Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Summer 7-9-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

August 2026

Department

Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry

College Granting Degree

College of Education

Department Granting Degree

Curriculum and Instruction

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Michelle Vaughan-McGovern

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to understand how Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) define their roles and practices in supporting college-bound high school students, and to examine the extent to which those practices predicted college access outcomes. Using a qualitative-first design (QUAL → quant), Phase 1 consisted of semi-structured interviews with 23 IECs exploring role conceptualization, advising strategies, and college access disparities. Phase 2 involved the development of a survey instrument grounded in qualitative themes and mapped onto the Ecological Model for College Access. In Phase 3, the survey was administered to 181 IECs to examine whether self-reported practices predicted self-reported college access outcomes.

Qualitative findings revealed that IEC practice is multidimensional and relationally grounded, encompassing emotional support, motivational coaching, equity focused advising, family engagement, and systemic advocacy. Nine themes emerged, with equity-focused practices and culturally responsive family engagement identified as central to serving students facing the greatest access challenges. Quantitative findings indicated that equity-focused advising and student readiness were significant positive predictors of financial aid attainment, while parent engagement was a negative predictor of community college enrollment. Demographic variables including socioeconomic status and high school type significantly predicted enrollment by institution type.

Integration of findings revealed that relational and navigational practices function as baseline professional competencies rather than differentiating predictors, while equity-focused and student readiness practices emerged as both qualitatively central and quantitatively consequential. Recommendations include expanding IEC services to underserved populations, formalizing school-based IEC partnerships, and conducting longitudinal research to strengthen causal inferences.

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