PowerSchool Survey Reveals the Need to Engage First-Generation College Students to Help Them Plan for College, Career, and Life Readiness

PowerSchool, the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America, has announced results from its third annual Naviance Student Survey. The survey found that first-generation students – those whose parents did not finish college – were more likely to forgo enrolling in a four-year college and are more likely to enroll in a two-year college or enter the workforce after high school.

The annual report surveyed 9,600 middle and high school students in the spring of 2022, exploring how students are making postsecondary planning decisions and what they need from school communities to be successful in reaching their goals. The survey found most high school seniors (77%) plan to attend college. However, as a result of the shifts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, recent and soon-to-be graduates engaged with college planning activities much later than their predecessors. This, along with a fluctuating economy and the student debt crisis, has caused greater uncertainty for students in their postsecondary plans as they navigate a challenging landscape. Increasing uncertainty is also driving fewer students to apply via binding early decision applications.

Seniors who were not planning to attend college (23%) were also facing uncertainty. Almost one third (32%) of students not planning to attend college reported being undecided about postsecondary plans. When asked what resources or tools would help them with their planning, almost half reported “access to job shadows or career fairs” and an additional quarter requested “more tools to research colleges and careers, visiting a college campus, and meeting with my counselor more.”

“Over the past two years, we have seen an acceleration in the diversification of postsecondary options and increasing uncertainty among students and families regarding how they connect academic and lifelong success,” said Amy Reitz, Group Vice President, Product, PowerSchool. “The results of the Naviance Student Survey illustrate the criticality of providing connected pathway planning resources that help all students pursue their post-secondary and career goals. This direct feedback is helping our product development team evolve Naviance to ensure we’re providing a solution that meets the needs of students today and tomorrow.”