Weekly Update: April 22

Our thoughts are with all of the students impacted by the situation at Columbia today and over the past few days.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

OVER 100 ARRESTED, CLASSES HELD REMOTELY AFTER PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS AT COLUMBIA 

At least 108 protesters were arrested on Thursday after Columbia University called the police to clear an encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on its South Lawn. The protestors set up tents on Wednesday morning in violation of university policy that allows peaceful demonstrations in certain areas of campus and with two days of notice to the university. Protestors were eventually released and issued summonses for trespassing; two were charged with obstruction of governmental administration.

The protests continued through the weekend and have yet to conclude, despite many Jewish students at Columbia reporting harassment and an unsafe environment: on Sunday, a Columbia University rabbi even pushed students to return home for safety reasons. Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, made the decision today to hold classes remotely. She also asked students to stay off campus unless they live there. 

The start of the protests came the day after Shafik spoke at a Congressional hearing on antisemitism on college campuses, where she vowed to keep students safe. After calling in the police on Thursday, Shafik stated that safety is her “top priority” and that the encampment “creates a harassing and intimidating environment for many of our students.” Columbia is no stranger to student protests. The weekend’s events had echoes of a much bigger revolt in April of 1968, when Columbia students seized five campus buildings, took a dean hostage and shut down the university in protest to the Vietnam War. 

NATIONAL SPIKE IN CRIME ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

According to the Department of Education statistics, the number of on-campus crimes has reverted to pre-pandemic highs. Federal data reports 38,303 crimes on college campuses in 2022, compared to 21,200 crimes in 2020. In February, four college students were murdered in three separate on-campus incidents in Kentucky, Georgia and Colorado in just a 10-day span.  Experts haven’t reached any definitive conclusions about what is fueling this increase, but many point to a full return of on-campus learning as a contributing factor.

NEW VIRGINIA LAW ALLOWS COLLEGES TO PAY ATHLETES DIRECTLY FOR NIL 

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill last week that will allow Virginia universities to pay athletes directly for NIL endorsements. As we have previously shared, NIL is short for "name, image and likeness." A NIL deal means that a student athlete is able to enter into contracts to endorse products and make money off their personal brand. Youngkin said that the new policy, which takes effect on July 1, will help schools be competitive in athletics and provide a level of oversight. It would also nullify certain NCAA rules on NIL deals. Florida was the first state to pave the way for college athletes to be compensated within an NIL context back in June 2020, and some foresee that the new Virginia law could incentivize other states to follow suit.

CORNELL ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO STANDARDIZED TESTING POLICY

This change is different from some of the other recent announcements, both because of the timeline and the scope. First, it should be noted that Cornell was one of the few universities in the country to enact test-blind policies during the Covid-related shift to test-optional admissions.

A test-blind admissions system means that the admissions committee will not consider an applicant’s test scores, even if the applicant wants them considered. As far as the admissions committee is concerned, the test scores effectively do not exist. Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, and the SC Johnson College of Business have been test-blind since 2020 while the rest of the university’s undergraduate programs have been test-optional.

Cornell announced the following policy change today: applicants to the test-blind undergraduate programs mentioned above will still go through a test-blind process during the upcoming application cycle for Fall 2025 admission. Applicants to other undergraduate divisions for Fall 2025 admission, which are currently test-optional, will be “encouraged” (but not required) to submit their SAT and/or ACT scores. However, when it comes to Fall 2026 admission, all students - to all programs - will be required to send SAT or ACT scores.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Should freshmen be allowed to choose their roommate? An article in The New York Times last week said no, pointing out the important life lessons learned and the many benefits of not choosing your own roommate. The author argues that forcing kids from widely diverging backgrounds, ethnicities and economic classes to live in close quarters offers its own education: preparing young people for the world by learning to get along. 

Many colleges give students the option of choosing a roommate, through social media or a campus matching service. Qualities like resilience, risk-taking, and navigating differences across identity and ideology are exchanged for comfort and control. When kids choose their own roommates, they tend to go with people exactly like themselves, the author says. Dartmouth economist Bruce Sacerdote stated that his research shows a clear advantage to a randomized process. “Universities work so hard to achieve diversity… and the most powerful tool universities have to foster that is through roommate matches,” he said.

In light of this kind of research, Duke has stopped letting first-year students self-select. According to the article, the freshman roommate experience is about getting kids out of their bubble, interacting with different kinds of people, and learning to adapt.

In our office we can see the pros and cons of roommate self-selection in a general sense, but have always advised students against choosing a roommate they know from home - especially someone with whom they are close friends. Roommates often experience conflict with one another during their first year in college as they learn to live in a shared environment. When this occurs with a friend from home, it can result in long-term social consequences that go way beyond the residence hall. Much better, in our opinion, to stay close with the friend from home and live separately.

I read an opinion piece last week on campus freedom of speech stating that fear and paranoia have descended onto college campuses. There are increasingly tougher penalties and new rules for students wanting to speak out on Palestine and Israel, with some schools banning indoor protests or preventing students from posting political messages on their residence hall doors. Student activists report feeling like they are being watched by university officials, believing that the administrators may be monitoring student Wi-Fi or watching students through campus cameras. Since October 7, there have been increased allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campuses, and some schools have responded with tougher disciplinary stances, such as the threat of academic probation. 

The author opined that college protest isn’t antithetical to the mission of higher education, but rather, it is central to developing critical thinking skills and a moral philosophy of life. What do students on both sides of the aisle think? A recent Harris Poll conducted for Axios found that 77% of college students “said campus speech should be protected even if some feel the language is deeply upsetting,” – and these opinions were shared equally by young Democrats and Republicans.

Last week, we shared the news that ACT, Inc. is partnering with California-based private equity firm Nexus Capital Management after being slammed by financial losses. Since then, the private equity buyout has set off a lot of alarm bells for education advocates. Many are concerned that the move from non-profit to for-profit status will decrease transparency in the testing process. This is because non-profits are subject to regulatory oversight and disclosure requirements, which help ensure transparency and maintain public confidence. When it comes to test-taking, people need to be able to trust that there is a fair evaluation process. And while ACT says it will not immediately raise test prices, only time will tell if that, too, will ultimately change.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

In between helping our juniors make progress on their lists, we’re still continuing to help our seniors make their final choices! I wanted to share one tip I gave a student last week that seemed to help her, in case any of our readers could benefit.

While it’s not particularly ground-breaking, I do want to acknowledge that this is not my original idea and I can’t remember where it came from - probably one of my former colleagues. I have used it with students for many years, though, and sometimes I even use it myself when I’m trying to make a hard life decision!

Here it is: once you’ve narrowed your list down to two or three schools using all of the traditional decision-making methods, pretend that you’ve chosen one of them and live in that space for a few days.

Wear the sweatshirt, tell friends and teachers that’s where you’re going, start engaging in admitted student groups and putting winter and spring break vacation dates in your calendar. Read about freshman course selection and start researching professors to differentiate between options in the online course schedule. When you go to sleep at night, think about everything you’ll experience “next year.” Are you excited for the football games? Can’t wait to explore your new city? Which aspects of your new life will be easy from an acclimation standpoint, and which may present a learning curve?

Take notes during this period. What surprises you? Do you feel a sense of relief or a sense of regret? Sometimes our body sends us signals after we make decisions - listen to those and write them down!

Next, repeat the entire process with the other final contender school(s). After you’ve had the chance to reflect on the differences between your experiences from school to school, discuss them with a trusted adult. See if this process provides new insight or helps your decision move along!

Good luck to all of the seniors out there - remember, you chose to apply to these schools for a reason, and there’s typically no “wrong” choice. Most students will be happy at any school on their list!

Weekly Update: April 16

Finally, a full week of school for all the Fairfax County parents out there! 👏👏👏

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

HARVARD & CALTECH WILL REQUIRE TEST SCORES 

On Thursday, both Harvard and Caltech announced they will reinstitute standardized testing as a requirement for admission. Test-optional policies were instituted with the intent to help low-income students; however, as we have mentioned before, a new study by Opportunity Insights found that test scores help admissions officers identify highly talented students from low-income groups who would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Harvard and Caltech join a growing number of schools that have reversed their test-optional policies, including Brown, Yale, Darthmouth, MIT, Georgetown, Purdue and University of Texas at Austin. If you ask me, the timeline in which these changes have been announced seems a little unfair. Most of our juniors have had their testing plans in place for 9-12 months already, and it’s a little late for schools to be pivoting like this. At this point, we recommend that all students applying to highly selective schools should operate as if they will need test scores for next year.

PRIVATE EQUITY IS TAKING OVER THE WORLD, COLLEGE ADMISSIONS EDITION

When I first read this article, I thought it was a late April Fool’s joke - but it wasn’t! ACT, Inc., the company behind the ACT, announced last Wednesday that it is shifting from a non-profit to a for-profit company. The new company will be majority-owned by Nexus Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based private equity investment firm. This comes after years of struggling to break even. The non-profit reported a net loss of $12 million and a 44% decrease in assets at the end of the 2022 fiscal year. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, it reported a net loss of $60.5 million. The new for-profit is describing itself as a “public benefit” corporation.” It will not have tax-exempt status, but its board is supposed to take the public good, as well as shareholders’ interests, into account.

What does this mean for families? No one really knows quite yet, but in the meantime, test pricing will NOT change as a result of the new partnership. Currently, ACT costs $93 with the writing portion of the test, and $68 without. This includes the option to send the test score to four colleges, but we recommend that students wait to see all of their scores before making the decision about which scores to send where.

CAITLIN CLARK: “THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER 22”

University of Iowa announced last week that they are retiring Clark’s No. 22, the number she wore in her four years with the Hawkeyes. No women’s basketball player at Iowa will ever wear a jersey with that number; it will always belong to Clark. “There will never be another 22,” the team wrote on social media. I’m not crying, you’re crying!

To add to the excitement, Clark was named the #1 WNBA draft pick yesterday and selected by the Indiana Fever! We’re excited to watch her career play out.

BIDEN AUTHORIZES ANOTHER ROUND OF DEBT FORGIVENESS 

The Biden Administration stated last Friday that it will cancel an additional $7.4 billion in student debt, coming to a total of $153 billion in student loan forgiveness from the administration. Biden’s income-driven repayment plan, known as SAVE (Saving on Valuable Education), will erase student debt after 10 years of payments, compared with the 20-plus years in other existing plans. It will also wipe away the accrued interest for loan balances that are bigger than the amounts that were initially borrowed. Republicans have criticized the program, and assert that Biden is circumventing the Supreme Court, which struck down another version of it last year. They also argue that it is unfair to transfer the cost of repaying these loans to American taxpayers who chose not to go to college or worked to pay for it themselves. With the November elections approaching, this national conversation is just heating up.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

As I mentioned in last week’s update, the cost of college education has risen to $95K at some elite colleges. A Bloomberg piece suggested that students who are not accepted to Ivy League schools are better off considering public flagship universities, rather than enrolling in the next-most prestigious school that accepted them. Public schools can be a much better investment than one of the private, elite “Hidden Ivies.”

Their study of more than 1,500 non-profit colleges found that the return on investment (ROI) at many of these elite, private institutions is 9% less than the ROI at the states’ public flagships. Those who paid less by attending a public school had an advantage when it came to building wealth by saving for a house or retirement. Some experts pointed out, however, that success should not only be considered in terms of dollars and cents.

