If you have any students interested in attending a Christian college, there are more than 125 fairs scheduled this fall where they can meet many representatives from these institutions and find out about those schools. The dates are listed here: https://www.findyourchristiancollege.com/college-fairs and the search function allows searches by state.
Education Dive took a look at the trends in college consolidation since 2016. They analyzed mergers, acquisitions and other consolidation since 2016 at public and private institutions here.
Here is a summary they provided (also see their post linked above for a US map showing these as well as further information on each specific college) (Date shown is the date of the initial announcement):
9/16/24 – Ursuline College merging with Gannon University and combining under the Gannon name.
8/14/24 – Peirce College will close in Summer 2025.
8/1/24 – Mount Mercy University will be acquired by St. Ambrose University Summer 2025 and being operating as Mount Mercy Campus of St. Ambrose University at that time.
7/1/24 – Clarks Summit University ceased classes in August 2024 due to financial issues.
6/25/24 – Eastern Nazarene College will discontinue operations at the end of the 2024/2025 year.
6/18/24 – Union Institute and University ceased operations in June 2024.
6/10/24 – Pittsburgh Technical College ceased operations in August 2024.
6/2/24 – University of the Arts ceased operations after 150 years in June 2024 due to financial issues.
5/29/24 – Marymount University of New York will be absorbed by Northeastern University after regulatory approval by the state.
5/23/24 – Delaware College of Art & Design closed Fall 2024 due to financial issues.
5/16/24 – Oregon College of Oriental Design closed September 30, 2024, due to pending problems from the pandemic which created financial hardship.
4/29/24 – Wells College closed due to financial issues .
4/25/24 – University of Saint Katherine closed due to financial issues.
4/9/24 – Goddard College closed after 86 years due to financial hardship.
3/27/24 – Oak Point University closed due to years of declining enrollment.
3/26/24 – Birmingham-Southern College closed May 31st due to financial hardship.
3/18/24 – Bluffton University is merging with the University of Findlay.
3/11/24 -Fontbonne University will close after the Summer 2025 term.
2/29/24 – Notre Dame College closed at the end of the Spring 2024 semester and cited declining enrollment and costs.
2/27/24 – Cambridge College was acquired by Bay Path University – June 2024.
12/1/23 – The College of Saint Rose closed in May 2024 after a century due to financial stress.
11/10/23 – Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts closed at the end of the Spring 2024 semester due to declining enrollment.
11/7/23 – Multnomah University became of campus of Jessup University in May 2024 due to financial issues.
10/26/23 – Maryland University of Integrative Health was acquired by Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2024.
10/11/23 – Lincoln Christian University closed in May 2024.
8/31/23 – Alderson Broaddus University declared bankruptcy and closed its doors in August 2023.
8/29/23 – Cox College plans to close after the Spring 2025 term.
8/25/23 – Hodges University closed in August 2024 due to ongoing financial issues.
6/30/23 – Alliance University closed in August 2023 due to the pending loss of its accreditation.
6/29/23 – Compass College of Film & Media was acquired by Calvin University in the Fall of 2023.
6/23/23 – Cabrini University closed in June 2024 due to loss of enrollment and financial challenges.
6/13/23 – Salus University merged with Drexel University in the Summer of 2024.
5/15/23 – Medaille University closed in August 2023 due to financial difficulties.
4/25/23 – St. Augustine College was taken over by Lewis University in December 2023.
4/10/23 – Cardinal Stritch University closed in May 2023 after enrollment challenges due to the pandemic.
3/28/23 – Iowa Wesleyan University closed in May 2023 due to financial issues.
3/2/23 – Finlandia University closed in the Summer 2023 after 126 years due to financial issues and declining enrollment.
2/6/23 – B.H. Carroll Theological Institute will become part of East Texas Baptist University in January 2025.
1/18/23 – Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences was acquired by St. Joseph’s University in January 2024.
1/17/23 – Presentation College closed in August 2023.
