Articles for High School Counselors

10 Key Tips to Transfer Colleges

Transferring colleges can be an exciting yet challenging experience. Many of your students will begin their college careers at one school and then transfer to another school where they will ultimately graduate. Whether they are seeking better academic programs, a change of environment, or new opportunities, it’s important to navigate the transfer process strategically. To help them make a smooth transition, we’ve compiled ten key tips you can share with them that will empower them to transfer colleges successfully.

Research your options: Take the time to thoroughly research potential transfer institutions. Consider factors such as academic reputation, program offerings, location, campus culture, and financial aid opportunities. Make a list of your top choices and gather all the necessary information to compare and contrast them effectively.

Understand transfer requirements: Each college has its own transfer admission requirements, including minimum GPA, prerequisite courses, and specific application procedures. Review these requirements early on to ensure you meet all the criteria. If you have any doubts or questions, reach out to the admissions office for clarification.

Plan your coursework strategically: Before transferring, ensure that the courses you’re taking align with the curriculum requirements of your prospective colleges. Review the transfer credit policies to understand how your previous coursework will be evaluated and accepted. Seek guidance from academic advisors at both your current and prospective colleges to create a viable academic plan.

Maintain a competitive GPA: One of the most critical factors in transfer admissions is your academic performance. Aim to maintain a strong GPA throughout your college years, as it will greatly impact your chances of acceptance into your desired institution. Put in the necessary effort to excel academically, and seek additional resources if needed, such as tutoring or study groups.

Craft a compelling application: When preparing your transfer application, pay close attention to your personal statement or essay. Highlight your reasons for transferring, your academic and extracurricular achievements, and how the new college aligns with your future goals. Be authentic, concise, and showcase your passion for learning.

Request strong recommendation letters: Reach out to professors, advisors, or mentors who can provide you with strong recommendation letters. Choose individuals who can speak to your academic abilities, work ethic, and potential for success. Provide them with relevant information about your transfer goals and aspirations to help them write a personalized and compelling recommendation.

Attend transfer information sessions or events: Many colleges offer transfer-specific information sessions or events to help prospective transfer students. Attend these sessions to gather important insights, connect with admissions representatives, and learn more about the college’s transfer process. These events can provide valuable opportunities to ask questions and network with current students or other prospective transfers.

Visit campuses: Whenever possible, visit the campuses of your prospective colleges. Campus visits allow you to experience the college environment firsthand, get a sense of the culture, and envision yourself as a student there. Attend campus tours, sit in on classes if permitted, and engage with current students to gather valuable insights.

Stay organized and meet deadlines: Transferring colleges involves managing various deadlines and requirements. Create a timeline or checklist to stay organized throughout the process. Be mindful of application deadlines, transcript requests, and financial aid applications. Meeting deadlines demonstrates your commitment and professionalism.

Seek support and guidance: Transferring colleges can be a complex process, and it’s essential to seek support from your current college’s transfer advisors and resources. They can guide you through the transfer process, provide information about scholarships or grants, and help you navigate any challenges that may arise. Additionally, reach out to friends, family, and mentors for emotional support during this transition.

Transferring colleges opens doors to new academic opportunities and personal growth. By following these ten key tips, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the transfer process successfully. Remember to conduct thorough research, maintain strong academics, carefully craft your application materials, and seek guidance from advisors.

Date May 19, 2023
Author Jason Bullock

These Colleges are Still Accepting Students for Fall 2023

Have any students that are having trouble finding a school to attend next Fall because they didn’t get accepted to their dream school? NACAC has just released its College Openings Update which is a list of Colleges & Universities who are still accepting students for the Fall 2023 semester.

Search criteria includes State, Country, Type of Students (Freshman or Transfer), Financial Aid and Housing. Here is a link you can share with your students and their parents: https://www.nacacnet.org/college-openings-update/?utm_source=bulletin&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=research_2023

Date May 19, 2023
Author Jason Bullock
Source NACAC

Sample Essays – What to Consider

During a recent interview about college essays with College and Career Clarity podcast host Lisa Marker-Robbins, the topic of sample essays came up.

We don’t like sample essays, even though a lot of people use them when coaching students on the college essay.

To be clear, it’s not that the sample essays can’t be good examples. It’s that the samples are out of context, and students don’t know what to do with them.

