High School Performance Matters Most in College Admission Decisions

New survey data from NACAC shows that a student’s high school record remains the primary consideration of colleges when reviewing applications.

The finding, included in the association’s recently released 2019 State of College Admission report, has been consistent over the past three decades.

Specifically, the top four factors in freshmen college admission decisions are: (1) grades in all high school courses; (2) grades in college prep courses; (3) strength of a student’s high school curriculum; and (4) admission test scores (ACT/SAT). Meanwhile, only 1 percent of colleges indicated that a student’s alumni connections or ability to pay had considerable influence during the application review process.

Continue reading High School Performance Matters Most in College Admission Decisions

Study: In-Class Use of Cell Phones, Laptops Lowers Test Scores

iStock

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on Admitted in August 2018. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

In the age of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, we’ve mastered the art of multitasking — right?

Unfortunately, a new study suggests otherwise and includes some sobering findings for students.

According to research published in Educational Psychology, students who use electronic devices during class lectures have a harder time recalling what they learned in the long-term.

Continue reading Study: In-Class Use of Cell Phones, Laptops Lowers Test Scores

New Podcast Episode Now Available

The fourth episode of NACAC’s College Admissions Decoded podcast is now available!

Tune in to hear NACAC Board Director Jacques Steinberg and Rafael Figueroa, dean of college guidance at Albuquerque Academy (NM), discuss what educators and college admission professionals can do to help to help all students and their families explore postsecondary options.

Continue reading New Podcast Episode Now Available

Avoiding FAFSA Mistakes

iStock

From not getting an FSA ID before filling out the FAFSA to forgetting to sign the form — it’s easy to make missteps when applying for federal financial aid.

But the US Department of Education wants to help students avoid the most common mistakes.

Officials published a blog post this month outlining 11 common FAFSA errors, and the article offers plenty of helpful information to guide students and families as they complete the form.

Continue reading Avoiding FAFSA Mistakes

#NACACreads: Discuss Student Mental Health and Well-Being

Nurturing student success takes many different forms.

During our next #NACACreads Twitter chat, we’ll explore how willpower, coping skills, self-care strategies, and more can help students cultivate authentic happiness and make the most out of their journey to and through college.

Read When Likes Aren’t Enough: A Crash Course in the Science of Happiness and join us Dec. 11 for an important discussion on student mental health and well-being with author Tim Bono.

Continue reading #NACACreads: Discuss Student Mental Health and Well-Being

YouTubers Tackle the Admission Process

iStock

If you don’t know how to change a tire or curl your hair or even make a soufflé, you can YouTube it.

So, it stands to reason, if you don’t know how to apply for college, you would turn to the video-sharing website for the answers you seek.

What started as a trend of college-bound teens sharing their college decision letters has grown into a way for teens to broadcast their experiences and advice throughout the process.

Teen Vogue recently interviewed several of these YouTube vloggers about their growing channels.

Continue reading YouTubers Tackle the Admission Process

Department of Education Releases Template for New College Financing Plan

iStock

The US Department of Education recently released its 2020-21 College Financing Plan template, formerly known as the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet. The College Financing Plan is a standardized form used by participating institutions to notify students about their financial aid package. The department relied on input from financial aid administrators, students, parents, and other stakeholders to develop the new template.

Continue reading Department of Education Releases Template for New College Financing Plan