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National College Advising Corps Inc

EIN 46-1192687 · Raleigh, NC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak41 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

COLLEGE ADVISING CORPS (CAC) IS THE NATION'S LARGEST NONPROFIT SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVANCING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. CAC PROVIDES COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND CAREER GUIDANCE TO STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOLS WITH LIMITED ADVISING RESOURCES. OUR ADVISERS HELP STUDENTS DEFINE THEIR CAREER GOALS AND EQUIP THEM WITH THE INFORMATION, TOOLS, AND SKILLS NEEDED TO PURSUE EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL.

Income
$12.0 million
Spending
$17.6 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 55%
Employees
62
Volunteers
27
Highest pay
$269,521, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 25% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 46% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $15.8 million spent. FOUNDED IN 2005 WITH 14 ADVISERS SERVING 2,500 STUDENTS IN VIRGINIA, CAC HAS SINCE GROWN INTO A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. TO DATE, WE ESTIMATE THAT MORE THAN ONE MILLION STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS SERVED BY A CAC ADVISER HAVE ENROLLED IN A TWO OR FOUR YEAR COLLEGE. EARLY INVESTMENT IN VIRTUAL ADVISING (2015), HYBRID ADVISING (2019), AND CHATBOT-POWERED ADVISING (2020) STRENGTHENED OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER FLEXIBLE, INTEGRATED ADVISING MODELS THAT MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS.CAC'S APPROACH DIFFERS FROM THAT OF OTHER LARGE COLLEGE ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS. RATHER THAN FOCUSING SOLELY ON SMALL COHORTS OF TOP-PERFORMING, COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS, CAC PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE, WHOLE-SCHOOL ADVISING FOR EVERY SENIOR AND THEIR FAMILIES. OUR "BEST MATCH/BEST FIT" MODEL HELPS STUDENTS EXPLORE A RANGE OF PATHWAYS INCLUDING BOTH COLLEGE AND DIRECT-TO-CAREER OPTIONS AND, FOR THOSE PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION, IDENTIFY INSTITUTIONS THAT REPRESENT STRONG ACADEMIC, FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL FITS.APPROXIMATELY 90% OF SENIORS SERVED BY CAC GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME, AND MORE THAN HALF ENROLL IN COLLEGE IN THE FALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATION. ENROLLMENT IS EVENLY DIVIDED BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS. WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF GRADUATION, AN ADDITIONAL 78% OF CAC-SERVED STUDENTS PURSUE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT, MOST AT TWO YEAR INSTITUTIONS.DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, CAC PARTNERED WITH 30 PROGRAM PARTNERS IN 14 STATES TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND PLACE 768 ADVISERS IN 732 HIGH SCHOOLS. COLLECTIVELY, CAC ADVISERS SUPPORTED APPROXIMATELY 250,000 STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12, PRIMARILY SENIORS (210,000+). ADVISERS HELD OVER 500,000 INDIVIDUALIZED (ONE-ON-ONE) MEETINGS WITH SENIORS ALONE, AND THEIR PRESENCE AND ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS FOSTER A COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE THAT REACHES AN ESTIMATED 800,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR.AMONG STUDENTS SERVED, ROUGHLY TWO-THIRDS QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE LUNCH, MORE THAN 40% ARE HISPANIC. ABOUT 40% OF CAC-SERVED SCHOOLS ARE IN URBAN AREAS, ANOTHER 40% ARE IN SUBURBS, AND THE REMAINDER ARE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 2013.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.