A Fair Advantage: College Fair and Degree Pathways—An Evidence-Informed Approach to Advancing Social Mobility

A Fair Advantage
For many students, college fairs may be the closest opportunity they have to experiencing a college environment and learning how institutions function. Yet these events are often approached without preparation, context, or guidance, limiting their potential to support meaningful educational decision-making.

A Fair Advantage is an evidence-informed student workbook that positions college fairs as critical sites for career exploration, degree pathway planning, and social mobility. Designed especially for first- and continuing-generation students, the book equips readers with the tools needed to prepare for college fairs, engage intentionally with institutions, and evaluate options related to careers, degrees, college cost, and return on investment (ROI).

Grounded in higher education practice and equity-centered frameworks, this resource helps students move beyond surface-level exposure toward informed choice. Through guided preparation, structured reflection, and practical worksheets, students learn how to assess academic fit, financial sustainability, and institutional support, factors that directly influence persistence, completion, and long-term opportunity.

Written by higher education professional Dr. Nicole Grove-Bopp, A Fair Advantage reflects a commitment to breaking the cycles of limited access and lowered expectations that too often constrain students’ potential. By making the hidden curriculum of college planning visible, the book seeks to disrupt patterns of mediocrity and expand pathways to upward mobility.

This is not simply a college guide. It is a strategic planning resource for students who want to use education as a lever for choice, agency, and social mobility.

This Workbook Includes:

Career self-assessment and pathway planning worksheets

College fair preparation, question-building, and note-taking tools

College comparison and academic fit worksheets

College cost and ROI comparison tools