High School Counselor Week

Weekly stories, facts, trends, and other information from around the country

 

September 5, 2019

From the HSCW Team

A Farewell to Editor Gene Kalb

As many of our dedicated readers are aware, Gene Kalb founded and began publishing High School Counselor Week almost a decade ago. Through most of that time Gene has done it all; editing and publishing, research, working with contributors, soliciting sponsorship, cheerleading, etc. Through Gene’s efforts HSCW has become one of the leading sources for information pertaining to this profession.

In 2017, High School Counselor Connect agreed to purchase HSCW from Gene so that we could expand our ability to help higher education reach out to counselors. During this time we’ve come to know Gene not only through his dedication to the newsletter, but as a person whose integrity and professionalism are indisputable.

Now Gene has decided he is, in his words, “ready for my next adventure,” and is stepping down as Editor of HSCW. While we wish him only the best in his future endeavors, he will be sorely missed. His true labor of love has benefited our readership and the field of counseling in numerous ways.  We urge you to read more about the history and nationwide impact of HSCW in this week’s column by Patrick O’Connor, “A Fall Commencement Address: Thank You, Gene

Many thanks from all of us, Gene. Though HSCW will continue to grow because of the foundation you’ve laid, we are so sad to see you go.

—The High School Counselor Week and High School Counselor Connect Team

Big Picture

What If Everyone Applied to College?
Bloomberg Opinion – August 27, 2019
Automatic applications could help narrow the U.S. educational achievement gap.

Expert predicts 25% of colleges will “fail” in the next 20 years
CBS News – August 31, 2019
For the first time in 185 years, there will be no fall semester at Green Mountain College in western Vermont. The college, which closed this year, isn’t alone: Southern Vermont College, the College of St. Joseph, and Atlantic Union College, among others, have shuttered their doors, too.

How Paying for College Is Changing Middle-Class Life
New York Times – August 30, 2019
Paying for college, however, is taking a toll on American families in ways that are more profound and less appreciated than even the financial cost conveys. It has fundamentally changed the experience of being middle class in this country.

Getting Real About The True Costs Of College
Forbes – September 2, 2019
College is expensive, but recent press accounts overstate the true costs of attendance paid by students and their families. These exaggerations do nothing to solve the economic inequities involved in higher education.

Columns and Blogs

A Fall Commencement Address: Thank You, Gene
Post – September 4, 2019
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D

Staying healthy on campus
Tribune News Service – September 4, 2019
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer 

Colleges that invite graded papers
Post – August 28, 2019
The Explorations Blog with Nancy Griesemer

Saying No to a Dream College: A Success Story
Post – August 16, 2019
The College Solution Blog with Lynn O’Shaughnessy

Counselors

Outnumbered
Harvard Ed. Magazine – Fall 2019
They have unbearable caseloads. They’re often asked to monitor hallways and fill in when a teacher calls in sick. They are usually the first to go during budget cuts. What is it going to take for us to reimagine the pivotal role of school counselors?

More states requiring mental health education
Education Dive – September 3, 2019
Several states have either approved or have legislation in the works related to mental health education. Some of them are aimed at addressing concerns about additional workloads and teacher training.

What Schools Need to Know About Threat Assessment Techniques
Education Week – September 3, 2019
Armed teachers and bulletproof backpacks may have captured the headlines, but quietly, another school safety strategy has been rapidly expanding: behavioral threat assessment.

Back to School: Resources for You and Your Students
NACAC Admitted Blog – August 28, 2019
NACAC has plenty of resources to help you — and your students — start the year off right

Parents

5 things every college student should do with their money
CNBC Make It – August 28, 2019
Leaving home for college is the first time that many young adults find themselves on their own — responsible for attending classes, cooking meals and managing money largely by themselves.

Four ways for college students to manage their health-care costs
CNBC – September 3, 2019
Students and their families are grappling with the cost of higher education, but here’s one expense that might be a surprise: health care.

Legal Documents for Students Who Are Headed to College
SavingForCollege.com – August 27, 2019
Before your child crosses through the ivy-covered gates on the start of their college journey, there are a bunch of legal documents you might need.

Video

Relaxation techniques teaching U.K. students
to calm down

CBS News
In our “School Matters” series, researchers are studying how relaxation techniques can help students battle anxiety and mental health issues. Roxana Saberi takes a look at a one-of-a-kind study in England, giving students an education in mindfulness.

Admissions Process & Strategy

Why Your College Application Was Rejected
Forbes – August 29, 2019
Experts say there’s a big problem in the college admissions world — and it’s one that’s rarely talked about. Small or careless mistakes on an application can impact your admissions goals in a big way. Here are some of the biggest reasons your college application may be denied if you’re not careful:

The Pre-College Racket
Washington Monthly – September/October 2019
Elite universities are making millions off summer programs for teens. What are they really selling?

