Counselor: Financial Aid Process Burdens Low-Income Students

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Editor’s note: A version of this post was originally published on Admitted in March 2016. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

Getting into college is only half the battle for teens living in poverty.

To prove eligibility for financial aid, many colleges ask low-income students to submit a mountain of paperwork — going beyond what is required of their middle- and upper-income peers, NACAC member Joshua Steckel wrote in a 2016 opinion column published by The Boston Globe.

The process is burdensome, he noted. Worst of all, it can discourage talented students from accessing the financial support they need to attend college.

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#NACACreads: Join Tomorrow’s Discussion

From identifying right-fit schools to securing financial aid and selecting classes — success in higher education is intrinsically linked to a student’s ability to make informed decisions about their future and follow through on their plans.

Discuss new ways to help students navigate this critical process Wednesday during a #NACACreads discussion with Benjamin Castleman, author of The 160-Character Solution: How Text Messaging and Other Behavioral Strategies Can Improve EducationThe chat kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on Twitter.

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Community Colleges Report Serving More Middle-Class Students

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As college costs continue to increase, community colleges are seeing a rise in the number of upper-middle class students enrolling to save money on their way to a four-year degree.

“This is about social norms,” Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University (PA), told The New York Times. “More middle-class parents are saying, I’m not succumbing to the idea that the only acceptable education is an expensive one.”

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Recruiter Life: Watch Our Facebook Live Q&A

Bree Blades, an admissions officer from the University of California San Diego; Milan Thomas, an admissions advisor with Ohio University; and Ryan Smith, an international recruitment manager at Bath Spa University in the UK discussed their favorite parts of the job and shared advice this morning during a Facebook Live Q&A at  NACAC’s National College Fair in Prince George’s County (MD).

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#EMchat Creates Reference Book for Enrollment Management Professionals

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A new online resource is now available for enrollment management professionals.

The #EMchat Reference Book — which includes industry terminology, as well as links to relevant news sources, podcasts, listservs, and newsletters — is a project developed by EMchat, an online community of higher education enrollment management professionals.

Creators say the crowdsourced resource is an attempt to concentrate and share industry knowledge.

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Imagine Grant Supports Camp College Program

Camp College organizers and members of MACAC’s Inclusion, Access, and Success Committee  work together each year to support students. (MACAC photo)

It takes more than good grades and big dreams to get into college.

Students — especially those who are among the first in their families to pursue higher education — also need confidence as they approach the college search and selection process.

Camp College, an annual program offered each spring by the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling (MACAC), is designed with the latter goal in mind. The day-long camp helps underserved students plan for higher education and think through the steps needed to apply to colleges and seek out financial aid.

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Join Us for a Facebook Q&A about Recruiter Life

College admission officers have a unique job, one that only your fellow admission colleagues can fully understand.

Tune in Friday at 8:45 a.m. ET to discuss life on the road, dissect the challenges recruiters face, and get advice from those in the know.

We’ll be broadcasting live from the Prince George’s County National College Fair with Bree Blades, an admissions officer from the University of California San Diego; Milan Thomas, an admissions advisor with Ohio University; and Ryan Smith, an international recruitment manager at Bath Spa University in the UK.

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Campus Hunger: 36% of College Students Don’t Get Enough to Eat

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Over a third of college students aren’t getting enough to eat, according to a survey of more than 43,000 students at 66 US colleges and universities.

The data was collected by the Wisconsin HOPE lab. And while researchers say the survey wasn’t designed to be representative of colleges nationwide, it is believed to be the best national estimate available — and it raises important questions about college access and success.

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