High School Counselor Week

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

 

October 4, 2018

Big Picture

Ethical College Admissions: The NACAC Meeting
Inside Higher Ed – Oct  1, 2018
I spent the latter part of last week in Salt Lake City with 7,000 of my closest friends. For three days Salt Lake City was Mecca for all of us in the college admission and college counseling profession

Free college programs sound great, but do they work?
CBS News  – Oct 1, 2018
With student debt expected to top $1 trillion this year, no wonder the movement to make college free for students is gaining momentum even though some experts question the

What happens when you pay students to get ready for college? One state is about to find out, with help from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Chalkbeat Colorado-Sep 28, 2018
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has a new tactic for helping more students get ready for college: paying them money as they take small steps in that direction.

Columns and Blogs

News from the NACAC Conference 
Post – Oct 3, 2018
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D 

October is a big testing month – reducing test anxiety
Tribune News Service – Oct 2, 2018
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer

5 Extracurricular Tips to Boost College Admissions
The College Solution Blog – Sep 5, 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

School counselors outnumbered as they struggle to help students with mental health issues
The Winchester Star-Sep 30, 2018
WINCHESTER — “Sad” and “frustrating” are words some local school counselors use when they talk about the obstacles they face as more students seek mental health services at school..

Counselors can have a big impact
The Commercial Review-Sep 27, 2018
Jenessa Teachout, a junior, said Thursday that conditions are similar at Gresham’s Sam Barlow High School. Counselors “are spread so thin they don’t have, 

Parents

How to Have Your Kid Go to College — But Not Go Broke
TIME – Sep 28, 2018
High school students are now back to classes, resuming the quest for a college education and the good life beyond. But it seems too many of them are 

5 Key Financial Aid Considerations When Saving for College
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance-Oct 2, 2018
Parents of young children see a lot advice about saving for college. Trying to save for the full sticker price can be daunting — even for an in-state public school.

The Trouble With College Finances
Inside Higher Ed-Sep 27, 2018
My undergraduate years at Stanford University were a struggle for me — not academically, but financially. As someone who was a low-income, first-generation college-goer, I am painfully aware of the financial issues that students face when they arrive on a college campus.

Video

How the Kavanaugh saga became a teachable moment for schools
PBS Newshour  – Oct 2, 2018
Before last week’s Kavanaugh hearings, our Student Reporting Labs asked teenagers around the country: should adults be held accountable for actions when they were younger?

Admissions Process & Strategy

8 High School Seniors Share College Acceptance Stories
U.S. News & World Report – Sep 27, 2018
Applying to college is a daunting task for even the most accomplished students. From acing the SAT or ACT and writing a flawless essay to touring campuses and figuring out how to pay for it all, applicants have a lot to consider – on top of juggling their homework. 

Guest column: It’s not too soon to start the college application process
Chicago Tribune – Sep 29, 2018
The fall semester of your senior year is normally the busiest time in your high school career, so the sooner you start the college application process, the easier it will be to meet the deadlines in early January. 

3 Nontraditional Ways to Get a Bachelor’s Degree
U.S. News & World Report-Oct 2, 2018
In 2013, 20-year-old Carmel Wright, who had worked as a nanny and tutor after graduating from high 

Career & Technical Education

Corporations Turn To Community Colleges To Create Programs To Meet Workforce Needs
Forbes – Oct 2, 2018

Building a manufacturing career: Which credentials are essential?
Seattle Times – Oct 3, 2018
Roger Kwan works as an engineering manager at Fluke Plastics in Everett. He’s been in the manufacturing field for 10 years and in this role for four. His interest was sparked early.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

Few student borrowers working in the public sector are finding loan forgiveness
MarketPlace.org – Sep 28, 2018 (LISTEN)
About year ago, the U.S. Department of Education started accepting applications from public servants to have their student loan balances wiped away.

Find Money for College: Tips on Completing the FAFSA from US News
U.S. News & World Report (blog) – Oct 1, 2018
Washington, D.C. – The 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened today, and U.S. News & World Report is here to help with an in-depth guide.

Michelle Singletary: 5 myths about college financial aid
Worcester Telegram – Sep 29, 2018

How to Fill Out the FAFSA® Form When You Have More Than One Child in College
U.S. Department of Education (press release) (blog)-Sep 28, 2018

FAFSA Opens Today. Here’s What’s New on This Year’s Financial Aid Form
Money Magazine – Oct 1, 2018

College Essays

How to write a college application essay that stands out from the crowd
NorthJersey – Oct 3, 2018
Getting into college can feel daunting to any high school student. They are asked to compete with thousands of peers for coveted spots in a freshman class…

How I Know You Wrote Your Kid’s College Essay
New York Times – Oct 3, 2018
The paradox of the overzealous editing of the college essay by many helicopter parents is that they don’t know what a college essay is really about.

Communication Conversation: Jump-Starting the College Essay
LaDue News – Sep 27, 2018
I’ve been working this month with many rising high school seniors who are preparing their essays and supplements for college. They are getting a jump-start because they realize homework and all the joys of being a senior are coming up soon.

Tips for Writing an Effective Admission Essay
Southern Newsroom – Sep 27, 2018
We’re talking, of course, about the college admission essay. If you’re like many high school students, you’ve been putting off this part of your application. Maybe…

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Teen Health

Less sleep associated with risky behavior in teens, study says
CNN – Oct 1, 2018
Teens who slept for less than six hours per night were three times more likely to report considering suicide, planning a suicide attempt or attempting suicid

A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying
Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project-Sep 27, 2018

Survey Finds One in Three US Teens Texts While Driving
AAFP News-Sep 28, 2018 

SAT, ACT & AP

How to Study for the PSAT One Week Before the Test
U.S. News & World Report (blog)- Oct 1, 2018
This year, the PSAT will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10 for most students. For high school sophomores and juniors, sitting for the PSAT 

What’s a Good Score on the SAT?
TeenLife Blog – Sep 27, 2018

Test-Optional Momentum
Inside Higher Ed-Sep 27, 2018

What Test Scores Actually Mean for College Admissions
Teen Vogue – Oct 2, 2018

Disabilities

College Rankings

End College Rankings: An Open Letter To The Owners And Editors Of U.S. News And World Report
Forbes – Sep 28, 2018
I am writing to respectfully request that you cease and desist the publication of your destructive college and university rankings. 

What Do College Rankings Really Measure?
Psychology Today (blog)
Each year various magazines and newspapers publish college rankings in an attempt to inform parents and prospective students which colleges are supposedly 

College Visits

Prepping for the College Interview
College Initiative Blog – Oct 2, 2018
While college admissions interviews are not the norm, they are not uncommon either. Even if a college interview is offered, it’s sometimes not mandatory. But, if any of the colleges on your student’s list offer the option…