Scraping up enough money to purchase textbooks weighs heavily on the minds of many college students, according to staffers at New America.
The Washington, DC-based think tank convened students and parents this fall for a series of focus groups. The gatherings offered participants the opportunity to share their opinions about higher education and student success.
“Students and parents alike had a lot to say about the cost of tuition and the institutions themselves, and offered policy ideas they believed could alleviate some of the things that weren’t working,” New America staff members Ernest Ezeugo and Manuela Ekowo wrote in a recent blog post. “But when students were asked what they thought the most problematic aspects of college were, it was the cost of textbooks that most animated the room.”
Black and Hispanic teens are less likely than their peers to express interest in a job in the sciences.
A recent Pew Research Center analysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed a racial and ethnic gap among students seeking such careers.
Among Asian and white high school seniors, 59 and 45 percent, respectively, say they would like a job that involves science.
By comparison, only 40 percent of Hispanics and 39 percent of blacks indicated they wanted a science-related career.
Looking for ways to boost FAFSA completion rates in your school district?
Erin Bibo, deputy chief of college & career programs with DC Public Schools, shared success strategies in a recent column published by Homeroom — the official blog of the US Department of Education.
“Financial aid plays a huge factor in students’ college-going decisions and success,” Bibo wrote. “For a large urban district like DC Public Schools, where 77 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced price lunch, getting graduating seniors to complete their FAFSAs on time isn’t an optional task, it’s a necessary one.”
With a new president and dozens of new senators and representatives, your voice is especially important this year.
Visits with members of Congress will serve as the focal point of the two-day event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with NACAC leadership, members, and staff.
The searchable database provides weekly updates for every high school where five or more students have filed a FAFSA. The form is completed annually by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for financial assistance.
“A recent study showed that students who met with a school counselor to talk about financial aid or college were three times more likely to attend college and they were nearly seven times more likely to apply for financial aid,” Obama said, referencing a NACAC report released last month. “Our school counselors are truly among the heroes of the Reach Higher story.”
Colleges must revamp the career services they offer students, according to a new Gallup study produced in conjunction with Purdue University.
Although more than half of college graduates surveyed reported visiting their school’s career services office at least once, only 16 percent said the trip was helpful.
NACAC member Ann McDermott wants students to put their best foot forward in the application process.
During a recent NPR broadcast, McDermott — director of admissions at the College of the Holy Cross (MA) — offered three simple tips for applicants: engage, reflect, and make your essay count.
Visiting campus and crafting a thoughtful personal statement show college officials that students are seriously considering their school.
But before teens begin submitting applications, they should make time for personal reflection, McDermott said.
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