College Admission, College Readiness, Rankings

3 Ways to Make the Most out of College

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Editor’s note: A version of this post was originally published on Admitted in December 2017. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

Feeling stressed about the college application process? Take heart.

“There are plenty of great schools in this country, and what matters much more than how they are ranked is how you make use of their resources,” Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University (CT), writes in a recent column published by The Washington Post.

He continues: “When I talk to seniors and recent graduates from schools of all kinds and in various parts of the country, I find that it matters little how difficult it was to get admitted to that school and that it matters a great deal how hard they worked while attending it.”

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Access, NACAC News

#NACACreads: Join Our Next Chat

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There’s a reason it’s a classic.

Parents, educators, and others have turned to Beverly Daniel Tatum’s bestselling book for over two decades to better understand the dynamics of race in America. Those conversations continue to be critically important today, so on June 11 #NACACreads will discuss the new edition of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

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College Admission Resources

Free Webinar Examines the College Soccer Recruiting Process

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The student-athlete’s path to college is unique and requires hard work on and off the field.

This was the message of “Making Sense of College Soccer Recruiting,” a free webinar recently hosted by Soccer Chaplains United.

Jennifer “J.T.” Thomas, a college counselor at Maybeck High School in California and a frequent speaker on this topic at NACAC conferences, kicked off the webinar with a reality check.

“Not everyone gets a full ride…especially in soccer,” Thomas stressed. “If you’re after the money, you’re looking in the wrong direction.”

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NACAC News, NACAC Video, National College Fairs

New Videos Help Students Prepare for National College Fairs

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Will your students be attending a National College Fair this spring?

A series of new videos from NACAC can help them make the most out of the experience. Featuring admission staff from Southern Methodist University (TX), the videos include tips to help students prepare for the fair, make the most of their time on-site, and follow-up with colleges after the fair.

A Spanish-language video covering the same topics is also available.

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Access, College Admission, NACAC News

#NACACreads: Using Text Messages to Nudge College-Bound Students

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Looking for ways to increase access and success in higher ed?

Using new technologies to provide personalized support and timely information can help students get to and through college, author Benjamin Castleman noted during a Wednesday #NACACreads Twitter chat.

“We know that students face complex and consequential decisions all along the road to and through college,” Castleman tweeted during a discussion of his book, The 160-Character Solution: How Text Messaging and Other Behavioral Strategies Can Improve Education. “These choices range from HS juniors/seniors choosing which of the thousands of colleges in the country are a good fit for their (postsecondary) goals, to advanced college students (identifying) financial resources they can access to get through the last mile of college.”

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Access, College Admission, Cost of College, Financial Aid, Paying for College

Counselor: Financial Aid Process Burdens Low-Income Students

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Editor’s note: A version of this post was originally published on Admitted in March 2016. It’s being republished as part of NACAC’s Best of the Blog series.

Getting into college is only half the battle for teens living in poverty.

To prove eligibility for financial aid, many colleges ask low-income students to submit a mountain of paperwork — going beyond what is required of their middle- and upper-income peers, NACAC member Joshua Steckel wrote in a 2016 opinion column published by The Boston Globe.

The process is burdensome, he noted. Worst of all, it can discourage talented students from accessing the financial support they need to attend college.

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NACAC News

#NACACreads: Join Tomorrow’s Discussion

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From identifying right-fit schools to securing financial aid and selecting classes — success in higher education is intrinsically linked to a student’s ability to make informed decisions about their future and follow through on their plans.

Discuss new ways to help students navigate this critical process Wednesday during a #NACACreads discussion with Benjamin Castleman, author of The 160-Character Solution: How Text Messaging and Other Behavioral Strategies Can Improve Education. The chat kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on Twitter.

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Transfer

Community Colleges Report Serving More Middle-Class Students

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As college costs continue to increase, community colleges are seeing a rise in the number of upper-middle class students enrolling to save money on their way to a four-year degree.

“This is about social norms,” Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University (PA), told The New York Times. “More middle-class parents are saying, I’m not succumbing to the idea that the only acceptable education is an expensive one.”

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National College Fairs

Recruiter Life: Watch Our Facebook Live Q&A

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Bree Blades, an admissions officer from the University of California San Diego; Milan Thomas, an admissions advisor with Ohio University; and Ryan Smith, an international recruitment manager at Bath Spa University in the UK discussed their favorite parts of the job and shared advice this morning during a Facebook Live Q&A at  NACAC’s National College Fair in Prince George’s County (MD).

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