High School Counselor Week

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

 

November 15, 2018

Big Picture

What’s the Trump effect on international enrollment? Report finds new foreign students are dwindling
Washington Post – Nov 13, 2018
The roster of new international students at colleges and universities fell more than 6 percent in the past school year, according to a report made public Tuesday, renewing questions about whether President Trump’s nationalist rhetoric

U.S. colleges and universities are increasingly competing for international students
Marketplace.org – Nov 13, 2018 (LISTEN)
As colleges and universities around the globe put out the welcome mat for college and grad students from abroad, attracting those students is increasingly a marketing headache for schools in the U.S.

The Future of College Admissions: Experts Weigh the Harvard Case
Bloomberg – Nov 12, 2018
Lawyers fighting to make Harvard drop race as an admissions factor and those battling to protect the college’s diversity system have their marching orders.

Why A College Degree Can Be One Of The Most Useful Tools For Entrepreneurs
Forbes – Nov 8, 2018
Higher education gets a great deal of flak in today’s society. Its return on investment and – in some instances – value is consistently called into question, 

Some colleges are totally unaffordable, and this tool proves it
PBS Newshour – Nov 8, 2018
By most measures, Aboubacar Konate was an outstanding candidate for an elite college. Konate graduated second in his class from The English High School in Boston with a 4.5 grade-point average.

Two new documentaries showcase a long and winding road to college
Hechinger Report – Nov 12, 2018
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Enoch Jemmott’s shot at a college education depends entirely on a football scholarship, along with tracking down the financial aid documents he needs from his homeless mother.

Columns and Blogs

The College Applicant’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays
Post – Nov 14, 2018
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D 

Current research on college admissions…
Tribune News Service – Nov 14, 2018
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer

Getting Help with the FAFSA and CSS Profile
The College Solution Blog – Oct 17, 2018
The College Solution Blog with Lynn O’Shaughnessy

 

The ‘reading advantage’ in college admissions
College Explorations Blog – Nov 7, 2018
The Explorations Blog with Nancy Griesemer 

Counselors

College Advising Is in Short Supply in US High Schools, Study Finds
Education Week (blog)-Nov 13, 2018
Only a third of the country’s public high schools have a counselor devoted to helping students get prepared for college, and the problem is even worse in high-poverty schools.

Importance of Counselors Made Clear in College Admission Report
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education – Nov 11, 2018
The latest report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) details the various factors considered when colleges and universities build their freshmen classes. 

Parents

It takes a village to fill out a college application (or a family, anyway)
News & Observer-Nov 12, 2018
Over the past month my family has been all-in on getting my son’s college applications complete. From proofreading essays to remembering 10th grade academic honors, 

Why so busy? Our flawed college system takes toll on families years before tuition is due
USA Today – Nov 12, 2018
Families jam their schedules and fret over finances to prepare their kids for college. But all this craziness comes at a cost to parents and children.

I’ve been helping kids get into top colleges for nearly 15 years, and parents always seem to ask me the wrong questions
Business Insider – Nov 8, 2018
In my almost 15 years helping students get into America’s top colleges, I’ve received a lot of questions from students and parents about this or that issue, as well as many requests…

Your college student is coming home for Thanksgiving. Prepare for re-entry.
NorthJersey.com – Nov 14, 2018
If you’re the parent of a college student who’s returning home for Thanksgiving, chances are you have a greatest-hits list of activities — face time with relatives, watching favorite movies — you can’t wait to do together over the break.

Video

Nearly 1 in 5 teens seriously considers suicide. Can schools offer relief?
PBS NewsHour  – Nov 13, 2018
The statistics are sobering: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for ages 10 to 18, and the number of teens reporting feeling sad, hopeless or suicidal has risen

Admissions Process & Strategy

New Data on Admissions: Criteria That Matter, Early Decision and More
Inside Higher Ed – Nov 12, 2018
“State of College Admission” finds colleges focus more on academics than personal characteristics and value first-generation status over race/ethnicity. 

