High School Counselor Week
Weekly stories, facts, trends, and other information from around the country
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April 10, 2025
Americans without a degree still believe in the value of college, a new poll says
NPR – April 9, 2025
Just 18% of American adults without a college degree believe four-year colleges charge a “fair” price — but they still find value in getting a college degree. Those are the findings of a new Lumina Foundation and Gallup poll of nearly 14,000 people between the ages of 18 and 59, surveyed last October. Respondents included current students and people who started but never finished their degrees, among others.
How are college presidents handling funding threats? Preparing for the worst
NPR – April 4, 2025
Higher education institutions are facing enormous pressure to comply with federal executive orders and policy changes or risk losing federal funding (which has always been within the power of the federal government, but has rarely been used). A number college and university presidents, both public and private, spoke to NPR in recent days about the challenges they’re facing and their struggle, amid the political attacks, to keep the focus on their students, and education.
What Dismantling the Education Dept. Means for Family and Community Engagement
The 74 – April 3, 2025
The executive order that calls for shuttering the federal agency claims to “empower parents, states and communities.” But will it?
Time for a final decision — where am I going next fall?Post – April 1, 2025
College Advice & Timely Tips with Lee Bierer
What do Gen Z and Gen Alpha want from their careers?
Times Higher Education – April 2, 2025
The job market is changing at lightning speed. The traditional career path – get a degree, land a job, stay for decades – isn’t the reality anymore. Younger generations have new priorities, and we need to understand them if we want to guide them effectively. Career advice can’t be one-size-fits-all anymore. Though their goals differ in some ways, overall these generations are looking for work that fits their lifestyle, not the other way around. In this article, we take a look at what their career goals and desires are, as well as strategies for guiding both generations effectively.
Instagram Launched A New Anti-Bullying Tool For Schools. But Will It Actually Work?
Huffington Post – March 27, 2025
Announced earlier this week, Instagram’s new School Partnership Program will give verified school accounts the ability to expedite the review of posts or accounts they flag for potentially violating Instagram’s rules. In the past, educators could do little about this harmful content. Under the new program, reports submitted by school partners will be automatically prioritized for review, and the school’s account will receive alerts about their status and whether Instagram took action. The partnership program is available to middle schools and high schools in the U.S. Participating schools get a “school partner” banner on their profiles, so students and parents know about the program. Experts think Instagram’s school partnership program sounds promising ― but only if the social media platform really does expedite reports from school administrators. They add that moving forward, reports from students themselves also need to be taken just as seriously.
Parents, students raise concerns over college savings amid tariffs
NBC Bay Area (CA) – April 7, 2025
College savings accounts are one of the most popular ways Americans save for higher education. As of mid-2024, there were 16.8 million 529 accounts nationwide, with more than half a trillion dollars in assets. Unfortunately, those accounts also fluctuate with the markets. Finance professor Ludwig Chincarini joins us to discuss the hits those accounts are currently taking, and what financial advisors are recommending.
Stressed out children may share one factor: Highly educated parents
Fortune – April 7, 2025
The desire to mirror parents’ success may work against some aspirational college students, churning up measurable signs of physiological stress, according to one study. Originally published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, the study analyzed how parental educational attainment may be associated with the stress of their teenage children starting college. Those who had at least one parent graduate from college appeared to have more physiological stress after starting school. And while self-reported stress levels did not vary, the physiological stress measured did.
Raising the New Normal Teen
Psychology Today – April 4, 2025
The new normal teen is at greater risk then ever before for mental health challenges. Here’s how to support teens growing up in an unpredictable world.
You Got In! What’s Next for High School Seniors Who Have Been Accepted to College
International College Counselors – April 7, 2025
You’ve done it! You’ve been accepted to college! But now you stand at a momentous crossroads. With multiple acceptances in hand, the question has shifted from “Will they choose me?” to the more nuanced “Which one will I choose?” This reversal of power is both liberating and daunting. You might be juggling offers, trying to compare financial aid packages, or even wondering whether your “yes” schools feel like the right fit. There are several ways to help guide your decision and ensure the school you choose is the right one for you. Here are some ways to make a thoughtful and confident college choice.
