National college completion rates have increased for the third consecutive year, according to a new report.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has been tracking this data for the past six years and the latest numbers are an all-time high. According to the report, the overall national six-year completion rate increased by 1.5 percentage points this year, reaching 58.3 percent.
The Gap Year Association recently named February as “Gap Year Exploration Month,” an event designed to give attention to the options available to students who don’t want to jump right into college.
“Gap Year Exploration Month seeks to empower students to understand the vast array of opportunities available for gap time and research paths that are right for them,” the association wrote in a blog post.
“Behind this initiative is a passionate group of educators, program providers and others who want to help promote the benefits of gap time.”
Despite stigmas that often surround community colleges, a new report from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation found that graduation rates of community college transfer students meet or exceed those of students who enroll at selective institutions as first-time freshman.
Community college transfer students also graduate at higher rates than students who transfer from other four-year colleges, according to the report.
More than 35,000 community college students transfer to selective colleges and universities each year and 75 percent of them graduate within six years. About 73 percent of students entering selective universities straight from high school graduate in that time frame, along with 61 percent of students who transfer from another four-year institution.
On average, community college transfer students earn their degree within two and a half years.
Too many public colleges and universities fail to offer equitable access to black students, according to new findings from the USC Race and Equity Center.
A new report from the Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce finds that despite being funded by all taxpayers, selective public colleges do not serve all segments of their states’ populations.
The 2019 Advocacy Meeting is just a couple weeks away and Government Relations Committee member Alyson Tom has all your questions covered.
During a Facebook Live conversation Wednesday, Tom discussed her advocacy background, the issues that matter most to her, and the upcoming Advocacy Meeting.
Tom experienced her first Advocacy Meeting at the national level last year and she offered some advice for newcomers.
“I could certainly understand if someone has never done anything like this before that it could be intimidating or a little scary to talk to these people you’ve seen on TV and read about in the news. My advice for new people is just remember you are the expert in the field. You know more about your job than anybody else. Even if they think they know what your job is, you know your job. That’s the key point to remember,” Tom said.
Whether you are a first-time attendee, advocacy vet, or just an interested party, we want to make sure all your questions about the 2019 Advocacy Meeting are answered.
We’ll be broadcasting via Facebook Live on Wednesday with Government Relations Committee member Alyson Tom. Tune in at noon ET to learn more about this year’s Advocacy Meeting, hear advice for first-time attendees, and more.
Have questions about the Advocacy Meeting or for Tom? Ask them during the Live using the video’s comment section or submit them ahead of time via email.
Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.
Regular updates on NACAC and the world of college admission counseling. For more information about NACAC, visit nacacnet.org.