More than 8 million high school students play a school sport. But of that group, less than one percent will go on to play sports at the collegiate level. And even fewer of those will ultimately go pro.
What do you do when your identity as a student athlete has been stripped away?
Dr. Hillary Cauthen of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology recently spoke to Teen Vogue about this struggle, which impacts many incoming college freshmen.
May 1 is the deadline for students to accept an offer of admission at many institutions, celebrated as Decision Day or College Signing Day.
Reach Higher, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, is encouraging schools and communities to host College Signing Day events to help build a college-going culture and to recognize students’ hard work.
NACAC host Crystal Newby talked with Reach Higher’s Eric Waldo about the Signing Day tradition and what it adds to the college admission process.
NACAC issued a statement Tuesday, urging members to redouble their commitment to integrity within the college admission process.
The statement followed news reports of efforts by wealthy individuals to get their children into selective colleges and universities as part of a long-running cheating scam. The Justice Department charged 50 people with participating in this scheme.
Continue reading ICYMI: NACAC Urges Recommitment to Integrity in Wake of College Admission Scam
Recruitment of rural and low-income students is often a goal of universities. But some schools don’t offer the support system to allow these students to succeed once they arrive on campus.
That was the case for writer Alison Stine.
Stine recently authored an essay recounting her experience as a student from a rural background at a private college.
“I wasn’t the first person in my family to go to college — I was the second generation, after my parents — and on teachers’ and guidance counselors’ advice, I had applied to several schools, including state universities,” she wrote. “But the private colleges were the ones that seemed to really want someone like me. They courted me. They offered me money, and I couldn’t say no to that. I couldn’t afford to.”
It’s never too early to start getting excited about College Signing Day!
College Signing Day has grown into a movement where counselors and students in all 50 states, including DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, celebrate students and build a college-going culture at their schools.
We’ll be counting down to May 1 with Eric Waldo, executive director of Reach Higher, at noon ET on March 13. We’re chatting about plans for celebrating College Signing Day and the 5th anniversary of Reach Higher.
Continue reading Facebook Live Q&A: College Signing Day 2019
The gender gap in four-year college enrollment is likely continuing to grow, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
About 59 percent of those surveyed said they planned to attend a four-year college. Of that group, 68 percent were female, and 51 percent were male.
Continue reading Report: Gender Gap in College Enrollment Likely to Grow
Equity and justice are important in all aspects of life, but absolutely vital in college admission.
NACAC members Ethan Sawyer, The College Essay Guy, and Marie Bigham, the founder of the ACCEPT: Admissions Community Cultivating Equity and Peace Today Facebook group, recently recorded a podcast episode on the ways school counselors and college admission professionals can work toward these goals.
Continue reading Explore Ways to Center Equity and Justice in Admission Work
More than 150 NACAC members took to Capitol Hill Monday, advocating on behalf of their students, colleagues, and profession.
These members represented 21 affiliates, 42 states and Washington DC, and three international locations. They attended more than 130 meetings across the US House of Representatives and the Senate.
Check out scenes from #NACACHillDay.
In 2009, then-President Barack Obama announced a $12 billion initiative with a goal of returning the US to first in the world in the proportion of the population with degrees.
Ten year later, however, this goal seems even further out of reach.
The Hechinger Report recently looked at the goals and plans set by the American Graduation Initiative (AGI) and found that the US has fallen way behind. Continue reading US Fails to Reach Obama-era Targets for College Degree Holders
Nearly 150 high school counselors, college admission professionals, community-based organization leaders, and other advocates will arrive in Washington, DC this weekend for NACAC’s annual Advocacy Meeting.
During this two-day event, attendees will learn more about student-to-counselor ratios in their states, the status of state and federal financial aid, and the economic impact of international and DACA students. The event will also feature talks from a Virginia state legislator and from a staff member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
On Monday, attendees will head to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials and Congressional staff to advocate for NACAC’s policy priorities, including:
The advocates in attendance will touch on these topics and other important issues, including international student mobility, school safety, and more. Be sure to follow @NACACWonk and #NACACHillDay for updates, and tune in to Facebook Live at 9:45 am ET for a live broadcast of the “Counselors and Financial Aid in Your State” panel, with NACAC research associate Pooja Patel and Stephanie Giesecke, the director of budget and appropriations at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Julie Kirk is NACAC’s government relations manager. She can be reached at jkirk@nacacnet.org.