Editor’s note: A version of this post originally appeared on Admitted in June 2016. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.
After visiting a few college campuses, most people begin to think that they are all alike — and in some ways they are right. Most colleges offer students a variety of factors that seem similar: rigorous academics, varied social activities, and meaningful ways to connect with the community.
Taking that first step toward a college degree comes with several extra hurdles for undocumented students and other immigrant youth, and those challenges are often overlooked by many.
Incoming college freshman Dafne, who is undocumented, shared her story in Teen Vogue, hoping to highlight the extra hoops students like her often have to jump through.
Does your college use agents to recruit international students?
In a new article published by NACAC, Jake Reckford, a client manager at IDP Connect, shares his perspective on what it takes to develop successful institution-agent partnerships.
The piece is offered in conjunction with a series of NACAC resource papers designed to help institutions that work with agents in the college admission process.
Eight out of 10 college presidents report that student mental health has become more of a priority on their campuses over the past three years, according to a new survey from the American Council on Education (ACE).
The finding comes at a time when the number of students visiting campus counseling services continues to rise. As one president wrote: “Mental health has become a major issue for retention and the general well-being of our students . . . This is in my top three areas of improvement for my college.”
Looking for ways to show your support for undocumented students and other immigrant youth?
Check out our latest Facebook Live conversation with Gaby Pacheco, program director for advocacy, development, and communications at TheDream.US.
Pacheco recently spoke with Julie Kirk, NACAC’s government relations manager, about how NACAC members can best support undocumented students in the coming school year. The two offered a wide array of free resources for counselors and reviewed current policies and litigation related to DACA recipients and undocumented students.
In the episode, admission leaders discuss pressures from campus stakeholders, the responsibility to serve families, and how colleges are adapting to the rapid evolution of the prospective college student.
In addition to overseeing admission operations, they often play a role in student success efforts and help ensure an institution fulfills the promise of its mission, NACAC member Angel B. Pérez writes in a recent opinion column published by Inside Higher Ed.
Advising and supporting undocumented students through the college admission process can be difficult in these uncertain times.
To answer your questions and offer a bevy of resources, Gaby Pacheco of TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for DREAMers, will join NACAC for a Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
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.
Heading off to college can be an anxiety-ridden process for all teens, but first-generation and low-income students experience “a whole different level of stress,” NACAC member Andrew Moe wrote in a op-ed for the Hechinger Report.
As a result, such students are far more likely than their peers to “melt” — a term used to describe the phenomenon of students who enroll in college but fail to show up in the fall.
