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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.
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College Big Picture

Are college degrees still worth it in this economy?
USA Today  - Jan 9, 2013
An analysis of federal data shows young adults with bachelor's degrees are faring much better than their less-educated counterparts.... .
The Myth of the 4-Year College Degree
TIME  - Jan 9, 2013
Another graduation ceremony has come and gone, and Chauncey Woodard is still a student at the University of Alabama. He came to UA in the spring of 2008 after some time in community college, expecting to spend at most four years at the school... .
How to Choose a College
New York Times  - Jan 6, 2013
MY niece Leslie is still more than nine months away from sending in a college application and more than 18 from stepping into her first college class, but already she's swimming in numbers... .
Elite Colleges Struggle To Recruit Smart, Low-Income Kids
NPR Morning Edition  - Jan 9, 2013
Across the United States, college administrators are poring over student essays, recommendation letters and SAT scores as they select a freshman class for the fall.. .
The Role of Legacy Status in the College Admissions Process
US News University  - Jan 7, 2013
When students attend the same college as a family member, they are given what is known as legacy status. Many individuals think that, because they would be a legacy at a prospective school, they will have a better chance of being accepted. ... .
Princeton, on $23.99 a semester
Charlotte Observer  - Jan 7, 2013
What's the price of an Ivy League education? This year, annual tuition, room and board at Princeton University topped $50,000. It cost me $23.99. Last semester, I enrolled in a “massive open online course” in world history at Princeton. The class was free but, feeling old-fashioned, I sprung for a textbook, too.... .
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College Admissions Process/Strategies

January College Checklist for Juniors
NY Times - The Choice  - Jan 7, 2013
Commit to Your Classes -- By now you've heard it dozens of times: Your junior year grades matter a lot. It's true. College admission personnel will focus on your performance in this year's core academic classes....
One in four freshmen now starts in January, not August
Hechinger Report  - Jan 7, 2013
When she graduated from her high school in Pittsburgh last spring, Mikaela Molstre didn't follow her classmates to college. She went to Africa instead and worked in an orphanage.....
Why Colleges Want Ambitious & Dynamic Students
LA College Admissions Examiner  - Jan 7, 2013
The college admissions process can be overwhelming for many families considering the competitive nature of admissions as well as the many variables high school students must take into account: challenging curriculum, strong essays, excellent standardized test scores ....
College prep diet is not about food
Long Island College Prep Examine5  - Jan 7, 2013
The college prep diet is not about choosing apple slices over French Fries. It's about preparing the mind and body for the physical and mental rigors of earning a college degree. ....
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High School Seniors

Changing Your Schedule Can Hurt Your College Chances
Huffington Post  - Jan 7, 2013
The college hopes of students all across America are about to take a serious self-inflicted hit. Even as we speak, seniors are rediscovering the textbooks and assignments they neglected over Christmas break. As they review the depth and breadth of this homework, they promise themselves "Next semester will be different" ...
High School Senior January-June College Admissions To Do's
Huffington Post  - Jan 5, 2013
For some seniors, all of the applications are done and gone. Yippee! For others, there are some left to complete. Either way, after you send in your final applications, there are a few more things to do to make sure you get into a college that's right for you....
January College Checklist for Seniors
NY Times - The Choice  - Jan 7, 2013
Initial Advice for All Seniors - - For both groups of seniors, there is still work to be done " serious work that may alter the course of your college process: financial aid. Those two words strike fear into the hearts of students, counselors and parents alike...
Second semester senioritis -- not so fast!
San Jose Mercury News  - Jan 7, 2013
It's that time of year again. The time when most high school seniors have their first semester and college applications behind them. The days will get longer and the weather will become warmer. Senior activities will soon dominate calendars. And many students began to talk of having "senioritis."...
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Essays

Seeking College Application Essays About Money
New York Times - Bucks Blog  - Jan 4, 2013
This weekend's Your Money column includes a call for submissions from current high school seniors who have written their college application essays about money. ... .

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Counselors

HSCW Counselors' Corners
Post - Jan 10, 2013
Paying for College-Giving Families the Help They Need
College application season has shifted from getting into college to paying for college. Each new senior class brings parents who don't understand the basics of paying for college:... More


Which Universities Are More Highly Ranked by High School Counselors Than by Colleges Officials?
US News & World Report - Jan 3, 2013
Do high school counselors and college officials view universities differently? To answer this question, U.S. News is publishing a first-ever analysis of colleges in our National Universities rankings category that shows the academic reputation rankings gap between high school and college officials in our 2013 Best Colleges rankings... .
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SATs & ACTs/AP Tests

5 Ways to Improve Your ACT Score
US News & World Report - Jan 8, 2013
If your first (or second) ACT score isn't quite what you were hoping for, you probably plan to take the test again. Here are some simple ways to boost your score and improve your college acceptance and scholarship odds..... .
Testing Timers: A great new tool for SAT & ACT takers
Dallas SAT Prep Examiner - Jan 8, 2013
Keeping track of time when taking a standardized test is critical to maximizing your score. Unfortunately, test proctors aren't always conscientious of posting the correct time, classrooms clocks aren't always accurate.... .
Five ways to improve your standardized test scorese
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Jan 8, 2013
The bad news is that standardized tests " an important part of the college and graduate school admissions process " are here to stay. The good news is that prospective students can improve their scores with a positive attitude and good preparation.... .
The College Board introduces 'SAT School Day'
DC College Admissions Examiner - Jan 4, 2013
In a move designed to counter growing use of the ACT by states to measure student achievement, the College Board recently introduced “SAT® School Day.” This program enables participating districts and states to fund official SAT test administration in their schools during the week and not just on Saturdays.... .
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Parents

