what earnings and job rewards they lead to. We will also interview high school counselors to understand what advice they give to students and whether they give special advice and support to low-income students about various degree programs and career options. This study will improve understanding about the journeys low- SES students take through college, and lead to better advice, college choices, earnings, and job rewards for these students.