Category Archives: NACAC News

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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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

#FinAid101: Share Your Tips on Twitter

Knowing the facts about financial aid can help college-bound students select a best fit school.

As students kick their college search into high gear this fall, NACAC encourages you to share your wisdom via Twitter.

Contribute your top tips using #FinAid101 and follow the hashtag to see advice submitted by colleagues from across the country.

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#NACACreads: Upcoming Book Discussion Will Explore Student Mental Health

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions are on the rise among youth at many competitive schools in the US and abroad.

Yet when kids struggle academically or emotionally, we often put the onus on them to change.

Join us Oct. 24 to explore the adjustments educators can make to help students prepare for college in more healthy and balanced ways. An hour-long #NACACreads discussion of At What Cost? Defending Adolescent Development in Fiercely Competitive Schools will kick off on Twitter at 9 p.m. (ET) featuring special guest and author David L. Gleason.

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4 Ways College Counselors Can Increase Access for Underrepresented Students

NACAC 

Diversity on campus strengthens our colleges and our country.

Yet a large number of qualified students from low-income and minority populations are still underrepresented in American higher education due to inadequate access to college advising resources.

Continue reading 4 Ways College Counselors Can Increase Access for Underrepresented Students

ICYMI: NACAC President Responds to Trump Administration’s Reported Plan to Challenge Affirmative Action

NACAC President Nancy Beane

NACAC President Nancy T. Beane responded Wednesday to media reports suggesting the Trump administration is considering legal action against colleges and universities with race-conscious admission policies.

In a statement released to the press, Beane noted that the Supreme Court upheld in 2016  the right of colleges to consider a student’s race or ethnicity as one factor when making admission decisions.

“By disregarding the Fisher ruling, the administration and Justice Department would frustrate efforts to improve educational opportunity, and would erode respect for diversity in higher education,” she said. “This initiative would be a serious challenge to the critical work of improving college access and success for all students.”

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Real Talk: Discuss Diversity, Bias, and Cultural Fluency at #nacac17

It’s human nature: Difficult conversations are often the easiest ones to avoid.

Yet when it comes to discussions surrounding diversity, bias, and cultural fluency, educators owe it to themselves and the students they serve to tune in.

Next month, attendees at NACAC’s national conference in Boston will have the opportunity to do just that. Two interactive Real Talk sessions—one addressing workplace issues, the other focused on the needs of students and families—will be facilitated by Lisa D. Walker, former director of Cross Cultural Student Development at the University of California-Berkeley.

“Good conversation and effective dialogue can inspire us to change individually and collectively,” Walker told Admitted. “In my experience, those changes often start small but can gain momentum over time.”

Continue reading Real Talk: Discuss Diversity, Bias, and Cultural Fluency at #nacac17