Category Archives: College Admission

Access, College Admission, College Admission in the News, NACAC National Conference, NACAC News

#NACAC19: Beyond Operation Varsity Blues

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NACAC

Operation Varsity Blues uncovered a complex bribing and cheating scandal within the world of selective college admission.

Although no admission professionals were implicated in the wrongdoing, the scandal’s visibility prompted many discussions among those in the field—conversations that continued last week at NACAC’s 75th National Conference in Louisville.

A panel of nine NACAC members explored the long-term implications for the admission profession and responded to some of the big questions raised in the wake of scandal. The wide-reaching discussion was featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education and was one of the conference’s most well-attended sessions.

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College Admission, NACAC National Conference, NACAC News

#NACAC19: Goal-Setting Can Help Counter Stress for College-Bound Students

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Gen Z students from across the globe are increasingly internalizing the same harmful messages when it comes to college admission, school counselor Dominie Wilhite told attendees Friday at NACAC’s 75th National Conference in Louisville.

To an even greater extent than past generations, today’s young people believe grades, test scores, and application materials must be perfect to achieve their college dreams, noted Wilhite, who serves students at Ghidotti Early College High School (CA).

“There can be a sense that it’s really hard to succeed,” Wilhite said during a panel discussion focused on mental health and wellness in the college admission process.

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College Admission, NACAC National Conference

Admission Survey: Debt Concerns Are Keeping Potential Applicants Away

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The majority of admission leaders believe their institutions are losing potential applicants due to concerns about student debt, according to a recent Inside Higher Ed report.

For the third consecutive year, more than 80 percent of admission directors believe a fear of debt is preventing students from applying to their respective institutions, survey results show. The concern is greatest among officials at private universities, with 91 percent of respondents citing debt worries as a barrier in the application process.

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College Admission

Admission Officers Pen Open Letter to Students, Parents

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A group of 24 college admission professionals published an open letter this week in Inside Higher Ed.

Their audience: Students and parents.

Their message: A pledge to provide each student “with the opportunity to realize the very best in themselves, in others, and in the world they will help shape” amid a college admission process that can seem overwhelming.

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Access, College Admission, NACAC News

#NACACreads: Colleges Must Change to Better Serve Low-Income Students

In his book, The Privileged Poor, author Tony Jack shares a surprising statistic.

At highly selective colleges, one half of black students and one third of lower income Latino students are the alumni of boarding, day, and preparatory high schools.

Offering admission to such students is “easy” and “a safer bet” for universities, Jack noted Tuesday during a #NACACreads Twitter chat. After all, students who attend college prep high schools generally arrive on campus already having developed the skills and social capital needed to navigate the “hidden curriculum” of higher education.

But Jack challenged chat participants to diversify their recruitment strategies and invest in on-campus efforts that ensure all students have the knowledge and support needed to make the most of their college years.

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College Admission

A College Visit to Remember

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Editor’s note:  This post was originally published on Admitted in November 2018. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files;

We’d like to help you learn to help yourself;

Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes;

Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home.

Simon and Garfunkel’s lyrics mirror the facts and feelings of visiting prospective colleges these days.

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College Admission

Lessons Learned: Reflections and Advice from a Regional Admission Counselor

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Editor’s note:  This post was originally published on Admitted in July 2017. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series

After 14 years working in the admission office for my alma mater, I had it good. I coordinated the campus visit team, supervised tour guides, worked with transfer students, and held many “other duties as assigned.” In short, I knew what I was doing.

Then two years ago, I was offered an exciting new role that turned my career on its head: I became Gettysburg College’s first West Coast regional counselor.

In the past 24 months I have learned about the challenges of a three-hour time difference, work-life balance, and the importance of communication with the office. I’ve also reflected on how counselors — and campus-based leaders — can work together to make the most out of regional positions.

Here are my tips for counselors and admission leaders who are considering making the jump.

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College Admission, College Readiness

Michelle Obama Encourages Students to Reach Higher

Former First Lady Michelle Obama has released a special back-to-school message.

“The harder you work in your classes this year, the more opportunities you’ll have to go to college and get the education you need to be who you want to be and build the life you want to live,” Obama tells students in a video message released by Better Make Room. “And that matters not just for your future, but for the future of our country and our world.”

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College Admission, College Readiness, Rankings

3 Ways to Make the Most out of College

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Editor’s note: A version of this post was originally published on Admitted in December 2017. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

Feeling stressed about the college application process? Take heart.

“There are plenty of great schools in this country, and what matters much more than how they are ranked is how you make use of their resources,” Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University (CT), writes in a column published by The Washington Post.

He continues: “When I talk to seniors and recent graduates from schools of all kinds and in various parts of the country, I find that it matters little how difficult it was to get admitted to that school and that it matters a great deal how hard they worked while attending it.”

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