Looking for insight into your brooding or anxious teenager’s mind?  A new documentary called “The Teen Brain” came out yesterday. It’s a ten minute video, and may be worth watching! Top neuroscientists and a slew of teenagers were consulted for the project, which shares medical reasons that explain why teens feel and experience emotions more deeply compared to adults.  Experts said the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions, becomes sensitive and grows in size during adolescence. This documentary comes at a time that teens in particular are facing a mental health crisis, CDC data shows. Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning of an urgent public health issue regarding social media usage and youth mental health.

FAFSA has done it again! Just when we thought that colleges could finally start putting together aid packages for students, schools are reporting major errors in the tax information that was automatically populated in the FAFSA form. The Education Department has at last processed and released FAFSA forms to colleges, but they are fraught with mistakes, leading financial aid offices to distrust the data and to manually correct the information themselves. 

For example, some fields in the forms processed by the Department were blank, had the wrong codes, imported incorrect or partial tax data from the IRS, or incorrectly calculated the students’ eligibility for federal grants. Some of these errors will require the applicants themselves to correct them. Many institutions have pushed back their May 1 enrollment deadline to help students.  Some institutions like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are being even more flexible, and will allow students to decide once they know their financial situation. My guess is that we will see a lot of waitlist movement this summer as a result of these extended deadlines.

And lastly - I almost didn’t post this, but this New York Times piece entitled The Troubling Trend in Teenage Sex is one of the most disturbing and shocking articles I have ever read (and this is coming from someone who has curated articles relating to adolescents every single week for years!). It was almost unbelievable.

I decided to go ahead and post it because of the seriousness of the issue, and I really do think all parents should make time to discuss it with their high school and college-age children. I sent the link to some girlfriends yesterday, and one of them responded: “each line in this article gets more and more crazy.” That was my exact reaction, too. I was stunned by the percentages quoted, and by the time I got to the brain damage part I was in absolute disbelief. At the end of the day, kids need to be educated about the long-term impact of the choices they are making - and my guess is that most of them simply have no idea.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We are having a blast helping our seniors navigate through their acceptances to make their final college choices - this is the hardest part of the process in many ways, but definitely the most fun!

In the meantime, our juniors have been BUSY! We are in our second week of spring check-in meetings and they are all hard at work on their essays. A few are nearly finished at this point! It’s so amazing to cross that major milestone off the list early - not only does it get the actual work out of the way, it leaves them with a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment and motivates them to continue making headway in the application process.

Have a great week!

Weekly Update: April 9

For those of you in the DC area, I hope you had a chance to see the solar eclipse yesterday! (Or maybe felt the earthquake on Friday!?) 

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

MARCH MADNESS COMES TO AN END

On Sunday, it seemed like the entire country (with the possible exception of the state of South Carolina 🙂) was cheering on Caitlin Clark and University of Iowa. Unfortunately, it was not to be, and South Carolina finished their undefeated season by winning the NCAA women’s championship game 87-75. And last night, UConn won the men’s championship game (for the second year in a row!) by beating Purdue 75-60.

NAIA BANS TRANSGENDER WOMEN FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS

On Monday, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics voted unanimously to ban transgender women from women’s sports. “Only students whose biological sex is female” will be allowed to participate. If you haven’t heard of the NAIA, you aren’t alone: the organization is significantly smaller than the NCAA and includes schools that aren’t really on most of our students’ radar. However, this ruling may still be significant for the greater population, as some believe that it could serve as a precedent of sorts for the NCAA.

AT $95,000 PER YEAR, IS COLLEGE A GOOD INVESTMENT?

The annual cost of tuition, board, meals and other expenses at a number of private colleges has exceeded $90,000 this year, which calculates to over $1 million to send three children to college! But don’t let these numbers discourage you: many colleges with large endowments offer generous financial assistance to make attendance affordable, with some students paying just 10% of the advertised rate. Financial aid experts advise making decisions based on the actual cost that you have to pay (after financial aid is factored in), and not the perceived cost.  

Other colleges with price tags now exceeding $90,000 include USC at $95,000; Harvey Mudd at $93,000; UPenn at $92,000; Brown at $92,000; Dartmouth at $91,000; and BU at $90,000. Is college worth the investment? In general, we believe the answer is yes, with the caveat that it is important to borrow in moderation (can’t emphasize this enough!), pay close attention to the ROI of individual majors, and complete degree programs in their entirety.

NEW SURVEYS SHOWS JEWISH COLLEGE CHOICES AFFECTED BY OCT. 7

A recent survey this March by Hillel International, involving over 400 Jewish parents of high school juniors and seniors, showed that 96% are “concerned about the increase in antisemitic incidents on college campuses since October 7.” 19% even said they are questioning whether or not to send their children to college at all. 87% said that October 7 had an “impact” on how they chose a college for their child, and 64% said they are avoiding certain schools altogether because of a perceived rise in antisemitism on that campus.  

Hillel International president and CEO Adam Lehman stated that rather than avoiding certain colleges and “self-ghettoizing,” the Jewish community should focus on fixing the campus climate at schools. Julia Jassey, the CEO of Jewish on Campus, stated: “The last thing that I would ever tell a parent or student is not to go to a certain school because it is antisemitic. All that will do is self-select ourselves out of spaces where we want to be … It’s really more important that when students go to school, they’re educated about what antisemitism is, how to combat it, and what to do when they experience it.”

VANDERBILT IN EARLY DISCUSSIONS TO OPEN CAMPUS IN WEST PALM BEACH

Vanderbilt University is considering opening a second campus in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida, that would enroll around 1,000 students and feature a business school and a college of computer science. Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier has high hopes for this dream campus, and sees an opportunity to capitalize on Palm Beach County’s growing reputation as “Wall Street South” to provide students with jobs in finance. He said that a West Palm Beach campus could “turbocharge” the creation of new businesses established by graduates, creating an innovation industry and transforming the city into a major destination. 

Diermeier envisions that Vanderbilt’s impact on West Palm Beach could be similar to Stanford’s impact on Silicon Valley, resulting in an explosion of business and innovative technology companies. The school is in the preliminary stages of meeting with county commissioners and asking local businesses to co-invest. A recent event attended by Gov. Ron DeSantis raised $100 million for the venture.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Is college football over as we know it?  An article in The Athletic last week said that a group dubbed the “Super League” may be shaking things up in the near future. The group, officially called “College Sports Tomorrow” (CST), is trying to implement a new system that would replace the NCAA and the College Football Playoff, as well as provide a solution for lawsuits involving NIL and transfer portal issues.  The CST structure would eliminate the conference structure and create one entity. 

This centralized college league would negotiate not only for TV broadcasting deals, but also negotiate with any prospective union that would represent players in lawsuits. Colleges are particularly concerned with the House v. NCAA class action lawsuit, which could have the NCAA and power conferences on the hook for billions.  

Some criticize the notion, saying that CST is trying to “buy college football.” Leagues have been hesitant, and some have cancelled meetings with CST so as not to upset their current multi-million-dollar broadcast deals with ESPN and Fox. CST leaders, however, assert that time is of the essence; their goal is to get ahead of foreseeable legal challenges and “lead from the front, not behind.” 

Speaking of college sports, how about North Carolina State!?  Although they lost to Purdue over the weekend, they made it to the Final Four, leaving fans “thunderstruck,” as the New York Times put it. Often referred to by neighboring basketball powerhouses Duke and UNC as the “little brother,” NC State emerged as the country’s Cinderella team, winning nine straight games, including a 26-14 victory over Duke. It was the first time the Wolfpack made it to the national semifinals since they won the national title in 1983. 

In the 1950’s, the team was considered the best in the ACC. Their men’s basketball team was the team that started the tradition of cutting down the net as a victory souvenir. However, a big setback occurred in 1989, when the NCAA placed the team on probation for two years and barred it from the 1990 tournament for violations that included misuse of complimentary tickets and sneakers provided to players. Despite their loss on Saturday, it was thrilling to see an underdog back in the limelight.  

I came across an intriguing article in Forbes that cautioned against college education becoming like a luxury brand – an expensive badge of status reserved for the privileged few. The author wrote that an undergraduate degree (especially one at a top university) provides professional opportunities and upward social mobility, and people are willing to spend a small fortune for it. Luxury products are expensive because they are assumed to be high quality, with intrinsic value, and also carry prestigious, identifiable imagery. These qualities are perceived to be transferred from the products to the person wearing it. In this sense, the author believes, a college education has become very much like a Gucci bag.  

Yet the demand for luxury is slowing, as evidenced by softening sales from brands like Gucci. The brand reported a 20% decline in the first quarter of 2024, due to its out-of-reach pricing and alternative options, which are becoming more culturally valuable. This is a warning bell for higher education: as college tuition rises, more alternatives to college are presenting themselves. 

Social media influencers provide a potentially lucrative career path without school debt, and the massive shortage of trade jobs has led to a premium in salaries for skilled labor (again, without the debt). Some experts think that innovations in technologies like blockchain authentications could gain status akin to a college degree when it comes to hiring. If luxury is any indication, higher ed needs to evolve!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Our juniors are continuing to finalize their lists during their second round of college counseling check-in meetings, which just started this week. In case you were wondering, we haven’t seen any particular increase in student interest in UConn or Iowa this year after March Madness (South Carolina and Purdue were already popular options!).

One of the challenges that a lot of our students face involves the difficulty of visiting colleges in person without missing school. It’s particularly tough at this time of year, now that spring break is over and the clock is ticking - college students typically finish up their classes in late April or the first week of May, and the whole vibe changes on campus after that point. Don’t forget that Saturdays are still an option, though! A prospective student will get a much better sense of a campus community on a Saturday during the spring than on a weekday during exam week or the summer.

Have a great rest of the week - we have some amazing weather ahead!

Weekly Update: April 2

Hope those who celebrate had a happy Easter this past weekend!

This picture makes me laugh, but we successfully got the golden egg out of its hiding spot! Teamwork makes the dream work, right? :)

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UPDATED ADMISSION RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE

The results are in! All applicants have now heard back from their regular decision schools, and a list of reported acceptance rates for the Class of 2028 is now available here. This list will be frequently updated as more institutions report their results, so if you don’t see your college on the list, check back again in a few days.

Remember - these statistics often involve rates that are combined between multiple rounds of admission. In other words, they are not necessarily representative of what occurs in any given round.

Schools that offer binding early decision plans will typically have a higher acceptance rate ED and a lower acceptance rate RD, so the “average” rate ends up somewhere in the middle, but applicants are not actually accepted at that rate.

ACT OFFERS SHORTER (EXPERIMENTAL) TEST 

Students taking the June ACT will have the option to participate in a pilot offering, with fewer questions and more time per question. This is part of a study, and we do NOT recommend this to our students because their test prep has been geared towards the traditional version of the test. That said, we are curious to learn what the results of the experiment will show us!

PRINCETON SETS NEW ENROLLMENT GOALS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY

Princeton’s Board of Trustees announced a new enrollment goal: The university will aim for an undergraduate student body that is at least 70% eligible for need-based financial aid and at least 22% Pell Grant eligible.  

In response to the Supreme Court affirmative action ruling last June, Princeton established an ad hoc committee tasked with examining its admissions policies and procedures. This new enrollment goal comes as a result of the committee’s recommendations. Currently, 67% of Princeton’s undergrads are eligible for aid, and 20% are Pell Grant eligible.

Princeton also examined its policy on legacy preference, which they explained operates as a “tie-breaker” between equally qualified applicants. About 10% of undergrads are legacies. Princeton asserted that "the legacy preference benefits so few applicants, its impact on socioeconomic and racial diversity of the student body is small.” Considering the special bond between the school and its alumni base, the committee recommended that the legacy preference be carefully monitored and not expanded.

