High School Counselor Week

Trump administration scrubs gender-based bullying data from school civil rights survey
PBS News – September 4, 2026
The release this week covers the 2023-2024 school year, when the survey included “nonbinary” as a gender category alongside male and female. However, in every column for information related to gender identity, the numbers were replaced with a code indicating “Suppressed in Compliance with Executive Order.” The government also suppressed the number of allegations of harassment or bullying on the basis of gender identity in schools, information about whether the districts had written policies prohibiting such harassment, and any links to those policies.

Without Part-Time Jobs or School Clubs, Teens Miss Out on Basic Life Skills
The 74 – September 4, 2026
As teenagers return to school this fall, a new report suggests that many of them are moving through adolescence without the experiences that help prepare them for adulthood, activities like a part-time job, a club, a team and a regular family meal.

A makeover for college: No gym, no meal plan and two years of work
NPR – September 1, 2026
An entirely new college is being planned to change not only how higher education is delivered, but at what price. It also proposes to highlight ways the current business model no longer works, as evidenced by the 152 colleges and universities that have closed or merged since 2016, and the 442 others that a new projection says are at risk. So deeply entrenched are the problems confronting higher education that a growing chorus of innovators says the easiest way to fix them is to begin again from scratch.

PA bill would prohibit AI from replacing school counselors, psychologists
WTAJ (PA) – September 1, 2026
The proposed legislation would prohibit schools from using AI to provide mental or behavioral health services. Rep. Melissa Shusterman said the bill would not prevent mental health professionals from using AI for administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and managing files. This legislative push comes as more children and teens increasingly turn to AI for mental health advice.

Building Better Futures: 5 Policy Principles for Equitable College and Career Advising and Pathways
EdTrust – August 26, 2026
All learners should have access to promising paths to postsecondary education and careers. Achieving this requires that students have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with adults and opportunities for belonging and connection. Students should have access to college and career navigators — such as licensed school counselors and other designated professionals — who understand learners’ unique assets, needs, and interests and can remove barriers to participation and help learners choose among many high-quality, inclusive, structured experiences designed to prepare them for a future that aligns with their postsecondary aspirations. This brief outlines five policy principles to expand opportunity and student success

Parental Guidance: The Applicant’s Fall Calendar Highlights
U.S. News & World Report – September 2, 2026
Stay on track with this timeline of falls standardized test dates and other application-related deadlines for high school students.

How College Essays Have Changed—and Stayed the Same
Inside Higher Ed – September 9, 2026
Despite yearly fuss over changing prompts, the college essay of today is much the same as it was over a decade ago.

How To Tell If A College Is In Financial Trouble Before You Enroll
Forbes – September 8, 2026
Choosing a college requires looking beyond shiny campuses to assess financial stability, as hidden strains can degrade the educational experience through fewer professors, larger classes, and program cuts. Families must conduct due diligence using multiple resources.The good news: families don’t need to become forensic accountants to spot the warning signs. Here’s where to look.

More Than Half of College Applicants Reported Key Home-Based Challenges
Inside Higher Ed – September 3, 2026
More than 870,000 first-year applicants who used Common App last year reported that they experienced at least one significant home-based responsibility or extenuating life circumstance, such as caregiving, translation or working to help pay family bills. Many of those students, clicked several boxes. The findings come from a question added last year as part of an effort to go beyond traditional extracurricular activities and get a sense of the key responsibilities and life circumstances that take up at least four hours of a student’s week.

How College Refunds Work And How To Find A Refund Policy
The College Investor – September 7, 2026
College tuition refunds are rare. Many colleges only give a full refund if you withdraw before the first day of class, and most stop refunding anything at all within about a month of the start date. Check your own school’s schedule now, because the window closes faster than most families expect. If a withdrawal is on the table, the financial impact of dropping out of college goes well beyond the lost semester. Before you withdraw from school, here are the key things you should know…

Who Wins College Scholarships? Sallie Data Shows Early, High-Volume Applicants
The College Investor – September 7, 2026
The findings point to a short list of behaviors that consistently showed up among winners: starting early, applying in volume, getting essays reviewed, and reapplying after rejections. It’s a useful data set for anyone working through how to find college scholarships right now.

Which Colleges Offer Free Tuition? Full List Of Schools
The College Investor – September 2, 2026
The promise of free college tuition is a strong draw for college-capable low-income students. But, many free tuition programs come with caveats that cause them to fall short of the promise. Let’s break down what you should know about tuition-free colleges, along with a list of some U.S. colleges that are tuition-free. We also share some foreign colleges that also have free tuition programs that may be of interest.