College Admission

NACAC Members Offer Advice on Appealing a College Rejection

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A rejection from your dream college does not always mark the end of the road with that school.

Appealing the college’s decision can be an option, though one that typically only results in a few overturned rejections each year.

Every school has its own procedure for an appeal process or clearly denotes that all admission decisions are final.

Though the odds are slim for a successful appeal, NACAC members Colleen Ganjian, Eric Nichols, and Parke Muth spoke to Teen Vogue and offered advice to students looking to give it one more shot.

Continue reading NACAC Members Offer Advice on Appealing a College Rejection →

College Completion

Report: College Completion Rates on the Rise

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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.

Continue reading Report: College Completion Rates on the Rise →

College Readiness

February Declared Gap Year Exploration Month

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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.”

Continue reading February Declared Gap Year Exploration Month →

Featured, Transfer

Report: Community College Transfer Students More Likely to Graduate

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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.

Read the full report and check out NACAC’s recent report on school counselors and community college options.

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.

Access

Access Lacking for Black Students at Public Institutions

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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.

The report, Black Students at Public Colleges and Universities: A 50-State Report Card, awards letter grades to public colleges and universities on four equity indicators for black undergraduates: representation equity, gender equity, completion equity, and black-student-to-black-faculty ratio.

Continue reading Access Lacking for Black Students at Public Institutions →

Access

Report: Doors to Selective Public Colleges Open Wider to White Students

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.

“In reality, the doors of these colleges are open wider to white students than to their black and Latino peers,” the report, Our Separate & Unequal Public Colleges: How Public Colleges Reinforce White Racial Privilege and Marginalize Black and Latino Students, states.

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Advocacy

Facebook Live: Get Involved at the 2019 Advocacy Meeting

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.

Continue reading Facebook Live: Get Involved at the 2019 Advocacy Meeting →

NACAC News

Shop Our Valentine’s Day Merch Sale

Get in on our Valentine’s Day sales, running now until the end of February.

Re-live your amazing experience in Salt Lake City and get a free NACAC teddy bear with any purchase of 2018 National Conference gear.

Share the love with NACAC’s two-for-one drink special. Buy a Moscow mule mug or a campfire mug and get one free.

Cuddle up this Valentine’s Day. NACAC teddy bears, without the purchase of Salt Lake City gear, are half price with the code: SWEETHEART19.

Shop and enjoy because NACAC loves you BEAR-y much!

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.