When it comes to athletic recruitment, Princeton will continue its current enrollment practices, so long as the athlete population is “representative of the broader student body in terms of academic and other criteria.”

BIRMINGTON-SOUTHERN COLLEGE TO CLOSE IN MAY

Birmingham-Southern College, a private liberal arts college in Alabama, will close after 168 years at the end of May. The college faced years of financial difficulties after the financial crash of 2009 caused a $25 million loss to the value of the college’s endowment. A 2010 audit also uncovered significant accounting errors in budgeting federal student financial aid. Finally, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded their bonds after revenue declines caused the college to draw heavily on its already-decreased endowment.  

Last year, the Alabama Legislature created a loan program to provide financial help to struggling colleges. The college applied for a loan through this program, but their application was denied.  New legislation that would have provided financial assistance was introduced this year, but it failed to pass. As a result, the College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to close.   

ELEVEN STATES FILE LAWSUIT TO BLOCK BIDEN’S STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS 

Last Thursday, Kansas was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and Utah in filing a lawsuit against the Biden Administration, seeking a temporary injunction to block the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) program. Missouri will be filing a related lawsuit.  

These Republican states argue that the President has overstepped his authority by enacting a sweeping policy without congressional input, implementing another version of the program that was struck down by the Supreme Court last year. They also argue that it’s unfair to force American taxpayers, who did not go to college or saved to pay for it, to pay the loans “of those who ran up exorbitant debt.”

The Biden Administration asserts that SAVE is markedly different from the program rejected by the Supreme Court, arguing that SAVE is authorized under the Higher Education Act, whereas the failed plan was created under a different law. The administration stated that “it has been fighting to fix a broken student loan system, and part of that is creating the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever.” 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Over the last few weeks, we’ve already discussed that certain schools are beginning to reinstitute their requirement for applicants to submit ACT and SAT scores. However, we wanted to share a unique take on the issue from The New York Times, from author Emi Nietfeld: How the SAT Changed My Life.

Nietfeld wrote that many colleges embraced the test-optional policy because they assumed it would increase equity and diversity. However, a Dartmouth study revealed just the opposite: test-optional policies actually harm low-income and minority applicants. Many such applicants had strong scores that would have helped them from an admissions standpoint; but they mistakenly assumed their scores were not competitive enough, and unfortunately chose not to report them.  

As one of these disadvantaged students, the author described the SAT as their “one shot to prove our potential, despite the obstacles in our lives or the untidy pasts we’ve had.” Nietfeld wrote about her journey through the college application process while she was in foster care and homeless, transferring to four different high schools and having no opportunity to take AP classes. She pointed out that the SAT is objective, and that objectivity helped her to be judged on her merits. The exam is “the one door [she] could unlock that opened into a new future.” Nietfeld penned a compelling narrative with a happy ending – thanks to the SAT! I recommend taking a look.

I really enjoyed another New York Times piece, as well - an Op/Ed about personal branding in the admissions process: Elite College Admissions Have Turned Students Into Brands. The author, Sarah Bernstein, finds it frustrating that many college consultants stress the importance of personal branding to help students show a consistent narrative throughout the application process. “Instead of finding their passion and values through experience,” she writes, “students are encouraged to select a passion as early as possible and then rack up the experience to substantiate it.”

She points out that this not only puts under-resourced students at a disadvantage, but also puts an unnecessary amount of pressure on resourced students to make impactful and significant decisions before they are ready. While I agree that this does put under-resourced students at a disadvantage, I don’t think the concept of personal branding is otherwise necessarily a negative.

I would actually argue that it’s significantly more enjoyable for students to develop a narrative and brand around their actual interests at the moment (even if those interests may change down the line) than to try to maintain involvement in activities they hate just to check the box. How many parents my age grew up believing they had to play a sport, had to play an instrument, etc? It’s incredibly freeing for today’s teenagers to learn that they can stop playing piano and throw the lacrosse stick back in the garage in order to take a deep dive into what appeals to them most. The key is just maintaining involvement in that area until they’ve been admitted - but then they are almost always free to change their mind in college and explore different types of passions.

On a completely different note, I wanted to share a TikTok video from a Duke student that I saw this past weekend. I am sharing this for a few reasons: First, it provides valuable insight on the social scene at Duke in a way that could be useful for students who hope to become involved in Greek life and/or attend these kinds of parties.

Next, it demonstrates the importance of having relevant and up-to-date information about schools, instead of relying on a school’s long-standing reputation without research to back it up. The social scene that Sarah describes in the video is a result of a post-Covid shift from 2021-2023, when nearly all IFC and NPC fraternities and sororities chose to disaffiliate from the university. The organizations are now operating independently and without much oversight. But if a prospective student was relying on experiences from older friends or siblings to determine if Duke would be a good fit, they would never know about any of this.

Lastly, I felt like the video was a good example of a relatively fair and balanced approach. TikTok has come up so much this year with our students - on one hand, these videos can offer applicants a great way to feel like they are getting an inside view on life at a given school. On the other hand, they can also be a little misleading, because they are so dependent on the individual perspectives of the creators - not to mention the fact that they are made for entertainment purposes. When watching, try to take “extreme” creators with a grain of salt - those who say their school is terrible or amazing with nothing in between.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

FCPS is wrapping up their 11-day spring break today - that has to be some kind of record, right? We’re continuing to help our juniors make significant progress on their college essays with all of this time off!

But the real exciting news of the past week is that “Ivy Day” is now behind us and most of our seniors know where they’re headed next year! I know I am biased, but this group is going to some pretty amazing schools.

Congratulations, seniors! We can’t wait to follow your paths in the years to come - and hopefully work with you again down the line when it comes time to apply for graduate school!

Weekly Update: March 26

Hope those of you on vacation this week are enjoying yourselves and staying safe! It’s hard to keep all the different spring breaks straight - I know most independent schools are back at school already, the public schools are out, and the Catholic schools are still in session for a few more days!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UNIV. OF FLORIDA LAUNCHES NEW EARLY ACTION PLAN

University of Florida just announced that students who submit early action applications by November 1, 2024 will be notified of admission status by January 24, 2025.  Unlike early decision, these students will have the advantage of getting an early response without having to make a commitment until the regular decision deadline on March 14.  UF officials stated that their goal in this strategy is to “attract more of the nation’s very best students,” “reduce stress” and give families “more time to prepare.” 

CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS MOVE TO END LEGACY AND DONOR ADMISSIONS

California is considering a bill that would prohibit colleges and universities from receiving state financial aid through the Cal Grant program if they give preferential treatment in admissions to legacy and donor family member applicants.  USC, Stanford and Santa Clara are the largest providers of legacy and donor preferences in California.  In 2022, 13-14% of their admitted classes were legacies and donors. The UC system, Pomona, and the Cal State system, on the other hand, do not give any preference to legacy and donor applicants.  

At USC, 2,972 students received $26.6 million in Cal Grant financial aid in 2021-22.  At Santa Clara, 507 students received almost $4.6 million that year.  Stanford received $3.2 million in Cal Grant funds in 2022-23.  Opponents of the bill have argued that disqualifying these schools from the Cal Grant program could deprive low-income students of needed financial aid.  In response, Assemblymember Phil Ting, who introduced the bill, said that schools continuing legacy and donor admissions “have plenty of money” and can “offer those students scholarships.”

ALABAMA LAW BANS STATE FUNDING FOR DEI AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Alabama is the next state to prohibit the use of state funds for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at its public universities and schools. The new law, which goes into effect on October 1, additionally bars students, employees and contractors from being required to attend mandatory DEI “training, orientation or course work that advocates or requires assent to a divisive concept.” However, it does not prohibit students and staff from hosting DEI programs, so long as no state funds are used. The law also requires bathrooms in public universities to “designate restrooms on the basis of biological sex.” Just as we have seen in Florida in the recent weeks, we can expect to hear about the closures of all the DEI programs in state universities and schools across the state of Alabama in the coming months.

MARCH MADNESS CONTINUES

The men’s Sweet 16 begins on Thursday and all four #1 seeds are still in the running! There have been some fun highlights, including JMU beating Wisconsin and Yale beating Auburn - although the absolute best part for me was seeing the University of Idaho band stepping in for the Yale band when the Yale band couldn’t make it to the game. Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t enough to get them a win against San Diego State. And on the women’s side, it seemed like the entire country was holding their breath when West Virginia briefly tied Iowa last night, but Caitlin Clark came through and led the Hawkeyes to victory. She also set (another) record last night for scoring the most points in a single season.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

I came across an insightful article in The Atlantic last week, reflecting on the rise of computer science in academia, its role in our society as a whole, and whether or not these phenomena are better or worse for us as human beings. The author stated that a whopping 18 percent of Stanford seniors graduated with degrees in computer science last year, more than double from what it was a decade ago. This trend is widespread.  The number of CS majors in the U.S. and Canada TRIPLED in a span of just ten years from 2005 – 2015 and has been growing ever since. 

The very nature of computer science as an academic field is changing.  The author put it well when he said, “culture moves through computation these days.” As the younger generations seek to gain professional advantage in our technological society through CS degrees, universities are faced with the question of whether CS is its own academic field or not. Some universities have said yes, with MIT, Cornell and UC Berkeley each creating a “College of Computing” in recent years. Usually, universities house CS majors either in their electrical engineering program under a school of engineering, or in a school of liberal arts under mathematics. 

But SHOULD computing be elevated to a status of “college”? In the hierarchy of academia, is CS a higher-order domain of knowledge? Is it a super-field that lords over others, or a sub-field to serve others?  Waxing philosophical, the article poignantly states, “This is, by no happenstance, also the basic question about computing in our society writ large.” Our author makes the case for wisdom, drawing a distinction between what can be done vs. what should be done. The fast-moving computing industry is exciting, but it is also reckless. 

We might be better off if ambitions were held back, even just a little, to “slow down bad ideas” when they arise, and to operate “with a deep understanding or respect of law, policy, justice, health, or cohesion.”  The centralization of computing runs the risk of empowering a generation of professionals who are disengaged from consequences. Computer scientists can forget that computers are tools to help people – as a means of self-expression or achieving justice, for example – and not just a way of making new software or money. The author leaves us to ponder: Are computers a means to an end, to a greater good, or are they an end in themselves? Before doing something, should you pause and consider if it is worth doing? What do you think?

This was a fun one from The Atlantic: “Don’t Tell America the Babysitter’s Dead.”  Despite its humorous title, the article brings up some serious subjects that are very relevant in raising the modern teen. A generation ago, babysitting was a step toward adulthood – a first job and a rite of passage. It gave teens an opportunity to make pocket money and to practice responsibility. It was the symbol of American girlhood, and “a reflection of the cultural emphasis on hard work, discipline, and financial independence.”  

It seems that the teen babysitter, as we knew her, has all but disappeared.  This is a result of both how adults perceive teens and how they are being raised.  Our society no longer trusts teens, believing them to be children in need of babysitting, rather than the ones doing the babysitting. Kids are often seen as fragile and in need of constant oversight. “Intensive parenting” has been adopted as an ideal across classes. Parents prefer their younger children to participate in scheduled adult-led activities, rather than be at home with a teen babysitter, and Model UN, SAT prep and internships have filled our would-be babysitters’ every waking hour. Remember the Baby-Sitters’ Club? The recent Netflix re-boot was a total bomb, simply because the experience of babysitting isn’t relatable to teens anymore.

