High School Counselor Week

More than half of US teachers think being armed would make students less safe, report finds
CNN – May 31, 2023
More than half the country’s teachers believe arming themselves would make students less safe, while 1 in 5 say they would be interested in carrying a gun to school, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation. The report zeroed in on how K-12 teachers viewed safety in their schools, and responses varied according to both teachers’ and students’ race and ethnicity. White teachers felt carrying firearms would make schools safer more than their Black colleagues did, and male teachers in rural schools said they would personally carry a firearm in their school if allowed, according to findings of the survey.

Most Americans say colleges should be able to use affirmative action in admissions, but race should play a small role, new poll shows
Fortune – May 30, 2023
As the Supreme Court decides the fate of affirmative action, most U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions, according to a new poll.

Improving College Access
Post – May 31, 2023
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D.

School Counselors Face ‘Role Ambiguity.’ This State Tried to Clarify Matters
Education Week – May 31, 2023
School counselors are supposed to focus on supporting students’ mental health and to work with them on their academic and career plans. But, in some schools, the job can include nearly everything—from filling in when teachers are absent, discipline intervention, and computing student test scores. A few years ago, New York introduced new regulations designed to clarify the school counselor’s role in the building and reduce the extra duties they’re often asked to pick up. But new research suggests that that’s easier said than done. Principals and counselors had notably different feelings about whether the changes made a difference. Role ambiguity remained a big area of disconnect between principals and counselors. Where did principals and counselors agree?

Black kids face racism before they even start school. It’s driving a major mental health crisis.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) – May 27, 2023
To her students who need the most support, India Strother is a family figure they call ‘Mom,’ a trusted guide as they negotiate their teenage years. They open up to her about their dating lives. About pregnancy scares. About their fights with their parents, about the trauma they experience outside school. She keeps a mental list of those at risk of self-harm or suicide, and checks to see how they are doing. It’s just part of the job of being a counselor at any American high school. But at predominantly Black schools like the on where Strother works, students’ mental health is further tested by pressures and discrimination they endure because they are Black, as well as poverty and violence in some communities that have faced years of disinvestment. Research and health surveillance data point to a growing mental health crisis among Black youth over decades. Between 1991 and 2019, Black adolescents had the highest increase among any racial or ethnic group in prevalence of suicide attempts — a rise of nearly 80%.

Parents, stop trying to solve your kids’ problems. Their mental health depends on it.
USA Today – May 22, 2023
I am in a unique position in my dual role as parent and pediatric psychologist. Like most parents, I want to alleviate our children’s suffering by doing whatever I can. As a pediatric psychologist, I know that taking this path often leads to our kids feeling more worried the next time something difficult happens. In fact, by solving our children’s problems for them, we interfere with our children’s ability to develop the effective coping mechanisms needed to deal with these challenges. As parents and caregivers, our job is to provide kids with the support they need and help them develop their own problem-solving tools.

A brighter future: 6 tips for funding your child’s college education
LI Herald (NY) – May 31, 2023
In the College Ave Student Loans survey, it is clear that most families manage paying for college from a combination of several different sources, rather than relying on any one source of funding. According to the survey, the top 5 sources used to pay for college are: Merit aid (51%); Federal student loans (46%); Parent savings/income (40%); Student savings/income (36%); and Private student loans (20%) Here are 6 tips to help you get started with putting together your financial plan for college.

Colleges will soon have option to hide students’ race and ethnicity information on applications submitted through Common App
CNN – May 30, 2023
Although students applying through Common App will still be able to answer questions pertaining to race and ethnicity, colleges can choose to hide that information starting on August 1, according to the statement. Currently, universities are able to hide information about an applicant’s test scores, birthday, gender, and social security number.

High school course selection matters on college applications
My Central Jersey – May 28, 2023
Throughout their high school years, students are making decisions that will ultimately impact the success of their college applications. Most notably, they are choosing the high school courses they will take, and the level of difficulty of those courses.

529 Plans Are Still The Best Way To Save For College
Forbes – May 29, 2023
May 29th (5/29) is always 529 Day — a holiday of sorts meant to celebrate and encourage the use of 529 college savings plans. With that in mind, many states and plan administrators offer extra incentives to get consumers to use their plans on this date. These incentives can include matching funds for opening a 529 plan and adding money as well as 529 plan-inspired sweepstakes and contests. If you haven’t started saving for college yet but you would love to dive in as soon as you can, you may be wondering whether a 529 plan is right for you. The fact is, 529 college savings plans can be confusing since each state seems to have their own plan or several to choose from, and since the tax benefits for contributing can vary (or not even exist) based on where you live.

Federal vs. private student loans: Which is better?
CBS News – May 29, 2023
The fall semester is quickly approaching. If you’re planning on heading to college in September, you’ll want to start securing financial assistance now — before it’s too late. Scholarships and grants are the best choices, as these won’t need to be repaid. If you need more funding, though, student loans can help. There are typically two types of loans you can choose from: federal student loans and private ones. Not sure which one you should use for your higher education costs? Here’s what you need to know.

How to appeal for more college financial aid
GM Today (WI) – May 30, 2023
Many families successfully appeal every spring for more money from the financial aid office to cover gaps between the school’s initial aid package— plus savings — and tuition, fees and all other costs of attending. Success typically is based on dramatic changes in a family’s income after filing the FAFSA. College financial aid administrators are more likely to bump up the award package when the circumstances are caused by factors beyond the family’s control. Typically, appeals are filed because of health issues, a job loss, pay cut or death of a parent who’s the primary familywage earner. Here are some tips that can improve your odds of a successful appeal.

So long shop class: This high school is designed for the jobs of the future
Fast Company – May 31, 2023
A giant trapezoidal building with a donut hole in the middle rises from the flatlands of a former ranch outside Tampa, Florida. Clad in shiny metal, the building has a futuristic gleam, and an equally futuristic feel inside, with state-of-the-art science labs, robotics studios, and media centers. Squint, and it’s a tech startup’s well-heeled headquarters. But the building is actually a brand-new high school geared around the jobs of the future, designed to teach the hard and soft skills students will need to follow those paths, even into jobs and industries that don’t yet exist.