Western Edition | Northeast Edition | MidWest Edition | Archive | Sponsoring |      September 22, 2016
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.
ctcl
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.

Back to top of newsletter

Big Picture

The Discrimination In College Admissions Nobody Is Talking About
Forbes  - Sep 19, 2016
Jodi Balfe, Amalia Halikias, and Lanya Olmstead share something in common. They are all Ivy League graduates. They are all half Asian. And they all opted to identify as the other half of their ethnicity when applying to college–white..
Fancy Dorms Aren’t The Main Reason Tuition Is Skyrocketing
FiveThirtyEight.comg  - Sep 13, 2016
In 2000, Temple University was primarily a commuter school. On-campus dorms could house fewer than 4,000 students out of a total student body of more than 30,000. Most facilities were badly outdated..
How College Aid Is Like A Bad Coupon
NPR.org  - Sep 19, 2016
Ian grew up in Milwaukee, in an African-American family with five kids where the annual income was just $25,000. He was involved in sports and after-school activities, and spent a year working after high school to save up for college..
The mindboggling barriers that colleges create — and that end up hurting their own students
Hechinger Report  - Sep 19, 2016
As a student at a Massachusetts private college learns midway through a semester that his financial aid is less than he expected. Since he can’t afford the difference, the college embargoes his transcript for that term and his grades from the previous two years —...
Free College Is Not a Fantasy
The Atlantic  - Sep 15, 2016
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—The idea of free college is garnering more attention as presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton works the crowd-pleasing concept into her campaign stump speeches. It was a tenet of Bernie Sanders’s attempt to secure the Democratic nomination.. ...
How Big Data Transformed Applying to College
Slate Magazine - Sep 15, 2016
It’s September, so if there’s a high-school senior in your life, you’re getting down to work on college admissions. A generation ago, that meant visiting a few campuses, ponying up application fees, and filling out forms. That seems quaint now ...
Colleges pledge to give applicants with criminal records a fair shot
CNN/Money - Sep 15, 2016
The Obama administration announced earlier this week that 61 colleges and universities, including the University of Maryland, Arizona State University and New York University, have signed onto its Fair Chance for Higher Education pledge. These schools join 25 other colleges that signed on earlier in the summer. ...
Back to top of newsletter

College Admissions Process/Strategies

Survey Of Colleges Reveals Surprising Results About Admission Factors
Forbes  - Sep 15, 2016
Debate always swirls around what factors are most important in the college admission process, especially when hyper-competitive institutions are concerned. Of course grades and scores top the list, but the relative strengths of other factors have fluctuated over the years in ways that can make it harder. ...
The College Application Advice I Wish Someone Had Given Me
Huffington Post  - Sep 17, 2016
So your high school senior is in the throes of preparing his college applications. He’s retaking the SATs for the umpteenth time, hoping to squeeze out a few extra points there. He’s collapsing under the weight of the multiple AP classes that he felt compelled to take. ...
5 Majors You Need to Choose Before You Apply
GoLocalProv College Admissions  - Sep 19, 2016
While many students will apply to colleges with a major designation of “undecided”, there are pitfalls to doing that. In larger universities, it can be VERY difficult to switch from the colleges of arts and sciences into the business or engineering college. . ...
Choose a Safety School Wisely
US News  - Sep 19, 2016
Your safety school should be the college or university on your short list that serves as a backup if your target and reach schools do not work out in your favor. It is still a safety school, though, so your choice hardly matters – right? ...
Pros, Cons of High School Jobs for College Applications
US News  - Sep 13, 2016
An after-school job at the mall or a coffee shop is a pivotal part of the high school experience for some teens. But some families may wonder how these opportunities affect college admissions....
Back to top of newsletter

Essay

‘Why This School?’ Should Be The First Admissions Essay You Write
Huffington Post  - Sep 16, 2016
It is time to write your college admissions essays. You have spent some time thinking about your main essay, the one that will tell an admissions team your story and give them a sense of your character and interests....
Why the student college application essay is often ‘a con job’
Washington Post  - Sep 21, 2016
The best college admissions essays, it is often said, give admissions officers a glimpse into who the applicant is and what he/she values. Really now? (Not the ones written by the applicant’s parents. Not the ones in which students pretend to care about something they don’t.)...
Sure Signs of an Outsourced College Essay
Wall Street Journal  - Sep 16, 2016
Between now and Thanksgiving, high-school seniors face the daunting task of writing riveting, revelatory personal essays that will make college admissions officers look more favorably on their applications.....
Archives - Essays
Back to top of newsletter