Varieties of Dual Enrollment
Inside Higher Ed – August 29, 2019
The models are proliferating, and all have strengths and weaknesses.

14 Tips for College-Bound High Schoolers
The Epoch Times – August 28, 2019
So you’re a rising junior or senior in high school, and you’re thinking college is in your future. Here are 14 bits of advice on college preparation and admission.

Career & Technical Education

Career Education pays $30 million to settle FTC action
Crain’s Chicago Business – August 27, 2019
The agency alleged that the Schaumburg-based for-profit education company hired marketing companies that deceived prospective students with false identities and fake come-ons.

Teens Train For Car Repair Careers In Bloomfield Despite ‘Stigma’
Patch Network – August 29, 2019
Smith said that there’s still a stigma about going to vocational school instead of a traditional college. “I’ve had some kids look at me weird, one student said, speaking about his experience at vocational school.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

What Every Student Should Know About Scholarships and Tuition Discounting
Uloop – August 31, 2019
For those of you who are finding that college can be pretty expensive, different kinds of financial aid definitely ease the burden. But what do you need to know about scholarships and tuition discounting, and how can you use them to your advantage?

8 Ways You Could Lose Your Federal Financial Aid
Student Loan Hero – September 3, 2019
Earning financial aid when you start college doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it all four years, and some students find themselves facing financial aid suspension. While you can go through an appeal process, the best scenario is to avoid losing aid in the first place.

3 Mistakes You Might Be Making with Your Student Loans
Intuit Turbo Blog – August 28, 2019
Student loan repayment mistakes are no joke because they can negatively impact your credit history and credit score for many years. So make sure to read carefully through the 3 biggest mistakes you could be making

How students are trying to avoid college loans
Marketplace – August 28, 2019
Marketplace spoke to three students about their approach to debt-free graduation: an NYU med school student, a computer programmer in training and an aspiring welder.

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Inside The Admissions Office

10 Pieces of essential admissions lingo… and what you need to know about them
Tufts Inside Admissions Blog
September 4, 2019

I’ll be the first to admit it: the college admissions realm can be a little buzzword-y sometimes. When I was in high school looking at colleges, I remember internally groaning as I heard admissions officers spew what felt like the same words over and over

Ten Things to do as a Junior
Tulane University Admission Blog
September 3, 2019

It’s hard to believe it, high school classes of 2021, but you’re getting close to college! Have a look at these helpful hints to get your college search off the ground in the best way possible.

Teen Health

Missouri lawsuit claims JUUL Labs negligent in causing teen health problems
KMLZ Missouri News – August 27, 2019
A federal lawsuit in Missouri claims an e-cigarette company targeted young people to sell its products, causing a rash of health issues.

A path to college for kids in juvenile detention
CalMatters – August 28, 2019
A unique program that enrolls kids in juvenile detention in college classes could become a statewide model.

SAT, ACT & AP

How to Prepare a Week Before the PreACT
U.S. News & World Report – September 2, 2019
Students shouldn’t make the mistake of investing very little time in developing effective test strategies.

Why It’s So Easy to Cheat on College Admissions Tests Like the SAT
Teen Vogue – August 5, 2019
When the college admissions scandal was first unveiled in March, the story grabbed headlines worldwide. But to students in the thick of an increasingly cutthroat college admissions game…

The College Board Tweaked The SAT Adversity Score. Can It Undo The Damage It Caused?
Forbes – August 31, 2019
The ubiquitous SAT has been the victim of a series of unforced errors. The roll-out and walk-back of the “adversity score” is only the latest, and reports of that score’s death may be greatly exaggerated.

Disabilities

Helping Students With Disabilities Understand Accommodations in College
Edutopia – August 30, 2019
High school educators can play an important role in preparing students to request accommodations in college.

She got a full scholarship to Stanford. But can she afford the care she needs to go?
Los Angeles Times – September 2, 2019
Sylvia Colt-Lacayo is 18, fresh-faced and hopeful as she beams confidence from her power wheelchair.

College Visits

The Fine Line Campus Tour Guides Walk—Backwards
The Atlantic – August 2019
Guides are expected to serve as the face of the university and as an authentic voice for prospective students. Can they truly be both?

New Streaming Service Produces Virtual College Fairs
T.H.E. Journal – August 28, 2019
A new service has opened up specifically to host virtual college fairs. StreamableU will feature interactive livestreams of college admissions departments with chat-based real-time question and answer sessions.

Student Athletes

NCSA: Top five questions recruiting coaches receive from families
USA Today – August 28, 2019
From what to do at combines to understanding the NCAA recruiting rules, there is a lot that the average student-athlete and their family simply do not know about or may not have time to research

Using College Athletes as Concussion Test Subjects Makes Nobody Safer
The American Prospect – August 27, 2019
Since the mid-1990s, American universities have routinely obtained millions of dollars in funding by using athletes as research subjects.