Validation of the College Planning Behaviors Scale

Abstract

College preparation is an important topic in the educational attainment of high school students. Much of the research on college planning focuses on the importance and timing of preparing for postsecondary education; however, little research has explored the steps students actually take while preparing for college. The current study utilized the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framework to create a validated measure to assess choice behavior. The purpose of the current study was to create a validated measure for choice actions that could be used with diverse student groups. The measure was found to demonstrate good reliability and validity in this population, providing strong internal consistency and construct validity. Further, these findings support college-planning behaviors’ linkage to barriers, college-going self-efficacy, and college outcome expectations (COE).