It may be summertime, but the search process continues for college-bound teens.
From visiting campuses to taking time to reflect on academic interests, the summer months provide an opportunity for students to refine their college lists.
Three NACAC members recently shared their insights into the process at a Bates College (ME) alumni event.
Continue reading NACAC Members Offer Advice to College-Bound Students
“Extremely disappointing” are the words NACAC used to describe Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision to uphold President Trump’s travel ban.
In a statement released to the press, the association expressed concern that the 5-4 decision would allow for discrimination against individuals based solely on their nationality and/or religion. Three earlier iterations of the ban — which prohibited travelers from several majority-Muslim countries from entering the US — had previously been struck down by lower courts.
National achievement data released this month included an unexpected bright spot.
A study published by Education Researcher shows that current and former English Language Learners in grades four and eight have made impressive gains in math and reading over the last 15 years, improving at a rate that was two to three times faster than their monolingual peers.
Continue reading Study Shows Impressive Academic Gains Among English Language Learners
We all know the cycle. Unpredictable admission yields put pressure on earlier communication and a push to apply earlier and earlier. This drives up anxiety for students concerned about checking all the boxes ASAP, causing a greater focus on the Big Four—rigorous classes, leadership, athletics, and community service. More academic rigor means that it is harder to miss class, so fewer students attend on-site high school admission sessions. With less student contact, more stealth candidates are in play and yields are unpredictable. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love trends. This was a trend that scared me. Seeing fewer and fewer students attending the college admission representative visits increased my concern about this critical part of the college admission process. What if this wasn’t just happening at my school, but at schools across the country? Would admission directors make a cost-benefit argument that the high school visit was a dinosaur? Would they stop coming?
The transition from high school to college can be more than a little challenging. From a different kind of course load to navigating dorm life, that first year can be daunting.
Continue reading Headed Off to School? Consider These Tips from a ‘College Freshman Survivor’
Did you miss this week’s webinar on the new ACT/SAT concordance tables?
The hour-long program is now available on demand on NACAC’s website. Association members can access the content free of charge.
Continue reading ICYMI: Webinar on ACT/SAT Concordance Tables Available On-Demand
In recent years, we’ve learned more about successful strategies for boosting college access and academic success.
But for many schools, communities, and colleges, bringing those interventions to students has proven challenging, researcher Ben Castleman said Tuesday during a NACAC Facebook Live broadcast.
A new guide— Nudges, Norms, and New Solutions — seeks to fill that gap. The resource is available free of charge and offers step-by-step advice to help educators increase college access, help students file for financial aid, and stay on track academically.
Continue reading Do You Know When to Nudge? Watch Our Facebook Live Broadcast with Ben Castleman
Americans believe in the power of higher education, but most say that colleges aren’t functioning the way they should.
According to a recent survey of 1,600 US adults commissioned by the Washington, DC-based New America think tank:
Continue reading Survey: Americans Think US Higher Education System Must Change
Should students reveal their undocumented status in their personal statement?
NACAC members Ethan Sawyer (also known as The College Essay Guy) and Aliza Gilbert discussed this tricky question on a recent episode of Sawyer’s podcast.
Continue reading Undocumented Students and the College Essay
Looking to break down some of the barriers that prevent students from moving beyond high school?
We’ll be broadcasting via Facebook Live at noon on Tuesday, June 19 with Ben Castleman, a #NACACreads author and a co-creator of a new guide Nudges, Norms, and New Solutions. This guide is a free tool for educators as they develop strategies to assist students in the transition from high school to college.
Tune in at noon ET to talk about the guide, Castleman’s new nudge hotline, and how behavioral science can be used to combat summer melt and encourage student success.
Continue reading Facebook Live: Join Us Next Week to Learn about ‘Nudges, Norms, and New Solutions’