Campus Visits

Commentary: Some helpful tips for college visits
The State Journal-Register - Sep 19, 2016
lerting all those who are looking at going to college. This time of year maybe stressful, but there are many tips that will help anyone when they are looking to visit a college. First off, visit the campus. It doesn’t really matter how many schools you are looking at. For your top schools, ..
9 Things to Do at a Potential College's Overnight Stay
Her Campus - Sep 18, 2016
Taking part in a “Sleeping Bag Weekend" -- an overnight stay at a potential college, often with a current student -- is a beyond-amazing way to see if a school is the right fit for you. Make sure you know what to look for and the questions to ask to make the most of your time on campus.. ..
Archives - Campus Visits and Interviews
Back to top of newsletter

Students with Disabilities

Eligible but got nothing: Hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities blocked from college aid
Hechinger Report  - Sep 20, 2016
QUEENS, N.Y. — Wendy Thompson always knew she wanted her son to go to college, but she didn’t realize so many people would disagree. Her son was born with cerebral palsy, a disease that confines him to a wheelchair but has little impact on his academic abilities. He graduated from high school with a Regents diploma in 2013...
Here's How Schools Can Support Students' Mental Health
NPR.org  - Sep 20, 2016
About one in five children in the United States shows signs of a mental health disorder — anything from ADHD to eating disorders to suicide. And yet, as we've been reporting this month, many schools aren't prepared to work with these students. Often, there's been too little training in recognizing the problems, ..
Archives - Disabilities
Back to top of newsletter

Rankings

2017 US News College Rankings: Do colleges still care?
The Christian Science Monitor - Sep 13, 2016
US News and World Report has been ranking colleges for more than 30 years. But after decades of competition, criticism, and debate, do the rankings still matter to the students colleges hope to attract?. ..
Why College Rankings Are a Joke
New York Times  - Sep 18, 2016
Shortly before the newest U.S. News & World Report college rankings came out last week, I got a fresh glimpse of how ridiculous they can be — and of why panicked high school seniors and their status-conscious parents should not spend the next months obsessing over them.. ..
Here are RateMyProfessors.com's top universities, professors based on student reviews
USA Today - College  - Sep 15, 2016
Having the right professor could potentially make or break your academic experience, not to mention your grade. So before solidifying academic schedules, college students tend to shop around to find who the best professors at their university really are. ..
Archives - Rankings

Back to top of newsletter

Counselors

The Undervaluing of School Counselors
The Atlantic  - Sep 16, 2016
Teenagers make bad choices. Honestly, who doesn’t? For adolescents, however, who are armed with new responsibilities, opportunities, and bodies they are almost inevitably unprepared to deal with, the wrong decision can have serious, life-altering effects. For low-income adolescents who lack the safety net that comes with privilege, the wrong decisions can be catastrophic.. ...
The Guidance Counselor You Barely Know
Lifezette  - Sep 19, 2016
Edmission is launching a new web application for its online personalized college admission planning service, serving students and parents who cannot afford or don’t want to pay for the expensive private college counseling.. ...
Back to top of newsletter

Parents

Stay healthy on campus
Tribune News Service - Sep 18, 2016
They’re gone. All summer long you worried about their dorm room, what classes they’d take, how they’d adjust socially, if they will run out of money, if they will be homesick, etc. Guess what? They’re fine!...
Schools And Mental Health: When The Parent Has To Take Charge
NPR.org - Ed - Sep 18, 2016
In the waning days of summer vacation, Sydney and Laney are enjoying their final moments of freedom flipping over a high bar at a playground close by their house in Spartanburg, S.C....
Archives - Parents
Back to top of newsletter

SAT & ACTs

Despite warnings, College Board redesigned SAT in way that may hurt neediest students
Reuters - Sep 21, 2016
Part Six: Internal documents show the makers of the new SAT knew the test was overloaded with wordy math problems – a hurdle that could reinforce race and income disparities. The College Board went ahead with the exam anyway.. ..
Should You Take the ACT, SAT or Both?
Her Campus - Sep 13, 2016
Being accepted into college is one of the happiest moments in your life. However, what some people may not see behind the tears of joy associated with receiving your college acceptance letter is the numerous hours you spent studying for the SAT or ACT ––or maybe even both. ..
Record number of colleges now have ACT/SAT ‘optional’ or ‘flexible’ admissions policies
Washington Post - Sep 20, 2016
A new analysis of college admissions policies found that half of the top 100 national liberal arts colleges on the U.S. News & World Report rankings now have test-optional or test-flexible policies. In addition, a record number of more than 870 colleges and universities now report having changed their admissions policies on requiring the ACT.. ..
Archives - SATs & ACTs
Back to top of newsletter