What’s a Good IELTS Score for U.S. University Admission?
U.S. News & World Report – Nov 13, 2018
For prospective international students planning to attend college or graduate school in the U.S., standardized English proficiency tests are typically required for admission. Tests such as the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language… 

5 Creative Ways to Thank Your High School Teacher for Giving You a Recommendation
Her Campus – Nov 14, 2018
It’s that time of the year again—no, not the holidays or New Year’s, but the end of a tiring and stressful college application season. You’re almost done wrapping up college essays and you’ve turned in most of your materials… 

California universities make millions on applications they reject
Sacramento Bee – Nov 9, 2018

Career & Technical Education

Is there really a stigma against blue collar jobs in Minnesota? It’s complicated.
MinnPost- Nov 13, 2018
If one thing united Democrat Tim Walz and Republican Jeff Johnson in their campaigns for Minnesota governor, it was a belief in the value of jobs in skilled trades

Our View: Bipartisan effort needed to boost vocational training
Eagle-Tribune – Nov 12, 2018
Much has been made in the days after last week’s election of the bipartisan nature of Massachusetts politics. Voters, for example, were just as enthusiastic about Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

How Tennessee’s technical colleges are helping bridge the education achievement gap
Tennessean.com – Nov 12, 2018
 

Financial Aid/Scholarships

The Benefits Of Taking Out Loans For College
NPR.org – Nov 14, 2018 (LISTEN)
As student debt increases, counselors, parents and students hesitate to take out loans for college. But a new study shows that for students in community college, borrowing money can be a good thing.

How a grandparent-owned 529 account affects need-based financial aid
Boston Globe – Nov 10, 2018
The cost of college has risen so high that many families are relying on two generations to help cover expenses. There are the parents, who are increasingly saving in 529 college-savings plans, where earnings are tax-free

Important Financial Aid Questions You Didn’t Know to Ask
CollegeInitiative – Nov 11, 2018

Applying for college financial aid: a step-by-step guide
Omaha World-Herald-Nov 8, 2018

Round two of college applications: Financial aid
San Mateo Daily Journal-Nov 10, 2018

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Teen Health

How games, social media and technology affect your teen’s health
Centre Daily Times (blog)-Nov 9, 2018
Constantly arguing with your teen to turn off the video game? With Fortnite, has your family room become a battleground royale?

Listen: Teen Vaping Sparks FDA Crackdown
Kaiser Health Network – Nov 9, 2018 (LISTEN)
Federal regulators want to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes at retail locations like gas stations and convenience stores. They also want to require anyone buying e-cigarettes online to verify their age.

 

SAT, ACT & AP

Importance of SAT, ACT Scores Dwindling in College Admissions
Education Week (blog)- Nov 13, 2018
Questions on the SAT Writing and Colleges and universities are under increasing pressure to downgrade the importance that ACT and SAT scores play 

3 Time Management Tips for Taking the ACT Science Test
US News & World Report – Nov 12, 2018
Undeniably, one of the keys to success on standardized tests is proper time management. 

Disabilities

The College Transition Program That Is Changing Lives
ADDitude – Nov 9, 2018
For many teens diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD), the transition to college is a bridge too far. About 9 percent of students with ADHD graduate from college,

Will My Child With Autism Succeed in College?
US News & World Report – Nov 8, 2018
FOR STUDENTS WITH autism, going to college has become a very attainable opportunity. In fact, more than 44 percent of students with autism receive education beyond high school 

College Essays

Freewriting: How To Save Your College Essay
TeenLife Blog – Nov 12, 2018
Since this past summer, fewer than 25 schools including Harvard and Yale, have made the decision to not require the essay portions of the SAT and ACT for applying students.

Essay: Purpose Makes a Great College Application
The Jewish News-Nov 8, 2018
When I was a high school senior applying to college, I wanted a higher learning experience where the opportunities were so vast, the campus so big,