WHO IS THE SITE FOR?
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A holistic advising system provides support to Learners and Supporters, engaging Learners no matter where they might be in their credential attainment journey to help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to make informed academic and career decisions.
An equitable advising system prioritizes support for Texans with disproportionate barriers to educational achievement.
Credentials of value are educational credentials (e.g., degrees, certificates, and other credentials) that enable Learners who complete those credentials to receive annual earnings that surpass a minimum economic threshold within three years after receiving the credential.
ADVISING MATTERS
Effective College and Career advising significantly expands opportunities for Texans to access and succeed in higher education. However, the current advising system in Texas is not structured to meet its full potential.
According to Learners (e.g., students and returning adults) and Supporters (e.g., advisors, counselors, parents, teachers, and mentors) throughout the state, the current advising system in Texas is episodic, fractured, inconsistent, and impersonal.
The 4C framework describes how the challenges of today’s advising system can be addressed.
CURRENT STATE OF ADVISING
An Imperfect System
EPISODIC
Even though a Learner’s journey to attainment is continuous and ongoing, advising support is sporadic. The effect is that Learners feel behind and lost, with no one person to guide them throughout their full journey.
“Honestly, I wasn’t really even thinking about college up until the minute we graduated.”
– Eduardo
HIGHLY FRACTURED
Support is disparate. Advising solutions and resources result in a disorienting experience that Learners and their Supporters must figure out on their own. This causes Learners to be overwhelmed and feel like a credential of value is unachievable.
“I can’t click link by link. There’s information everywhere, and I just don’t have time to crunch all the data.”
— Nina (Informal Advisor)
INCONSISTENT AND INSUFFICIENT IN REACH
Supporters often lack knowledge and capacity, resulting in Learners experiencing varying degrees of support. The under-resourced often receive the least amount and lowest quality support. The effect is that Learners feel alone and uncared for.
“When I pass [my counselor’s] office, it’s always closed. They just seem like they’re busy all the time.”
— Mario
GENERIC AND IMPERSONAL
Supporters struggle to provide tailored guidance, particularly when that guidance falls outside of their own expertise or experience. And tools are largely perceived as stale, text heavy, and non-prescriptive. The effect is that many Learners feel like they can’t trust or follow the guidance. “They don’t know me” is a common reaction.
“I made the mistake of telling them I liked history class. I ended up in ancient Egyptian civilizations while everyone was taking History 101.”
— Vishnu
Learn more about the research
Our strategic vision, the 4C’s framework, and the recommended actions were supported by a robust research process.
