In Search of a Match

Match, Step by Step
In this section, the six stages of the match process are described. At each stage,
practical tips are offered to facilitate the process.
Creating a Match Culture
Many of the strategies described in this guide can be implemented by individual
counselors and advisers, and MDRC encourages you to use these techniques
in your interactions with students. However, even highly effective counselors
need the support of colleagues and allies. Building a college-going culture and
incorporating a match approach requires collaboration and the investment of
a team of people. In order to maximize its impact, partners and stakeholders
— including internal school or program staff, external colleagues, students,
and students’ families — must fully embrace the match strategy.
This section includes suggestions for incorporating the match approach in
your school or advising program. Again, MDRC recognizes that this effort
may be quite challenging for some practitioners, and subsequent sections of
this guide offer smaller, student-centered steps you can take. However, the
experience of the College Match Program suggests that it is crucial for those
who are involved in the college advising process to understand and influence
the larger culture of their school.
Start by creating a postsecondary leadership team.
In order to implement a match approach to advising high school students about
college application and enrollment, you will want to draw on the collective
knowledge of many people, including those who historically may not have
been part of the college advising process but who may play an important role
in influencing students’ decisions. Ideally, a postsecondary leadership team
should include college advisers, professional counseling staff, homeroom teachers,
and representatives of other departments in the high school (for example,
English, social studies, athletics, and so forth). The team should be willing to
share resources, data, and information across divisions and departments to
help students reach their college goals.
Convene your team.
The postsecondary leadership team should meet on a regular basis to plan,
measure success, and discuss specific cases. If possible, the full team, includ-
8 | In Search of a Match