The price of college meal plans continues to grow — and it’s contributing to the rising costs of higher education, according to an article published this month in The Hechinger Report.
A recent analysis of college dining contracts show that the amount of money students spend on meal plans outpaces what the average American shells out for food each year.
Continue reading Cost of Campus Meal Plans Continues to Grow
Scraping up enough money to purchase textbooks weighs heavily on the minds of many college students, according to staffers at New America.
The Washington, DC-based think tank convened students and parents this fall for a series of focus groups. The gatherings offered participants the opportunity to share their opinions about higher education and student success.
“Students and parents alike had a lot to say about the cost of tuition and the institutions themselves, and offered policy ideas they believed could alleviate some of the things that weren’t working,” New America staff members Ernest Ezeugo and Manuela Ekowo wrote in a recent blog post. “But when students were asked what they thought the most problematic aspects of college were, it was the cost of textbooks that most animated the room.”
Continue reading Textbook Costs are ‘Heavy Burden’ for Students
Black and Hispanic teens are less likely than their peers to express interest in a job in the sciences.
A recent Pew Research Center analysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed a racial and ethnic gap among students seeking such careers.
Among Asian and white high school seniors, 59 and 45 percent, respectively, say they would like a job that involves science.
By comparison, only 40 percent of Hispanics and 39 percent of blacks indicated they wanted a science-related career.
Continue reading Interest in Science Careers Varies by Race, Ethnicity
Looking for ways to boost FAFSA completion rates in your school district?
Erin Bibo, deputy chief of college & career programs with DC Public Schools, shared success strategies in a recent column published by Homeroom — the official blog of the US Department of Education.
“Financial aid plays a huge factor in students’ college-going decisions and success,” Bibo wrote. “For a large urban district like DC Public Schools, where 77 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced price lunch, getting graduating seniors to complete their FAFSAs on time isn’t an optional task, it’s a necessary one.”
Registration is now open for NACAC’s annual Advocacy Meeting, scheduled March 5-6 in Washington, DC.
With a new president and dozens of new senators and representatives, your voice is especially important this year.
Visits with members of Congress will serve as the focal point of the two-day event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with NACAC leadership, members, and staff.
Looking for a better way to chart FAFSA trends in your community?
Check out the US Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid Completion Tool.
The searchable database provides weekly updates for every high school where five or more students have filed a FAFSA. The form is completed annually by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for financial assistance.
Continue reading Track FAFSA Completion Rates by School, District
Editor’s Note: A version of this post originally appeared on Admitted in December 2015.
US high schools must devote more time to college counseling if they want to “see the fruit of other investments,” according to one education researcher.
In a 2015 column, New America staffer Abigail Swisher makes the case that students need both rigorous curriculum and personalized guidance to achieve their postsecondary plans.
“If we want to recreate the American high school as a place where all students have the resources for success in college and career, we need to reinvent the role of counselors,” Swisher writes, citing data from NACAC and other education associations. “This could mean reducing the caseload or number of responsibilities each counselor has, or it might mean moving to an entirely different model of support.”
Continue reading Researcher: US High Schools Must Invest in College Counselors
Everyone knows that the college application process can be emotional for students.
But what about their parents? What hopes and fears do they have for their children?
NACAC member Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at the Derryfield School (NH), recently asked moms and dads to share their outlook.
He published the answers in a recent Washington Post column.
Continue reading Parents of College-Bound Students Share Their Hopes and Fears
Looking for a meaningful way to share your expertise with college admission professionals from across the country?
The deadline for proposals to present at NACAC’s 2017 National Conference has been extended to Jan 17.
Continue reading Call for Proposals: Deadline Extended for National Conference
First Lady Michelle Obama used NACAC data Friday to help shine a spotlight on the importance of school counselors.
The comments were woven into Obama’s remarks honoring 2017 School Counselor of the Year Terri Tchorzynski.
“A recent study showed that students who met with a school counselor to talk about financial aid or college were three times more likely to attend college and they were nearly seven times more likely to apply for financial aid,” Obama said, referencing a NACAC report released last month. “Our school counselors are truly among the heroes of the Reach Higher story.”
Continue reading Michelle Obama Cites NACAC Data in White House Remarks