The article stated that Americans tend to trust people less these days. Forget asking the high-schooler on your block to babysit, because chances are you’ve never even met your neighbors down the block. It takes a village to raise a child, but there is no village. Parents are turning to professionalized child care, or at least older, more experienced caregivers, leaving teens with fewer opportunities for responsibility.  

That said, caregiving IS serious work that requires skill and maturity. So where does that leave our teens?  They need opportunities for growth. First jobs are extremely formative and empowering; they give teens a sense of pride in their work and earning ability. The article urges us to strike a balance. A woman at Oregon State University’s community partnership program has started a program that trains teens in caregiving and then connects them with families. We need to build our villages; meet our neighbors, trust one another more, and show more faith in our teens – they can be capable of a quite a bit!

New York Magazine published an article last week highlighting the challenges of this year’s college admissions cycle. We’ve seen so many of these this year! Last week, I wrote about how FAFSA delays and other issues have impacted college admissions.  This article comes with a slightly different angle, offering some additional thoughts from the admissions officer’s point of view.  

College admissions offices have seen an enormous increase in the number of college applications submitted in recent years. At Duke, the number of applications has quadrupled over the last 30 years, and is up 37 percent in the past five years. Since 2000, the number of applications to the 67 most selective colleges in the nation (including Duke), has tripled to nearly 2 million a year. This has created a stressful work load for admissions offices.  

One Duke admissions officer described his method of sorting through applications and deciding – in 15 minutes – which ones will go on to the next round. He scans the overview page that shows high school attended, GPA, tests scores (if any), intended major and gender. Then he moves on to the full transcript, recommendations, essays and extracurriculars, in that order. “It all floats in the air above me…[A]s I read the application from beginning to end, it coalesces into an image of the child,” he said. Two-thirds to three-fourths of all applications are eliminated during this initial pass. 

Applicants focus on showing what they have accomplished in the past, but the admissions officer’s job is to make a judgment call on their future potential, what they will do in the next four years. From the applicant’s point of view, the goal is to be accepted. But from the admissions officer’s point of view, the ultimate goal is to meet their diversity, enrollment and revenue numbers. In addition to deciding who to admit, they must strategize on how to “lock students in” and maintain “yield” – that is, the percentage of students who actually enroll. 

NY Magazine said that this year “is already shaping up as the craziest ever.”  But that’s what we’re here for! We’re so proud of how our students have navigated this season, and we have continued to enjoy hearing the good news as acceptances have rolled in!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We’re thrilled that so many of our students have been taking time over spring break to squeeze in sessions with our essay coaches, Staci, McClain, Joseph and Stephanie! It takes so much pressure off when this HUGE milestone is done!

In other news, the March SAT scores are in, and Libby has been reaching out to our juniors to remind them to submit official copies (screen shots are fine) to our office! If you are a client and took the March SAT, you can submit the score report using our multi-purpose submission form and navigating to DCCC Forms and Information -> Test Scores, Report Cards, or Transcripts.

Weekly Update: March 19

Happy (belated) St. Patrick’s Day! For those of you in the DC area, I hope you get a chance to enjoy the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin this week – they’re finally here!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

SURVEY FINDS COLLEGE STUDENTS PREFER CAMPUS GUN POLICIES

A new Gallup survey showed that 81% of current and prospective college students consider campus gun policies to be “at least somewhat important” in their decision to enroll, and 34% say they are “extremely important.” Notably, the results are similar across various demographics, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity and political party affiliation. The largest gap among subgroups is a nine-percentage-point difference between Democrats and Republicans. Despite that difference, however, the study still reflects a majority favoring campus gun policies, with 77 percent of Republican students considering gun policies to be important in their enrollment decisions, and 26 percent saying they are extremely important. In light of recent acts of gun violence on college campuses in North Carolina and Michigan, these results do not surprise me!

NAACP LETTER ASKS BLACK STUDENT-ATHLETES TO RECONSIDER ATTENDING FLORIDA COLLEGES

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association last week, asking Black student-athletes to reconsider their decisions to attend public colleges and universities in Florida. As I mentioned in my weekly update earlier this month, the University of Florida just closed down its diversity, equity and inclusion programs in order to comply with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ law prohibiting the use of state funding for DEI programs. Other public institutions in Florida, including Florida State University, have also followed suit.

FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY CLOSES, WASH U TO PURCHASE ITS CAMPUS

Fontbonne University in Clayton, Missouri, will be closing its doors next summer after struggling with declining enrollment and a shrinking endowment. Originally founded as a women’s college in 1923, the school has a history of being one of the country’s most diverse Catholic institutions of higher education; as of 2021, more than a quarter of its undergraduates are African-American.  After its Summer 2025 term, the property will be acquired by Washington University in St. Louis. Interestingly, the Fontbonne campus is located on the other side of Wash U’s “South 40,” where the residence halls are located.  As such, it is located closer to most of the students’ residence halls than the current Wash U academic buildings.  Although it is sad to see Fontbonne close, this will be a great expansion opportunity for Wash U!

MARCH MADNESS BEGINS

Selection Sunday is behind us and the NCAA tournament games kick off this evening with Wagner vs. Howard and Colorado State vs. Virginia. The First Four will finish up tomorrow with Grambling vs. Montana State and Colorado vs. Boise State… and then things will really kick into high gear on Thursday! We’ve written before about the impact of “Cinderella runs" on the admissions process, and it will be interesting to see what this year holds!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

It’s been a challenging year in the college admissions world, to say the least, but we are making our way through it! I just read a Wall Street Journal article that summed it up this way: “This might be the most chaotic, frustrating, uncertain college-admissions cycle in recent history.”  

The WSJ highlighted three major factors that created this “perfect storm”: First, the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, which restricts how schools can consider an applicant’s race. As a result of this ruling, college applications cannot directly ask about race, but they can provide an opportunity in the essays for this information to be included. This has left many students uncertain whether disclosing their race and ethnicity would be beneficial or not to their application. On top of that, they have to figure out how to weave this information into their essays.

(Here at DCCC, we work with every single one of our students to write content on how their own unique and diverse backgrounds have impacted the person they are today. We then try to incorporate that particular content to fit college-specific supplemental essay prompts whenever possible, because colleges are looking for a class with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Sometimes these cover topics like race, ethnicity, and religion — but many times they don’t. Our students’ past essays on this topic have discussed the impacts of experiences as varied as frequent childhood relocations, to growing up with food allergies, to parental addiction and mental illness — and so many more. Everyone has something that has shaped their background in a unique way, even if it’s not immediately obvious.)

The second factor: test score confusion. We’ve heard it all – test-blind, test-optional, test-recommended, test-flexible and test-required. Understanding these new terms has added a layer of complication to the college application process, especially when students apply to colleges that require tests for certain majors or programs but don’t require them for others. Another consequence of schools not requiring test scores is that some students believe they don’t have to put any effort into prepping for them, only to realize too late that certain scholarships are tied to strong scores - or even worse, learning of last-minute policy changes at institutions that have begun to require them again. So: study for the SAT and ACT, kids! 

And lastly, the most impactful factor in upending this year’s college admissions cycle is the delayed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Usually by this time of year, students are sorting through and comparing their financial aid offers. This year, however, due to a delayed release of the new FAFSA online application and an avalanche of technological glitches, the federal government is extremely delayed in sending colleges information about applicants’ family finances and how much federal aid they qualify for. This financial information is critical for colleges in calculating need-based aid and creating financial aid offers.

Absent these offers, students are facing the possibility of blindly deciding on colleges to meet enrollment deadlines without knowing the tuition costs in advance. Or, even worse, they may not be able to enroll at all, since many students cannot seriously consider college without financial aid. This could lead to enrollment decline, which, as we have seen, can impact the very existence of certain less-selective colleges. It is ironic that the very system that was designed to help lower-income students has been their biggest bar to college enrollment.   

How did we get here? I came across a recent New York Times article that had a good breakdown of how this happened.  In 2020, Congress ordered the Education Department to streamline the FAFSA process to make it easier and more accessible. The notoriously long and complex form was whittled down from over 100 questions to fewer than 40. Unfortunately, though, it was not released until the end of December, almost three months later than the regular October timeframe. In addition to technical malfunctions that locked students out of their applications, the new FAFSA required social security numbers for both students and their parents. Students with mixed-status families have been disproportionately affected, as FAFSA delays may cause them to miss scholarship and aid deadlines. 

Two weeks ago, when the Education Department came up with a resolution to the social security issue, they discovered 70,000 emails from student applicants sitting in an inbox, unread and unanswered. The Department is now faced with processing a landslide of applications and handling 70,000 emails…and counting. Yikes.

Despite these setbacks on the national level, our DCCC students have been able to navigate this year’s application process with success! We have been hearing good news from so many colleges, and we’ve managed to stay on track thanks to the tireless work of our dedicated counselors, students and families. We can’t wait for more good news to pour in. Way to go, everyone!

On a completely different note, I want to share an excellent article from the New York Times discussing the purpose of universities, and it had me nodding my head in agreement. According to the article, an “understanding,” or something like an unspoken contract, has always existed between American universities, the government, and the people. Universities provide education with the help of government funding and tax breaks, and faculty are given academic freedom when it comes to what and how they teach and research; they are – or should be – insulated from external pressures of politics and industry.  In return, universities cultivate a pluralistic democracy and produce an educated citizenry, allowing for economic mobility and a capitalist economy. 

Stanford international studies professor Anna Gryzmala-Busse stated that “if universities are not fulfilling these missions, and are seen as prioritizing other missions, that political bargain becomes fragile.” The article points out the dangers when universities stray from their essential duty by pushing a political agenda, consequently stifling intellectual discourse and freedom of thought among its faculty and students. A social justice mentality is counter-productive to the university’s work of fostering open dialogue with multiple perspectives. Universities are increasingly forced to quickly make official statements on polarizing, political issues; issues that scholars spend years studying and continually discussing. Political interference in a university destroys its academic freedom. 

The last paragraph stuck with me: “When universities become overly political, and tilt too far toward one end of the spectrum, they’re denying students and faculty the kind of open-ended inquiry and knowledge-seeking that has long been the basis of American higher education’s success.” Well, there’s food for thought!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

I’m excited to share an article from Northern Virginia Magazine, in which I provide advice on making your final college decision! Decision day is just around the corner for many of you, and all of us at DCCC want to make sure you are as prepared as possible.

Scholarships, location, campus culture, post-graduation jobs – there are so many important factors weighed in the balance as you narrow down those college acceptances and decide which college is the right fit for you. So, mark May 1 on your calendar (unless your colleges delayed their deadlines due to the aforementioned FAFSA problems!) and check out the article!

Anybody else go to the ACC tournament in DC last week/weekend? The Virginia games, both of which went into overtime, were insane! Especially Friday, wow. For those of you who didn’t catch it, they had a five-point lead in the last fifty seconds of regulation, and a three-point lead in the last five seconds. Despite ESPN indicating that their chances of winning at that point were over 98%, it was not to be: a very unfortunate series of events ended up resulting in a loss to NC State.

Fingers crossed for a win against Colorado State tonight!

