All posts by Mary Stegmeir

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.
Access

Study: For-Profit Colleges are Costly for African American Students

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In recent years, a growing number of low-income and minority students have enrolled in for-profit colleges.

A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University and State University of New York at Buffalo highlights just how harmful that decision can be for students of color.

Researchers who followed 150 low-income black students from Baltimore discovered that those who attended for-profit colleges ended up with more debt and with fewer job prospects than their peers who attended nonprofit institutions.

Continue reading Study: For-Profit Colleges are Costly for African American Students →

Financial Aid, NACAC National Conference, Paying for College

FAFSA Videos from NACAC’s National Conference Available Now

Still have questions about prior-prior year (PPY) and the 2017-18 FAFSA?

Videos of two educational sessions presented at NACAC’s recent national conference can provide answers as you work to help students and families apply for federal financial aid.

Continue reading FAFSA Videos from NACAC’s National Conference Available Now →

Career Exploration, College Admission, College Readiness, NACAC News

#NACACreads Author: Career Exploration Crucial to Post-College Success

thereislifeaftercollegeGood grades are no longer enough to secure post-graduation employment for a growing number of young Americans.

And as the job market evolves, the country’s high schools and colleges must adapt to ensure students are prepared to navigate the increasingly complex world of work, according to participants in Tuesday’s #NACACreads discussion.

Continue reading #NACACreads Author: Career Exploration Crucial to Post-College Success →

Transfer

Report: Guided Pathways Beneficial for Veterans

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Community colleges that offer guided pathways may be better prepared to serve military veterans, according to a new report.

The approach maps out the sequence of courses students must take to complete a degree, and provides academic counseling and support services to help them stay on track. It also represents a departure from the “cafeteria-style” method of course selection, which allows students to choose from an abundance of often unrelated courses.

Continue reading Report: Guided Pathways Beneficial for Veterans →

College Admission, College Readiness, NACAC News

#NACACreads Author: Overparenting Hinders College-Readiness

how-to-raise-an-adult_300With thousands of quality colleges spread throughout the US, parents shouldn’t stress over getting their child into the “right school,” according to #NACACreads author Julie Lythcott-Haims.

Their challenge instead? Helping their child develop habits early on that will allow them to thrive wherever they go.

Lythcott-Haims made those comments during a Tuesday night #NACACreads discussion focused on her bestselling book, How to Raise an Adult. Counselors and admission professionals from across the country participated in the hour-long Twitter chat and shared tips to help students build the skills and experiences they need to succeed in college and beyond.

Continue reading #NACACreads Author: Overparenting Hinders College-Readiness →

College Admission, College Readiness, NACAC News

#NACACreads Author: Applying to College Teaches Teens Crucial Skills

nacacreadsvideoimageuse#NACACreads author Julie Lythcott-Haims knows it’s tough for parents to turn over the reins, especially when it comes time for their child to apply to colleges.

But if teens aren’t able to complete the application process independently, they are more likely to falter once they arrive on campus, she notes in How to Raise an Adult. Counselors and admission professionals from across the country will discuss her book on May 17 during a #NACACreads Twitter chat.

Continue reading #NACACreads Author: Applying to College Teaches Teens Crucial Skills →

College Admission, College Completion, Transfer

Honor Society for Community College Students Hopes to Expand its Reach

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An honor society for community college students wants to recruit more members, and organization leaders say the move has the potential to bolster US degree completion rates.

Members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) are far more likely than their peers to earn a two- or four-year degree, data show.

But currently, only 11 percent of students eligible for membership join the honor society, according to a recent article published in Community College Week (CCW).

Continue reading Honor Society for Community College Students Hopes to Expand its Reach →

Access, College Admission, NACAC News

#NACACreads: Learn More about the Students Featured in ‘Hold Fast to Dreams’

hold_fast_to_dreams_pb_350For many participants in last month’s #NACACreads chat, the highlight of the evening was hearing from Michael Forbes and Abigail Benavente — two of the 10 students featured in Hold Fast to Dreams.

Admitted asked author Joshua Steckel for updates about the rest of the young people profiled in his award-winning book examining college access and success.

Now in their late-20s, all the students are upwardly mobile and engaging in fulfilling work, said Steckel, who co-wrote Hold Fast to Dreams with Beth Zasloff.

Continue reading #NACACreads: Learn More about the Students Featured in ‘Hold Fast to Dreams’ →

College Admission, NACAC News

#NACACreads Author: Access and Success for Low-Income Students Starts with Understanding

hold_fast_to_dreams_pb_350It takes more than generous financial aid packages to get first-generation students to and through college.

Make no mistake: Monetary support is crucial. But college counselors on both sides of the desk also need to understand the structural inequalities that define the lives of many low-income teens.

That was the message author and public school counselor Joshua Steckel shared with participants during Wednesday’s online #NACACreads chat. His book, Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty, follows 10 young people from New York City as they apply to colleges and go on to pursue higher education.

Continue reading #NACACreads Author: Access and Success for Low-Income Students Starts with Understanding →

Access, College Admission, College Readiness, NACAC News

#NACACreads Author: ‘Quality School Counseling Shouldn’t be a Luxury’

steckel475#NACACreads author Joshua Steckel sought a job in New York City’s public school system nine years ago because he wanted to help low-income teens access higher education.

In Hold Fast to Dreams Steckel and co-author Beth Zasloff seek to further that work, this time by spotlighting the barriers first-generation and minority students face in the college admission process.

Continue reading #NACACreads Author: ‘Quality School Counseling Shouldn’t be a Luxury’ →