Students, like all of us, are pattern-makers. And when we’re given a sample, our tendency is to try to imitate it, whether we want to or not. Imitating someone else’s topic or format won’t reliably help readers learn something meaningful about the applicant.

As pros, if we explain the essay-writing task, help students understand the prompt, and help them pick an effective topic that has a theme, they will write an essay that works. We can do all that without showing them sample essays they will want to imitate.

The way I see it, if you’re going to share samples with your students, then you should give them a sketch of the entire application. That way, they can understand how the essay they are reading supported the application.

Lisa and I talked about many other essay-related topics too. You can listen to the full interview here. And while you’re at it, consider subscribing to her podcast. Lisa has great guests and lots of terrific info for professionals and families. Share the link!

Kim Lifton, is the President of Wow Writing Workshop. Her articles on the college essay appear regularly in print and on the web, and her work has been featured in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Kim is a former newspaper reporter and corporate communications manager with a BA in Journalism from Michigan State University. You can email Kim anytime about the college essay kim@wowwritingworkshop.com; she will always respond.

Date May 18, 2023
Author Kim Lifton

Early Decision Acceptance Rates for Class of 2025, Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid, and Financial Aid info for Non-Citizens (August 2022 data)

Big Educational Consulting has published some fantastic charts that are available free for download in Google Docs and PDF formats.

The charts they have compiled include:

Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates for Class of 2025

Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid

Financial Aid for International Noncitizens

Each chart includes data from approximately 450 US Colleges & Universities.

Date May 18, 2023
Author Jennie Kent & Jeff Levy
Source Big Educational Consulting

Selectivity: Acceptance Rates at 4-Year Colleges

NACAC recently published information for their State of College Admission Report. They found that in the Fall of 2021, four-year, not-for-profit colleges accepted 73 percent of applications from first-year students, on average. The average acceptance rate was higher for public colleges (78 percent) compared to private colleges (70 percent).

What is selectivity?

The term “selectivity” is another way to refer to a college or university’s acceptance rate—the percentage of applicants that are offered admission to the institution. A more selective institution is one with a lower acceptance rate. Acceptance rates vary from the single digits to near 100 percent, and institutions with very low acceptance rates represent only a small fraction of higher education institutions.

How does Fall 2021 compare to recent years?

Fall 2021 was the first full admission cycle that was disrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic. In Fall 2020, the average acceptance rate was 70 percent, and in Fall 2019, it was 68 percent. The national data suggest that colleges accepted more applicants, on average, to accommodate the increased uncertainty about how prospective students would respond. However, for the past 20 years, the average acceptance rate for four-year colleges has not dropped below 63 percent.

NACAC members have access to the complete report. You can visit nacacnet.org to join if you aren’t currently a member and would like to.

Date May 17, 2023
Author Jason Bullock

All New Fundamentals of College Advising Textbook – Call for Proposal to Write Chapters

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is excited to announce a comprehensive revision to the Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling: A Textbook for Graduate Students and Practicing Counselors, led by co-editors Christopher W. Tremblay, Ed.D. and Beth H. Gilfillan, Ph.D.

After extensive outreach to faculty, students, and practitioners, NACAC has decided to streamline and refocus the book to improve value for graduate programs and practitioners alike. As a result, all of the existing content will be realigned into fewer, more focused, and shorter chapters. Each chapter will also be a mix of the empirical/theoretical foundations and real-world application. You can find the proposed list of chapters here.

Author Selection Process: Are you interested in participating as an author? For a list of proposed chapters, click here. Here are a few additional details about the selection process.

Timeline Highlights:

May 30: Call for proposals deadline – Click here to express interest
June 19: Selected authors are notified
July 21: Chapter outline and preliminary reference list due
September 30: Final chapter due

Chapter Requirements:

Total word count (excludes references)
- Core Chapters (5,000 – 7,500)
- Specific population mini-chapters (1,500 – 2,400)
Content must include both empirical/theoretical foundations and real-world application.
Course materials for instructors will accompany each chapter including a chapter summary, learning objectives, 250 word case study, discussion questions and knowledge check questions (excluded from word count).
Strict adherence to APA 7.0 style and copyright requirements.