Weekly Update: March 12

It’s finally starting to feel like spring in the DC area, and we’re wishing a happy Ramadan and easy fast to those who are celebrating this month!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

FIRST DIGITAL SAT ADMINISTRATION TAKES PLACE

The first official (non-pilot) nationwide administration of the digital SAT took place on Saturday, and reports from students have been pretty positive so far! In addition to being online, the test is now adaptive — meaning that the difficulty of students’ questions will be impacted by their performance as they proceed through the exam. The new version is also significantly shorter than it was in the past, coming in at just over two hours with only two sections. I’m so glad it went well!

BROWN, PENN, AND UT AUSTIN ANNOUNCE TESTING POLICY UPDATES

Last week, Brown announced that they will reinstate the standardized testing requirement for the Class of 2029 (current high school juniors). The announcement also reaffirmed their decision to continue offering early decision and recognizing legacy applicants — for now, anyway. The University of Texas at Austin made a similar announcement about reinstating test scores yesterday, citing strong data-backed evidence pointing to the predictive power of standardized test scores on undergraduate performance. Penn, on the other hand, has chosen to buck this testing trend: the university will remain test optional for the upcoming admissions cycle.

LEGACY ADMISSIONS OFFICIALLY BANNED IN VIRGINIA

We knew it was coming, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills on Friday to ban legacy admission in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a move that is expected to impact applicants most at UVA and William & Mary (read the article’s quotation from William & Mary carefully, as it’s misleading, in my opinon — while everything stated is technically true, it seems to suggest that they haven’t historically given legacy applicants special treatment. I’m not even a critic of legacy admissions, but if that’s what they are suggesting… well, it’s just plain inaccurate). In other news, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Todd Young are now embarking on a bipartisan effort to ban legacy admissions on a national level.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE STUDENTS SEND CAMPUS SECURITY GUARD HOME TO VISIT FAMILY

Such a sweet story out of Providence College! A group of students learned that one of their campus security guards had not returned to his native country, Nigeria, in over 11 years — and had not seen his son since he left. They organized a GoFundMe that raised money for him to take a trip home, and ended up with over $15,000!

SPELMAN LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE PROGRAM TO CREATE FUTURE BEAUTY INDUSTRY LEADERS

Did you know that Black beauty brands only make up a tiny 2.5 percent of the cosmetics and personal care market, despite the fact that Black women spend billions of dollars each year on those items? Spelman College did, and administrators and faculty are stepping up to flip that script. The Atlanta HBCU just announced a significant expansion of their cosmetic science program, including a minor in cosmetic science and a special concentration in “cosmetic chemistry” for chemistry majors. SO COOL!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

I really enjoyed last weekend’s New York Times piece entitled “We Tried to Create a Diverse College Class Without Affirmative Action,” in which researchers presented interactive visual models depicting the differing impacts of various policies on admitted student diversity, in an effort to create a diverse class without traditional affirmative action policies. The findings were interesting: giving low-income students an admissions advantage resulted in a significant amount of economic diversity, but a very small increase in racial diversity. Giving an additional advantage to students from low-performing schools helped some, but not much. So what worked best? A two-part process that (a) identified “outlier” students that performed significantly better from their peers in the same environment, no matter what that environment was; and (b) an expanded recruiting strategy that targeted students who may not have otherwise chosen to apply to highly selective colleges.

We’ve shared a number of recent articles about why certainly highly competitive schools have made the decision to reinstate standardized testing, but this piece from The Atlantic does a great job of delving more deeply into why test-optional admissions policies hurt disadvantaged students in particular. Some of the analysis here aligns closely with the findings mentioned in the New York Times article above, too - especially the Michigan example.

I have worked with teenagers for my entire career — well before I had children. Yet as my oldest inches closer and closer to her teenage years, it’s been so interesting to see how my experiences as a parent have impacted my professional perspective. I really felt torn as I read “The Parents in My Classroom”, a Slate piece written by a teacher who complains about parents trying to maintain constant contact with her high school students during the school day. She writes that “increased parental surveillance has blurred the boundaries between home and school so much that students are not developing into independent thinkers,” and the professional in me knows she’s absolutely right. But the mom in me … well, I see the other side too — in a way that I probably wouldn’t have before. I guess the best we can do sometimes as parents is to educate ourselves about the “right” thing to do while still keeping practicality in mind.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

There’s been a ton going on in our office lately - from RD decision releases to college essays to hiring a new counselor (more on her later!). And the ACC tournament is in DC this week! Is anybody going?

Have a great week!

Weekly Update: March 5

It’s Super Tuesday - hope our public school families are enjoying their day off!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

COMMON APPLICATION ® ESSAY PROMPTS RELEASED!

YAY! The Common Application ® finally released their 2024-2025 essay prompts shortly after I hit publish on our last weekly update post - and despite the very long wait, they actually didn’t change at all from the previous year. For any readers who are less familiar with college essay requirements, this particular essay is what is more commonly known as “the college essay” - it’s the main essay, up to 650 words in length, that students will submit to nearly every college on their list. Most colleges also require additional supplemental essays, as well.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FIRES ALL DEI STAFF

To maintain compliance with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ law to prohibit state spending on DEI programs, the University of Florida let go of 28 faculty and staff members this past week: every single employee whose job was related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in some way. This will result in a $5 million cost savings for the university, which will be re-allocated to support faculty recruitment. As Gov. DeSantis himself remarked, “Florida is where DEI goes to die.” 😳

LATINA WOMEN CONTINUE FACING SIGNIFICANT WAGE GAP DESPITE MAJOR GAINS IN EDUCATION

This is a bittersweet update - on one hand, kudos to the population of Latina women who have made enormous gains in pursuing higher education over the last two decades. The percentage of Latinas with bachelor’s degrees has quadrupled since the year 2000, from 5% to 20%, rising faster than any other demographic group. However, this doesn’t seem to be paying off as much as it should from a salary standpoint, as Latina women with college degrees still earn the lowest median income of any demographic. This is probably wishful thinking, but I wonder if some of the disparity could be attributed to the fact that the more recent increase in degrees earned means they are, on average, a younger cohort with less work experience? We will learn more in the years to come.

WAKE FOREST CONGRATULATES WAITLISTED APPLICANTS BY MISTAKE

Word on the street is that a number of Wake Forest applicants who were waitlisted through the early decision rounds received a email last week that was actually meant for accepted students. In addition to congratulating them on their admission, the message invited them to an event meant for accepted students. So, naturally, the students thought that they had been accepted from the waitlist…. until they received an apology email from Wake, who shared that they were not accepted after all! Instead, the email was sent to the wrong group of students by mistake. Can you even imagine?!

MAJOR GREEK LIFE ISSUES AT VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND

No matter which side of the Potomac you call home, it was not a good week for Greek life at your flagship state universities. At UVA, a Kappa Sigma (fraternity) pledge is said to be in a coma after drinking to excess and falling down a flight of stairs and hitting his head. The university has since suspended the chapter in addition to temporarily banning sponsored social events from all fraternity chapters. It’s less clear as to what specifically happened at the University of Maryland, but the administration has reason to believe that multiple fraternity and sorority chapters have been “conducting activities that have threatened the safety and well-being of members of the University community." After an initial warning that took place at an emergency meeting with Greek leaders, the university continued to receive complaints. The following day, a “cease and desist” order was announced. All social events for Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council (PHA) groups were banned for the forseeable future. Additionally, members are not allowed to have any contact whatsoever with new members or potential new members.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Have you wondered whether college is really “worth it,” financially? This New York Times article asserts that college is, in fact, worth it, when it comes to future earnings. However, it’s important for students to realize that other factors impact earnings too. What students choose to study makes a huge difference, and sometimes the choice of school also really matters (approach for-profit colleges with caution!).

A Washington Post editorial from last week emphasized that the potential end of test-optional admissions is “the right move.” The piece called it a “social experiment by necessity,” as a result of Covid, but one that provided colleges and universities with hard data to support whether or not test scores are truly needed to differentiate between candidates - and whether or not test scores resulted in an admissions bias against students of color. I agree with the Washington Post’s assessment - while diverse students do perform worse on standardized tests than their white counterparts, that is something that can be taken into context by an admissions officer.

And at the end of the day, every student who takes one of these tests still has to earn the actual scores - they can only be impacted so much. On the other hand, there are many other parts of the admissions process that can be manipulated far more easily. From advising on extracurricular activities and choice of major, to providing in-depth essay help, to assisting with teacher recommendation strategy - yes, I realize I’m basically outlining the services our company provides, but there’s no denying that students really benefit from this.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive look at how all of the recent changes may impact the college admissions process for students this year, check out Town & Country’s piece Has College Admissions Returned to a Normal Level of Crazy?. It reports that “the SCOTUS decision has so far not led to a major shift in acceptance letters for white and Asian students,” and I agree. I believe this is a direct result of the fact that race is still allowed to be considered when it is mentioned in essays. So has anything really changed after all, except the fact that students now need to write even more essays? The verdict is still out. The article does mention “a loosening of the selectivity noose due to some prestigious schools taking a PR hit this year,” which relates to the treatment of Jewish students on highly selective college campuses. Finally, it covers the anecdotal observation that deferrals seem to be up this year, and that while students often consider this to be positive, that might be an overly optimistic viewpoint. I personally think that the increase in deferrals was very school-specific - we saw unique situations at certain institutions, but did not notice any particular blanket shift.

On a lighter note, any podcast junkies out there? You’ll want to check out NPR’s “10 Best College Podcasts in America.” I’m particularly excited to listen to Brandon Kondritz’ The Day I Ditched my Devices. This Northwestern student embarked on a one-day “digital detox” and chronicled the experience. Not sure I could do it!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

I am thrilled to report that our juniors got right to work after the Common Application ® essay prompt release and started booking their coaching meetings right away. A couple of students have even had their first essay coaching meetings already, and they should be on target to finish this major milestone in April!

On another note, if you’re an FCPS student looking for a great leadership role next year - we highly recommend checking out the role of 2024 Student Representative to the School Board. This coveted opportunity is open to FCPS students in grades 9, 10, and 11 who live in Fairfax County or Fairfax City. Check out the experiences of the current Student Representative, Rida Karim.

Weekly Update: February 27

Happy Tuesday!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

ATHENS COMMUNITY SHAKEN AFTER UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AND AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY STUDENT DEATHS

Two tragedies occurred over the past week in Athens, Georgia. On Wednesday, a UGA freshman died by suicide in his dorm room. The following day, a former UGA student who had transferred to Augusta University’s College of Nursing (also in Athens) was murdered while out for a morning jog. Fortunately, a suspect is in custody. It’s incredible to think about how this poor girl was attacked while just getting some exercise in broad daylight. Our thoughts and prayers are with these students’ families, friends, and the entire Athens community.

YALE UNIVERSITY REVERSES COURSE TO BEGIN REQUIRING STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES AGAIN

Yale announced the results of an internal study which demonstrated that standardized test scores are the best predictor of undergraduate student success on their campus. More importantly, these results have led Yale to join Dartmouth in requiring SAT or ACT scores during the upcoming application cycle.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ADOPTS NEW TEST-OPTIONAL POLICY

Just as Yale decided to pivot back to test scores, University of Michigan formally adopted a test-optional policy that replaces their previous test-flexible policy. If you can’t keep these policies straight, you aren’t alone! The main difference seems to be that the test-flexible policy offered candidates the chance to substitute their AP or IB scores for SAT or ACT scores, if they chose to do so. Now, their AP or IB scores will be evaluated separately from their choice to apply with (or without) SAT or ACT scores. Half of the internet seemed to get this wrong - and understandably so, given how confusing the shift is. Many online posts incorrectly announced that Michigan was not going to consider AP or IB scores at all anymore. This is a good reminder to always confirm policy changes directly with the school!