Save For Retirement Now, Get More College Aid Later
Forbes  - Jan 9, 2013
Believe it or not, you can have a million dollars socked away in your retirement accounts and it wont affect your childs eligibility for college aid. Thats one reason why parents should save as much as they can in their own retirement accounts while their children are young.. .
Getting your financial house in order
Charlotte Observer  - Jan 1, 2013
Its not too late. No, you didnt have to start the financial planning for your childrens college education when they were in diapers. Even if you have a high school senior, there is still a lot you can do.. .
How to Get Your Teen to Pick the College You Want"Sort Of
Patch.com  - Jan 7, 2013
So, now it is time for the next confession"college applications are for the birds. Having spent much of the recent break and all of the Thanksgiving break working with my oldest on college applications.. .
Why Entitled Millennials And Their Enabling Boomer Parents Just Can't Quit Each Other
Forbes  - Jan 7, 2013
Mom and Dad hassling you about grades? Nagging you to pick a “practical” major? Forwarding you articles about the health dangers of binge drinking? Why not get a restraining order? .. .
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FinAid/Scholarships

8 Financial Aid Mistakes to Avoid
The College Solution Blog  - Jan 8, 2013
It's extremely easy to make financial aid mistakes. Paula Bishop, a CPA friend of mine in Bellevue, WA., who has filled out countless financial aid forms for clients, tells me that she's never seen any parent complete a application without at least one mistake... .
How much does college really cost?
Charlotte Observer  - Jan 8, 2013
Figuring out how much a college costs isnt so simple. All colleges post Cost of Attendance the sum of their tuition, room/board and student fees on their websites. But most families dont pay retail... .
Financial Aid + The Fiscal Cliff
GoLocalProv College Admissions  - Jan 7, 2013
January brought good news for college-bound students and their families in the form of fiscal cliff avoidance. The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps defray ... .
The facts about FAFSA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Jan 8, 2013
Who worries about filing tax returns in January? You should " if you or your child is going to college this fall. You'll need that income tax information to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The time to fill out the FAFSA is now, or as soon as possible.. .
5 Simple Steps to Get Organized for Scholarship Seaso
US News & World Report  - Jan 3, 2013
The day after Christmas, stores suddenly have row upon row of storage solutions, organizers, and cleaning products displayed"and they're probably on sale to boot. That's because January is a great time to get organized... .
7 Tips to Win the Perfect College Scholarship for You
US News & World Report  - Jan 8, 2013
There are thousands of scholarships available to students every year, but the competition is fierce and finding the right scholarship can be a challenge.... .
CollegeHumor Launches Average Student Scholarship
Huffington Post  - Jan 8, 2013
Just because some people aren't special doesn't mean they should go unrecognized. The comedy website CollegeHumor announced Tuesday it will give away two $5,000 scholarships to lucky-but-average students for "being themselves.".. .
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Summer

Planning Summer (Already!) Amid Winter's Chill
New York Times - Jan 9, 2013
Unbelievably, it is time to plan for summer. For working parents, summer presents a logistical challenge, and often a significant expense. ...

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Northeast

O'Malley calls on colleges to use technology to boost graduation rates
Baltimore Sun - Jan 7, 2013
Gov. Martin O'Malley, speaking at the first statewide forum on college completion, called on Maryland's higher education institutions Tuesday to devise new ways to use technology to bolster graduation rates...
Double-digit tuition increases being considered by college system
The Connecticut Mirror - Jan 7, 2013
Faced with cuts in state funding, declining student enrollment and mandatory pay raises for faculty, the Board of Regents for Higher Education is considering raising tuition by as much as 12.4 percent next school year....
Maine schools decry state funding cut
SeaCoast Online - Jan 7, 2013
Southern York County school superintendents say they are frustrated with the state of Maine, after they were forced to institute austerity measures this week in order to make up for a shortfall in expected state revenue.....
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Teen Drinking

CDC: Binge drinking among teen girls increasing
The Christian Science Monitor.  - Jan 9, 2013
Ok, parents of daughters. Time to get worried again. All that Animal House-style drinking you think is the realm of frat boys and off-season football players is actually your problem, too.... .
Binge Drinking In Women And High School Girls Contributes To 23,000 Annual Deaths, Study Finds
Huffington Post  - Jan 8, 2013
What is a white, college-educated woman aged 18-24 with $75,000 or more annual household income more likely to do than women of other races, ages, and socioeconomic categories?Binge drink.... .

 
 

Contents

Big Pic
Proces/Strat
Early
Essays
SATs & ACTs
Parents
Rankings
FinAid
Counsel
Summer
Northeast
Teen Drinking

Sponsors

UMaine
St_Vincent
Student_Housing
Lesley
Dedham Savings
philographica
Hollins</a
NYC_Poly
Limrick
WIT
Dean_College
CPA
AllCollege_Essays
Pine_Manor_College
Bay_State_College

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