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

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.