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Does Virtual Advising Increase College Enrollment? Evidence from a Random-Assignment College Access Field Experiment
Meredith Phillips1, Sarah Reber2
1UCLA.
American Economic Journal. Economic Policy
|August 14, 2025
Summary
Virtual college counseling improved student support and application breadth but not enrollment. Low-intensity virtual programs may not suffice for all students needing intensive, in-person college access guidance.
Area of Science:
- Education policy
- Higher education access
- Virtual learning interventions
Background:
- In-person college access programs show effectiveness.
- Limited data exists on virtual interventions' comparable benefits.
- Scalable, low-cost virtual programs are increasingly relevant.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate two virtual college counseling program variants.
- Assess impact on college application behaviors and outcomes.
- Explore mechanisms behind program effectiveness or lack thereof.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial design.
- Two variants of a virtual college counseling program.
- Analysis of extensive survey data on student experiences and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Students reported increased support in college applications.
- Participants applied more broadly to four-year institutions.
- No significant increase in college acceptance or enrollment rates observed.
Conclusions:
- Virtual interventions can enhance application support and breadth.
- Low-intensity virtual programs may be insufficient for many students.
- In-person, intensive support might be crucial for college enrollment.
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