As we find ourselves in the middle of National School Counselor Week, February 2-6, it is a great time to celebrate members of our profession and the impact they have on students. As we know, much of the heroic work done is not on display, nor is it quantifiable. It...
As we move into the end of the year, we want to take the opportunity to wish you all happy holidays. We will be taking a brief break from our blog in the hopes that you will be able to spend time with your loved ones, away from your desks, application files, and...
When recommending colleges to students, we would do well to consider the community college as an excellent choice. Having taught my first semester at community college this year, I have been struck with a singular impression of the faculty: they are very dedicated and...
In my office things typically quiet down after midnight on November 30th when the submit button is pushed on UC, CSU, EA, and ED applications. This is one of the reasons I love December- after the frantic last minute questions are answered, the final essay edits are...
I recently found a copy of my University of California application. On it I had checked off which campuses I was applying to in order of preference. The singular essay was hand written complete with curlicues and eraser marks. It was simple- an account of what I was...
New online tools, designed to help students and families navigate the college planning and application process, are constantly springing up. Many of these are quite well done and can be valuable resources- helping students research schools, learn about admission...
As has been reported in the media, some colleges use the list of colleges that students supply on their FAFSA forms in an attempt to ascertain the students’ likelihood of attending the institution if accepted. Specifically, colleges make note of the order in which...
With last year’s lengthy discussion and debate about the use of International Recruitment agents, both NACAC and OACAC completed a lot of work in the past year in continuing to “fine tune” best practices and guidelines for both the college front, as well as for...
When the idea first came to me, I had my doubts: A radio show? Really? The notion struck me as so 1940s, and I immediately thought of those black and white photos of families huddled around the radio, listening intently. Would that work in 2014? Would students and...
WACAC Members: This past summer at the National School Counselor Conference in Florida, Mrs. Obama stated a White House Initiative to support counselors! The initiatives include: The U.S. Secretary of Education released new guidance for school superintendents and...