Abstract
This study examined the effectiveness of the Carolina College Advising Corps (CCAC) on two college readiness outcomes: advanced college preparatory course enrollment and SAT test-taking behaviors. The focus of this study is on concrete college readiness measures beyond mere college aspirations, as these measures more accurately predict college success. We utilized a difference-in-differences research design, which compares treatment and comparison schools over time using pre- and post-intervention panel data. The treatment group consisted of partner high schools in North Carolina that received the CCAC treatment, and the comparison group included public schools in the state that do not have this resource. We found that the introduction of a CCAC adviser increased schools’ SAT participation rate but lowered their overall average score. The results of this work add to the growing literature on the impact of college advising professionals and may help inform goal-setting for the CCAC and similar interventions.