Career and Academic
Counseling for Low-Income
Students
Rachelle Jackson-Gomez & Annie Yu
Low-Income Definition &
Background
U.S. Department of Education: Individual
whose family’s taxable income for the
preceding year did not exceed 150 percent
of the poverty level amount.
32.4 million children live in low-income
families
Household income varies widely by race
and ethnicity
African American and Hispanic/Latinx
students are more likely to attend high
poverty schools
Optimal Methods of Counseling
Utilize social justice approach to explore
internal and external factors
Recognize personal worldviews and
biases
Educate and empower disenfranchised
families to understand and overcome
barriers
Explain the importance of certain
classes needed to help student
progress in academic achievement
How to advocate for students and
apply for supplemental education
programs available
Barriers faced to go to college
College entrance exam preparedness
Getting extra academic support
Paying for College
Filling out Financial Aid Paperwork 
Paying college application fees
A difference in priorities
Having an adult to discuss these issues
with
Cannot always rely on parents
Theories to consider
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems
Theory
Focus on the interaction of the different
systems an individual is embedded in
Social Cognitive Career Theory
Individuals are likely to choose and
perform activities if they have strong
self-efficacy beliefs as long as they have
necessary skills and environmental
supports
It will be important to provide low-
income students with enriched activities
to explore their interest and provide
support to do so because schools or
families may lack resources and
opportunities
Career and Academic
Counseling for Low-Income
Students
Rachelle Jackson-Gomez & Annie Yu

Create a College-Going Culture

All students must get consistent messages about going to college
High expectations that all students in the school will go to college
College and career resources need to be readily available for all
Have students take core curriculum classes A-G
Free books or computer resources (scholarship for tutoring)
Free or reduced tuition (Community colleges first two years for free)
FAFSA Workshops 
Fee waivers for college applications

Resources
MyACT Profile
http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/act-profile.html

GEAR UP
https://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html

Questbridge
https://www.questbridge.org

California Career Resource Network

http://www.californiacareers.info/#?Lesson%20Plans

Free Scholarship Websites

https://imfirst.org/2017/02/09/scholarship-searches/

March2Success
https://www.march2success.com/main/index