Honorariums:

A small honorarium will be offered to authors for on-time submissions.
- Core Chapters – lead or single authors will receive $700. Co-authors will receive $300 per author with a maximum of three total authors per chapter.
- Specific population mini-chapter authors will receive $400. Single authors preferred.

Other ways to support the project:.

Share this blog post with colleagues you think would be a good fit for this project.

Date May 17, 2023
Author Jason Bullock

Careers to Consider: Business

High school is a really important time of a young adult’s life, not because it is any more important than other years, but that the timing of the choice made then has massive impacts on the trajectory of a student’s life for decades to come. A helpful counselor will have the ability not just of how to listen and guide a young mind and heart toward the proper resources to develop as a student, but will also have the knowledge of how different majors in college point to different career paths.

While there are any number of factors to consider when assisting students in choosing a college, narrowing down what majors are most in line with their abilities and aspirations is key.

For as many majors are available to study in college, business, health, and social sciences are the most popular. Those four make up nearly 40% of all majors combined in 2019-2020. Each has topped the list of the most popular degrees since 2010. Of those three, however, business is the most common degree by quite a margin: Social science degrees came in around 7.9% of the student population, while health majors at 12.6%, but business degrees held a solid 19.0%.

There are multiple factors that contribute to the popularity of business degrees, but the vast range of specialization, adaptability to different industries, the number of colleges offering the programs, and the fact that business knowledge is applicable in nearly every life situation are some good reasons to start.

Another is the appeal and growing demographic diversity around the world. All genders, races, ethnicities, and people of different religious backgrounds can find a place and a job with business acumen. On top of all this are some of the benefits of becoming a business major.

Graduates from undergraduate business schools tend to have higher chances of employment after graduation. Business school graduates have a job placement rate of around 80% within the first year. Median wages are also very solid. While the national starting salary average is around $50,000 annually, the range of what some of those positions can make is very appealing, easily crossing into the six -figure range after years of experience.

It is not uncommon to see business majors making $115,000 after some time in the industry. With these things in mind, counselors are certainly going to have more than a few conversations with students about the specifics of a business major. Here is a list of different business degrees and their career outcomes.

Different Business Majors

Business Management

Managers are needed everywhere, in every industry, every day, therefore, the need will not only always be there, but the number of options in varying industries will be great. A business management degree will be a well-rounded perspective and training in the tools and knowledge which is generally transferable.

Topics like sales, accounting, marketing, economics, finance, business leadership, and real estate practices are just a few. The broader dive into the swath of information that is needed to understand business concepts will likely be a great place to start for a student that does not really know what industry they want to be in.

The ability to sample many different concepts and industry tactics, will not only be transferable, but it will also give the student space and time to consider next steps for specializations in the career field or graduate programs after finishing their bachelors.

International Business

The business world has been a global operation for some time now, so the need and desire for internationally astute business associates is growing. Whether a student has an interest in travel or is perhaps already a dual citizen and multilingual, an international business major opens up entirely different doors for someone of those inclinations.

These majors focus on things like global banking policies, international management techniques, import/export legalities, and international policy. Coursework for this program will differ significantly in the upper-level courses so a student who is a bit more curious and knowledgeable of what they want to pursue as a five year plan may be more suited to this type of program. An additional benefit? Internship opportunities are abundant.

Economics

Economics is a very broad term because it needs to encompass the mass of information that flows and determines the financial and social health of nations everywhere. The complexities of economics deal with far more than just financial figures however, because those statistics are influenced greatly by psychology, sociology, anthropology, and technology just to name a few things.

While the forces that push and pull-on economies are vast, the knowledge base needed to relate to this field tends to lean towards mathematical and data analysis. In that case a student with more comfortability with numbers may be a better fit.

Healthcare Management

As was previously mentioned in this article, healthcare is a very popular and consistently growing field. In that respect, a student with this kind of major will likely not have much problem finding a job.

Healthcare managers have general oversight of healthcare facilities both large and small, maintaining the structure and policies of different departments as they align with board member goals, state and federal legalities, and employee welfare. Obviously, any student with an interest in both business and healthcare will be well suited to this major.

Date May 17, 2023
Author Sarah Daren

Graduation: The Positive Changes I’ve seen over the past five years!

