Does Virtual Advising Increase College Enrollment? Evidence from a Random-Assignment College Access Field Experiment

Although in-person college access programs can be effective, less is known about whether low-cost and scalable virtual interventions achieve the same benefits. We evaluate two variants of a counseling program. Students randomly assigned to program felt more supported applying applied broadly four-year colleges, but were not likely accepted or enroll. analyze rich extensive survey data explore mechanisms why did improve enrollment. conclude that low-intensity may work for some students, many probably need intensive help. (JEL C93, I23, I24, I28, L31)