High School Counselor Week

How shootings upend US schools – even where there’s no gunfire
USA Today – September 23, 2024
After a fatal shooting at a school in small-town Georgia, districts nationwide were inundated with threats— a recognizable pattern that often follows instances of gun violence. The early September tragedy had a significant added factor: It disrupted the back-to-school season at schools nationwide.

Scathing GAO reports blame Education Department leaders for FAFSA mess
Higher Ed Dive – September 24, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education failed to oversee vendors, follow its own procedures, and properly communicate with students and colleges when launching the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. That’s according to a pair of scathing reports issued Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

A New Model For College Diversity: Individualized Proxies
Forbes – September 21, 2024
This year, colleges were constrained from giving preference in admissions to students of color. Many colleges used proxies in order to maintain diversity on their campuses. They flew in low-income students. They added an optional question on the application about hardships in order to reveal student’s backgrounds growing up. Some colleges increased their recruiting efforts to visit schools where they could find highly capable students of color and others used direct mail to reach these students.

How to create a values-based careers day
Times Higher Education – September 25, 2024
Rather than championing conventional career success, a pathways and possibilities day invites stories of personal struggle, squiggly careers and significant pivots. For some students, it allows for conversations about their aspirations: what kind of person did they want to be, and what changes did they want to make to live into their values and aspirations?

Why social media should be a part of every counsellor’s job
Times Higher Education – September 24, 2024
Social-media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok have transformed how students understand and access information. While these platforms offer valuable opportunities for professional growth and connections for students, they also present challenges that counsellors must address. As social media becomes increasingly integrated into students’ lives, we must understand its impact and adapt our practices accordingly.

Most US Teens Use Generative AI. Most of Their Parents Don’t Know
WIRED – September 18, 2024
A fresh wave of anxiety about children and technology is cresting, with parents and pundits increasingly interrogating how kids use smartphones, social media, and screens. It hasn’t stopped teenagers from embracing generative AI. New research reveals what AI tools teenagers in the United States are using, and how often—as well as how little their parents know about it.

Tips to prevent oversharing information about your kids online: Watch
USA Today – September 20, 2024
There’s nothing wrong with sharing sweet stories and pictures of your children online, but you do want to be mindful about who you’re sharing the information with. Think of it like this: would you share it with a random person in the grocery store, on the street, or with someone you went to school with decades ago? In many cases, the answer is probably not! Keep reading for tips on how to safely share information when posting online.

Don’t Be Afraid of (The Failure) Prompt #2 of the Common App Essay
Great College Advice – September 21, 2024
The Common App essay is the place where you show colleges something of who you are that they won’t see in your transcript or test scores – you introduce the actual human being that is you. It’s where you show them your skill as a thoughtful self-reflective writer; and where you show them your emotional intelligence, vulnerability, and path of growth into adulthood. What better way to do all that than to step up and address a challenge, setback, or, yes, FAILURE?

This is what admissions officers really want to read in college essays
Vox – September 19, 2024
Admissions officers are looking to be entertained when reading application essays, according to consultantly firm director Alexis White. Of course, students should use their essay to showcase their curiosities, character, and point of view, but contrary to popular belief, these personal statements don’t need to recount devastating moments of painful growth. ‘You can be fun,’ White says. ‘You don’t have to have trauma.’

Are College Admissions Interviews Required?
U.S. News & World Report – September 25, 2024
Do interviews matter in admissions decisions? Of the 741 schools that responded to the U.S. News survey, about 72% said they neither recommend nor require admissions interviews. That may cause some students to wonder whether they should even bother to do an interview if it’s optional.

You got into college. How will you pay for it?
Vox – September 19, 2024
Even if you or your parents have little to contribute, getting a college degree is possible without taking out massive loans. In order to side-step future financial stress, students and their families should take a clear-eyed, pragmatic approach to paying for college that starts well before acceptance letters hit the mail, experts say.

‘No-Loan’ Colleges: What to Know
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2024
To ease the financial burden on families and students, a small number of U.S. colleges have instituted ‘no-loan’ policies, eliminating federal loans from financial aid packages in lieu of scholarships, grants and work-study.

Applying to college? Seven current students on how to stand out and stay sane.
Vox – September 19, 2024
When it comes to college applications, the prospect of documenting an entire high school career while also selling your personality can be daunting. Here, seven students offer their best advice on staying organized, quelling anxiety, and the mistakes they wish they’d avoided.