FinAid/Scholarships

Realities of National Merit Scholarships
The College Solution Blog - Sep 18, 2016
This is the time of year when parents of teenagers, who are excellent test takers, start thinking about National Merit Scholarships. Next month, high school juniors will be taking the PSAT, which is a requirement to qualify for National Merit honors.. ..
At Last, Your Financial Aid Ordeal Has Gotten Easier
New York Times  - Sep 18, 2016
Applying for financial aid and choosing a college in the United States is still much too complicated, but some long-overdue reforms are finally underway, and in the nick of time... ..
Colleges That Claim to Meet Full Financial Need
US News  - Sep 19, 2016
For most parents, paying for college isn’t easy; but some schools offer enough institutional dollars to students to offset expensive sticker prices.....
Check Out What to Expect During a Scholarship Interview
US News  - Sep 15, 2016
After you've applied for a scholarship, the selection committee may want to learn more about you through a scholarship interview. Most of the time, scholarship providers clearly state in the application that they hold interviews as a part of the scholarship process, so usually this won't come as a surprise....
Archives - FinAid/Scholarships
Back to top of newsletter

Career and Technical Education

CTE Bill Hits Road Bump Over Restrictions on Education Secretary’s Authority
Education World  - Sep 20, 2016
The federal agency announced a set of online resources for students affected by the abrupt closure of ITT Technical Institutes..Chairman of the Senate education committee and one of the main architects behind the Every Student Succeeds Act, Lamar Alexander, has continually expressed his disappointment with the involvement of the federal government in implementing the new education legislation. ..
Education Department beefs up effort to help ITT Tech students
Washington Post  - Sep 19, 2016
The federal agency announced a set of online resources for students affected by the abrupt closure of ITT Technical Institutes.. ..
Archives - Career & Technical Education
Back to top of newsletter

South

What Texas did to its special-education students
Washiongton Post - Sep 18, 2016
An investigation by the Houston Chronicle has revealed that unelected state officials in Texas “arbitrarily decided what percentage of students should get special education services” more than a decade ago and then began auditing school districts that did not comply. ..
Florida Universities May Push For Summer Scholarships
WUSF.org - Sep 19, 2016
Florida's state university system may ask legislators to expand the state's popular Bright Futures scholarship program to cover summer courses. This week, the Board of Governors plans to discuss whether to ask the Legislature to set aside nearly $50 million so eligible students can use the scholarship for classes taken during summer terms. ..
AP test fees reduced for Tennessee low-income students
The Tennessean - Sep 20, 2016
A federal grant will help cover Advanced Placement test fees for low-income students. Tennessee is one of 41 states to receive the U.S. Department of Education grant. The $362,985 grant will cover costs for approved Advanced Placement tests administered by the College . ..
Back to top of newsletter

Teen Depression

Better, cost-effective depression treatment for teens identified
ScienceDaily - Sep 20, 2016
Depression can create a huge cost burden on patients and institutions, and for teenagers that includes issues like missed school and the costs of healthcare for families. A new study identifies a cost-effective treatment that yields promising results for depressed teens.. ..
Prioritizing Free Play May Reduce Teenage Anxiety And Depression
Huffington Post - Sep 20, 2016
I remember the car ride home when my parents found out my brother skipped school for the first time. We turned the corner and crossed the train tracks as they calmly told him not to do it again. They weren't mad. There was no punishment. I couldn't believe it... ..
 
 
Online College Fair - CollegeWeekLive

Contents

Big Pic
Process
Essay
Visits
ADHD
Rankings
Counsel
Parents
SATs & ACTs
FinAid
CTEd
South
Depression

Sponsors

WIT
TeenLife
Hollins</a
CPA

To view pages in PDF format, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Click the icon for a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader:
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader

(Acrobat and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated)

About This E-Mail
You received this newsletter because you registered your name and email address requesting HSCounselorWeek, or because you are a member of a cooperating organization. To unsubscribe, change delivery options or your e-mail address, see http://www.HSCounselorWeek.com.  

Suggestions and feedback are welcome at suggestions@hscounselorweek.com.

How to Advertise
For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other advertising opportunities with HS CounselorWeek, contact sales@hscounselorweek.com or visit our sponsoring page.

Disclaimer
Send all correspondences to de facto, inc. PO Box 602 Bedford MA 01730 . Neither the US Government nor any agency, nor de facto, inc, nor any of the contractors, subcontractors, advertisers, or employees makes any warranty, expressed or implied including any warranty of completeness, or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility for any party's use or the result of such contents of the newsletter. In no event will de facto's liability, if any, exceed the value of the weekly charge for the information provided giving rise to such liability.

Copyright 2005 - 2014 de facto, inc. other newsletters by de facto www.fenceweek.com