It’s a warm sunny Saturday in May. I’m at Landmark College in Putney Vermont for the Spring Commencement. As I listen to the graduates one after the other, I am struck by the change in outlook over these past few years. Landmark started as a college for dyslexic students and evolved into a more general special needs college. Over the past decade Landmark has made a paradigm shift to a neurodiversity school; the only one of its kind in the country.

Here’s how I mark that change:

Five years ago, students stood up and announced their pride in overcoming disability to get to this point. No more. Today, students are standing up and telling us they are proud to graduate as neurodivergent people. That is indeed a paradigm shift.

None of today’s graduates “overcame disability.”

What a huge step! They are not graduating despite an impediment. They are graduating as neurodivergent people. “As” something, not “despite” it. One after another, they are telling the audience they found their tribe, their community, at this school.

One student summed it up like this: “I’ve come to see my own disability awareness as knowledge of things I can’t to. Yet.” What an empowered and hopeful perspective!

It’s telling that the graduates don’t speak of the specific programs they studied. We’ve got students of English, Computer Science, and many other disciplines accepting diplomas. But that’s not the thing the students focus on – to them, it’s about community found here and mutual support.

That speaks to what’s really most important in life. Inner strength, community, and acceptance will take most of us farther than any specific academic program. Academics are important, to be sure, but community and acceptance are necessary foundational components, and these students found those things here. In the words of several of them – for the first time in their lives.

I am very proud to be a part of this time, and this transition.

John Elder Robison is a visiting lecturer and advisor to the Landmark College Center for Neurodiversity.

Date May 16, 2023
Author John Elder Robison
Source Facebook

Rethinking College Admissions and Applications with an Eye on AI

Schools, colleges & students’ families must make clear that while ChatGPT is fine for structuring college essays, plagiarism is not.

Applying to college is a high-stakes process for students, a crucible of stress and expectations. Many young people feel their fates ride on finding just the right college to reach their dreams. As professionals who have supported high school students through thousands of college admission journeys, we believe the process is ripe for the use of ChatGPT, a powerful new artificial intelligence writing tool.

The entry point is likely to be the college essay, a task many young people find immobilizing. Anyone who works in college admissions must familiarize themselves with ChatGPT and begin to grapple with how the tool might enter into student work in the very near future.

If you haven’t given ChatGPT a try, you should. When asked to write a 500-word essay suitable for college admission, the computer produced a piece in seconds about a student’s interest in science and technology, work on the high school robotics team and desire to be part of a college community. It was a decent response to a basic prompt.

A more complex prompt left no question about the program’s strength: “Write a 500-word college admission essay that tells a dramatic story of a high schooler overcoming something significant in their life. Include references to places in their hometown of Philadelphia and a quote from a famous Philly artist.” The response was well-rounded and intriguing. It described the student coming out from behind an older brother’s shadow through community service using a quote from Will Smith and talked about learning and growing. Any counselor would have believed this was a well-written, human-authored essay.

This nuance is unprecedented, and already, schools in New York are banning access. However, the use of this technology is unavoidable. ChatGPT is on a path to shake up college admissions, and whether schools like it or not, students, admissions professionals and high school counselors must prepare.

While the college application is full of basic demographic and academic questions, the essay is one of the few areas where students are expected to express aspects of themself they feel are important and let their voices be heard. The stress of conveying the right set of values, or telling a good story, or sharing something deep and heartfelt in 650 words can be paralyzing. Students can spend months on just this one task.

ChatGPT can help. The program can write an outline to remove writer’s block and offer suggestions for building on students’ existing work. Used responsibly, it functions as a powerful writing companion.

But plagiarism is a serious risk, and educators must send a loud and clear message that it is wrong. ChatGPT adds a new variable to the equation because stealing from a computer may seem less harmful than stealing from a human. However, the program is built using input from countless writing samples from real humans. Passing off the work of ChatGPT as one’s own is plagiarism, plain and simple. This is where the conversation among students, teachers, counselors and parents needs to start.

High school educators should engage students in discussions about the ethics of using artificial intelligence and what constitutes plagiarism. AI has implications in a wide variety of subject areas, so counselors could partner with teachers to discuss its potential use in careers students may pursue. Counselors should also reiterate the importance of students telling their own, original story in their essay and should introduce ChatGPT to students’ family members so they can discuss it at home as well.

