College Admission

Member View: Change Your Mentality on College Rejection

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Rejection is always tough whether it’s at work, in a relationship, or in college admission.

NACAC member Rick Clark, the director of undergraduate admissions at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has some advice.

First, if you’ve been rejected, Clark writes, you likely need to take a moment. It’s okay that you’re not okay.

“Go ahead and scream, cry, beat your pillow, cook or eat a lot of something (do all of those at once if you’re really upset). You do you. Whatever it takes to begin clearing your head,” he wrote.

Continue reading Member View: Change Your Mentality on College Rejection →

Importance of School Counselors

Students Believe School Shootings are Top Issue Facing US

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School shootings are a primary driver of student activism and political interest, a new study found.

In a study shared by Axios, 68 percent of people aged 14 to 29 said school shootings are the most important issue facing the US.

“The issue connects young Americans unlike anything except 9/11 in the last 20 years,” said John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, told Axios.

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Advocacy, NACAC News

Facebook Live: Join Us to Talk About NACAC’s Advocacy Efforts

Wondering how you can play a role in NACAC’s advocacy efforts?

We’ll be broadcasting via Facebook Live on Tuesday, Jan 22 with Jim Fowler, NACAC Government Relations Committee chair and vice president for enrollment management at Salve Regina University (RI). Tune in at noon ET to learn more about the work of the Government Relations Committee, Fowler’s journey to his role as chair, and NACAC’s policy priorities.

Continue reading Facebook Live: Join Us to Talk About NACAC’s Advocacy Efforts →

College Admission Resources

New Guide Seeks to Promote Greater Legal, Public Understanding of Holistic Admission

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What exactly is holistic review? Admission professionals hear this common refrain each year.

A new guide, Understanding Holistic Review in Higher Education Admissions, Guiding Principles and Model Illustration, explains key features and elements of the practice and addresses how institutions can effectively incorporate holistic review goals on their campuses.

Written by Art Coleman and Jamie Lewis Keith, the guide “provides insights into the values, logic, and rigor behind effective holistic review in higher education admissions,” the College Board said.

Continue reading New Guide Seeks to Promote Greater Legal, Public Understanding of Holistic Admission →

Access, Advocacy, College Admission, Financial Aid

Department of Education Simplifies FAFSA Verification Process

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The Department of Education recently announced changes to FAFSA verification aimed to help make the process less burdensome.

In lieu of IRS tax return transcripts and verification of non-filing forms, the guidance allows institutions to accept copies of signed income tax returns and written statements of non-filing from students who are selected for FAFSA verification. The changes are effective immediately and apply to both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 cycles.

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College Readiness

New Consortium Formed to Study Gap Year Outcomes

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A group of admission deans and researchers have banded together to form a new coalition dedicated to studying gap year outcomes.

The new Gap Year Research Consortium—based at Colorado College—will seek to determine how students who take an intentional gap year before college fare upon their return to the classroom.

“As long-time supporters of the gap year movement, we believe that creating a clearinghouse for the research that is going on at colleges and universities around the country is the logical next step in better understanding the positive outcomes that can come from taking a gap year,” Colorado College Vice President of Enrollment Mark Hatch said in a news release.

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NACAC National Conference

Call for Proposals: Submission Deadline Extended for National Conference

Looking for a meaningful way to share your expertise with college admission professionals from across the country? Want to facilitate deeper conversations with your colleagues?

The deadline for 2019 National Conference session proposals and facilitators has been extended to Jan. 14.

The conference format is changing for this year’s event. Session proposals are still open for the following:

  • Educational Session (75-minute presentation)
  • Interactive Tech Lab (45-minute presentation)
  • Learning Lounge (30-minute presentation)
  • Career and Global Hubs (60-min presentation)
  • Preconference Seminars (Three-hour session)
  • Ignite Session (20 slides at 15 seconds each)

The conference will run Sept. 26-28 in Louisville.

Learn more.

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

Uncategorized

Vets Face Barriers When Applying to Many Elite Universities

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Veterans bring life experience and a unique perspective to college classrooms. So why aren’t vets found on the campuses of the most selective schools in the US?

Out of about 1 million veterans and their family members enrolled in higher education under the GI Bill, just 844 veterans are enrolled in the nation’s 36 most selective schools.

“In leadership and life, symbolism counts. Intentional or not, the low numbers of veterans signals to all of higher ed that these students do not matter,” community college writing professor Wick Sloane told The Hechinger Report.

Continue reading Vets Face Barriers When Applying to Many Elite Universities →

College Admission

Building a Better College Admission Process

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Busting college admission myths is an important part of any counselor’s job, but do the subtle messages sent by some high schools and colleges undermine efforts to get young people to embrace a more balanced approach during application season?

Last summer, NACAC member Lisa Micele shared tips for all those involved in the process with NPR’s Here & Now.  Her goal? To help students build a college list of no more than 10 schools, all of which they would be happy and proud to attend.

Continue reading Building a Better College Admission Process →

Regular updates on NACAC and the world of college admission counseling. For more information about NACAC, visit nacacnet.org.