High School Counselor Week
Weekly stories, facts, trends, and other information from around the country
August 29, 2019
Even Some College Tends to Pay Off
Inside Higher Ed – August 22, 2019
Students who attended college but didn’t earn a credential were more likely to hold a job and earned more than their peers who stopped at high school, new research finds.
Students who plan to seek more education than needed for their career earn more money
Science X – August 20, 2019
When it comes to career success, it pays to aim for more education than what you need for the job you want.
Colleges See The Cloud As One Tool To Keep Higher Education Affordable
Forbes – August 26, 2019
Two big financial trends are driving higher education to take a closer look at cloud-based financial applications: Public funding to colleges is shrinking, and tuition is hitting a ceiling as students are less willing to saddle themselves with a lifetime of debt.
Corinthian Colleges Shuts Down, Ending Classes for 16,000 Overnight
NBC News – August 26, 2019
In what’s believed to be the biggest shutdown in the history of higher education in the United States, Corinthian Colleges said Sunday it’s closing its remaining 28 for-profit schools effective immediately. Corinthian Colleges operated under the names Everest, Heald and WyoTech in 25 states before it came under investigation early last year.
College Counselor to Parents: Relax
Post – August 28, 2019
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D
Snowplow parents getting in the way
Tribune News Service – August 28, 2019
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer
Colleges that invite graded papers
Post – August 28, 2019
The Explorations Blog with Nancy Griesemer
Saying No to a Dream College: A Success Story
Post – August 16, 2019
The College Solution Blog with Lynn O’Shaughnessy
Extra duties limited school counselors’ face time with students. A new rule is changing that.
USA Today – August 27, 2019
Counselors across Tennessee are tapped to help coordinate statewide testing at schools and are unavailable to meet with children for weeks at a time. It is one of many extra duties — cafeteria monitoring, clerical work and classroom substitute teaching — that school counselors have to do at the state’s chronically understaffed public schools.
Is Anyone Keeping an Eye on College Counselors?
Boston Magazine – August 27, 2019
The vast majority of independent college consultants won’t land you in federal court. But in a largely unregulated field, how do you know what’s ethical, what’s not, and when to run away?
Ethical College Admissions: Trust and Verify
Inside Higher Ed – August 19, 2019
“Can I just make something up?” A number of years ago one of my students asked that question about his college essay. He had what he thought was a great essay topic about how he had saved someone’s life. The only problem was that the incident hadn’t actually happened.
1 In 10 Students Think Credit Cards Are Free Money
Advisor Magazine – August 21, 2019
Poor financial literacy in the U.S. has gotten to the point that more than 2 million college students (1 in 10) believe credit cards are free money
20 Tips to Get Your Kid into College…Legally
Boston Magazine – August 27, 2019
From choosing the right test, to crafting the perfect essay—here’s how to hack the college admissions process without committing fraud.
A Parent’s Role in the College Admissions Process
TeenLife Blog – August 20, 2019
Parents are unquestionably a critical component to a student’s college transition, but it’s important to delineate what parental action is helpful and what may be detrimental in the admissions process.
The One Thing Parents Should (But Often Don’t) Consider Before Sending Their Kids To College
HuffPost – August 24, 2019
In the rush to prepare children physically for college, parents overlook the importance of mental health.
Student debt relief scams on the riseCBS News
The student loan numbers are staggering: 40 million borrowers with more than $1.2 trillion in outstanding debt. That’s an average student loan balance of $29,000. Yahoo finance senior columnist Michael Santoli joins “CBS This Morning: Saturday” to discuss how the debt is attracting scam artists.
The Common App: Everything You Need to Know
U.S. News & World Report – August 1, 2019
Despite its popularity, the Common App can be confusing. The guide below can help ease students and parents through the application.
Five Things To Know About The Coalition Before Tackling Your Applications
Forbes – August 3, 2019
The thought of being able to apply to multiple colleges with just one application sounds ideal. Unfortunately, not all colleges are on one application platform. Some of the platforms that make it easier for students to apply to more than one school quickly include…
How Attending an Alternative School Impacts College Admissions
U.S. News & World Report – August 9, 2019
Students take various paths to arrive at college. One such deviation from the traditional path is attending schools with alternative programs of study, generally recognized as a departure from the standard K-12 curriculum.
College recruiters aggressively go after out-of-state students
USA Today – August 19, 2019
USA Today’s exclusive database reveals which public universities have sharply decreased their in-state students in recent years.
