High School Counselor Week

The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort
NPR – October 7, 2025
The academic choices you make as a teenager can shape the rest of your life: If you take high school classes for college credit, you’re more likely to go to college; and if you take at least 12 credits of classes during your first year there, you’re more likely to finish your degree. These and insights from thousands of other studies can all be traced to a trove of data the federal government started collecting more than 50 years ago. But earlier this year, that effort came to a halt.

Civil Rights Data Collection for Schools Resumes, With Changes on Gender and Discipline
EdSurge – October 6, 2025
While the government shutdown in early October will almost certainly slow the process, the department announced it would finalize the data for the 2025-26 school year and prepare data collection for the 2027-28 school year. The CRDC is the only source of nationwide data on how students are faring across race, gender, disability, and other key factors. The updated version removes the nonbinary gender category,bringing the survey into alignment with a January executive order declaring that the federal government recognizes only two genders.

Book bans becoming the new norm for districts, report says
K-12 Dive – October 3, 2025
Four years since book bans proliferated, the movement’s spread to the federal level is creating “unprecedented” pressure for districts, PEN America says.

The End of Either/Or: Preparing Students for College — and Career
EdSurge – October 1, 2025
For many years, students often felt they had to choose between college or a career. One path was widely viewed as academic and prestigious, while the other was seen as practical but sometimes undervalued. This way of thinking has shaped counseling conversations, curriculum design and even state funding decisions. That mindset is beginning to shift. Increasingly, students are seeking flexible, purpose-driven pathways that prepare them for both higher education and the real world. Across the country, educators and communities are rethinking what readiness really means. This is where the conversation can shift to accommodate a broader opportunity. College is not the only destination, and a career is not the backup plan. College and career readiness means providing students with the opportunity to build academic rigor, develop career-ready and transferable skills, and gain real-world experience — simultaneously.

What does ‘the best university’ mean, anyway?
Times Higher Education – October 1, 2025
The best university. The top school. Such phrases often crop up during conversations with students and parents. It can be frustrating for college counsellors when we hear this – we worry that the parent will whip out university rankings or the student will mention the Ivy League. The reason we can get frustrated when certain stakeholders use the word “best” is because the assumption seems to be that universities can be objectively compared. There are certainly objective measures we should look at, but we also know that choosing where to study is a subjective and deeply individual experience. So we must identify the best for the student, and ensure that whatever standards are being used to determine the “best” is actually in line with the student’s values, preferences and priorities. Here are some practical ways to apply these points: 

The cost of college is up 40% since 2000 — and some parents are now ‘gaming’ the system to avoid debt traps. Here are some strategies to help save
MoneyWise – October 6, 2025
How much does college cost? It’s complicated. The net price students actually pay doesn’t usually match up with sky-high sticker prices thanks to grant aid. Per one source, the average net tuition and fees paid by first-time full-time in-state students enrolled in public four-year institutions declined to an estimated $2,480 in 2024. Making things even more confusing for parents is the fact that colleges don’t all play by the same pricing rules. If you’re a parent worried about these eye-watering prices, now you know that the real out-of-pocket cost depends on a mix of calculators, aid packages, a little bit of strategy and a lot of research. Here’s how to figure out how much college will cost:

As Tuition Rises, Free-College Programs Are as Relevant as Ever
EdSurge – October 7, 2025
Hundreds of free-college programs exist in states and cities across the country, each with varying structures and rules. Often, they are focused on addressing a specific need in the community. Some only require students to be in the local school system; others call for specific grade-point averages, community service, or that students meet established attendance levels. In some areas, the programs pay only for community colleges or award scholarships to students who enter under-staffed fields. Kalamazoo Promise in MI is a model for hundreds of other programs aimed at making college more affordable. Staff and scholars credit its success to the program’s long-term donor base as well as its unique structure, which gives students access to the scholarship for up to 10 years after they graduate from high school.

Tribal colleges and universities aren’t well known, but are a crucial steppingstone for Native students
The Conversation – October 7, 2025
Most Native American high school students do not attend or graduate from college. As a tribal member of Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota and the former president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College in ND, I recognize the difference that tribal colleges and universities, like the one I used to work at, can have in rerouting Native students’ education journeys. Most Americans, though, have no idea that tribal colleges and universities even exist, let alone know how they work.

Top 5 college planning resources for students
My Central Jersey – October 5, 2025
The first step for students with college in their future is to research the best-fit major for their talents and interests. Students who start college with a chosen major and a clear career path can often cut years of education, a great deal of stress, and a substantial amount of money from their higher education experience.

Applying for college financial aid? Here’s what’s different about this year’s FAFSA
PBS News – October 2, 2025
Students applying for college financial aid can start filling out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) now. Experts are hopeful that new changes will streamline the process for students and college financial aid advisors and prevent delays. Students wishing to receive financial aid for the 2026-27 school year need to submit an application to be considered for federal student loans and grants. Here are four things you need to know about this year’s new FAFSA and other changes to federal financial aid.

The Consequences of Pell Grant Cuts on Student-Parents and Justice-Impacted Students
EdTrust – September 29, 2025
In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Education released its FY26 budget proposa. One proposal stands out: cutting the maximum Pell Grant from $7,395 to $5,710. The 6.5 million students (nearly 34% of undergraduate students) relying on Pell Grants would receive less support, and over 100,000 would be excluded from the program entirely — this includes justice-impacted students. Pell Grants have long served as a lifeline for individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration. And while policymakers may argue that financial cuts are necessary, we cannot ignore who is most at risk of being left behind.