High School Counselor Week

New Poll Reveals How Americans Feel About College In 2025
The College Investor – February 13, 2025
Education policy has been a hot-button issue in recent years, with debates over student loans, college affordability, and the federal government’s role in funding and regulating education. A recent poll conducted by The College Investor sheds light on how Americans feel about these issues in 2025. With political discussions heating up over the future of the Department of Education, public funding for K-12 and higher education, and whether student loans should be privatized, the poll results reveal a divided but telling outlook on education in 2025.

Want to measure how much college graduates make? Timing matters.
Higher Ed Dive – February 18, 2025
Lawmakers have long pushed for more policies to hold colleges accountable for their graduates’ earnings. But which year they use to measure earnings can strongly impact how programs perform on accountability metrics. Graduates with associate degrees have the fastest initial growth, but that slows relatively soon, and the difference becomes more pronounced with time.

How Educators Can Support Chronically Absent Students
EdTrust – February 19, 2025
Chronic absenteeism is a problem that every state faces and data suggests that as many as 16 million students are chronically absent — these rates are particularly high for students with disabilities and students of color. There are several steps that teachers, schools, and policymakers can take to ensure students and families are supported throughout the process. First and foremost, rather than imposing punishment, practitioners should focus on finding ways to collaborate with families to understand the barriers that are preventing students from attending school and ways that these can be mitigated.

Why volunteering is good for counsellors – and their students
Times Higher Education – February 18, 2025
I have lost count of how many times I have advised students on the importance of making a positive contribution to their local community through volunteering. As active volunteers ourselves, we can speak from experience about the rewards of helping others. Our daily workload is relentless, filled with deadlines and unexpected challenges. Yet we excel at managing time and multitasking. By incorporating mentoring and outreach – activities that follow a familiar structure – into a portion of our personal time, we can contribute effectively without feeling overwhelmed. Moreover, volunteering offers an excellent opportunity to connect with people who share your interests and goals, broadening your own perspectives and promoting continualing learning amongst students. Counsellors can play a transformative role in people’s lives – so why not use your skills to contribute positively to the world as a volunteer?

How can schools ease student concerns about ICE?
K-12 Dive – February 18, 2025
Though school officials are advised to avoid political conversations with students, some students still ask a lot of questions or say they’re worried about the news on immigration enforcement. Nationally, the fear over immigration enforcement officers entering schools and the impact that would have on families is a reality for many students and staff. The uncertainty itself can take a toll on a student’s mental health and have psychological effects — like heightened anxiety or sadness — not just for students from immigrant families, but also for their classmates. Here are some strategies to support student well-being, including investments in culture and mental health resources as uncertainty persists.

Knowledgeable scammers are tricking parents into paying for bogus SAT/ACT prep materials
USA Today – February 18, 2025
For high school students, SAT and ACT scores are a huge deal. With college admissions and scholarships on the line, paying for tutors and test prep materials may be worth the price. But watch out for con artists eager to take advantage of this. Scammers — with access to kids’ names and school information — are tricking parents into paying for bogus SAT and ACT prep materials. This is how the scam works:

How Bad Are Helicopter Parents?
The Chronicle of Higher Education – February 18, 2025
It’s easier than ever for invasive parents to smother college students, but not everyone thinks it’s a national crisis. Is extreme helicopter parenting as pervasive as it seems? And how much are changing cultural norms affecting the relationships parents have with their young-adult children?

Navigating College Admissions In The Age Of Generative AI
Forbes – February 17, 2025
The college admissions process is a pivotal moment in a student’s academic journey, offering opportunities for intellectual growth, self-discovery, and personal achievement. With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence, parents now have powerful tools at their disposal to support their children. However, while AI can enhance the admissions journey, it also raises complex questions about originality, critical thinking and ethics. Understanding how to navigate these challenges can empower families to make informed decisions and ensure students present their best, most authentic selves.

Trump’s anti-DEI campaign hits universities: even sharing experiences of racism in college essays may be banned
Fortune – February 19, 2025
In a memo Friday, the Education Department gave an ultimatum to stop using ‘racial preferences’ as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring or other areas. Schools are being given 14 days to end any practice that treats students or workers differently because of their race.The sweeping demand threatens to upend all aspects of campus operations. Using non-racial information or demographics ‘as a proxy for race’ will now be viewed as a violation of federal law, the memo said. As an example, it said it’s unlawful for colleges to eliminate standardized testing requirements ‘to achieve a desired racial balance or to increase racial diversity.’ While the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action bans race as a factor in evaluating applicants, the memo aims to ban race even in the recruitment of potential students.

Factors to Weigh Before Enrolling at a For-Profit College
U.S. News & World Report – February 12, 2025
Enrollment at for-profit colleges rose significantly in fall 2024, especially among freshmen, with over half of the enrollees still being under the age of 25. The approximately 750,000 undergraduates attending for-profit colleges is a fraction of the 16 million undergraduates nationwide. However, given for-profit colleges’ aggressive marketing tactics and potential appeal to students hoping to enter the workforce quickly, it’s worth taking a look at the pros and cons involved. Not all for-profit colleges are equal, so consider the following factors before enrolling at one.

Mandatory FAFSA Policies Have Had Immediate Impact
The Century Foundation – February 19, 2025
Nearly a decade ago, Louisiana launched a novel experiment to increase college access by requiring its public high school seniors to either apply for financial aid or expressly opt out. Today, 44 percent of public high school seniors are enrolled in a state with a similar policy, intended to increase the number of students who access financial aid through the FAFSA. This report updates TCF’s prior research to guide policymakers in states considering adopting a mandatory FAFSA policy as well as states that have already implemented one. Here are the trends that have been uncovered.

How Will The $2.7 Billion Pell Grant Funding Gap Impact Students?
Forbes – February 14, 2025
In January, the Congressional Budget Office released projections showing that the Pell grant program is expecting to face a $2.7 billion shortfall in funding for the 2025 fiscal year. The program will need additional funding and will need an increase in funding, or students will face cuts to eligibility criteria or grant amounts. Cuts to the program would likely put college out of reach for many more low-income students. The maximum award amount already only covers 31% of tuition, fees, room and meals at the average public four-year college, compared to the 79% of those costs the grant covered in 1975.

Debunking five common myths about paying for college
Indiana University – February 18, 2025
Paying for college may feel insurmountable, but don’t be intimidated by common myths. Higher education may be more attainable than you realize, so don’t let these five myths stop you from exploring your financial aid options.