SYRACUSE INCORPORATES MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE INTO BUSINESS CURRICULUM

Kudos to Syracuse for recognizing the importance of teaching future business professionals about the importance of mental health and wellness. As part of the Nass Mental Health Initiative, undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Whitman School of Management will now be better equipped to handle the challenges associated with their future careers. Through coursework, guest speakers, special seminars and more, students will learn to use tools to help manage stressors and also learn when to seek help.

“COURT STORMING” THRUST IN THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER DUKE PLAYER INJURED

Immediately after Duke’s surprising loss to Wake Forest this past weekend, player Kyle Filipowski was injured by enthusiastic Demon Deacon fans storming the court. As everyone watching the game on television saw, Duke coach Jon Scheyer was absolutely furious and has since called for the ACC to ban the practice. Wake coach Steve Forbes agrees, and has shared his own concerns about player safety.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

So you know that NIL stands for “name, image, and likeness.” But what exactly does that mean in real-world terms? What’s the relevance? Why does everybody care so much? Whether you’re NIL-savvy or have never even heard the acronym before, check out this Washington Post article for a deep dive into all things NIL. As a word of caution, you might end up just as confused by the end of the piece as you were at the start - but maybe that’s the point?

Back in November, we wrote about the extent of the financial mismanagement at the University of Arizona. The New York Times has now explored the full impact of the situation, as well as the potential effects on various stakeholders. The article also delves into the long-term impacts felt by the greater community in the city of Tucson.

Lawmakers in the state of Massachusetts are pushing for a potential change to higher ed taxation that is both very significant and could set precedent for the rest of the country. In “Ending The Ivy League’s Tax Dodge,” The Lever provides background into a situation that has mostly flown under the radar of mainstream media so far. As the piece details, private colleges and universities don’t have to pay state or federal income taxes right now. This allows their endowments to build at a rapid rate, which in turn allows them to “give back” by providing generous financial aid packages, and in some cases, by conducting research.

But is this fair, when many of these schools have acceptance rates so low that the general population does not resasonably have any chance of benefiting from the financial aid packages? Or would the general population benefit more from simply taxing these schools on the value of their endowments? That’s what the state’s House Committee on Revenue will need to decide by April 30. A proposed bill hopes to levy a 2.5% annual tax on university endowments larger than $1 billion (on the full amount of the endowment, not just the income it generates).

The tax would then be allocated towards a fund called the Educational Opportunity for All Trust Fund, which would be used “exclusively for the purposes of subsidizing the cost of higher education, early education and child care for lower-income and middle-class residents of the commonwealth.” I can see both sides, but one thing is for sure: the outcome has the potential to have major long-term implications for financial aid at private colleges and universities nationwide.

Speaking of policy shift implications, The Dartmouth provided its readers with an inside look at some of the aftermath of the recent campus-level policy shift that reinstated the standardized testing requirement. Campus safety officers were present at a “tense” meeting between 50-70 students and President Sian Beilock, during which the students discussed their (negative) reactions to the recent decision. However, it is important to note that this group of students does not necessarily represent the entire 4,500 student body.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Where oh where are the Common Application ® essay prompts? We have now passed last year’s record-breaking late essay release date and our juniors are ready to get started! Some communication from the Common Application ® organization as to what to expect moving forward would be appreciated 😊

In other news, I’m continuing our first round of winter check-in meetings with juniors and helping them finalize some of their upcoming college visits. Virginia public school students have an upcoming day off on March 5 as a result of the presidential primary, and this is a great time for a college visit. After all, there are relatively few opportunities to see colleges in session without having to miss school!

One of the other topics we discuss at these check-in meetings is standardized testing progress, and we got some frustrating news last week - one of the high schools that a lot of our students attend has a prom date conflict with the April ACT. I absolutely hate when this happens (we see it more often with the May SAT), and it’s a great reminder for all students to look up the dates of any special end-of-year events in advance to check for standardized testing conflicts. Remember that there’s the April ACT, May SAT, May AP exams, the June SAT, and the June ACT!

Have a great week - fingers crossed that we have essay prompts on which to report in our next blog entry!

Weekly Update: February 21

Welcome back to reality after the long weekend!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEW TJHSST ADMISSIONS PROCESS

In a somewhat surprising decision yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court chose to uphold a prior court’s decision and will not hear the case alleging that the new TJ admissions process is unconstitutional. Instead of the former process, which was based primarily on test scores and grades, the new process involves a holistic approach that will ultimately have a major impact on geographic and socioeconomic factors. It was modified specifically in order to ensure larger representation from under-represented groups, and has resulted in exactly that - the Asian-American student population has dropped sharply as a result.

Most spots are now spread equally among every single middle school in the county, ensuring admission for the top 1.5% of each school’s students — regardless of that school’s quality or where those students stand in the overall applicant pool. All students who do not fall in the top 1.5% of their class will be able to apply for the small percentage of remaining spots, but preference for those will be given to students who receive special education services, are low-income, attend traditionally lower-performing schools, or are not native English speakers.

In a dissent with which Justice Thomas agreed, Justice Alito explained that he believes the new process is discriminatory and represents “a grave injustice on diligent young people who yearn to make a better future for themselves, their families, and our society.” Check out pages 30-39 of the document, if you can find it - the version I had went down at some point late last night, but I’m linking to it anyway in case it comes back up.

THE COLLEGE BOARD AGREES TO PAY FINES OVER SELLING NEW YORK STUDENTS’ DATA

The attorney general of New York, Letitia James, accused the College Board of selling private student data including “students’ names, contact information, ethnicities, grade point averages and test scores” to more than 1,000 colleges and scholarship programs. In 2014, New York State Education Law 2-D barred the commercialization of such information. Between 2018 and 2022, however, the College Board made millions of dollars licensing this information. Though the College Board still maintains that there was no improper use of the information, they did agree to pay $750,000 to settle the claims.

UPENN FIRST IVY TO OFFER B.S.E. IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

There has been a lot of attention on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in and around schools since the release of ChatGPT and other generative AI sites and tools, much of it negative. Questions such as “How do we stop students from using it?”, “How can we detect if students are cheating?”, and “What constitutes plagiarism for students or even faculty now?” have been asked and discussed in faculty rooms, classrooms, and online. Most Artificial Intelligence degrees are housed in computer science departments. At the University of Pennsylvania, however, the Penn School of Engineering and Applied Science has turned the questions on their head. Penn has now become the first Ivy League university to offer a degree in AI engineering, as Philadelphia’s Channel 6 ABC affiliate reports.

SURVEY BY THE YALE DAILY NEWS INDICATES CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENTS ON FINANCIAL AID AND STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES

New research points to a link between students who need full or significant financial aid to attend college and their likelihood to take and submit SAT/ACT scores. The Yale Daily News undertook its own survey of current undergraduates at Yale and found “that Yale College students receiving financial aid are less likely to have included an ACT or SAT score in their Yale applications than students not on aid.” This finding corroborates the research from Opportunity Insights released in January 2024, which studied the relationship between standardized test scores and students’ academic success at Ivy-Plus colleges. This research comes as Dartmouth recently announced the decision to reinstate its policy to require test scores, and Harvard committed to a test-optional policy through its Class of 2030. Yale is completing its internal research with a decision expected by the end of February.

BOWDOIN AND GEORGETOWN CONTINUE TO BE FULBRIGHT POWERHOUSES

The Chronicle of Higher Ed reported on schools that produced the most Fulbright Scholars and Students. This incredible opportunity to study and live abroad comes with steep competition, yet Bowdoin College in Maine has been the top producer of Fulbright U.S. Students among baccalaureate schools for four years running! This year, according to the Fulbright Program, 47 Bowdoin students applied and 23 received grants. Oberlin in Ohio and Pomona in California were not far behind. Georgetown University has been the top producer of Fulbright U.S. Students among doctoral universities four out of the last five years (in 2021-2022 Brown University was number one) with 40 students receiving grants. Brown University (RI) and Harvard University (MA) were the next closest schools. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

As more and more small, tuition-driven colleges and universities struggle with a death spiral of rising costs and falling enrollments, many have had to get creative to keep their doors open. Some schools have begun to monetize at least one asset whose value has risen even in today’s tough environment: real estate. A recent New York Times article writes about colleges that are selling property to raise funds. The article leads with the New School in New York City, which is selling their five-story West Village townhouse that serves as the official residence of the school’s president — currently, that’s Interim President Donna Shalala, a former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services who also served as the University of Miami President for nearly fifteen years.

And speaking of real estate — it’s not all just being sold. Large, expensive, and tricked-out student housing complexes are popping up across the country. The New York Times reports on the trend and the developer bringing these projects to life in 23 states. Students benefit from numerous in-dorm amenities such as fitness centers and pools, and can even take advantage of apps to match themselves with roommates. But the properties are not university residence halls, which can be good or bad depending on your perspective. It might be better than the sketchy off-campus apartments many parents will remember from the 1990s and early 2000s, but these apartments aren’t cheap, either — Hub on Campus Blacksburg, near Virginia Tech, lists monthly rental rates between about $900 and $1,800 per person depending on suite size, according to Apartments.com. Bigger may be better from the developers’ perspectives right now, but it’s hard to know how it will look for students down the road. 

In more local news, check out Washingtonian’s coverage of the Georgetown University consulting club challenges. Over the last 10+ years, these student-run organizations at Georgetown and peer schools have become quite popular, with demand to participate far exceeding the number of student slots. Most of these organizations offer local companies and nonprofits the benefits of their consulting work, usually pro bono or for a nominal fee, and students are able to gain relevant experience that looks great on their resumes. However, many students (particularly first-generation, low-income, LGBTQ+ students, and those of color) felt excluded by the competition to be accepted into one of Georgetown’s six groups. As a result, a student advisory board implemented new guidelines in August of 2023 that required all clubs to open their membership. This has created a huge problem from the organizations, which have now grown from 60 to 300+ students overnight.

As the FAFSA redesign and implementation continues to be a concern, USA Today detailed one potential change that could alleviate student and family confusion over financial aid awards: standardization. When trying to compare financial aid offers from multiple schools, students and families can struggle to make sense of which aid is school-specific aid, federal aid, or self-help aid in the form of work-study and loans. A standardized format would help families understand exactly how much of the total cost of attendance they are expected to contribute and how much will be covered by each form of aid.

In response to the U.S. Department of Education’s delays in processing the FAFSA and transmitting the information to colleges and universities, many schools have extended their deadlines by which students will need to make their decision and submit a deposit where they intend to matriculate. The Washington Post recently published an article that lists all of the area colleges and universities (those in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia), the school’s deadline to respond, and whether that deadline has been extended. According to the Post, the list will be updated when and if any schools announce changes to their deadlines. For a list of schools across the country, the American Council on Education is maintaining a searchable list.

Finally, in this piece in The Athletic, Brendan Quinn takes readers inside BYU’s Men’s basketball program as they make the transition into the Big 12 and a new world of high-stakes college sports. BYU Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink (who oversees athletics) and Head Coach Mark Pope know that navigating this transition into the best basketball conference in N.C.A.A. Division I Basketball is no easy feat. Balancing the school’s mission and culture with the demands of DI recruiting, new rules about name, image and likeness opportunities, and the transfer portal creates a tension, but Pope’s commitment to his mission, his profession, and, most important, his players is remarkable. This article takes readers into the recruiting and gives a glimpse of the unique support Pope provides his players.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Yesterday got a little crazy after the TJ decision broke! We work with a lot of TJ students (as well as a lot of TJ hopefuls in middle school) and I know this is a sensitive topic for many. I have a child in the FCPS system and we are zoned to Cooper Middle School, one of the schools that will likely continue to experience a significant negative impact as a result of the ruling.

