Monthly Archives: January 2019

International Education

Facebook Live: International Students Need to Feel Welcome

During a Facebook Live broadcast Thursday afternoon, EducationUSA Branch Chief Fred Boll discussed the message he wants the United States to send to students across the globe.

“The State Department and EducationUSA are focused on sending a clear and positive message to students all around the world that you are welcome in the United States. We want all qualified students to come study in the United States. We have an unparalleled diversity of institutions, opportunities…There are experiences students will have here that they will simply not get anywhere else,” Boll said.

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Importance of School Counselors

Celebrate National School Counseling Week 2019

National School Counseling Week kicks off on Monday. The annual five-day event, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), celebrates the many ways counselors make a difference in the lives of students.

Online contests and local events are scheduled across the country, making it the perfect time to highlight the profession we love.

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College Completion, Paying for College

US Recognizes Campus Hunger for the First Time

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Food insecurity among students is finally getting recognized by the federal government.

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that there are at least 2 million students who are at risk of being food insecure and who qualify for SNAP benefits but did not receive them. This number could be significantly higher, but the data available at this time is inconclusive.

This report is the first time the federal government has significantly acknowledged food insecurity on college campuses.

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International Education, NACAC News

Facebook Live: Join Us to Talk International Student Recruitment in the US

Interested in learning more about international student recruitment in the US?

We’ll be broadcasting via Facebook Live on Thursday, Jan. 31 with EducationUSA’s branch chief Fred Boll. Tune in at noon ET to learn more about EducationUSA resources and priorities, as well as strategies to attract qualified students to the US.

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Advocacy

Report: LGBTQ Students Not Safe at Most US High Schools

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What’s the school climate for LGBTQ students in your state?

According to GLSEN’s recently released State Snapshots report, high schools in all 41 states and Puerto Rico are not safe for most LGBTQ students.

More often than not, LGBTQ students do not have access to important school resources, such as LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum or student clubs designed to support LGBTQ students. In most cases, LGBTQ students are not protected by supportive and inclusive school policies.

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International Education

EducationUSA Resources Open Now to Public, Agents

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For some colleges and universities, partnering with commissioned agents to recruit international students is part of a multifaceted admission strategy.

Though the use of agents can be controversial, EducationUSA is changing its long-standing policy and will now make EducationUSA information and resources available to the public at large, which would include agents. They will also include agents working with US higher education institutions in EducationUSA events and meetings.

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Advocacy

Facebook Live: Get Involved in NACAC Advocacy Efforts

During a Facebook Live broadcast Tuesday afternoon, NACAC Government Relations Committee Chair Jim Fowler discussed ways you can get involved with NACAC’s advocacy efforts and why they matter.

“What I’ve learned through my time in GRAC – at the affiliate and at the national level – is how important it is for us to stand up and be counted on a lot of these issues. Members of Congress work for us,” Fowler said.

“So many of us use metrics in our work, to do our jobs, and so do they. If 3,000 NACAC members sign up on a legislative action alert that raises the profile of the conversation. It really sends a message. If we don’t send that message, then that message falls on deaf ears. We are a large, growing organization that can have an elective voice that really is resonant on issues for students and education.”

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NACAC News

#NACACreads: Join Us for a Discussion of ‘Becoming’

You’ve no doubt heard all about Michelle Obama’s record-breaking and emotional memoir, Becoming.

There are so many takeaways and lessons in the book for college admission counselors and professionals that we are thrilled to announce a special edition of our #NACACreads Twitter chat focused on the book.

Together with Reach Higher, we will host a discussion surrounding the former first lady’s own journey to college, her experience as a first-generation student, the importance of diversity on campus, and the role college counselors play.

“At its essence, Becoming is a story about the power of perseverance and of believing in yourself. As educators and advocates, we all know students with their own ‘becoming’ stories; we just have to help them fulfill their potential and see their own power,” said Stephanie Owens, Reach Higher’s director of programs.

Share your own insights during our #NACACreads chat on March 19. The hour-long discussion will kick off on Twitter at 9 p.m. ET.

Haven’t checked out the book yet? Read or listen to an excerpt about Michelle Obama’s college search.

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.

College Admission

Member View: Change Your Mentality on College Rejection

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Rejection is always tough whether it’s at work, in a relationship, or in college admission.

NACAC member Rick Clark, the director of undergraduate admissions at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has some advice.

First, if you’ve been rejected, Clark writes, you likely need to take a moment. It’s okay that you’re not okay.

“Go ahead and scream, cry, beat your pillow, cook or eat a lot of something (do all of those at once if you’re really upset). You do you. Whatever it takes to begin clearing your head,” he wrote.

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