Study: Parental Occupations Can Affect Job Choice

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They say the apple doesn’t fall from the tree. This is especially true when it comes to job choice.

According to General Social Survey data collected between 1994 and 2016, working sons are about 2.7 times as likely as the rest of the population to have the same job as their working fathers and about two times as likely to have the same job as their working mothers.

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ICYMI: NACAC Opposes HEA Reauthorization Legislation

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Congress has signaled it’s ready to tackle reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), but a bill introduced last week in the US House of Representatives has NACAC and other education organizations concerned.

“While NACAC agrees that the HEA needs to be reauthorized, this bill goes about it in the wrong way,” Michael Rose, NACAC’s director for government relations noted in a press release. “After an initial review, it is clear this bill reduces or eliminates student protections against fraud and abuse, and further dilutes the federal contribution to improving access to postsecondary education.”

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Help Shape the Upcoming #NACACreads Discussion

Can you believe it’s already December? That means our next #NACACreads book chat is just a month away.

On Jan. 9, we’ll discuss My (Underground) American Dream with author Julissa Arce.

An estimated 65,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from US high schools each year. In 2001, Arce was one of those students.

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Counselor Organizes ‘Instant Admission’ College Fair

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Could an early offer of admission encourage more minority students to pursue postsecondary education?

A Maryland counselor put that idea to the test this fall by organizing an “instant admission college fair.”

The event, held last month, drew students from 20 Baltimore County high schools and featured admission representatives from 15 historically black colleges and universities.

High school seniors — armed with their transcripts, test scores, and optional writing samples and recommendation letters — met with college reps and received admission decisions on-site. By the end of the day, more than 950 acceptances had been extended to students.

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Should Computer Science Count as a Foreign Language? Georgia Says Yes.

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One state has figured out an innovative way to boost interest in computer science courses.

High school enrollments in computer science are up 50 percent since 2014 in Georgia, primarily due to an amended admission requirement by the University System of Georgia.

In 2015, the Georgia Board of Regents altered its admission requirements making them more computer science-friendly. Previously, students needed to have completed two years of the same foreign language to apply for admission to the university system. The requirement still exists, but computer science now counts as a foreign language.

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Study: Grant Aid Most Effective When Aimed at Poor Students

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Grant programs for low-income students yield greater returns than assistance efforts aimed at students from higher-income families, new data suggests.

A working paper published this month by the Upjohn Institute found that Pell Grant recipients at four-year colleges in Texas saw improved academic and economic outcomes.

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Survey: Most Americans Support Postsecondary Education

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Most Americans believe postsecondary education remains a valuable commodity for today’s young people, according to results from a new national survey.

“The vast majority of Americans (86 percent) feel that higher education after high school enhances job prospects,” according to a new report from Civis Analytics. “Most (89 percent) also think high school students should pursue an education program after graduation from high school.”

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Students’ College Choices Often Match Those of Older Siblings

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Looking for a way to predict where a student will ultimately enroll in college?

Check out their family tree.

A  2015 study shows that one-fifth of younger siblings enroll at the same college as an older brother or sister. The paper, published in the Economics of Education Review, includes data from 1.6 million sibling pairs.

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