12/19/22 – Holy Names University closed in May 2023.
12/7/22 – Cazenovia College closed at the end of the Spring 2023 semester.
12/1/22 – Presidio Graduate School was acquired by University of the Redlands in June 2023.
10/26/22 – Bloomfield College was acquired by Montclair State University in June 2023.
9/12/22 – Chatfield College ceased operations on January 1, 2023.
8/12/22 – St. John’s University Staten Island campus ceased operations in the Spring of 2024.
6/29/22 – Wave Leadership College ceased operations on June 29, 2022.
4/22/22 – Marymount California University closed August 31, 2022.
3/29/22 – Lincoln College shut down in May 2022 after 157 years due to declining enrollment.
12/7/21 – Ohio Valley University closed December 15, 2021.
9/14/21 – Mills College was acquired by Northeastern University on July 1, 2022.
9/11/21 – St. Louis Christian College was merged with Central Christian College of the Bible on May 31, 2022.
7/7/21 – Sierra Nevada University merged into the University of Nevada, Reno on July 1, 2022.
6/9/21 – University of the Sciences merged into Saint Joseph’s University on June 1, 2022.
5/6/21 – Judson College closed on July 31, 2021 after 183 years.
3/29/21 – Becker College closed on August 31, 2021 due to financial issues.
1/28/21 – Concordia College of New York closed on August 31, 2021.
9/17/20 – Pacific Northwest College of Art merged into Williamette University on August 31, 2021.
8/28/20 – Ancilla College was acquired by Marian University in July 2021.
7/23/20 – Marlboro College was acquired by Emerson College in the Fall 2020.
7/9/20 – Wesley College was acquired by Delaware State University in July 2021.
5/13/20 – Pine Manor College was acquired by Boston College in 2022.
5/4/20 – Holy Family College closed Summer 2020.
4/21/20 – Urbana University closed Summer 2020.
4/2/20 – Nebraska Christian College closed Spring 2020.
3/27/20 – MacMurray College closed Spring 2020.
2/10/20 – Concordia University – Portland close Spring 2020.
1/28/20 – Walker College of Art merged with Belmont University Fall 2020.
School counselors know that college planning is a very difficult journey filled with potential pitfalls, but it is a journey that – done properly – ends with a student finding their best-fit college.
A best-fit college is one that is also one that meets the financial needs and objectives of the student’s family. The staff at My College Planning Team works to help middle-income families achieve both objectives.
“School counselors have full plates, with hundreds of students,” said Sylvia Cason, director of high school outreach for www.mycollegeplanningteam.com. Our team’s mission, in addition to serving students and families, is to share knowledge with school counselors and help them help their students.”
To that end, counselors should think about scheduling webinars for their students and families. Said a counselor following one such workshop, “The information webinars provide is pertinent regarding applying for scholarships, appealing financial aid offers and asking questions about things you don’t fully understand.”
If you are considering offering workshops at your high school, a workshop focus group will give you a chance to see what experts will be presenting this fall. Taking advantage of the opportunity will benefit you and your students to help them find their best fit college.
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If you are considering offering workshops at your high school, attending a focus group offered by www.MyCollegePlanningTeam.com will be helpful. If you are interested in participating in one of their October groups, you can register here or send an email to mycollegeplanningteam@gmail.com .
Ready or not, the college application season has begun. Early or not is often the question.
I know I’m not the only one who feels the college application process seems to be creeping earlier each year.
There used to be uniformity among colleges and their deadlines. For the most part, applications were due in January of the senior year and students were notified in March or April. When colleges recognized that many students ended up choosing to attend the first college that accepted them, they started a domino effect with earlier and earlier notifications, and with that came earlier application deadlines.
Early admissions consists of four distinct programs: Early Action (EA), Early Decision (ED), and because a handful of colleges insist on making the process even more complicated, we now have something with two different names “Single Choice Early Action,” (SCEA) and “Restricted Early Action (REA). Many other schools operate with a “Rolling Admissions” process that reviews applications as they come in and they notify students continuously. Many colleges offer multiple admissions programs and students must choose the right one for them.
