High School Counselor Week

Americans Value Trade Colleges Over Ivies
Inside Higher Ed – December 18, 2024
Most American voters view technical and community colleges as more valuable than the Ivy League, according to a recent survey. The survey of 1,216 U.S. likely voters revealed that not all colleges were alike in respondents’ eyes. While respondents believe all kinds of institutions offer value, 85 percent said technical and trade colleges offer ‘somewhat high’ or ‘very high’ value, and 79 percent said the same about community colleges or public colleges and universities. The data suggests that higher ed may need to shift its focus to trade skills or agriculture and natural sciences. Moreover, the vast majority of respondents also prioritized fields like business, STEM and computer science.

Massive College Closures Remains A Misunderstood Myth
Forbes – December 16, 2024
Maybe myth is a bit too far – schools are closing. But a catastrophe it isn’t. So, let’s call the ‘wave of college closures’ idea greatly exaggerated and, not coincidentally, profoundly misunderstood. The schools that close overwhelmingly tend to be very small, caught in mismanagement or legal trouble, and/or religious. There is still very little evidence to support that college closures are happening in any large numbers or that they are related in any way to national education dynamics.

High school graduates to peak in 2025, with slightly deeper-than-expected declines ahead
K-12 Dive – December 11, 2024
The anticipated decline in the population of high school graduates over the next 15 or so years will be slightly bigger than previously projected, according to the latest forecast by Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Although often referred to as a demographic cliff, WICHE’s projections show ‘a slower and steadier decline’ giving policy makers and institutions some time to respond. It also pointed out that efforts such as boosting the college-going rate of high school graduates could offset the drop.

Why counsellors need to switch off over the break
Times Higher Education – December 12, 2024
It’s December. For many of us, this means a winter break. A perk of being an educator is that breaks are built into the school calendars. Unfortunately, sometimes these take place right before university deadlines: the October break comes right before early action and early decision deadlines; and the December break comes just before the January regular decision deadline. This means that we might be answering emergency emails or pushing students to submit their last-minute applications during breaks. Even when there are no looming deadlines, our passion for our jobs and our ever-growing to-do lists might lead us to crack open our laptops during breaks. However, if you do not have a looming to-do list, it is worth taking a full break. Here are five reasons why we need to make sure we take a break, and five ways to make sure we approach it seriously.

5 Myths About Parent Information on the FAFSA
U.S. News & World Report – December 12, 2024
Navigating the financial section on the FAFSA – including assets and investments – can be confusing for filers, especially when it comes to parental information. Don’t let these common misconceptions prevent you from filing the FAFSA. Here are five common myths filers should know about parent information on the FAFSA.

Character.AI has retrained its chatbots to stop chatting up teens
The Verge – December 12, 2024
Chatbot service Character.AI says it will soon be launching parental controls for teenage users, and it described safety measures it’s taken in the past few months, including a separate large language model (LLM) for users under 18. The announcement comes after press scrutiny and two lawsuits that claim it contributed to self-harm and suicide.

How Colleges Admit Students Based On Major
The College Investor – December 16, 2024
Depending on the college or university you apply to, your plans for a major can impact your admission chances. As you think about where to study, consider the difference between colleges that offer schoolwide admission versus admission to a specific major and what that difference might mean for your acceptance chances.

Deferred From The Ivy League Or Your Top College Choice? Avoid Making These 3 Mistakes On Your Letter Of Continued Interest
Forbes – December 17, 2024
Receiving the news that you have been deferred in the early application round can be a disappointing blow—while applicants hope that the mid-December decision will end the grueling anticipation of the admissions season, a deferral only prolongs the wait for a final decision. Though it is not the decision you hoped for, it is important to remember that a deferral is not a rejection. It simply means that the admissions committee wants to evaluate your application against the Regular Decision applicant pool. Nonetheless, if the idea of waiting another three months for an admissions decision sounds excruciating, know that there is still one last step you can take to catch admissions officers’ eyes: write a letter of continued interest.

‘Please Admit’: Rampant donor preferences alleged in college financial aid lawsuit
USA Today – December 18, 2024
A new court filing in a high-profile lawsuit shows how much of a leg up the children of donors may have in the college admissions process. Emails and internal records from some of the nation’s most selective universities paint a picture of a system fraught with inequities and looser standards for applicants with rich parents. While many of those schools have acknowledged they’ve given preferential treatment to the children of some donors to benefit the whole student body, the evidence filed in court Monday provides a unique glimpse into what the controversial preferences look like in practice. Here are five accusations that stand out:

Can You Return Unused Financial Aid Money?
The College Investor – December 18, 2024
Financial aid consists of loans, scholarships, and grants that help cover the cost of college. Depending on how much you need to pay for books, tuition, and housing, you may have some money leftover in your bursar’s account. What should you do with unused financial aid money? Should you spend it or save it for the future? More importantly, can you return unused financial aid money if you don’t need or want it? Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of unused financial aid money and whether or not returning it is the right move to make.

Trump deportation threats weigh on groups offering FAFSA help
Chalkbeat – December 18, 2024
In November, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) shared unprecedented guidance cautioning students with family members whose immigration status is questionable about filling out the federal financial aid application. The statement said it could not guarantee the data students and parents submit on the FAFSA would continue to be protected in light of the incoming administration’s public statements and priorities. Others are offering different advice. ImmSchools, a Dallas-based nonprofit that works with schools to improve outcomes for immigrant students, is encouraging students to fill out the paper version of the FAFSA form instead of the online application. In the paper version, students do not have to directly answer a yes or no question on whether they have a Social Security number.

Biden signs law mandating Oct. 1 deadline for FAFSA release
K-12 Dive – December 12, 2024
Previously, federal law mandated that the Education Department release the FAFSA by Jan. 1 each year, although it urged the agency to publish on or as close to Oct. 1 ‘to the maximum extent practicable.’ Admist calls to formalize a publication date, president Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a bill into law that will require the U.S. Department of Education to make the FAFSA available by Oct. 1 each year. The FAFSA released next year will be the first form to face the deadline mandated by the FAFSA Deadline Act.