3 Red Flags To Avoid In Your Letter Of Continued Interest
Forbes – April 3, 2025
While a waitlist notification represents a frustrating delay, it does not necessarily mean that a student must forgo their dreams of attending that college. However, even if the odds of acceptance off a waitlist may be slim in some instances, students who still want to attend the institution by which they have been waitlisted have one final recourse: a letter of continued interest. While an eye-catching letter could tip the scales in your favor, it is important to remember that admissions officers are inundated with these letters in March and April, and the wrong approach can result in a forgettable message—or worse, poorer chances of admission.
Creative college essay ideas to make your application stand out
University of Cincinnati – April 1, 2025
Your college essay is your chance to break through the noise and leave a lasting impression. Below, we’ll explore some of the best college essay topics and college essay brainstorming techniques to help you craft a compelling story.
Looming Pell Grant Shortfall Could Impact Students’ Ability to Cover College Costs
NerdWallet – April 8, 2025
Even in the Pell Grant’s current state, many students still face an affordability gap between the amount of financial aid they receive and the total price tag of their education. Regardless of your Pell eligibility or future government action, it’s always a good idea to consider additional strategies to pay for college.
Teens’ biggest worry about college under Trump
Vox – April 3, 2025
While experts are raising questions about the future of the American academy and the country’s larger place on the world stage, a lot of rising college freshmen have a different, more basic anxiety: they just want to know if they’ll be able to pay for school. Some students are questioning if federal student aid even still exists, as well as whether the critical resources that they need to pursue their higher education will continue to exist in the future.
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College Rankings Are Useful. Campus Culture Is Essential.
St. John’s University Admission Blog – April 7, 2025
When you’re researching colleges, there’s much to think about: majors, location, cost, class sizes, academics (and the list goes on). But there’s one factor that can make or break your college experience, and it’s something you can’t easily measure in a ranking or brochure. That factor is the school’s overall campus atmosphere and student culture. Campus culture is all about what life actually feels like once you’re there. It’s the personality of a school, the campus vibe, the way students connect with each other, and the values that shape everything from student clubs to campus events. Finding a school with the right cultural fit is important. After all, you’re not just picking a school; you’re choosing a college community to be part of for the next four years (and likely long after that).
You’ve Been Offered a Place on the Waitlist… Now What?
Georgia Tech Admission Blog – April 7, 2025
Waiting is rarely fun. In fact, these days our patience for waiting is lower than ever, especially in a world filled with instant gratification. But there are some scenarios in life in which we cannot avoid the wait. And if you’ve applied to a college that puts you on the waitlist, you’re in one of those scenarios. As we’ve discussed previously, there are many things in the college admission process that are out of your control, and in many ways the waitlist belongs on that list. However, there are a few things you can (and should!) do.
Early College Offers Students More Than Just Higher Ed Credits
The 74 – April 9, 2025
The brilliance of the early college program is that it allows all students access to the kind of free education everyone should have. My school provides a place to think, rise to the occasion of college, and become a better human being. Furthermore, the early college program offers better preparation for the workforce. For seniors who choose the college route immediately after high school, the early college program is a head start. And transferable credits accelerate their post-secondary studies, saving money and allowing them to jump straight into more advanced courses of study.
A new kind of high school diploma trades chemistry for carpentry
Chalkbeat – April 9, 2025
Alabama state law previously required students to take at least four years each of English, math, science and social studies to graduate from high school. The state is now calling that the Option A diploma. A new Option B workforce diploma allows students to replace two math and two science would with a sequence of three CTE courses of their choosing. The workforce diploma will give students more opportunities to get the kind of skills that can lead to jobs right after high school, legislators said. But there’s a potential cost: Many universities require at least three math credits for admission, meaning the workforce diploma could make it more difficult for students on that track to get into those colleges.
From Apprenticeships to Microcredentials, Why Alternatives to College Are Gaining Popularity
The 74 – April 4, 2025
While overall college enrollment numbers have roughly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, surveys indicate that more of today’s high schoolers are valuing on-the-job training over a traditional four-year college degree. Polls also show that Americans overall have soured on higher education in recent years, with only 36% saying in a recent Gallup report that they have a “great deal/quite a lot” of confidence in the sector, compared to 57% in 2015.