High School Counselor Week

Post-High-School Outcomes Vary Around the World. How Do U.S. Graduates Stack Up?
Education Week – September 29, 2026
The latest international data represent a mixed bag for those worried about school capacity to prepare young adults for college and careers.

A Federal Grab for College Oversight Could Put Students At Risk
NEA Today – September 28, 2026
For decades, accreditation has quietly performed a crucial job: helping to ensure the academic and financial integrity of higher education institutions. But that and more will change if the Trump administration’s proposals go into effect, giving the federal government more control over which colleges and universities receive accreditation. One of the most profound impacts would be on federal student aid programs, because students can only access programs such as Federal Pell Grants and student loans if they attend accredited institutions.

Fewer Students, Too Many Schools: Communities Confront Closures, Consolidations
The 74 – September 28, 2026
More than 1,000 public schools closed nationwide in the 2025-26 school year, according to preliminary National Center for Education Statistics data.

How to help parents interpret university rankings
Times Higher Education – September 30, 2026
Rankings are often viewed as the definitive measure of a university’s quality, and for many families they become the starting point, and sometimes the only consideration. A common misconception is that all rankings measure the same criteria. Many families tend to view this as “good school” or “not so good school” without fully considering the importance of fit in relation to a student’s individual needs, goals and interests. Our responsibility is to provide broader context. Rankings can play a role, but not as the sole measure of a university’s worth, rather as one element in helping to identify the university that is the best fit academically, personally, financially and in terms of future aspirations.

Understanding Your Duty as a Mandatory Reporter
NEA News – September 23, 2026
All 50 states have enacted laws that require educators to report suspected child abuse and neglect. State laws require suspected abuse to be reported promptly, typically within 24 hours. Reports are made to Child Protective Services (CPS), law enforcement, or another designated agency. State law and district guidelines may differ in exactly what types of abuse you are required to report, but mandated reporting obligations apply regardless of whether the suspected abuse occurred at home or at school. Below we cover what signs you should look for, when to report, and why fear of being wrong should not prevent you reporting.

What is Holistic Admissions? Meaning, Process, and How Colleges Decide
Collegewise – September 28, 2026
Holistic admissions is the college review process in which a college evaluates an applicant as a whole person, considering their academic record, essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, and personal context. Nearly all highly selective U.S. colleges use some form of holistic review, but because there is no standardized weighing scale, application components carry more or less weight from college to college. This, alongside institutional priorities, can make the process feel somewhat unpredictable and unfair to students.

Insider Information: What College Costs Look Like for 2026-2027 Academic Year
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2026
When adjusted for inflation, tuition at public ranked colleges decreased 0.6% for in-state students and 0.4% for out-of-state students. Tuition and fees increased by 0.1% at private ranked colleges. The average cost of tuition and fees for in-state students to attend a ranked public college is almost 75% less than the average rate at a private college: $11,747 compared with $46,973, respectively, for the 2026-2027 year.

States That Require The FAFSA To Graduate: 2026 Update
The College Investor – September 28, 2026
A growing group of states has turned the FAFSA into a high school graduation requirement. The idea, known as “universal FAFSA,” is simple: every senior either files the federal aid application or formally opts out before getting a diploma. The label hides several variations of the policy. Some states withhold a diploma from a student who does neither, while others only require schools to track who filed. Here’s where every state stands heading into the 2027-28 FAFSA cycle, which states walked their policies back, and what the data says about whether any of it works.

Amid Rising Costs, Some Schools Are Waiving Tuition Entirely
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2026
The tuition-free phenomenon at major institutions is at least 20 years old. And it’s had something of a boom of late. Going tuition-free simplifies the financial aid calculation for families and colleges alike. But it goes beyond that to address three major sources of pressure on American higher ed today. For middle-class parents fearful of getting caught in the aid desert, these aren’t just welcome tuition breaks. They’re proof that someone in higher education is paying attention.

My Absenteeism Study Failed. The Reasons Are More Interesting Than Any Data
The 74 – September 29, 2026
Much has been written about the disconnect between what families think is happening in their child’s lives and what teens themselves say is happening, including the persistent finding that parents underestimate their children’s absences. It should come as no surprise, then, that most parents believe their child does not miss too much school — including one-third of those whose teens are chronically absent. For schools and parents to partner in efforts to improve attendance, families need clear, simple and easy-to-access information about their child’s accumulating absences.

Parental Guidance: College Application Tips for Parents to Help Their Students
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2026
Here are some practical steps for parents to support their high school student without taking over the driver’s seat.

Talent isn’t the problem for rural students. Access is.
Leaf Chronicle (TN) – ,
When I was accepted to Vanderbilt University, administrators in my rural Centerville, TN high school were shocked: A girl from our district had not been admitted in over 25 years. Shock should not be the default reaction when a student from a rural school succeeds. I’ve seen firsthand how funding, college-prep opportunities and counseling gaps can hold students back long before they submit an application. And what I have discovered is that it’s not rural students’ own ambitions that hold them back, but rather a lack of access to the resources that could help those who want to attend elite colleges achieve their goals.