All posts by Ashley Dobson

California to Make First Year of Community College Free

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California residents can now go to community college for free.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill in early October that gives students one year of free tuition at any of state’s 114 community colleges, as long as they are California residents and new students enrolling full-time, CNN reported.

This new legislation expands on what California already offered. Community colleges in the state currently charge residents $46 per credit — amounting to a cost of roughly $1,100 a year for students who enroll full-time.

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What Would You Do for Student Loan Forgiveness? New Poll Shows Debt Worries Loom Large for Millennials

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Nearly half of all respondents in a recent poll said they would give up voting in the next two presidential elections if their student loans would be forgiven.

And while surrendering a fundamental right might seem crazy, the latest numbers on student loan debt are equally staggering.

Continue reading What Would You Do for Student Loan Forgiveness? New Poll Shows Debt Worries Loom Large for Millennials

How to Support Your Colleagues and Students Impacted by Harvey

Hurricane Harvey and its subsequent floods have impacted more than 1 million students in 244 public and charter school districts statewide, according to the Texas Education Agency. And that total doesn’t take into account the region’s impacted college students or K-12 students in Louisiana who are starting to see flooding as a result of Harvey’s path.

Though the full impact of Harvey on students and schools will remain unknown for months to come, members of NACAC have been asking what they can do to help.

Here are some ways you can help your colleagues and the impacted schools in Texas.

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Professional Considerations: Admission Counselors Respond to Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey has left a lot of unknowns in its wake.

If and when students get to return to their schools, the schools will likely look significantly different: structural damage, fans to help dry out the building, missing book collections. And beyond the physical, the emotional impacts of this disaster could haunt them for years to come.

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Hurricane Harvey: Counselors Share Their Stories

Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana for the greater part of last week. The scale of the storm and flooding is unprecedented, impacting millions across 53 counties in Texas and parts of Southwest Louisiana.

Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas with winds of 130 mph on Aug. 22. The storm then moved toward the Houston metro area and lingered for several days, dumping nearly 52 inches of rain before hitting the coastal cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur with 26 inches of rain in 24 hours as it looked toward a second landfall in Louisiana.

While much of the focus has been on the homes that were lost, the storm has also flooded and destroyed schools, and has impacted more than 1 million students in 244 public and charter school districts in Texas alone, according to USA Today.

NACAC spoke with counselors in the impacted areas to learn about their experiences and find out how Harvey will impact their school and students in the weeks ahead.

Continue reading Hurricane Harvey: Counselors Share Their Stories