High School Counselor Week

How Public TV Stations Are Partnering with Schools to Increase Educational Content for Students Without Internet
Tech & Learning – October 28, 2020
In addition to adding traditional educational programs, public TV stations are providing tools such as datacasting and teacher-created content to help students who don’t have internet access

7 charts that give a snapshot of college enrollment this fall
Education Dive – November 3, 2020
Fewer students headed to college, but the trend and its impact vary.

New data: Even within the same district some wealthy schools get millions more than poor ones
The Hechinger Report – October 31, 2020
We’ve long known about spending disparities from one district to another; new federally mandated data lays bare within-district inequities, too

Bearing Witness to the Birth of a Dream
Post – November 4, 2020
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D.

Don’t be stealth – show them your love
Tribune News Service – November 4, 2020
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer 

Election Conversations and Resources
ASCA – October 30, 2020
School counselors play an important role in helping ensure students learn to have respectful conversations about politically charged issues. Here are some resources to help you support your students around the 2020 election.

Six ways adults can help children make sense of a divisive election
The Washington Post – October 29, 2020
As a school counselor and parent, I know that children of all ages are struggling to make sense of a divisive election that’s occurring against the backdrop of a global pandemic and civil unrest.

‘It feels like an abandonment:’ NYC schools grieve millions in new budget cuts
New York Daily News – October 30, 2020
Brooklyn high school principal Alona Cohen managed throughout the pandemic to keep track of nearly 200 students struggling with medical crises, competing job responsibilities and remote learning snags because of a team of extra school counselors funded through a city program called ‘Learning to Work.’ Now that program is getting cut by $10 million, some of those counselors could lose their jobs, and…

Fact-Checking College Admission
Forbes – November 2, 2020
I asked leaders in the admission profession to assist me in fact-checking the common misconceptions and assumptions that contribute to the mania around college admission. Here is what they said:

Getting Recommendation Letters During COVID-19
U.S. News & World Report – October 30, 2020
Here are some tips on how to manage this critical part of the college admissions process virtually.

Avoid the trappings of college prestige
Concord Monitor (NH) – November 3, 2020
Question: My top choice college is not ranked as high as some of the others on my application list. My parents want me to prioritize the schools that are ranked higher. What should I do?

Prepping for college in the age of COVID
Quad Community Press (MN) – November 3, 2020
If there’s one word besides “pandemic” that defines 2020, it’s “uncertainty.”

With test scores out, college essays count more
EdSource – October 30, 2020
In some cases, anxiety is heightened because they are not able to talk face-to-face with counselors and can’t visit drop-in writing centers. We share some observations from admissions offices, as well as essay Do’s and Don’ts

Write it Down: 6 tips for winning college application essays
The Oakland Press (MI) – November 2, 2020
You aren’t alone in this struggle. Most students probably haven’t had many opportunities to write about themselves, and as colleges go test-optional, there’s extra weight on your essay. But no need to fret: here are some tips and tricks to get you writing that essay that will get you in.

How A Net Price Calculator Can Help You Pick A College
Forbes – November 2, 2020
The cost of college should always be part of the equation in choosing one. After you narrow down your college choices by major, career services and where and how you learn best, use the net price calculators on college websites to get an idea of which colleges are affordable for your family.

Is Your Data Safe When Applying for Financial Aid?
U.S. News & World Report – November 2, 2020
Families can fall victim to phishing attempts, the collecting and selling of data, and identity theft when applying for financial aid.

Five Times Americans Should Not Save For College
Forbes – November 1, 2020
Here are five instances where college savings should take a back seat to other financial priorities.

How experts say college students going home for Thanksgiving can avoid a ‘recipe for disaster’
The Washington Post – October 29, 2020
Just months after deciding to send their children to college campuses amid the coronavirus pandemic, many families are now facing another difficult dilemma: How to safely welcome students home for Thanksgiving or the end of the semester without introducing a deadly virus into their households.

Thinking About College: Activities Adults and Teenagers Can Do Together
The New York Times – October 29, 2020
An expert on the college process suggests ways to have productive conversations, and provides some useful resources to help.

Upcoming Virtual Events for Students and Parents
TeenLife Blog – November 2, 2020
Most of these virtual events are free to attend by parents and students. Our team at TeenLife is on the lookout and will share the most interesting college fairs, panel discussions, webinars that are taking place in the weeks and months ahead. Be sure to bookmark this post!