Increasing the number of students who enroll in college to meet the demand for current and future labor trends is a focus of education. Students whose parents have no postsecondary education have been identified as at-risk for not pursuing and accessing college options. School counselors are educational leaders who have specialized training to both identify barriers that hinder student success and to develop strategic interventions to address risk factors and assist students in overcoming barriers to success. This sequential mixed-methodology included a student questionnaire and a case study to explore the impact of interventions by a school counselor targeting student risk factors that may impact beliefs, practices, and academic achievement of aspiring first-generation college students regarding preparing for and gaining access to college. Only 35% of participants from the 24 high schools that responded to the questionnaire had parents with a minimum high school education or less. This highlights a gap between students whose parents have no college education and those who have some. Results revealed that 67% of participants indicated that school counseling programs and activities had increased their college opportunity. Eighty-two percent of participants exposed to college preparation interventions and who self-reported both academic and career preparation and self-regulation reported college access; however most participants did not engage in behaviors and practices that promote college readiness. The results suggest that counseling activities and programs presented by school counselors in the study minimally influenced college preparation behaviors and choices of aspiring first-generation college students. The themes that emerged from the case study are grouped into two contexts that may shape student outcomes: school context and internal context. School context revealed that school counselors most commonly delivered college preparation information to students through individual student planning. School counselors were identified as helpers and advocates. The internal context revealed the perception of barriers and the motivational factors influencing a college mindset including aspirations to pursue college. Self-regulation also emerged as a determining factor in student outcomes. The study has implication for guidance programs and activities that need to be developed by school counselors to ensure educational opportunity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]