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About HS CounselorWeek - weekly email  
This weekly email searches main media outlets finding stories that may be of interest to high school counselors, college admission officers and related organizations, with links to the original stories. It is published by de facto, inc., publishers of other e-newsletters.
 
 
 
 Syndication 
  HS Counselor Week can be added to your school's or PTO's website for free.  It's a great way to keep parents and students up-to-date.  Just email us if you're interested.  Thanks.    |   
 
 
ARCHIVES Something New - Something Old     
 We have been asked more than once to have access to the archives. It sounds easy, but it required some thought on how to make it really useful.  We are still working on it but here's what we have so far. Archives you will also see at the end of some of the topic sections a link to the archive for that topic.  Let us know what you think.  Thanks.         |   
 Editor's Note 
 There will be no HSCW published next week due to Christmas.   Merry Christmas!  |   
 
 Big Picture    
 
The False Promise of 'Holistic' College Admissions  The Atlantic   -   Dec 17, 2013  Many institutions claim to evaluate applicants based on who they are as people rather than simply looking at test scores and grades—an approach that incites anxiety in students and parents alike....  
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 | Top Students at Community Colleges to Have Chance to Raise Ambitions  New York Times -   Dec 13, 2013  A disparate group of colleges from across the country — public and private, two-year and four-year — plans to announce a novel alliance on Friday aimed at producing high-achieving community college graduates and making it easier for them to transfer into bachelor’s programs....
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College Admissions Process/Strategies    
 
How to Handle Complications With the Common App  US News -   Dec 18, 2013  Many students who tried to apply to colleges early this fall hit a snag with The Common Application. Major technical glitches tied to the rollout of the platform's latest edition in August, used by more than 500 universities, were widely reported. ....
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When Choosing a College: How close to home is too close?  True Admissions Blog -   Dec 16, 2013  How close is too close when it comes to choosing a college -- for students and parents?  My husband drove our son, Pete—a second-year University of Virginia (UVa) student—back to college Sunday evening after Thanksgiving. ...
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Debunking the myth of college rejection rates  Financial Advisor Magazine -   Dec 17, 2013  Getting into college is easier than your clients may think — and debunking the myths about college selectivity could be the key to a better deal on their children's education....
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Jump-Start a Stalled College Search  US News -   Dec 16, 2013  Some students know exactly which college they want to attend. It could be Dad's alma mater, a top vocal performance school or one with an amazing surfing spot right outside the dorms.....
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Aligning Your Interests With Your College List  Huffington Post -   Dec 17, 2013  As a dean of admissions for a selective Ivy League university, every December I give the same advice to high school seniors approaching deadlines and receiving Early Application results: Now is the time to revisit and remind yourself why a college is on your list and why it has and should remain on your list...
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Creative Admissions  
 
Get creative! 5 unique admissions tactics that actually worked  USA Today   -   Dec 8, 2013  Imagine you’re a college admissions officer at a state university. You’ve spent the morning reading essays from high school students about the ways your school’s mascot, the Sleeping Goat, means something very personal to their lives.. ..  
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The 6 Craziest Things High-Schoolers Did To Get Into College  Her Campus   -   Dec 11, 2013  College applications are a daunting task. You’ve packed countless hours of homework, volunteering and activities into your schedule, and now you have to explain to someone why that means you deserve a spot at their school. ..  
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Rejection/Deferment  
 
How to handle a deferral  DC College Admissions Examiner   -   Dec 16, 2013  Harvard deferred 3197 applicants to regular decision out of 4692 students who applied “single-choice” early action this fall. Brown deferred 71% of its 3088 binding early decision candidates, while MIT deferred 4538 of its 6820 early action applicants  ..  
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Surviving Early Decision Blues  Huffington Post   -   Dec 13, 2013  What a day. I've seen the highs, mediums and lows of college admissions as high school seniors found out all day whether they had been admitted to their dream colleges. ...  
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College Admissions: Handling Early Admission Rejection  GoLocalProv College Admissions   -   Dec 16, 2013  For many seniors around the country, early admission returns have begun to roll in. For some, it is a time of exuberance because they have been accepted to their first choice college. ...  
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Deferred? What Now?  About.com   -   Dec 14, 2013  It's that time of year when students are hearing decisions from their Early Action and Early Decision college applications. For a large number of students, the decision will not be as clear cut as a simple acceptance or rejection....  
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College Essays  
 
Getting into college: Your essay may help more than you realize  Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -   Dec 12, 2013  Maggie Anderson had a successful career in marketing communications, producing video and writing.  She is the author of “Do You Stand Out Enough?"  She also coaches executives and entrepreneurs how to use their communications more powerfully....
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   | Tips To Handle The Dreaded College Essay  NY1 -   Dec 12, 2013  Applying to college can be a stressful but exciting experience, and a key part of the experience is the dreaded college essay. Rob Franek, a senior vice president and publisher with the Princeton Review, offered some college essay tips....
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SATs & ACTs   
 
 
 
Visits/Interview  
 
What is the best interview advice for students?  True Admissions Blog -   Dec 16, 2013  Informational, evaluative, alumni, admission office, scholarship— there are several different types of interviews. Students may be talking with an admission officer on the college campus, an alumnus at the local Starbucks, or with a scholarship committee over Skype....
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Social Media  
 
Applying to college? Think before you post  Charlotte Observer -   Dec 16, 2013  Can a student’s social media presence influence their chances in the college admissions process? Hundreds of articles have been written to alert students that colleges are researching applicants online as part of the application process....
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Counselors  
	
 |    HSCW Counselors' Corners Post -  Dec 19, 2013 The Year in Review, and a Look at What’s New  2013 was filled with consistent change, the kind of contradiction school counselors have to get used to in order to make long-term commitments to their schools and their profession..... More
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6 Questions to Ask Your HS Counselor Before Graduation  Her Campus  -   Dec 5, 2013  High school and the college application process often send pre-collegiettes searching far and wide for information and advice, but many don't think to visit one unassuming place right on campus for help: the counselor’s office....  
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FinAid/Scholarships   
 
Schools That Award Lots of Merit Scholarships  The College Solution -   Dec 16, 2013  I recently wrote a post that shared the colleges and universities that say that they meet 100% of financial need for the majority of their families. If you missed it, here it is:...
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Parents  
 
 
 
 
 
CTE/Vocational Education  
 
 
 
Midwest  
	
 
 
 
 
 
Teen Drinking   
 
College Friends Home From Break? Drink This In  Huffington Post -   Dec 17, 2013  Note: In 30 years as a college counselor, I've never talked with a student or former student about this issue. I guess that's why I wanted to write this column....
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THE HOLIDAY SEASON MEANS TEENS AND DRINKING  Sky Valley Chronicle -   Dec 17, 2013  (OLYMPIA, WA) -- This holiday season, when party planning goes into high gear for many people, parents are being encouraged to discuss the risks of alcohol use with their teens.....
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 Big Pic  
 Proces/Strat  
 Creative  
 Defer   
 Essays  
 SATs & ACTs  
 Visits  
 Social Media  
 Counsel  
 FinAid  
 Parents<  
 CTS/Voc  
 Midwest  
 Teen Drinking  
 
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