Early Action is a great option for the well-prepared student who has a solid transcript and has taken the necessary standardized tests. Students apply early and may apply EA to as many colleges as they choose. The biggest benefit for students is that they are notified early; in most cases before January 1.
October 15 is now the first deadline for many colleges and universities. This movement towards earlier deadlines is especially popular in the Southeast with many of the large public flagships universities leading the way.
Early Decision is binding; students who are accepted must withdraw their other applications and are bound to attend that school. Students are allowed to apply to just one school ED and the deadlines are in early November with notification by mid-December. A newish program is called ED II
There is a lot of folklore surrounding the perceived benefits of applying ED. However, exactly how much more likely a student is to be accepted if they apply ED rather than Regular Decision (RD) is very variable. In some cases, there is a big jump in acceptance rates and at other colleges, it is not significant at all. Parents and students need to keep in mind that the higher rates of acceptance with ED can often be attributed to a variety of factors. Typically the strongest students are applying early and they would have been accepted in Regular Decision as well. Additionally, athletes, legacies, students whose families have given generously, and students with focused interests are encouraged to apply Early Decision and these factors often skew the numbers.
Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@bierercollegeconsulting.com; www.bierercollegeconsulting.com
The Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) vs. Harvard University and
SFFA vs. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill overturned decades of precedent that said campus
diversity was a compelling interest that justified the consideration of race as one factor among many
in a holistic admissions process.
Here is a link to an infographic with some things to keep in mind about the decision and some do’s and don’ts for admissions. It was created by Education Reform Now and available to download for free here: https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SFFA-Dos-Donts-Update-10.27-2.pdf
Here’s a topic that comes up every year. A pro wrote a question in one of our paid forums that is such a familiar situation for all of us, we wanted to share it with you.
Is there a Wow resource for how to review and assess an English class essay? I have a student who just sent me hers, and I’m trying to figure out how to assess it. I’m asking myself the following:
The essay definitely sounds like the student, but I’m not quite sure it says anything other than “I enjoy the little things in life.”
I will ask her if that’s what she wants the admissions people to know about her.
Is there anything else to help guide me?
Our answer: Great question, and one we all face. We can make it even easier for you. You don’t have to do any of that. Instead, teach the student to do it.
Here’s what we do, which is something you can do with your students as well:
First and foremost, say something nice about the essay. Anything true is fine (e.g., You’re a strong writer… It sounds like you really took on a tough situation … After reading this, I’d love to meet your grandfather. He sounds amazing…)
After that, switch to teaching mode. Keep in mind that at Wow, we consider the Common App personal statement to be the teaching essay. Why? The student learns how to write essays overall, and we learn how to work with the student on essays by paying close attention to their willingness and ability.
That’s key. Is the student willing to do the work, follow the instructions, meet the deadlines, put forth some effort? And is the student able to do it? It’s always a balancing act.
We also tell students we will decide together what to do with the essay they’ve already written, but first, we need to make sure they’ve got the basics down before we move forward.
Then we have them complete three prework exercises from our ten-step process: the Introduction (Morning Writing), Step 1 (Understand the Prompt), and Step 2 (Brainstorm Ideas), just like any other of our students. We ask them to be sure to use their English class essay for at least one of the Step 2 ideas.
When we meet to brainstorm with the student, one of three things will probably happen. The student will either:
Then you move on, as you would with any other student.
Whether you follow our ten steps exactly as we do or use them as a guide for your own process, you can do this too. Putting the student in the driver’s seat means much less stress for you and encourages learning and independence in your students.
What could be better?
I encourage you to use this colorful graphic with all ten steps with your students too. It will keep you (and them) on track all season long.
