BigFuture School: Giving Students Control of Their Planning (Repost)

This article was originally published by the National College Attainment Network.

The earlier students start thinking about life after high school, the more they’re positioned to take control and plan the next right step. BigFuture School and Connections from the College Board are built to meet students where they are - on their phones - and spark encouraging conversations with caring adults about the next steps toward a thriving career and the education to achieve it. And it all starts with getting scores from the PSAT or SAT assessments that students take during school, which are available to test-takers beginning October 24, November 7 or November 14.

BigFuture School is a new mobile app that provides students with convenient access to PSAT or in-school SAT results and delivers clear, practical guidance about options for college and promising careers. Every student with a score now gets a career insights snapshot with examples of six different jobs representing a range of interest areas that align with their skills, hopefully sparking new ideas and further exploration. Each job pays a living wage and requires a postsecondary credential. As families discuss the value of college and consider which options are right for them, this information can help to start conversations and cultivate practical ambitions for the future.

Students not only get a detailed explanation of their scores, but have the opportunity to hear directly from nonprofit colleges, scholarship providers and government agency programs through Connections, which is available in the app. Those early connections matter a lot in keeping students on track. College Board research shows that students who choose to connect with colleges in ways like this are 25% more likely to enroll and 31% more likely to graduate on time from a four-year institution – with even stronger impact for first-generation and underrepresented students. No personally identified information is shared with colleges. Students decide if and when to share their information directly with institutions on their web sites.

“This is a promising way for us to reach students who haven’t yet heard of our school,” said Eric Klein, assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Chapman University, who participated in a panel during the 2024 National College Attainment Network (NCAN) National Conference. “We send messages in the app with practical information to help students consider Chapman as one of their options, and students have a way to tell us when they want to hear more.”

BigFuture School is designed to strengthen the relationship between students and the educators in their lives, allowing teachers and counselors to see who is using the app and how as well as to keep track of which colleges are contacting their students. All of this information is available through the College Board’s K-12 Reporting Portal, the same tool schools use to see assessments results, adding insights that counselors and teachers can use to inform conversations with students.

“BigFuture School puts students in the driver’s seat when it comes to their future planning,” said Brian Landisi, a district administrator with Glendale Unified School District who also participated in the panel. “The PSAT illuminates opportunities for our students. After the PSAT, our counselors and other educators can encourage students to quickly access the scores and more during their advising meetings.”

The BigFuture School mobile app is now available to students, counselors, and teachers in conjunction with the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 and SAT assessments that students take during school. All students have to do is provide a mobile number when they take the PSAT or SAT during the school day, and they can access the app, quickly see their scores and begin exploring options from their phone screens. This fall, it’s time for your students to swipe right on college and career planning. Learn more at BigFuture.org/BigFutureSchool.