Importance of School Counselors

Celebrate National School Counseling Week

National School Counseling Week kicks off on Monday. The annual five-day event, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the many ways counselors help students succeed in the classroom and beyond.

Fun contests and local events are scheduled across the country, making it the perfect time for school counselors to celebrate the profession they love.

This year’s theme is “School Counselors: Helping Students Reach for the Stars.” Photo and video challenges are planned throughout the week

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Academic Performance, College Readiness

Stop the Spread of Math Anxiety

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Educators have long-known that math anxiety can affect student performance, but the underlying source of that apprehension may surprise you.

“Math anxiety can develop in the very early grades, often because of the negative messages about math that children pick up from the adults in their lives,” according to Karyn Lewis, a senior researcher at Education Northwest. “…Research shows that teachers unintentionally transmit their own attitudes about math to their students. This means teachers who have math anxiety can pass it on to their students, which can impact students’ math performance.”

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College Admission

How the Eagles Prepared Me for College Counseling

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Full disclosure: I’m a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

No, not that kind.

I’m the respectful, stoic kind that wears my green gear with pride, only cursing division rivals under my breath when occasion demands. I cheer or cringe with every down, every week, even from two time zones away. For although Denver is my home, my hometown lies just outside Philly. The Eagles are my home team.

After witnessing an Eagles season filled with inspiring moments, generous athletes, and spirited end zone celebrations, we find ourselves here. Days away from what has eluded us for over half a century. Again.

It was during this most recent season that I recognized the parallels between my life as an Eagles fan and my career. Those same qualities intrinsic to Eagles fandom have, in fact, equipped me for college counseling.

Continue reading How the Eagles Prepared Me for College Counseling →

Access, Advocacy, NACAC News

ICYMI: NACAC Urges Trump and Congress to Find Common Ground on Immigration

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In a statement released Friday, NACAC urged Congress and the White House “to find common ground and move forward with policies that support DREAMers and promote student mobility across borders.”

Talks are expected to continue this week as policymakers from both sides of the aisle unpack the president’s immigration plan and craft their own proposals.

Continue reading ICYMI: NACAC Urges Trump and Congress to Find Common Ground on Immigration →

College Admission, Standardized Testing

ACT to Launch Free Test Prep Tool

Free test prep materials will soon be available online for students preparing to take the ACT.

The Iowa-based testing company announced this week that it would launch ACT Academy in the spring. The platform will include video lessons, interactive practice questions, full-length practice tests, and educational games.

Each student will receive a personalized study plan based on their scores from the ACT test, the PreACT, ACT practice tests, or diagnostics completed within the ACT Academy platform.

Continue reading ACT to Launch Free Test Prep Tool →

College Admission in the News

College Admission Takes Center Stage

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There is nothing like the college admission process to bring out the drama.

Abigail Henkin, a recent graduate of Chicago’s Lane Tech College Prep, thinks so anyway.

Her play, Decision Day, likens selecting a college to a dating game. The play beat out more than 500 submissions to be featured in the 31st annual Young Playwrights Festival in Chicago.

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Access, Financial Aid

Now Available: #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker

Getting more students to complete the FAFSA is a crucial step in expanding college access and a new online tool makes it easier than ever for states and communities to monitor their progress.

The #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker, launched on Monday, tracks and ranks states’ progress toward getting 100 percent of their high school seniors to file for federal financial aid.

The interactive online dashboard, which is updated weekly, also includes city-specific data.

Users can chart their week-by-week progress, see how their community compares to other states and cities, and even check how this year’s completion rates stack up against data from last year. Continue reading Now Available: #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker →

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