High School Counselor Week

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

 

October 25, 2018

Big Picture

As they lose customers, universities try expanding the menu
Hechinger Report – Oct 22, 2018
At Portland State University, you can get a certificate in the business of craft brewing. At Emerson College in Boston, you can enroll in a sports communication program.

87: Why is the price of college such a mystery?
Marketplace.org – Oct 23, 2018 (LISTEN)
With “early decision” and “early action” deadlines looming for colleges across the United States, graduating high school seniors are stuck figuring what any given school will actually cost.

College Sports Are Affirmative Action for Rich White Students
The Atlantic – Oct 23, 2018
Quick, think of a college athlete. Chances are the person who comes to mind is a football or basketball player at a powerhouse Division I school like Louisiana State University 

New data show some colleges are definitively unaffordable for many
The Hechinger Report – Oct 18, 2018
By most measures, Aboubacar Konate was an outstanding candidate for college.
Konate graduated second in his class from The English High School in Boston with a 4.5 grade-point average

Harvard Admissions Secrets Emerge; Defrauded Borrowers Can Now Seek Loan Forgiveness
NPR.org – Oct 20, 2018
Harvard’s admissions practices go on trial The highly anticipated trial about Harvard University’s admissions practices began Monday and continued through the week..

Elite-College Admissions Are Broken
The Atlantic – Oct 18, 2018
Samantha remembers her high-school days more as a trial version of college. She seems part amused, part ashamed as she recalls the hours she dedicated to 

Columns and Blogs

College Counseling is a Dying Art. We Are to Blame
Post – Oct 24, 2018
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D 

Decision day on Early Decision is November 1
Tribune News Service – Oct 23, 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

Writing a high school résumé that ‘works
College Explorations – Sep 26, 2018
College Explorations with Nancy Griesemer

Counselors

Why it might make sense to shell out for help with those college applications
NBC News – Oct 19, 2018
Gaining an edge in the fierce competition of college applications now comes with a price some parents are willing to pay — even if it’s $20,000

Parents

How parents pay for their kid’s college
CNBC – Oct 18, 2018
Few purchases deliver a dose of sticker shock like the cost of college. Tuition and fees for a four-year private college averaged $35,830 in 2018-19

Borrowing is down for college students as parents pay more from savings and income, annual report suggests
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Oct 18, 2018
Families spent an average of $26,568 for a year of college in 2017-’18, and nearly half of that came from income and savings, according to the latest national “How America Pays for College” report from Sallie Mae.

Michelle Singletary: Parents should aim high for college aid, but also start saving early
Press Herald – Oct 21, 2018
As the deadlines for early college admission get closer, many parents dream of big scholarships for their star athletes or academically gifted students..

Video

Harvard’s admissions trial: The value of a Harvard diploma
CBS News  – Oct 22, 2018
Harvard’s admission process is under trial, with the Ivy League college defending itself from allegations it discriminates against Asian Americans.

Admissions Process & Strategy

5 Ways to Make Your College Application Stand Out if You Feel ‘Average’
Her Campus – Oct 19, 2018
At some point or another, most of us have felt average in high school. Whether your wardrobe lacked the latest winter trends or your chemistry grade pulled down your GPA more than you anticipated, you’ve probably experienced the universal sluggish feeling

Dockets, ratings and ‘tips’: How Harvard admissions selects a student
Washington Post – Oct 21, 2018
The numbers are ruthless: Out of more than 40,000 applications a year to Harvard University, not quite 2,000 make the final cut. Just one admitted for every 19 rejected.

Be Yourself: How to Navigate the College Admissions Process
Duke Today-Oct 18, 2018
Here’s a tip for high school seniors wondering how to ace the essay portion of the college application: Just be yourself.

Recommendation Letters and Bias in Admissions
Inside Higher Ed – Oct 22, 2018
During the first week of the trial in the lawsuit charging that Harvard University discriminates against Asian American applicants, university officials offered a number of reasons to explain why the admission rate for Asian American applicants

How to navigate the college admissions process
Hudson Valley One – Oct 23, 2018

Career & Technical Education

A Road to Nowhere
Inside Higher Ed-Oct 19, 2018
Many community colleges rely too much on associate degrees that have little labor market value and too rarely lead to a four-year credential, Ryan Craig argues.

Why these veterans regret their for-profit college degrees — and debt
PBS Newshour – Oct 23, 2018
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — After serving four years in the military, John Andrews, 42, adjusted to civilian life by working at his local Walmart in Arkansas. Encouraged by co-workers, he also went back to school, hoping to move up in management.

Career and technical education programs growing in Michigan
ABC 57 News-Oct 22, 2018
BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. – New numbers from the Talent and Economic Development Department of Michigan say the number of students enrolled in career and technical education programs is growing.

Skilled-trades push exposes fractured training pipeline
Crain’s Detroit Business – Oct 21, 2018

Financial Aid/Scholarships

Unpacking College Financial Aid
Forbes – Oct 23, 2018
A week after our second child was born, I heard an economist on the radio talking about saving for college. My heart sank and my pockets lightened as the guest broke down the numbers. Considering the rising costs of higher education

FAFSA Changes May Make Filing Easier
TeenLife – Oct 20, 2018
The biggest complaint from parents and students about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is that it’s too complicated and difficult to complete. In fact, many have found the process so overwhelming that they don’t even start it

Bad SAT scores? Low GPA? The College Board has just the scholarship for you
USA Today – Oct 18, 2018

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Teen Health

The Impact of Sugar and Poor Diet on Teen Mental Health
U.S. News & World Report – Oct 24, 2018
IT’S A FAMILIAR TROPE: We’re feeling blue, so we reach for the ice cream.

How Parents Can Support Teens’ Mental Health
The Fix – Oct 19, 2018
Parents play a key role in connecting teens with mental health treatment and helping them learn to live with their diagnosis.

As vaping surges, teen cigarette smoking ticks up after decades of decline
CNBC-Oct 22, 2018

SAT, ACT & AP

SAT reclaims title of most widely used college admission test
Washington Post – Oct 23, 2018
The SAT has vaulted past the rival ACT to reclaim its long-held position as the nation’s most widely used college admission test 

3 Ways to Tackle ACT Reading Vocabulary Questions
US News & World Report – Oct 22, 2018 

Disabilities

Postsecondary Options for Students with Disabilities
ASCA School Counselor – Oct 2018 

Reflections on Where We’ve Been: A Mother and Son’s Journey with Dyslexia
U.S. Department of Education (press release) (blog)-Oct 23, 2018

College Visits

Making the Most of Your College Visit
Pleasanton Weekly (blog) – Oct 20, 2018
As a college advisor for the past 15 years, I believe the best way for prospective students to get to know a college or university is to visit.

College connection: November vacation days are ideal for school tours
MyCentralJersey.com – Oct 18, 2018

Early November brings a break from school for New Jersey students. Some districts close for Election Day, most close for Teacher Convention Days, and a few close for the entire week.

College Essays

How to Write Admission Essays Easily!
SayCampusLife-Oct 19, 2018
Phase one: Pre-Essay Preparation. You may think you can easily write your application essay because you have been writing academic essays all your life but you’re wrong.

Early

Early Admission’s Effect on Financial Aid
Wall Street Journal (subscription required) -Oct 19, 2018