High School Counselor Week

‘I can’t afford groceries’: why one-third of US college students don’t have enough to eat
The Guardian – US Edition – May 16, 2023
There are now around 800 food pantries on US college campuses, and demand is growing as pandemic-era resources end

As national COVID-19 emergency ends, a look back on the virus’ impact on schools
K-12 Dive – May 11, 2023
These are the key events that shifted how schools operated throughout the health crisis over the last three years.

The Dual Credit Risk In High Schools
Forbes – May 16, 2023
States throughout the country are pushing dual-credit programs in which high school students take college courses for both college and high school credit. Their logic is admirable. Learn higher order concepts. Save time and money toward a degree by earning transferrable college credits while in public school so you don’t accumulate debt. And yet because there’s no external validation in place to ensure that students are mastering ‘college-level’ learning, the policy is fraught with problems and, worse yet, shaky promises to students that could turn out to be misleading at best.

Social Media – Think Before You Snap – Sleep On It Before You Post!
Post – May 17, 2023
College Advice & Timely Tips with Lee Bierer

CDC releases 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – May 1, 2023
CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors priority health risks and experiences among U.S. high school students across the country. Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results help us understand what contributes to the leading causes of death and disability among youth. The full set of data from the 2021 YRBS provides the first YRBS data since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows that while there are some areas of improvement, many youth struggle to some extent with threats to their health and well-being. Many of these trends have worsened over the last decade. The data tell a concerning story about the health and well-being of our nation’s youth. Findings are especially stark among some students. The 2021 YRBS data also provide insight into three new areas of the adolescent experience: School Connectedness, Parental Monitoring, and Unstable Housing Here’s what we learned about them.

Parents Are Suing Schools Over Pronoun Policies. Here’s What You Need to Know
Education Week – May 12, 2023
Over the last three years, parents in at least six states have sued school districts over policies the districts say support transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary students. Some parents have taken issue with the districts having a policy addressing transgender rights in the first place. Others ask that the school district be obligated to inform them if their child chooses to use a different name and pronouns at school, or questions their gender identity, even if the child has asked teachers or counselors not to reveal that information. None of the parents have won a legal argument against a school district yet. Legal experts supporting the school districts have argued that districts are trying to support students by having these policies in place, and are required to protect students’ privacy rights over parents’ rights to information about their children. So far, no school district that was sued has walked back its policies.

Applying to College for Students With LDs or Neurodiversity
Psychology Today – May 15, 2023
Best practices for navigating college applications with a learning disability.

9 College Application Tasks for the Summer Before Senior Year
U.S. News & World Report – May 12, 2023
The summer before senior year of high school is a critical time for students to make progress on the college application process. Before the busyness of the school year starts and fall and winter college application deadlines loom, students can knock out several key tasks to avoid stress down the road, experts say.

The American Psychological Association Has Issued Its First Ever Guidelines On Social Media Use For Kids
Scary Mommy – May 15, 2023
If you’ve been looking for doctor-recommended social media rules, here they are.

Interest Rates on Federal Student Loans to Be Highest in Decade
NerdWallet – May 16, 2023
As of July 1, undergraduates who take out new direct federal student loans will see interest rates rise to 5.50%, the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office said Tuesday — up from 4.99% in the 2022-23 academic year and 3.73% in 2021-22. PLUS loans, which parents and grad students can use to fill in education funding gaps, will jump to 8.05% from 7.54%. Here are the higher 2023-24 rates for each type of federal student loan, compared with the 2022-23 academic year:

How CT FAFSA Challenge Closes Opportunity Gaps and Promotes Access to Higher Ed
The 74 – May 16, 2023
Last year, nearly 2 million students nationwide — roughly half of all high school seniors — failed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), leaving unclaimed billions of dollars that could finance higher education. Completing the FAFSA is one of the best predictors of postsecondary enrollment. However, too many students face barriers that prevent them from doing so. The pandemic forced the education community to reimagine how we support schools and students in pursuit of college and certificate programs. How is Connecticut moving the needle on FAFSA completion and advancing the goal of postsecondary success for all students?

How to Study for the Digital SAT: A Step-by-Step Guide
Lessonpal – May 16, 2023
The new digital SAT commences in March 2024. Before that, the PSAT will become digital in the fall of 2023. The digital SAT will be shorter, adaptive, and easy to administer. In this post, we’ll go into how to study for the digital SAT, as well as discussing its structure and how it compares with the traditional SAT.