High School Counselor Week

College degrees seem elusive to many young students
UGA Today – May 9, 2023
About 85% of high school juniors want to go to college, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. But one in six think that’s not a possibility for them. Published in the journal Educational Policy, the study found that students with lower grades wanted to go to college but were less likely to believe they could attain a bachelor’s degree, as were those attending public high schools. Students from low-income families were also less likely to believe they could go to college, even though they desired higher education. Male and Hispanic students were particularly likely to want to go to college but not expect to actually attend.

Why It’s Time for Legacy College Admissions to Go
TIME Magazine – May 8, 2023
Imagine high schools across the country adopt a new rule for track meets: If years earlier, a prospective student’s parent had competed for their high school, that student would get a head start. If and when this rule sparks talk of unfairness, the athletic muckety-mucks respond that it’s helpful in getting those parents to donate money and forging ‘a sense of intergenerational community.’ Absurd? Well, it’s more or less what about half of four-year colleges— and four in five highly selective colleges —do each year,

Space Available? Hope for the rejected.
Post – May 10, 2023
College Advice & Timely Tips with Lee Bierer

Column: School Counselors Are Critical, So Why Are Their Roles Being Made Harder?
The Pilot (NC) – May 6, 2023
Imagine elementary schools, middle schools and high schools with zero school counselors. There is a reason our public schools have school counselors. There is a multitude of data included under the ASCA ‘National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs’…and legal requirements of licensure of how school counselors continue to have a positive impact on student achievement and mental health. However, there is no empirical research connected to the mental wellness of children and youth under MCS Policy 5416, Parent’s Bill of Rights. Well-established medical and educational research, however, actually confirms irreparable harm to children most at risk, under policies like this. [The bill] violates not only school counselors’ ethical responsibilities but our student’s right to privacy. I fear our district will lose indispensable school counselors. And that will be a significant loss to our students.

An Absurd Record
Inside Higher Ed – May 8, 2023
A couple of weeks ago there were several news stories about a high school senior in New Orleans who has been accepted by more than 170 colleges and earned more than $9 million in scholarships. At the time of the stories, the week before May 1, he was awaiting decisions from at least 30 other colleges and was hoping to get his scholarship haul above the $10 million mark. So how should we respond to this news? First of all, we should offer congratulations to the young man in question. He is obviously a motivated student with an outstanding high school record… On a more global level, I think this news is not something to be published or celebrated. There is no world in which applying to 200, or even ‘only’ 170, colleges comes close to making sense. It totally misses the point of what applying to college is about. I don’t blame the student, but rather the adults…[I]n any interaction between students and adults, someone has to be the adult. It is unclear who fills that role in this situation.

A guide to earning college credit while in high school
EdSource – May 8, 2023
The paths include Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate. Each has benefits and challenges.

Prioritizing Student Parents
Inside Higher Ed – May 9, 2023
Generation Hope, an organization focused on supporting parenting students, is launching a new certification to identify and reward colleges, universities and nonprofits actively supporting students with children. The three-year certification, called the FamilyU Seal, is open to two-year and four-year nonprofit higher ed institutions and organizations that demonstrate a dedication to serving student parents. Parents make up more than a fifth of U.S. undergraduates…they are disproportionately students of color, experience financial insecurity and higher debt, and are more likely to drop outof college than their peers.

Extracurricular Activities and College Admissions
Inside Higher Ed – May 8, 2023
Extracurricular activities are frequently used in college admissions decisions. But a review by a group of scholars at the University of Maryland at College Park found that they may tend to have the same problems as standardized test scores: bias in favor of white and Asian applicants and wealthier applicants.

How To Apply To College For Free
University Magazine – May 7, 2023
While college costs continue to rise, there are several ways to apply to college for free or at a reduced price. By taking advantage of these opportunities, students can save money during the application process and potentially receive financial aid or scholarships to cover their tuition and other expenses.

‘Huge Sense of Relief’: How New FAFSA Could Help Homeless Students
Inside Higher Ed – May 9, 2023
On the new form, students will have to answer fewer questions about their status as unaccompanied homeless youth, and they won’t have to recertify their status every year. Advocates are hoping the changes make it easier for students to access financial aid but worry about implementation.

Subsidized vs. unsubsidized student loans: What you need to know
Yahoo! Finance – May 5, 2023
Here is a breakdown of the key differences between subsidized and unsubsidized student loans, as well as additional information to help you decide what type of student loan is best for you.

What Happens If Your Finances Change After College Decision Day?
Forbes – May 7, 2023
This week, millions of students decided where they plan to go to college in the fall. But there is a lot of time between now and then, so what do you do if you or one of your parents loses their job and the college you chose no longer looks affordable? Thankfully you can appeal for additional support if the change is big enough.

At no other time has higher education been more important
University World News – May 9, 2023
At no time has higher education been more important. Most people these days have more than one job or even more than one specialisation over the span of their careers. And with the job market changing at record speed, this almost becomes a necessity. The fact is that most higher education institutions have always been involved in educating people for jobs – in the professions and elsewhere. In general, they have combined a vocational and professional focus with broader educational goals. Among other things, post-secondary education provides the ‘soft skills’ and broad knowledge likely to be needed for an unknown future.

The College-Only Mindset Hurts the American Dream. It Needs to Stop Now
Newsweek – May 10, 2023
Economic headlines suggest a job market that—on the surface—seems full of opportunity. The national unemployment rate of 3.4 percent is the lowest in decades, and some state unemployment rates are even lower. Yet that same data signals a labor shortage that continues to undermine economic recovery and frustrate worker advancement – with 9.6 million unfilled jobs. Degree requirements make sense for some fields. But for too many job opportunities, a degree requirement is a barrier that overlooks qualified applicants who have gained invaluable skills through vocational training, community college, military service, and on-the-job experience.