College Readiness

February Declared Gap Year Exploration Month

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The Gap Year Association recently named February as “Gap Year Exploration Month,” an event designed to give attention to the options available to students who don’t want to jump right into college.

“Gap Year Exploration Month seeks to empower students to understand the vast array of opportunities available for gap time and research paths that are right for them,” the association wrote in a blog post.

“Behind this initiative is a passionate group of educators, program providers and others who want to help promote the benefits of gap time.”

Continue reading February Declared Gap Year Exploration Month →

Featured, Transfer

Report: Community College Transfer Students More Likely to Graduate

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Despite stigmas that often surround community colleges, a new report from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation found that graduation rates of community college transfer students meet or exceed those of students who enroll at selective institutions as first-time freshman.

Community college transfer students also graduate at higher rates than students who transfer from other four-year colleges, according to the report.

More than 35,000 community college students transfer to selective colleges and universities each year and 75 percent of them graduate within six years. About 73 percent of students entering selective universities straight from high school graduate in that time frame, along with 61 percent of students who transfer from another four-year institution.

On average, community college transfer students earn their degree within two and a half years.

Read the full report and check out NACAC’s recent report on school counselors and community college options.

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.

Access

Access Lacking for Black Students at Public Institutions

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Too many public colleges and universities fail to offer equitable access to black students, according to new findings from the USC Race and Equity Center.

The report, Black Students at Public Colleges and Universities: A 50-State Report Card, awards letter grades to public colleges and universities on four equity indicators for black undergraduates: representation equity, gender equity, completion equity, and black-student-to-black-faculty ratio.

Continue reading Access Lacking for Black Students at Public Institutions →

Access

Report: Doors to Selective Public Colleges Open Wider to White Students

A new report from the Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce finds that despite being funded by all taxpayers, selective public colleges do not serve all segments of their states’ populations.

“In reality, the doors of these colleges are open wider to white students than to their black and Latino peers,” the report, Our Separate & Unequal Public Colleges: How Public Colleges Reinforce White Racial Privilege and Marginalize Black and Latino Students, states.

Continue reading Report: Doors to Selective Public Colleges Open Wider to White Students →

Advocacy

Facebook Live: Get Involved at the 2019 Advocacy Meeting

The 2019 Advocacy Meeting is just a couple weeks away and Government Relations Committee member Alyson Tom has all your questions covered.

During a Facebook Live conversation Wednesday, Tom discussed her advocacy background, the issues that matter most to her, and the upcoming Advocacy Meeting.

Tom experienced her first Advocacy Meeting at the national level last year and she offered some advice for newcomers.

“I could certainly understand if someone has never done anything like this before that it could be intimidating or a little scary to talk to these people you’ve seen on TV and read about in the news. My advice for new people is just remember you are the expert in the field. You know more about your job than anybody else. Even if they think they know what your job is, you know your job. That’s the key point to remember,” Tom said.

Continue reading Facebook Live: Get Involved at the 2019 Advocacy Meeting →

NACAC News

Shop Our Valentine’s Day Merch Sale

Get in on our Valentine’s Day sales, running now until the end of February.

Re-live your amazing experience in Salt Lake City and get a free NACAC teddy bear with any purchase of 2018 National Conference gear.

Share the love with NACAC’s two-for-one drink special. Buy a Moscow mule mug or a campfire mug and get one free.

Cuddle up this Valentine’s Day. NACAC teddy bears, without the purchase of Salt Lake City gear, are half price with the code: SWEETHEART19.

Shop and enjoy because NACAC loves you BEAR-y much!

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.

Advocacy

Facebook Live: Join Us to Talk About the 2019 Advocacy Meeting

Whether you are a first-time attendee, advocacy vet, or just an interested party, we want to make sure all your questions about the 2019 Advocacy Meeting are answered.

We’ll be broadcasting via Facebook Live on Wednesday with Government Relations Committee member Alyson Tom. Tune in at noon ET to learn more about this year’s Advocacy Meeting, hear advice for first-time attendees, and more.

You can watch the full conversation live on NACAC’s Facebook page.

Have questions about the Advocacy Meeting or for Tom? Ask them during the Live using the video’s comment section or submit them ahead of time via email.

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.

Importance of School Counselors

Spread the Word: School Counselors Positively Impact College Access

Editor’s note:  This post was originally published on Admitted in February 2017. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series

Need another reason to celebrate National School Counseling Week?

A recent NACAC study confirmed that students who meet one-on-one with a school counselor are significantly more likely to attend college and apply for federal financial aid.

Study findings show that 12th graders who talked about their future plans with a school counselor were:

  • Seven times more likely to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Three times more likely to attend college
  • Two times more likely to attend a bachelor’s degree program

Delve into the data and use a PowerPoint presentation to share key findings.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.

Regular updates on NACAC and the world of college admission counseling. For more information about NACAC, visit nacacnet.org.