Survey: Admission Professionals Sound Off About Social Media Checks

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“You know, colleges can see that. You really should watch what you post.”

It’s a common refrain from parents and teachers throughout the college admission process, but are admission officers actually checking social media?

A new survey by Kaplan Test Prep found that just 25 percent of college admission officers check the social media accounts of prospective students, down from a high of 40 percent in 2015.

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Survey: Girls Thrive in STEM, Even Without Tech-Savvy Parents

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Parents don’t need to be tech-savvy to raise girls who are interested in STEM.

A recent poll found that parents’ proficiency with technology has only marginal effects on girls’ excitement about the subject.

“This survey shows that, contrary to popular belief, girls are interested in tech, and that they will seek out instruction regardless of their parents’ affinity with technology,” according to Tracey Welson-Rossman, founder and CEO of TechGirlz — a nonprofit organization that worked with Drexel University (PA) to conduct the survey. “It should reassure parents they can set their daughters on the path to a rewarding, empowering career in tech with support and encouragement, even if they do not understand the subject matter themselves.”

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Do Your Research on Financial Aid

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Many college fairs are held during the fall. They provide a great opportunity for high school students and their parents or guardians to talk with college admission representatives. At two annual college fairs I am familiar with, financial aid representatives have a booth and talk about local scholarship options. Unfortunately, their booths are not very busy while admission representatives have many students waiting to discuss admission requirements. Usually the reps whose colleges are the most competitive and have the most well-known names have the longest lines.

In many instances, top students wait in long lines for well-known colleges because they have been encouraged to apply. Student GPAs and test scores can assist with the admission process, but there is a catch. Because most of the students applying to these colleges will also have impressive academic backgrounds, the colleges may not offer a generous financial award package to each student. Every college does things differently.

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#NACAC19: Call for Proposals and Facilitators is Open Through Jan. 7

Share your expertise and give back to your professional community next September in Louisville.

NACAC’s 2019 National Conference call for proposals and facilitators is open until Jan. 7 and the format for this conference will be different from years past, with a larger array of presentation types sought.

Check out the changes and submit your proposal. You can also apply to be a reviewer, a position where you’ll help determine the educational offerings selected for next year’s conference.

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Tennessee Weighs Next Steps in College Completion Campaign

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Tennessee is considered a national leader when it comes to college access.

The Tennessee Promise program offers high school grads two years of free community college. Meanwhile, Tennessee Reconnect provides tuition-free avenues for adults who want to return to school or are just starting their college journey.

Yet despite the wide-array of offerings, degree attainment across the state is uneven. A new analysis of public data published by The Tennessean offers insight into some of the factors impeding wider progress.

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