Yet after seeing what I have over the last 15-ish years of working with TJ kids, I don’t think I would want either one of my kids to go to TJ, whether they could get in or not. Many of our TJ families complain about a culture they feel is toxic, and the funny thing is that it doesn’t seem to pay off from an outcomes standpoint. TJ applicants often perform worse in the college admissions process than their similarly-achieving peers at other schools because of the extraordinary amount of internal competition.

On a happier note, I am going to hold myself back on sharing details because of privacy reasons, but I just have to brag for a minute that our seniors are absolutely killing it on their ED II decisions. We have kids going to an absolutely phenomenal array of highly selective schools and this past week has involved one piece of good news after the other. I am so incredibly proud of them!

Once again, early decision programs are the way to go if students don’t need to compare scholarship offers and want to end up at highly selective schools. Students who follow our advice on this consistently achieve significantly better outcomes than their peers who decide they don’t want to apply ED. I love ED II, in particular, because it allows students to shoot for a dream reach ED and then a more manageable reach in the second round.

CATCH UP ON OUR WEEKLY BLOGS BELOW!

Weekly Update: February 13

Happy (early) Valentine’s Day!

If you’re interested in learning about some college-specific Valentine’s traditions, don’t miss our post from last year: Schooled in Love: Fun Valentine's Day Facts From College Campuses

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST CONFLICT IN GAZA

Campus debates and protests related to the war in Gaza continue. Last week, American University imposed a ban on indoor protests at the school in the wake of ongoing campus conflict. This week, Brown University is in the spotlight, with eighteen students on day seven of a hunger strike (at the time of publication), calling for the school to “‘divest from the genocide in Gaza,’ and allow them to make their case to the university’s governing board,” according to The Washington Post. Brown’s president, Christina Paxson, maintains that the university should not be making decisions about its endowment in response to political issues.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES RESPOND TO NEW TIMING OF FAFSA DATA

Problems with the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) have been widely reported, and have created major problems not just for students and families, but also for colleges and universities around the country. Once the delayed information reaches colleges, the schools will still need to scramble to put financial aid packages together. Some colleges have already extended their commitment deadlines from May 1 to June 1 in response, so that students have enough time to make educated decisions once the delayed information reaches them. The University of California system has moved their deadline to May 15 for all nine UC campuses, with the exception of out-of-state and international students accepted to UC Berkeley.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RESPONDS TO FAFSA DEBACLE

Now, the U.S. Department of Education (which oversees the FAFSA) has established a $50 million fund to help schools deal with the backlog—and backlash. The Department will also provide a “concierge service” for schools. “A senior department official said all historically Black and tribal colleges will have the opportunity to get direct support from the agency,” the article says. Colleges seem pretty underwhelmed by the response so far. The article quotes Kiely Fletcher, Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Illinois at Chicago (and the first institution to extend its commitment deadline to June 1) as saying “While we appreciate the secretary providing an updated timetable, the partial measures do little to alleviate the burden and anxiety expressed by students, their parents and higher ed professionals.”

CONGRESS RESPONDS TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OVER FAFSA DELAYS

Today, the leaders of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce responded to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s announcement that the department will provide additional supports for high schools as they work with students and families to complete and submit the FAFSA and for colleges as they prepare financial aid packages. In addition to committee leaders Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), 106 senators and representatives co-signed the letter, which asks the Secretary of Education to clarify how the department will minimize the impact of these delays — especially for those students most in need of financial aid. The letter poses a set of seven questions that Congress wants answered. The letter concludes by asking if there are any “specific requests that Congress can respond to in order to help address related issues moving forward.”

LOCAL EFFECTS OF FAFSA DELAYS FELT AT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

One of the largest impacts in our local area will be felt at the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) program. DCTAG is administered through the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education and provides scholarships to D.C. residents to offset the cost of attending one of 300 participating colleges and universities. The aim is to help D.C. families with the cost of college as there is not an in-state option for D.C. residents. Because of the U.S. Department of Education's announcement that programs and schools will not receive the data from the FAFSA until mid-March, DCTAG has delayed opening the application until March 11, 2024.

VANDERBILT AND CORNELL EXTEND TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS

On the heels of Dartmouth’s announcement last week about reinstating standardized testing in the admission process, Cornell University and Vanderbilt University reported that they will each extend their test-optional admissions policies established during the pandemic. Cornell extended their policy for one more year. Several of Cornell’s schools have already adjusted admissions policy to “test free,” meaning they will not consider standardized test scores at any point in the admission process. Vanderbilt has extended their policy for three additional years in order to conduct internal research before making a permanent decision.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Following Dartmouth College’s aforementioned testing announcement, Inside Higher Ed interviewed Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Lee Coffin. Coffin makes the point several times that the decision came after an internal study of admissions data for the last few years at Dartmouth. It was a decision made for Dartmouth using data from Dartmouth and is not intended to be a bellwether decision in the standardized testing controversy. Of course, though (as Coffin acknowledges), when an Ivy League university makes an announcement like this, it draws attention from all constituents.

A debate about the value of a college degree versus technical, vocational, and other skilled labor and career training has been going on quietly for the last several years, because leaders are struggling to assess the value of CTE programs. Unfortunately, standard ways of tracking outcomes and collecting data don’t apply, as it’s hard to match up workforce data with protected student records. This week, The Washington Post weighed in on the struggle. “States that do connect school and work data, such as Florida and Maryland, have found that taking career courses in high school can lead some students to earn higher wages after graduation,” Wall writes. But with data hard to come by, and some of it contradictory, it seems as if the debate will carry on a while longer. For now, as the College Board makes clear, getting education beyond a high school diploma is crucial to economic success, and a college degree is one of the best investments a family can make.

In “Legacy Admissions May Not Be at Odds With Diversity,” Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley addresses an aspect of the debate over legacy admissions that has attracted comparatively little attention: the negative effects ending the practice might have on minority students. Riley argues that “ending the practice might undercut the left’s campus diversity objectives.” He writes: “Affirmative-action policies have been in place for a half-century. Hundreds of thousands of black students have matriculated at selective colleges and universities across the country, and their children stand to benefit from legacy admissions. Now that race-conscious admission policies have been banned, legacies are one way for schools to maintain a racially mixed student body without violating the Supreme Court’s decision.” Riley also notes that some leaders at HBCUs have expressed anxiety about legal bans of legacy consideration. He quotes Brenda Allen, the president of Lincoln University, a small black college in Pennsylvania, who notes: “People have generations of folks who go to these institutions. My school is like that. We recruit family members … Being able to recruit legacies is important, especially at HBCUs.”

Snowplow, bulldozer, helicopter — we have all read the various research, news coverage, and parenting advice columns that discuss the pros and cons of super involved parenting. The New York Times published a story this week about two new surveys which suggest that there is more to the story when it comes to this style of parenting. In fact, the surveys show that “nine in 10 parents rate their relationships with their young adult children as good or excellent, and so do eight in 10 young adults.” Many past researchers have studied the negative effects of intense parenting on the child — they are less self-reliant, more frequently live at home, and continue to be financially dependent on their parents well into their late twenties; however, these surveys indicate that closer relationships between parents and their adult children can be beneficial to both. In some families with young adults living at home, three-quarters of them contributed to the family expenses and one-third of adult children helped support their parents financially.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

In recognition of President’s Day, our office will be closed on Monday, February 19 and will reopen on Tuesday, February 20. Wishing everyone an enjoyable long weekend!

CATCH UP ON PAST BLOGS BELOW!

Trend Watch: The Newest (Non-Data Science!) Undergrad Programs to Keep on Your Radar

AMERICA LOVES Data SCIENCE THIS YEAR

Have you noticed that practically every college in the country either just introduced, is in the middle of introducing, or is planning to introduce a new academic program in data science? Okay, so that might be a slight exaggeration, but there’s no question that new programs in data science are practically EVERYWHERE these days! And we think it’s a great field, so we are in full support of that.

However, if data isn’t your thing, don’t worry! We have a variety of other new programs to share that are not related to data science in the least. Whether you’re hoping to turn your passion for gaming into a career or become a famous music producer, keep reading for some exciting new options to keep on your radar:

UNC Chapel Hill’s B.S. DEGREE in Applied Sciences

If you’ve always wanted to be an engineer in theory but are worried about studying the hard sciences at such a high level, this brand-new program is for you! It “connects engineering to the liberal arts” and “train[s] students to be problem-solvers with the skills and mindset to address complex, interdisciplinary problems.” This expands on the popular minor program in the same field that UNC introduced in 2020.

Students can choose from two tracks, materials engineering and environmental engineering, and the environmental engineering track will actually be in partnership with the Gillings School of Global Public Health. The environmental engineering choice in particular could be a great option for those interested in environmental science and health — even from a policy standpoint.

UCLA’S B.A. DEGREE IN MUSIC INDUSTRY

Ready for a career in the music industry but also want to make sure that you’re employed at graduation? You have to check out this new degree program at UCLA, which also builds upon a popular existing minor. It combines the liberal arts, business, and music, and offers a “leadership-focused professional degree which prepares students to transform the creative, entrepreneurial, and executive structures of the music industry.”

How cool — and you’d be in such an amazing location! Not surprisingly, the program even incorporates an internship requirement, so that all students are able to gain real-world experience before they graduate.

OREGON’S B.A./B.S. DEGREE IN CHILD BEHAVIOR HEALTH

If you already know that you want to work with children in a therapeutic or wellness setting, you don’t have to go through a traditional four-year program before heading to graduate school to specialize. The University of Oregon recently introduced a pioneering 2+2 undergraduate program in conjunction with the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health — the first of its kind in the entire country!

Students will gain the “knowledge and skills to improve the behavioral health and wellness of youth … [while learning] to equitably deliver evidence-based interventions to promote wellness and prevent mental health problems from developing or worsening in children and adolescents.”

The first two years of the program will take place at the University of Oregon, where students will pursue core requirements and pre-major coursework. The last two years will take place at the Ballmer Institute, and will involve experiential education and a deep level of specialization closer to what one would expect from a graduate program. By the time students graduate, they will already have achieved over 700 hours of field work in Oregon public schools!

SYRACUSE’s B.S. DEGREE IN ESPORTS COMMUNICATION & MANAGEMENT

I need to write this one down for my 7-year-old son, whose career aspirations involve playing video games on YouTube and getting people to pay to watch him (I wish I was kidding!). In all seriousness, though, gaming is a billion-dollar industry and there are many legitimate career opportunities out there. Two of the most renowned undergraduate schools at Syracuse, the Newhouse School of Public Communications and Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, have now joined forces to create an interdisciplinary program that “connects innovative gaming environments and technology with the sports media industry” and prepares students for careers in the field.

For the parents out there who might be unfamiliar with the terminology, esports does not necessarily mean electronic versions of athletic sports, like playing tennis on the Nintendo Wii. Esports is simply competitive gaming, in all forms.

Students will develop “industry-specific competencies in event management and marketing, broadcasting/production, communications, content creation, entrepreneurship, strategic communications and esports experience and design.” There are three tracks: Esports Business and Management, Esports Communications, and Esports Media and Design, so students can focus their course of study on their individual interests and career goals. We always say to follow your passions, right?!

