High School Counselor Week
Weekly stories, facts, trends, and other information from around the country
.October 30, 2025
Education Department ordered to reinstate mental health grants
K-12 Dive – October 28, 2025
The canceled grants, which were set to expire on Dec. 31, were focused on increasing the pipeline of credentialed school-based mental health professionals working in rural and underserved areas and providing direct services to students in high-needs schools, according to court documents. A school psychologists organization said the ruling is a “win” for families and educators. In the order, the judge said grant discontinuations were likely “arbitrary and capricious” because they were not based on individual reasons, but rather were discontinued with a generic message saying that the grants “were not in the best interests of the federal government.” The Education Department says it will appeal.
Lawmakers unveil bipartisan GUARD Act after parents blame AI chatbots for teen suicides, violence
Fox News – October 28, 2025
The GUARD Act, led by Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee members Josh Hawley (R-Mo) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), would ban AI companion chatbots from targeting anyone under the age of 18. It would also require age verification for chatbot use, mandate clear disclosure that chatbots are not human or licensed professionals, and impose criminal penalties for companies whose AI products engage in manipulative behavior with minors.
Senators demand Linda McMahon ask DHS to stop immigration enforcement near schools
NBC News – October 24, 2025
The letter asks for “common sense” civilian immigration policing around schools, arguing that “if society can agree that alcohol, tobacco and drugs should be kept at least 1,000 feet away from our schools, surely we can agree that tear gas—a chemical weapon which causes burning, pain, skin inflammation and respiratory distress—and other violent DHS tools and tactics also belong on that list.”
The Many Quirks of Early DecisionPost – October 29, 2025
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D.
How to Review a College Application: A Checklist for Students, Parents, and CounselorsPost – October 29, 2025
College Advice & Timely Tips with Lee Bierer
I tried out an AI chatbot therapist. Here’s what I saw.
US PIRG Education Fund – October 23, 2025
With some experts raising concerns about risks of using chatbots for mental health support, I wanted to see what using a therapy chatbot can actually look like. Blurring the line between fiction and reality was just one of the red flags I saw in my conversation with the chatbot therapist. Over the span of a two-hour conversation, the chatbot started to adopt my negative feelings toward my psychiatrist and my antidepressant medication, provided me with a personalized plan to taper off my medication, and eventually actively encouraged me to disregard my psychiatrist’s advice and taper off under its guidance instead. Here are my top five takeaways plus numerous excerpts from the chat supporting them.
How Parents Can Reduce Chronic School Absenteeism
U.S. News & World Report – October 28, 2025
It’s important for parents to keep track of their child’s absences and promote a routine of attending school. Here’s what to know about chronic absenteeism and how parents can encourage good attendance records.
3 ways to help your teen build resilience
UNICEF Parenting – October 26, 2025
Life is full of ups and downs. Teens who are resilient have confidence to tackle challenges, learn from setbacks and keep going even when things get tough. Dr. Lisa Damour, psychologist, author and mom shares 3 ways you can help your teen bounce back better.
High School Students Are Getting Accepted to College Without Ever Applying
Newsweek – October 24, 2025
While college admissions typically bring to mind essay writing, SAT scores and extracurriculars, a new trend has emerged in higher education—direct admissions, with high school students now being able to get accepted to college without ever truly applying.
Will Video Introductions Replace College Essays In The Age Of AI?
Forbes – October 23, 2025
Even before ChatGPT’s debut in November 2022, the authenticity of personal essays was in doubt. Well-resourced students hired tutors (and eager parents edited), leaving admissions teams to guess where the teenager’s voice ended and adult help began. With AI now a common writing aid, sorting real from manufactured has only gotten harder. Increasingly, a successful college application will include a high GPA, strong test scores, a well-written essay—and a self-recorded video introduction.
Interview With Student Loan Expert Kelsey Mason
U.S. News & World Report – October 23, 2025
Kelsey Mason — associate director of regulatory and legislative affairs for the Education Finance Council — outlines the best ways to save – and pay – for college.
Pell Grant Chart: What Income Limits Qualify?
The College Investor – October 23, 2025
The Pell Grant eligibility formula uses the Student Aid Index (SAI) and expands access based on adjusted gross income, family size, and dependency status. Students may qualify for a maximum Pell Grant if income falls below certain thresholds tied to the federal poverty line. Here are the income limits families need to qualify for the full Pell Grant…
Want to Know What You’ll Pay for College? There’s a Fast New Calculator for That.
The New York Times – October 17, 2025
Nearly two dozen private colleges are offering an online tool that factors in need-based grants and scholarships to estimate students’ actual costs.
SAT, ACT participation remains below pre-pandemic levels
K-12 Dive – October 22, 2025
Average scores on both tests also haven’t rebounded from those recorded in the year before COVID-19 hit.
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Halloween Special: Strange Scholarships
sponsored by Fastweb
Share these weird and wonderful opportunities with your students.
What Students Study Matters. How Colleges Guide Them Matters More.
Forbes – October 28, 2025
For many students, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college, choosing a major is anything but simple. The path from interest to degree to career is often unclear. And if colleges do not help students connect the dots, outcomes will continue to reflect access gaps that have little to do with talent or potential. Article by Marvin Krislov, President, Pace University.
OPINION: Young men are increasingly lonely, isolated and reading less
The Hechinger Report – October 28, 2025
Young men in America today are feeling lonely and socially isolated. They are not going to college, entering the workplace or going on dates as often as young men did in prior generations. In my years teaching literacy, I’ve watched the lines on two graphs move in opposite directions: male loneliness climbs as male reading and writing scores drop. Are these trends correlated, and if so, can reading help address loneliness? Combining a lack of critical reading skills and habits with an unsatisfied need to bond, to connect and to belong results in an emotional feedback loop, driving young men into toxic spaces designed to persuade or recruit rather than inform.
Hit and Run Puts Spotlight on Stalking and Teen Dating Violence. Here’s How Schools Can Help.
Rutgers Today – October 22, 2025
Teen dating violence, which can include stalking and related behaviors such as harassment between current or former partners, is a national emergency. In a 2021 U.S. government survey among high school students who reported dating in the past 12 months, about 1 in 12 experienced physical dating violence and roughly one in 10 experienced sexual dating violence. The actual figures are likely even higher…
Despite naysayers and rising costs, data shows that college still pays off for students – and society overall
The Conversation – October 27, 2025
Some people argue that a college degree does not matter, since there might not be enough jobs for college graduates and other workers, given the growth of artificial intelligence, for example. Some clear evidence shows otherwise. An estimated 18.4 million workers with a college degree in the U.S. will retire from now through 2032…far greater than the 13.8 million workers who will enter the workforce with college degrees during this same time frame. Meanwhile, an additional 700,00 new jobs that require college degrees will be created. That gap creates a serious problem. One major question is whether there will be enough people to fill the available jobs that require a college degree.
What Makes Some CTE Programs Great While Others Fall Short?
The 74 – October 27, 2025
In too many places, CTE remains a loose set of electives with little structure or alignment to industry standards. Courses may look modern, but without clear pathways or rigorous content, they rarely lead to meaningful skills, credentials or good jobs. Much like other “evidence-based” initiatives, how a program is structured matters much more than whether or not it is offered. So, what distinguishes CTE programs that truly pay off from those that don’t?