High School Counselor Week

A trend colleges might not want applicants to notice: It’s becoming easier to get in
The Hechinger Report – November 18, 2024
As enrollment in colleges and universities continues to decline — down by more than 2 million students, or 10 percent, in the 10 years ending 2022 — they’re not only casting wider nets. Something else dramatic is happening to the college application process, for the first time in decades: It’s becoming easier to get in. Colleges and universities, on average, are admitting a larger proportion of their applicants than they did 20 years ago, new research by the conservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute finds.

Does It Matter Where You Get Your Bachelor’s Degree In 2025?
Forbes – November 20, 2024
Suppose you were to be posed the question, “What are the best places to graduate with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in your preferred field?,” what are the top colleges and universities that would come to mind? Naturally, you might be inclined to consider Ivy League schools. But that narrative is changing. Interviews with several executives suggest employer perceptions of the value of a degree have changed and even major firms such as Bain & Company are shifting their approach to recruiting candidates, as far as education is concerned.

Remote learning hurt high school grad rates. Ditching exit exams helped, new research finds
Chalkbeat – November 19, 2024
Until now, the story of how COVID affected who got their high school diploma went something like this: Graduation rates dipped a little for the class of 2021, but recovered the following year. But a new report paints a more complicated picture, attributing waived high school exit exam requirements to higher graduation rates.

How Social-Emotional Learning Can Unify Your School Community: 7 Timely Tips
Education Week – November 19, 2024
My colleagues and I at the Social Emotional Learning Alliance for the United States (SEL4US, a grassroots organization comprised of 24 state alliances dedicated to sharing SEL best practices) have witnessed how leaders can derive great benefit from prioritizing social and emotional learning in the culture of their schools. There continue to be disagreements and polarization within and across many school communities on a range of issues, from abortion rights to immigration to energy policy to the study of history. Yet, we have seen how schools can reconcile community differences to continue the essential task of education. Here is a set of recommendations for school leaders to ensure that staff and students successfully manage these stressors and keep focused on learning. Based on the best practices identified by SEL4US through research and practice, these steps can help school communities improve mutual understanding and respect despite political divisions.

I Have A Master’s, But Rising Costs Make Me Question College For My Kids
Forbes – November 20, 2024
Higher education has been good to me. I graduated from a well-regarded undergraduate university with a diploma and left graduate school with a job that has, so far, turned into a flourishing career. Yet, as my oldest nears 11, I’m wondering (sometimes doubting) if he (or the rest of my brood) should follow my wellworn path of getting a degree. There are strong cases for and against college, and in both scenarios it’s important to come up with a gameplan that takes costs and future earnings into account.

What the Boom in Kids’ Smartwatches Reveals About Modern Parenting
EdSurge – November 29, 2024
The smartwatch market is booming. Players, new and veteran, are vying for kids’ and parents’ loyalty—and advertising smartwatches to children as young as 5. Yet no one really knows where these gadgets fit into the larger conversation around children and screens. Research on kids and smartwatches is thin. Even data about adoption and use is lacking. This has left digital media and child development experts to extrapolate and hypothesize about the possible pitfalls and benefits.

Applying to College: What’s the difference between Common App and Coalition App?
Opus College Prep – November 18, 2024
The primary distinction between the Common Application and the Coalition Application lies in their focus on equity. The primary distinction between the Common Application and the Coalition Application lies in their focus on equity. The Coalition App specifically aims to assist lower-resourced and underrepresented students by only accepting colleges that demonstrate a commitment to providing financial aid and support. Both applications are free for students; however, applicants must still pay any required fees set by individual schools.

How Dual Enrollment Helps Students to Hack High School
Foundation for Economic Education – November 18, 2024
Dual (or concurrent) enrollment programs enable high school students to take college-level courses through a community college or four-year university. These are often free or available at a significantly reduced cost, and can help to defray the cost of a four-year college degree at participating universities by allowing students to transfer their dual enrollment college credits and accelerate their degree attainment. For homeschoolers, microschoolers, and the ballooning cohort of kids learning beyond a conventional classroom, dual enrollment offers a valuable high school hack.

This is how students are using AI for university admissions
AS America – November 18, 2024
Artificial Intelligence has already disrupted several industries, but now universities are seeing how students and families are taking the admissions process into their own hands. There are several apps and online websites that provide free assistance for students who need help with the university application process. They are compliant with university requirements. These tools assist students, but don’t do the work for them.

What to Wear to a College Interview: Everything You Should Know
U.S. News & World Report – November 19, 2024
Getting accepted to college can be extremely competitive, and the impression you create by what you wear to an admissions interview or an official campus visit can set you apart – for better or worse – from other applicants. Here’s how to use fashion as a tool to send the right visual cues, reinforce your strengths, feel comfortable and confident, and excel in your interview.

8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Take Out Student Loans
Yahoo! Finance – November 19, 2024
As the cost of education soars, student loans are increasingly necessary for many aspiring college students. However, borrowing thousands of dollars can have significant financial implications that extend far beyond graduation. Before you commit, it’s crucial to carefully consider the terms and potential consequences of student loans.

Is the FAFSA Ready for Prime Time?
Inside Higher Ed – November 20, 2024
This year’s FAFSA is now widely available to students and is set to launch officially any day now—Education Department officials said in a press call last week that they expect it will be live by Friday. Department officials clarified to Inside Higher Ed that the form was still technically in the testing phase but was functionally open and had been expanded to ensure the system could handle a large volume of users. What glitches have users encountered so far, and what can you expect?

Some colleges have an answer for students questioning the value of higher ed: work-based learning
The Hechinger Report – November 13, 2024
Confidence in higher education is slipping nationwide, in part because of the high cost of obtaining a degree and questions about whether it pays off in the workforce. Higher education experts say work-based learning programs could be part of the solution: Students can pursue their academic studies while simultaneously experiencing how those studies might apply to the workforce and earning some money in the process.

Waitlisted for Enrollment: Gen Z Is Eager to Take Up the Call to the Skilled Trades, but Faces Barriers According to Newly Released Survey
PR Newswire – November 18, 2024
In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week taking place this week, DEWALT surveyed pre-apprentices across the U.S. to better understand which obstacles might stand in the way of establishing a lifelong career in the field. Access to training is a barrier for those surveyed, with more than half of respondents reporting being waitlisted for technical or vocational program enrollment. Beyond access to training, key concerns include the cost of trade school, availability of networking opportunities, finding time for class and related class work, and access to equipment and tools for successful training .

A Guide to Career and Technical Education Programs
U.S. News & World Report – November 18, 2024
Career and technical education programs, sometimes referred to as vocational school, are available for middle school and high school students, as well as those seeking a postsecondary credential. CTE programs at the postsecondary level are commonly offered at community colleges and technical colleges. Choosing any postsecondary program – whether an apprenticeship, community college or four-year university – starts with research. Students should first consider their career goals, what type of credential they want to earn, a program’s history and the overall return on investment, experts say.