High School Counselor Week

A year after COVID-19 shut schools, students and teachers share what shook them – and what strengthened them
USA Today – March 21, 2021
From grade school to graduate school, developing young minds in close physical proximity halted abruptly in mid-March 2020. What happened next to schools and families was devastating and electrifying, thought-provoking and quieting, unifying and isolating.

Feds’ First Survey of Pandemic Learning Finds Nearly Half of Students Taught Remotely
Education Week – March 24, 2021
As of January, 43 percent of 4th graders and 48 percent of 8th graders were still learning full time from home, according to newly released federal data. And the new numbers point to alarming disparities among regions and states in the quality of that remote learning, with a subset

Juniors, College, and Your School Counselor
Post – March 24, 2021
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D.

Last minute campus visit tips
Tribune News Service – March 24, 2021
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer 

Taking advantage of today’s college admission landscape
Post – March 10, 2021
The College Solution with Lynn O’Shaughnessy

‘Somebody cares’: How schools are helping with student well-being
The Christian Science Monitor – March 24, 2021
When school counselor Barbara Truluck started a small grief-support group last school year, she had no idea that a global pandemic was imminent and that some of her students would lose family members. Now she’s grateful…

In poor districts, pandemic overwhelms school counselors
Florida Politics – March 24, 2021
To help her students keep up with school this year, counselor Nadia Pearce has tried it all. She reminds them of goals they had before the pandemic, for college or a career. She calls parents and goes over how…

As US schools shuttered, student mental health cratered: Survey
Fox Business – March 19, 2021
Some school boards, teachers union leaders, parents still advocate full or partial school closures to protect the health of children or to prevent community spread

After a ‘lost year’ for many students, educators and advocates scramble to get them help
Hawaii News Now – March 22, 2021
The effect on education goes far beyond what you can physically see on a school campus.

Colleges see longer waitlists after removing ACT/SAT requirements
WSIL-TV (IL) – March 23, 2021
A lot of US colleges are in a tricky spot right now. How many students should they admit for next school year? Some universities around the country are finding themselves wait listing potential students.

Parents, get ready for college admissions season
Orlando Sentinel (FL) – March 23, 2021
Many students will be met with rejections and they — and their parents — may instinctually wonder what they did wrong. As a former admissions officer at Yale, I write to reassure you that you likely didn’t do anything wrong.

A Parent’s Guide to ACT Prep: 5 Tips for Setting Your High School Student Up for Success
South Florida Reporter – March 21, 2021
It’s necessary to strike a healthy balance between helping your children along and helicopter parenting. Your role in their college application process should be as a motivator and…

A Student’s View: How to Find the College That’s the Right Fit for You, Even During a Pandemic
The 74 – March 21, 2021
I was terrified I’d make the wrong decision. Here are three steps I took to make sure I could find where I belonged.

4 ways to transform college admissions
eSchool News – March 22, 2021
Harder doesn’t always equal better—the college admissions process should be easier and more accessible

7 Things High School Juniors Can Do Now
Inside Higher Ed – March 22, 2021
The good news is that the general principles for what students can do now to prepare for the college application season remains the same. Now is the perfect time for high school juniors to…

Setting your college self up for success as a high schooler
Casper Star-Tribune – March 22, 2021
You can lay the groundwork for a successful college experience long before you arrive on campus. In fact, a few steps in high school can make the transition much easier.

Watch out for this little-known clause when having a co-signer on your student loans
CNBC – March 21, 2021
Here’s what to know about the ‘automatic default’ clause in your private student loan contract.

It’s time to stop using the FAFSA to determine who gets emergency aid
The Hechinger Report – March 23, 2021
The pandemic has ushered in a new era of uncertainty for students that defies this federal form

How to Submit Your SAT Scores to Colleges
Niche – March 22, 2021
The good news is that you can choose the schools you want to receive your SAT test scores before or after you take the test. Just know that if you wait too long, it could cost you more money.

How to Master 4 Literary Devices for the ACT
U.S. News & World Report – March 22, 2021
These concepts may appear on multiple ACT sections.

2021 AP Exams Show the College Board Doesn’t Care Enough About Students
Teen Vogue – March 22, 2021
I watched in dismay as the ‘cons’ list for this year’s digital exam grew longer and longer: no going back-and-forth between questions, no uploading pictures of our work (so all math equations must be typed), along with…