Kim Lifton is President of Wow Writing Workshop. You can reach her at kim@wowwritingworkshop.com
Here is a nice schedule of the SAT/ACT test dates for the 2024/2025 school year put out by Rath Education Group
Colleges and universities that use the CSS Profile to assess eligibility for financial aid are often overlooked by families because they think the schools are too selective, too expensive and too stingy with aid.
Unfortunately, many college-bound students and their families are avoiding these Ivies, small Ivies, public Ivies and an assortment of small, private colleges to their own detriment. Yes, many have sticker prices in the high five figures and many are selective, but that paints an incomplete picture. Let’s take a closer look at some of the myths surrounding CSS Profile schools.
First, what is the CSS Profile?
The CSS Profile, or College Scholarship Service Profile, is an online application that students can use to apply for non-federal financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs. The College Board creates and maintains the application and it’s required at many CSS Profile schools to be considered for financial aid.
The CSS Profile is more detailed than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and allows institutions to ask more specific financial questions. For example, the FAFSA excludes home equity as a factor in federal financial aid, but the CSS Profile includes it.
CSS Profile myths
Many college families believe that their child, with a 3.5 GPA and an average SAT score, won’t have a chance at a selective CSS Profile school.
Another persistent myth among middle-income families is that the schools in this category are way too expensive. This certainly appears true when you check out sticker prices averaging about $70,000 a year, with some approaching $100,000 a year,
Families that have done some homework on their college planning point out that CSS Profile schools assess their home equity to determine what they pay for college, and that the $300,000 equity in their home will blow a hole in their budget.
The most prevalent myth, however, is that any family with a six-figure income won’t get any aid — especially because these colleges don’t give out much merit aid.
Now we’ll look at these myths one by one.
“My kid will never get accepted because of their low admittance rates.”
Yes, all of the private, public and small Ivies are as a rule very selective. But about one-third of the participating institutions accept 40% or more of their applications, and a few have acceptance rates as high as 90%.
“These colleges are way too expensive.”
This is not true for most middle-income families because many of these schools fill 100% of the gap between their Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation and the Cost of Attendance (COA), with majority of that aid in the form of gift aid that doesn’t have to be paid back. And many of the schools that don’t fill the gap do provide generous merit scholarships.
Families that benefit include those that will have more than one student in college at the same time during some of their college years. In those overlapping years, even families with incomes over $200,000 a year will typically not pay much more at a school with a list price of $70,000 than they would at their own in-state university. What’s more, the FAFSA updates for the 2024-25 year no longer provide families a break when they have two or more kids in school at the same time.
“They will assess my home equity.”
While this is true of many CSS Profile schools, it is not true of all of them. Neither Stanford, nor Harvard, nor the University of Chicago, for example, consider home equity when working up an award letter. Furthermore, some colleges have lower assessment rates, while still others put a cap on it.
Bottom line: Many middle-income families will actually reduce their costs at colleges that use the CSS Profile.
More colleges are choosing to use the CSS Profile
Another reason to not overlook CSS Profile schools is that more institutions are adopting it. Thirteen colleges were added to the CSS Profile’s participating institutions list this year. Though two of these schools (Arkansas State and Arizona State) say on their websites that submitting the CSS Profile is optional and/or only required for domestic non-citizens, the others either require or strongly encourage families submit it to determine their eligibility for additional need-based financial aid.
Take time to do your homework and get an accurate estimate on your actual college expenses beforehand. Don’t skip over the more than 250 colleges on the CSS Profile List. The extra work, and often uncomfortable additional financial detail required, may be well worth the investment of time and effort.
Chandani Rao is COO of My College Planning Team, which offers free college planning educational workshops hosted by high schools and libraries across the country. Free 30-minute college planning sessions are also available to parents interested in reducing college costs at a best fit-college for their child. For information and some great free resources, visit www.mycollegeplanningteam.com.
As students prepare for the college planning journey, counselors play an integral role in helping to plan the academic focus and assisting with the application process. Social-emotional learning (SEL), the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills thatare vital for success in college, is no less important.
