Nearly one in five US students — a total of 9.3 million — attend rural schools. But far too often, the needs of these students are overlooked in national discussions.
The leaders at the Rural School and Community Trust hope to change that. The group released its annual Why Rural Matters report today to shed light on the scope and status of rural education.
Boys and girls enroll in advanced math and sciences classes at equal rates as they move into high school. But a gender gap appears as they get closer to college, with boys enrolling in more advanced STEM courses than girls, according to a recent Edutopia article.
“This gap widens the longer girls are in school and is often compounded by issues of race and class,” according to Carly Berwick, a journalist and English teacher at a STEM magnet school in New Jersey.
The good news? Educators can help close the gap.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, citizens across the country will head to the polls to make their voices heard.
This off-year election includes gubernatorial contests in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi as well as some local, state, and special federal elections.
Continue reading Exercise Your Right to Vote on Election Day
An estimated one out of every 14 children under age 18 has experienced the death of a parent or sibling, but the unique needs of grieving students are often overlooked in the college admission process.
Pamela Roth Appleton, associate director of college counseling at Phillips Exeter Academy (NH), is working to change that. Using funds from a NACAC Imagine Grant, Appleton has launched an awareness campaign designed to educate admission counseling professionals about the effects of childhood grief and the challenges affected students may face in the transition to college. Along with Christina Breen, a fellow Exeter educator, Appleton recently produced a four-page brochure. The publication highlights potential pain points in the admission process and includes best practices and further resources.
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
NACAC is asking colleges to exercise flexibility for applicants affected by disasters and disruptions.
Continue reading NACAC Urges Flexibility for Students Impacted by Disasters and Disruptions
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
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.
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.
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