In a statement released Friday, NACAC urged Congress and the White House “to find common ground and move forward with policies that support DREAMers and promote student mobility across borders.”
Talks are expected to continue this week as policymakers from both sides of the aisle unpack the president’s immigration plan and craft their own proposals.
Continue reading ICYMI: NACAC Urges Trump and Congress to Find Common Ground on Immigration
Getting more students to complete the FAFSA is a crucial step in expanding college access and a new online tool makes it easier than ever for states and communities to monitor their progress.
The #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker, launched on Monday, tracks and ranks states’ progress toward getting 100 percent of their high school seniors to file for federal financial aid.
The interactive online dashboard, which is updated weekly, also includes city-specific data.
Users can chart their week-by-week progress, see how their community compares to other states and cities, and even check how this year’s completion rates stack up against data from last year. Continue reading Now Available: #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker
The Lumina Foundation, in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, recently announced it will award $1 million in grants to colleges that are “working to improve their campus climates by providing opportunities for constructive racial dialogue.”
Applications are due Feb. 26.
Continue reading Fund Established to Support Racial Justice and Equity Efforts
A new video from Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce highlights a vexing problem.
Every year, 500,000 students who graduated in the top half of their high school class fail to complete a college degree.
“Most of these students go to college, but drop out,” the video narrator explains. “So they get all the debt and none of the benefits a degree confers.”
The short animated film highlights the consequences for both students and the American economy.
Continue reading Video: The Forgotten College-Ready Students
The benefits of extending in-state tuition to undocumented students in Virginia far outweigh the costs, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.
The organization found that the policy, enacted in 2014, does not create a cost burden to the state and has not resulted in overcrowded classrooms.
“The cost to colleges and the state of providing access to in-state tuition for students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration status is small compared to the potential economic benefits,” the institute noted in a press release highlighting the report’s findings.
Continue reading Report: In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students Yields Economic Benefits
It’s a time of uncertainly and fear for undocumented students.
DACA recipients will lose protection from deportation in March. And although lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced support for the DREAM Act, disagreements over border security and other issues have stalled legislative action.
Yet despite current conditions, college counselors and admission officers are uniquely positioned to offer support and hope to young immigrants, author/activist Julissa Arce noted during a Tuesday #NACACreads chat.
Continue reading #NACACreads Author Shares Resources to Help Undocumented Students
An estimated 65,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from US high schools each year.
In 2001, Julissa Arce was one of those students.
Join us Tuesday for a #NACACreads discussion of her book: My (Underground) American Dream. The author/activist will participate in the hour-long Twitter discussion, and there will be plenty of opportunities for you to share your own thoughts and discuss strategies to help undocumented youth access higher education.
A lack of access to college counselors was cited as a major factor in a new report on New York City’s low college success rate.
Only 22 percent of students who enter community college associate degree programs at the City University of New York (CUNY) earn a degree in three years and just 55 percent of students enrolled in four-year CUNY programs finish after six years, according to the research.
Continue reading Report: Lack of Access to College Counselors Stymies Success for NYC Students
Can you believe it’s already December? That means our next #NACACreads book chat is just a month away.
On Jan. 9, we’ll discuss My (Underground) American Dream with author Julissa Arce.
An estimated 65,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from US high schools each year. In 2001, Arce was one of those students.
Continue reading Help Shape the Upcoming #NACACreads Discussion
Could an early offer of admission encourage more minority students to pursue postsecondary education?
A Maryland counselor put that idea to the test this fall by organizing an “instant admission college fair.”
The event, held last month, drew students from 20 Baltimore County high schools and featured admission representatives from 15 historically black colleges and universities.
High school seniors — armed with their transcripts, test scores, and optional writing samples and recommendation letters — met with college reps and received admission decisions on-site. By the end of the day, more than 950 acceptances had been extended to students.
Continue reading Counselor Organizes ‘Instant Admission’ College Fair