Colleges and universities are making strides in gender inclusivity, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
Ten years ago, the University of Vermont became the first school in the US to allow students to self-identify their pronouns and to include it in their student data.
Now, according to the Campus Pride Trans Policy Clearinghouse, 255 colleges enable students to use a chosen first name, instead of their legal name, on campus records and documents; 60 colleges enable students to change the gender on their campus records without evidence of medical intervention; and 19 colleges enable students to indicate the pronouns they use for themselves on course rosters.
A new resource is available to help American Indian students navigate the college admission process.
Native Pathways: A College-Going Guidebook was released this spring by the American Indian College Fund. The organization is asking counselors and others for help getting the free publication into the hands of students.
The 57-page booklet—developed through the College Fund’s successful Native Pathways to College Program—includes information on preparing for higher education, applying to schools, and paying for college. It also includes tips to help students get their college career off to the right start.
International students heading to the US for college now have an extra step to complete when applying for a visa.
Under rules that went into effect earlier this month, students and most others seeking US visas will be asked to disclose their social media screen names.
The US House of Representatives passed legislation last week that would allow undocumented students to remain in the country legally.
The American Dream and Promise Act would provide permanent legal protections and a path to citizenship for those commonly referred to as Dreamers. This legislation, which still needs to clear the Senate, would allow qualified undocumented students and others to remain in the US and pursue their education and careers without the threat of deportation.
School counselors face large caseloads and an ever-growing list of demands as they work to serve the social, emotional, and academic needs of their students. But could a small part of this workload be shared by counseling graduate students?
This is the idea behind Postsecondary Readiness Night, a program that pairs the school counseling program at the University of Scranton (PA) with local school districts in Pennsylvania.
The most recent event, funded by a NACAC Imagine Fund grant, was geared toward high school juniors, seniors, and their parents and offered stations focused on topics such as financial aid and college visits.
DC public schools (DCPS) are hoping to get and keep high school students on track to graduate and head off to college with their new “Guide to Graduation, College, and Career.”
Personalized for each student, all high school students in DCPS will receive a PDF document twice a year that will track their progress to graduation and offer college and career options, NPR reported. The guides will be mailed and available online.
In the past three months, the Harvard sociologist has been featured on NPR, CNN, PBS, and other media outlets talking about disadvantaged students, college access, and the admission process.
And this September, he’ll be chatting with NACAC members.
Jack, author of The Privileged Poor, has agreed to join us for a #NACACreads discussion focused on his book. The conversation—which will also provide opportunities for admission professionals to share their insights about the experiences of disadvantaged students—will kick off on Twitter at 9 p.m. ET on Sept. 17.
Editor’s note: NACAC member Kasey Urquídez found herself in a unique position this fall — heading up the admission office at the same university where her daughter was embarking on her freshman year. The experience offered Urquídez an up-close-and-personal look at what comes after admission and how a campus community can help make (or break) promises made during the recruitment cycle.
As I reflect on my daughter’s first year of college, I am grateful for the little things. As vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions at the University of Arizona (UA), it may seem silly for me to write about my own child’s first year at UA, but I feel compelled to share her experience. Why? Her freshman year ultimately offered her everything a parent could want for their child. And as an admission professional, her experiences provided the opportunity to see first-hand the way my university was able to make good on promises made in the recruiting cycle—something all enrollment leaders want.
NACAC issued a statement this week in support of the US Supreme Court’s decision not to hear arguments in Doe v. Boyertown Area School District.
The court case centers on a Pennsylvania school district’s policy permitting students to use the restroom of their choice. By declining to hear the case, the Supreme Court let stand a lower court’s ruling that sided with the district’s decision to allow students to use the bathroom matching their gender identity.
