Graduation requirements across the nation are changing as schools work quickly to address the impact of coronavirus closures.
More than 30 states have already enacted changes to their criteria or issued guidance as schools retool their graduation requirements, according to a recent report from Education Week.
Continue reading Schools Adjust Graduation Requirements Amid Shutdown
Everyone is adjusting to a new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic, including college admission professionals and the students they serve.
What should seniors keep in mind as they make their college choice? And what can counselors and colleges do to better serve students during the COVID-19 crisis?
Continue reading Adjusting to a New Normal: Advice from NACAC Members
Across the nation, high school seniors are coming to terms with a new normal.
Teens fear for the health of their family and friends amid the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, graduation ceremonies, proms, and spring sports have been canceled for many students—prompting understandable disappointment.
And like every spring, many seniors must also grapple with college rejections. For those students, Sophie Holohan has a simple message to share: “You are valid. You are incredible. You are going to do amazing things.”
Touching base with your students this week?
Research suggests teens in particular need support and reassurance during times of crisis.
“Research done in past disasters suggests that it is teenagers who are the most at risk when school is interrupted,” according to a recent NPR report. “Many are forced to work to earn money or have to stay home and take care of younger siblings. They are more likely to drop out and less likely to go on to college.”
Continue reading Research: Teens Especially at Risk in Times of Crisis
A new tool from NACAC provides a look at admission-related services offered by secondary schools in the US and around the globe amid the coronavirus pandemic.
With so many schools closed or otherwise disrupted, it’s a challenge for counselors to help students finalize their college plans. NACAC’s new tool shows how different schools and counselors are responding to questions surrounding final course grades, requests for transcripts, and other college admission queries.
The crowdsourced resource is the second of two tools designed by NACAC.
Continue reading Tool Catalogs Admission-Related Services Offered by Secondary Schools
As a service to students and families, NACAC has created a new resource cataloging campus-specific changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
The purpose of the tool—which features information from postsecondary institutions—is to make it easier for students and others to navigate the admission process during this unprecedented time of upheaval. So far, more than 460 colleges and universities from around the world have submitted their information.
The latest episode of College Admissions Decoded is now available!
Listen to Episode 8, “How Families Can Talk About Paying for College,” on NACAC’s website or Apple Podcasts.
Character counts when it comes to college admission, according to new data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Character Collaborative.
In a recent national survey, 70 percent of admission officers said a student’s character attributes were either “considerably” or “moderately” important in the selection process at their respective institutions.
Continue reading Survey: Colleges Consider Student Character Traits in Admission Decisions
Every year, popular destination countries welcome a new cohort of international students coming ashore to study. And with the new year starting, the recruitment cycle begins again — with university admission officers frequently tasked to visit the same high schools to recruit students.
Competition is an undeniable factor in our chosen profession. But this cycle, I want to bring attention to another facet that ties our work together: the joy of guiding students in their journey to higher education and global exploration.
Yes, we compete for applicants; but isn’t it more about providing a wide platform that enables students to make the most suitable choices for their academic and personal growth?
Here are some ways I believe secondary schools and admission professionals can work together to ensure student interests remain the top consideration in global recruitment.
Continue reading Global Recruitment: Looking Beyond ‘Gain or Drain’
Editor’s note: A version of this column was first published on Holistic College Mentor in April 2016. The author’s sister is currently in her senior year at Utica College (NY) and is on track to earn a master’s degree in health and physical education next year.
Never did I think that it would be somewhat difficult to usher my sister through the college application process. Her life had been far more complicated than mine, but she was determined to succeed. I was the first in our family to graduate from high school and college. She was inspired by that. Most of the same folks who were against my decision to go away for college supported her choice.