Admission offices that rely on the essay might expand their use of interviews, video submissions and/or writing samples that show a student’s response to teacher feedback. While these practices are time-intensive for application readers who are already stretched thin, they get to the heart of who a student is. At the same time, each college’s website should mention ChatGPT with a blurb from the admissions team about how they believe it should be used.

None of these are perfect solutions. But banning ChatGPT or trying to avoid the topic by downplaying AI’s impact will not change the reality of the new college admissions or technology landscape. High school and college stakeholders must work together to build on existing admissions practices and address the inevitability of ChatGPT directly.

This is an opportunity for college admissions stakeholders to collectively brainstorm novel approaches to this novel issue.

This story was produced by The 74, a non-profit, independent news organization focused on education in America.

Date May 15, 2023
Author Mike Dunn & Chris Horne
Source The 74

Resources for students interested in STEM Careers

Students who are in interested in pursuing STEM careers (science, technology, engineering & math) have lots of opportunities. The demand for talents in these fields have never been higher. Students who start learning relevant skills now will set themselves up for a successful future and excellent earning potential.

Here are some great resources you can point those students to that may help them learn more about the possibilities these careers offer them:

1. Codeacademy

Codeacademy is a well-known online tool for learning programming skills. Students can start learning a variety of in-demand programming languages for free, such as Python, Java, HTML, and CSS. It’s a great way for students to build their basic programming knowledge and see which languages they enjoy the most.

2. Khan Academy

This is a nonprofit that offers a wide range of resources for students who are interested in programming. Many of Khan Academy’s courses offer interactive and fun learning exercises that will engage students and help keep them interested in technology careers.

3. Make

A website dedicated to sharing projects and tutorials from makers all over the world, students can get step-by-step instructions for a range of DIY technology projects. Students can explore robotics, 3-D printing, and more. It’s a great way for tinkerers to build skills and focus on their areas of interest.

4. STEM Jobs

If students want to know more about the different job options for computer engineering and technology, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields in general, then they might want to check out STEM Jobs. This website can help students learn more about different career paths they can take and what kinds of skills are required for success in these careers.

STEM Jobs also offers profiles of people who work in different STEM fields so students can understand more about the pros and cons of each career and what an average day on the job might look like. The website has job search tools so students can get an idea of what skills employers are currently looking for.

5. Girls Who Code

Getting more girls interested in STEM careers is critical. Unfortunately, there are many roadblocks to getting more women working in these fields. To help girls maintain their enthusiasm and to have a support system, gender-specific resources, like Girls Who Code, can help.

In addition to offering a variety of programs that teach girls to code and prepare them for jobs in the tech industry, Girls Who Code also helps girls set up coding clubs at their schools. They also know the power of positive role models and feature profiles of female tech leaders and innovators.

6. IEEE TryEngineering

Engineering is an exciting career option with almost unlimited areas of study. Students can use IEEE TryEngineering to help students decide which type of engineering matches their interests. They can also find resources and games that will help introduce them to the field of engineering and the day-to-day work of engineers.

7. Raspberry Pi

A versatile, inexpensive, and tiny computer, Raspberry Pi is a great piece of hardware for students to explore programming, robotics, and more. There are lots of resources and tutorials for using Raspberry Pi, so students can explore on their own! The Raspberry Pi Foundation even offers a showcase for “young tech creators” worldwide for students to show off their work, called Coolest Projects.

8. TED Talks

Although most technology and computing curriculums focus solely on tech skills, students who want to get into these fields also need to have solid communication skills. Interpersonal skills, public speaking, leadership, and other “soft” skills often get neglected. Students who are interested in founding their own tech companies will also need business knowledge.

TED Talks are a great way for students to start learning about these skills from successful business and technology leaders. They’re free, interesting, and cover a wide range of topics!

9. Coursera

With an extensive library of free and paid courses on every topic imaginable, Coursera is a great place for students to look when they want to learn a specific skill. From technical skills to interpersonal skills, Coursera is a fantastic starting point for students.

Encourage Students’ Interest in STEM Careers

When selecting resources to recommend for students interested in technology, it’s important to prioritize accessibility and engagement. Each student’s situation is different, but there are countless resources available that will help to encourage students’ interests and help them find the field they’re most passionate about.

These 9 resources are just a starting point. It’s never been easier to find free and accessible information to prepare students for their future careers!