Access, College Admission, Importance of School Counselors

Michelle Obama Cites NACAC Data in White House Remarks

First Lady Michelle Obama used NACAC data Friday to help shine a spotlight on the importance of school counselors.

The comments were woven into Obama’s remarks honoring 2017 School Counselor of the Year Terri Tchorzynski.

“A recent study showed that students who met with a school counselor to talk about financial aid or college were three times more likely to attend college and they were nearly seven times more likely to apply for financial aid,” Obama said, referencing a NACAC report released last month. “Our school counselors are truly among the heroes of the Reach Higher story.”

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Career Exploration

Report: Colleges Must Do More to Prepare Grads for Workplace

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Colleges must revamp the career services they offer students, according to a new Gallup study produced in conjunction with Purdue University.

Although more than half of college graduates surveyed reported visiting their school’s career services office at least once, only 16 percent said the trip was helpful.

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College Admission

Member View: Personal Reflection is Key in College Search

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NACAC member Ann McDermott wants students to put their best foot forward in the application process.

During a recent NPR broadcast, McDermott — director of admissions at the College of the Holy Cross (MA) — offered three simple tips for applicants: engage, reflect, and make your essay count.

Visiting campus and crafting a thoughtful personal statement show college officials that students are seriously considering their school.

But before teens begin submitting applications, they should make time for personal reflection, McDermott said.

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College Admission, College Admission in the News

Debate Continues Over Extracurriculars and College Admission

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How much sway should a student’s extracurricular activities have on college admission?

It’s a question that has been posed with increasing frequency over the last few years, and one that will likely continue to prompt discussions among families and admission professionals in the months ahead.

In a recent profile of Richard Weissbourd published by The Atlantic, the Harvard University psychologist lays out his case for reimagining the admission process. Weissbourd helped write the Turning the Tide report published last year and has been a longtime proponent of educational and parenting practices that emphasize the importance of nurturing compassionate children.

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College Admission

Survey: Colleges Taking Longer to Meet Enrollment Targets

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Admission professionals who are diligently working to build a freshman class face increasing challenges, data suggests.

For the Fall 2016 cycle, only 37 percent of colleges reported meeting their enrollment goals by May 1, according to Inside Higher Ed’s annual Survey of College and University Admissions Directors.

The results stem from answers from 339 admission directors at both two- and four-year institutions, and suggest that it’s getting tougher for admission professionals to lock in their freshman class.

In the previous year, 41 percent of respondents had met their enrollment goals by May 1.

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Transfer

New Report Highlights Popular Community College Majors

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Transportation and law enforcement majors are seeing declining enrollments at America’s community colleges, while history and math programs remain popular among students at two-year schools.

Those findings are included in a new report released this week by the National Student Clearinghouse.

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Access, Importance of School Counselors

States Bolster School Counseling Programs

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A growing number of states are using government and philanthropic funds to bring more counselors into public schools.

The trend is outlined in a recent Education Week article by reporter Catherine Gewertz.

“The counseling initiatives are far from the biggest-ticket items in states’ budgets,” she writes. “But they’re a significant sign of a renewed commitment to school counseling, which took particularly heavy hits in layoffs driven by the Great Recession eight years ago.”

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College Admission, NACAC News

ICYMI: Learn More About NACAC’s State of College Admission Report

Want to learn about findings from NACAC’s annual State of College Admission report?

David Hawkins, the association’s executive director of educational content and policy, shared insights from the report and talked about trends in the college admission profession this week on Admissions Live.

 The hour-long episode is now available online.

Continue reading ICYMI: Learn More About NACAC’s State of College Admission Report →

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