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
Colleges must revamp the career services they offer students, according to a new Gallup study produced in conjunction with Purdue University.
Although more than half of college graduates surveyed reported visiting their school’s career services office at least once, only 16 percent said the trip was helpful.
Continue reading Report: Colleges Must Do More to Prepare Grads for Workplace
NACAC member Ann McDermott wants students to put their best foot forward in the application process.
During a recent NPR broadcast, McDermott — director of admissions at the College of the Holy Cross (MA) — offered three simple tips for applicants: engage, reflect, and make your essay count.
Visiting campus and crafting a thoughtful personal statement show college officials that students are seriously considering their school.
But before teens begin submitting applications, they should make time for personal reflection, McDermott said.
Continue reading Member View: Personal Reflection is Key in College Search
Looking for a meaningful way to share your expertise with college admission professionals from across the country?
Submit a proposal to present at NACAC’s 2017 National Conference, scheduled Sept. 14-16 in Boston.
Continue reading Submit a Proposal for NACAC’s 2017 National Conference