‘When Will I Ever Use This?’ Parents, Students Say Schools Missing the Mark on Career Readiness
Yahoo Finance – August 26, 2019
New polls find big support for earlier exposure to career options and new government programs to solve “serious” student debt crisis
Changing the Workforce Narrative
Contractor Magazine – August 26, 2019
Exclusive interview with PHCC’s Michael Copp reveals interesting take on workforce development
Higher education seeing a shifting tide
Addison County Independent – August 26, 2019
Higher education opportunities like apprenticeships and community college are on the rise in Vermont, a state where 92 percent of students graduate from high school but only 37 percent of people aged 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree.
How to Complete the CSS Profile
U.S. News & World Report – August 26, 2019
Completing the College Scholarship Service Profile, can be arduous, experts say. But it opens the door to nonfederal scholarships and other kinds of institutional aid that can make a big difference when it comes time to pay for college.
What Happens If You Lie on Your FAFSA?
Credit.com Blog – August 7, 2019
Every student getting ready for college is hit with the reality of how expensive higher education can be. It might be tempting to lie on the FAFSA. However, you could face criminal charges of fraud, and most of the time, you have to pay back any financial aid you received under false pretenses
New Report Questions Impact of Scaling FAFSA “Nudge” Campaigns
NASFAA News – August 20, 2019
As more states begin to mandate that high school students file the FAFSA in order to graduate, a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggests that nudging students to apply for financial aid on a national and state-wide level does not increase college-going rates.
Avoid Student Loans With These 7 Bad Terms
NASDAQ News – August 26, 2019
Federal student loans are designed and regulated to include fair terms that don’t take advantage of the borrower. On the other hand,some private lenders still get away with predatory practices. Here are examples of bad student loan terms that should always be avoided.
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Focus on What You Can Control
Georgia Tech Admission Blog
August 21, 2019
If given the choice, I think most of us would choose being a driver over a passenger, especially in situations where we’re heavily invested in the outcome. Whether you’re putting an offer in on a house, waiting for test results, or doing something else that generally relinquishes your decision-making power to a third-party, it feels particularly chaotic and stressful.
Eight Tips for a Great Teacher Letter of Recommendation
Tulane University Admission Blog
August 26, 2019
While I have never been a teacher myself, I can imagine that there are plenty of teachers who view writing countless recommendations as a pretty daunting task to add on top of your already full plates. This blog should shed some light onto what colleges are looking to glean from your letters and how you can write effective and informative letters on behalf of your students.
The Scientific Debate Over Teens, Screens And Mental Health
NPR – August 27, 2019
More teens and young adults are reporting being depressed and anxious, compared with comparable numbers from the mid-2000s. Suicides are up too in that time period, most noticeably among girls ages 10 to 14. These trends are the basis of a scientific controversy.
The Mandatory-Expulsion Maze: Giving a Friend an Adderall Derailed an Honor Student’s Academic Career. He’s Not the Only One
The 74 – August 17, 2019
When a San Antonio honors student gave a classmate an Adderall as a favor just before Thanksgiving last year, he found himself flung from a world of sympathetic teachers and engaging coursework into a legalistic nightmare of statutes, judges, court sentences and lost educational opportunity.
Facing Criticism, College Board Backs Away From ‘Adversity Score’
The Chronicle of Higher Education – August 27, 2019
The College Board is walking back the single, overarching “adversity score” that it had planned to attach to students’ SAT scores after it drew broad criticism.
Colleges Requiring All SAT/ACT Scores Sent: Complete List
PrepScholar Blog – August 25, 2019
Nearly all colleges require you to send at least one SAT or ACT score as part of your application for admission. However, some colleges require you to send your entire testing record, even if that means sending not-so-great scores.
What to Know About AP Exams in 2019
Varsity Tutors – August 13, 2019
If you’re planning on taking an AP course, read on to learn about the changes that could affect your AP exam experience in 2019.
Webinars to focus on students with disabilities in career and tech ed
Penn State News – August 6, 2019
A collaborative effort of PennState, NTACT and ACTE, this free series is intended to support professionals in the field working with students with disabilities; special education; career and technical education; college and career readiness; vocational rehabilitation; and workforce development.
New College of Florida removes Dean of Enrollment Management over discrimination complaints
ABC 7 Sarasota – August 22, 2019
After conducting a review following complaints of discrimination, New College of Florida has removed their Dean of Enrollment Management. Three people came forward to say that New College was discriminating against admission applicants who disclosed a disability or mental illness as part of the application process.
Parents Disliking Their Kid’s College Essay Is A Great Sign
Forbes – August 23, 2019
The essays that get students into the most selective schools often raise concerns from parents, teachers, and other well-meaning people not well-versed in the current college admissions landscape.