SEL, which evolves inside and outside the classroom, provides exceptional support for students. Social-emotional learning and belonging have taken a front-row seat to how teachers and counselors create and sustain healthy and inclusive learning environments.
As with academics, counselors must be mindful of the importance of empowering their students to be their best while expecting the best.
There are many books and courses to teach counselors how to best support their students’ social and emotional needs in a post-pandemic world, but the best learning comes from counselors sharing their best practices and experiences.
Here are the key components of SEL.
Self-awareness: We want students to feel valued and included throughout the process of college planning. The decisions that are made impact their identity and the way they view the world around them. Their involvement in these decisions is critical.
Self-management: Self-management is more than just keeping to a schedule. It is a part of how we learn to balance and how to prioritize. Organization is necessary in every aspect of life. Students can best learn to self-manage throughout the college planning process by establishing goals, setting priorities, and practicing the art of collaboration. Students should not feel as though they are on an island. They should feel the support of those who want the best for them.
Accountability: It is great when students can self-manage, but it is also great to have accountability to reinforce this concept. Giving support is more than just cheering from the sidelines. It is also the duty of checking in to ensure that students have goals and that they know which is the most important at any given time.
Social awareness and relationship skills are key! Here are the 3 E’s – things counselors can do to accelerate SEL.
· Encourage students to build upon the idea of community and camaraderie. Challenge them to explore opportunities that will enhance their perspective of themselves and the world around them.
· Explore social clubs and organizations prospective schools may offer. As counselors, we tend to encourage our students to build their academic portfolio and their resume so they become stand-out students. This should not be just a “live for the moment skill,” but one that transfers into the next phase of their journey.
· Empower them to look for ways they can shine act on the ones that they feel will allow them to be the best they can be.
Choosing the best-fit college can be challenging and overwhelming, but who said that adolescents can’t make responsible decisions? In many cases, adolescents have a unique sense of freedom in their thoughts. They are not confined to thinking in the box. While this may cause nail-biting moments at times, it is not always a negative.
Students should be empowered to challenge themselves in a way that their selection is based on the school that will provide them with the most opportunities and support possible based on several factors:
Academic: This is one of the most important aspects of the college life! Which colleges under consideration offer the majors and minors that the student plans to pursue?
Financial: Unfortunately, this can be the most stressful aspect. The variation of costs and factors is so vast that its important for counselors to provide the most up-to-date information to both students and families. It is also important to remember that students’ lives differ and so does the level of support needed for them to have a smooth start to college.
Social: Big campus or small school? Urban, suburban or rural? What are the clubs, athletics and student leadership opportunities that appeal to the student?
Career placement and support: Internships, resume building and interviewing skill development provide a seamless transition for students as they move from college into the real world.
The student who has had the opportunity to develop self-awareness, self-management and accountability will be able to take the counselors’ due diligence and advice and make the best decisions for themselves.
Sylvia Cason, www.MyCollegePlanningTeam.com, is a dedicated and experienced professional within the field of education. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Trinity University, Washington. Since that time, she has obtained three Master’s degrees in Counseling (Trinity University) , Educational Leadership (St. Thomas University) & Curriculum & Instruction: Trauma and Resilience (Concordia University). In addition to this, she is a licensed School Counselor and Administrator. Sylvia is excited to be part of My College Planning Team because it allows her to pursue the work that she is passionate about, which is helping students reach their goals.
Compass Education Group has developed a concordance table which allows your students to take either the SAT or ACT and determine what an equivalent score is on the other test. This can be helpful if your students take both tests to see how their scores compare. They can also submit scores for the test they scored higher on if a particular score accepts results from both tests.
Because the digital PSAT and digital SAT are vertically aligned, meaning the scores exist at different ranges on the same scale, these tools can also be used to compare PSAT and ACT scores to determine if the SAT or ACT is a better test to take for specific student’s skill sets.
Pretty useful tools. Here is the link: https://www.compassprep.com/concordance-and-conversion-sat-and-act-scores/
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