WEST VIRGINIA’S B.A. DEGREE IN PROFESSIONAL WRITING AND EDITING

Many students assume that English majors primarily focus on writing, but that’s typically not the case at all: almost all traditional undergraduate programs in English revolve around literature. This can be a disappointment for potential English majors — it’s sort of like thinking you’re taking AP Lang and realizing you signed up for AP Lit instead, for context! And the writing-centric programs that do exist are often geared towards technical writers.

This new program at West Virginia University, on the other hand, provides students with the opportunity to spend their undergraduate years focusing on the art of writing itself. Graduates will be prepared to analyze, problem-solve, and write in nearly any industry, with optional specializations in Editing and Publishing, Creative Writing and Narrative Strategies, and Theories of Literacy and Language. No matter which profession they pursue, this type of degree will be an enormous asset! It also involves a required capstone internship, giving students the chance to use their writing skills in the workplace before graduation.

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You might wonder: what’s the benefit of pursuing a brand-new program when others are more established? Well, from a selectivity standpoint, this can be a slightly easier way to get an applicant’s foot in the door, because seats need to be filled and there may be less competition, as the general population may not be aware of the program yet.

For example, our (admittedly non-scientific) anecdotal evidence has shown that business majors at Rice and engineering majors at Wake Forest have had an easier time in the application process in recent years than other candidates. So if you have a profile that otherwise fits the bill, this could be a great path!

But don’t apply for specialized programs like these without some demonstrated interest in the field — admissions committees aren’t stupid, and the president of the high school pre-med club who volunteers at the local hospital every weekend is going to have an uphill battle trying to prove their commitment to the music industry!

Weekly Update: February 6

Happy National School Counseling Week! I spent 10 years as a school-based college counselor, and as I always say, nothing makes me happier than collaborating with my school counselor colleagues.

There are things that school counselors can do for students that independent counselors cannot, and there are things that independent counselors can do for students that school counselors cannot. When families allow school counselors and independent counselors to collaborate together, it’s the best of both worlds and the students benefit SO MUCH!

Here’s a related blog post I wrote a few years ago, which delves into the differences between expectations families should have for school counselors and independent counselors.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE REINSTATES SAT/ACT REQUIREMENT

On Monday morning, Dartmouth College announced that they will require applicants to submit standardized test scores in the upcoming undergraduate admissions cycle. When Dartmouth’s new president, Sian Beilock, started in the summer of 2023, she tapped four sociology and economics professors to complete an internal study on the use of test scores in admissions. In their January 30 memo to President Beilock, the researchers stated several key findings.

First, test scores “are highly predictive” of academic achievement at Dartmouth. Interestingly, they also “predict career success, including high levels of earnings and attendance at elite graduate schools, holding family income constant.” Second, the correlation to academic success is consistent among all demographic groups they studied (regardless of socioeconomic background). Third, they concluded that the test-optional policy currently in place “is likely a barrier to Dartmouth identifying less-advantaged students who would succeed at Dartmouth.” Finally, they conclude that the test-optional policy has not increased the number of less-advantaged applicants in the admission pool.

What is new about this study are these third and fourth points, which assert that the data shows that there were less-advantaged applicants with SAT scores in the 1400 range who did not submit those scores to be considered (the study included data and SAT scores from students who applied test-optional, but whose scores the admissions office was able to see after the admissions process was concluded). Dartmouth historically has admitted disadvantaged students with lower test scores, taking into consideration “students who are excelling in their environment.” The question becomes whether or not schools will seek more socio-economic diversity now that they are unable to use race as a factor in admission decisions, and, therefore, start to require students to submit test scores.

VIRGINIA SENATE PASSES BILL TO BAN LEGACY ADMISSION

The Virginia state legislature has taken the next step toward ending legacy preference in the college admission process. On January 23, 2024, the Virginia Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 46 which will prohibit public colleges and universities from “providing any manner of preferential treatment in the admissions decision to any student applicant on the basis of such student’s legacy status … ” The Virginia House of Delegates unanimously passed House Bill 48 on January 31, 2024. Both bills are now with the Committee of Conference and once they are reconciled into one bill, both houses will vote again. Since both bills were passed unanimously, it is expected that the reconciled bill will also pass and be sent to Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign. Governor Youngkin has indicated that he is likely to sign the bill, which would make Virginia the first state to ban legacy admissions at public colleges and universities. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023, Virginia Tech announced a change in admissions policy to eliminate both legacy status and race from consideration when making admissions decisions. The University of Virginia reported that 15 percent of their students last year were legacy, though that statistic does not clarify how many students received preferential treatment in the admission process.

MORE ISSUES WITH NEW FAFSA IMPLEMENTATION WILL AFFECT TIMING OF FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES

Already plagued by delays in launching the redesigned FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid issued an update and revised timeline for the time needed to process FAFSA submissions. Now, the department will not begin to send students’ information to colleges and universities until the first half of March, an additional six weeks later than initially announced. In prior years, the FAFSA opened on October 1 and could deliver student data to schools in four to six weeks. As a result of the redesign and now the additional delay, most colleges and universities will be delayed in providing applicants with financial aid award packages. Many institutions of higher education require both the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile (administered by the College Board). These schools will be able to calculate “estimated” financial aid packages, but cannot finalize those until they receive the official data from the Federal Student Aid office. A handful of schools have already announced that they will extend the traditional May 1 enrollment deadline for students to make a deposit a the school they intend to attend.

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FACING MAJOR BUDGET CUTS

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to ripple across many aspects of education. This week, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on budget cuts at the University of Connecticut—amounting to an across-the-board 15% budget cut (spread over 5 years) for every school, department, and program. Other public colleges have also seen cuts, which observers attribute to reductions in what had been an influx of Federal money during 2020 to help weather the pandemic storm. In the years since, many public colleges have relied on state legislatures to continue to provide the additional funding. Now legislatures in many states are pushing back—Connecticut, West Virginia, and Arizona, to mention a few—expecting the public colleges to find alternative sources of revenue. Faculty members and administrators say the cuts will have a big effect, perhaps none bigger than the losses of whole departments and graduate programs (including graduate teaching assistants). How this will play out over the coming five years of cuts will be interesting to watch.

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR PROPOSED SWEEPING REORGANIZATION OF 25 STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says the system of state universities and community colleges is broken and has proposed sweeping reforms to fix it. While there are no current plans to close any of the 10 state universities that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and 15 community colleges, the new plan will bring oversight under a single governing body, while allowing each to remain independent. These schools have faced significant enrollment declines and are bracing for more projected drops due to demographic changes. Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln University, and Temple University each receive some state funding, but are not owned by the state and will not be affected by the changes in governance.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

In the article “Why Campus Life Fell Apart,” The Chronicle of Higher Education takes a look at how the Covid-19 pandemic affected student engagement on college campuses. Past studies and analyses have found that student engagement directly impacts student success in college. When students are unable to participate in clubs, organizations, and campus activities, they do not develop the teamwork, leadership, and project management skills necessary to keep student-led extracurriculars running from year to year. Students need these clubs and organizations to make connections with other students and build a sense of community and shared purpose. Because student leadership changes yearly and many clubs and organizations did not meet for multiple years, schools need to be more involved in providing leadership training and rebuilding institutional knowledge to revive clubs and organizations and re-engage students.

While the previous article looked at the interpersonal and communication skills lost by students during the pandemic, The New York Times published the results of a national study of elementary and middle-school students’ learning loss in math and reading between 2019-2023. Overall, students have made up approximately a third of what they lost in mathematics during the pandemic while regaining a quarter of what they lost in reading, according to researchers from Stanford University, Harvard University, and Dartmouth College. This extensive study looks at cumulative learning loss across states and the country, but also presents data by school district which clearly identifies significant disparities from district to district. (This tool allows you to look at math scores by district from 2019 through 2023.) In last week’s blog post, we detailed the efforts Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Loudoun Counties are making to address learning loss for students in grades three through eight.

In his Forbes blog on college admissions, Brennan Barnard has asked college deans and directors of admission for their advice for students as they start the college admission process. They responded: start with self-reflection; assess your interests and strengths; explore your options by visiting local schools and accessing virtual opportunities to get to know schools; and remember that this is your journey. The deans and directors also had advice for families, especially parents: guide your student, but allow them to take ownership of the process; find the balance between encouraging your student’s self-discovery and learning and doing it for them; have an open discussion about finances and college choices; and remember to keep your student and their happiness at the forefront of the process. We agree! This is all advice we also share with students and families as we help them navigate the journey.

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed a change in how students are billed for textbooks and course materials in college. Under President Obama’s policy, colleges were allowed to include the cost of books and materials in their tuition and fees. In doing so, they were able to work directly with publishers to negotiate lower prices. Critics of the policy say that this prohibits students from finding materials and resources at lower costs. Some students like the convenience of the costs included in tuition and fees, while others say they are required to buy textbooks or materials that are seldom used in the course.

Virginia’s Attorney General has filed suit against the NCAA, alleging that the association which oversees college athletics does not have the authority to block colleges donors/boosters from enticing athletic recruits through compensation. The attorney general joins his Tennessee counterpart in asking a judge to block the NCAA rule restricting competition under the NIL, the name-image-likeness rule, which allows amateur athletes to be compensated for any use of their name-image-likeness, arguing that the rule limits competition.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow foretelling an early spring. With the nicer weather, February is a great time to visit college campuses. Whether you are considering the specific school or taking advantage of the range of schools in our area, nothing can replace an in-person tour. And as we always say — even if you don’t think your student is particularly interested in any of the schools in the DC area, these easy local visits can still be so helpful when it comes to differentiating preferences. For example, if you recognize that GW is too urban, you can very easily save yourself the trip to BU and NYU!

Some schools offer upcoming special programs for juniors, while others offer individual or group tours:

American University—February 19 Winter Preview Day

Catholic University—February 17 Cardinal Preview Day 

George Mason University—March 25 Junior Visit Day and March 1 College of Engineering and Computing Junior Visit Day

George Washington University—Schedule an In-Person Foggy Bottom Campus Tour and consider adding Discover the Arts at GW or GW Engineering In-Person Tour. 

Howard University—Schedule an Information Session & Campus Tour

University of Maryland—February 19, Discover Maryland

Have a great week!

IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM, CHECK OUT our january updates!

Weekly Update: January 30

Welcome to our last post of January - although it is hard to believe it is the end of January, with recent temperatures in the mid-70s!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS TOP 40,000

JMU received a total of 40,232 undergraduate applications for the class of 2028, an increase of 78% over the 22,603 applications they received in 2021. Melinda Wood, JMU’s associate vice president for access and enrollment management and director of admissions, attributes the increase to ongoing efforts on several fronts, including increased national exposure as JMU’s athletic teams have continued to excel. After all the controversy we wrote about last fall, the JMU football team ultimately did compete in their first bowl game against the Air Force Academy this past December.

NEW BILL INTRODUCED IN MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATURE TO GUARANTEE ADMISSION TO STUDENTS IN TOP 10 PERCENT OF CLASS

Maryland Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine has introduced Senate Bill 5, which would require specific state colleges and universities to accept students in the top 10 percent of their class at Maryland public and private schools. The 10 included institutions include the University System of Maryland–UMD Baltimore; UMD College Park; UMBC; UMD Eastern Shore; UMD Global Campus; Bowie State University; Coppin State University; Frostburg State University; Salisbury University; Towson University; and the University of Baltimore. Morgan State University and St. Mary’s College of Maryland, which are public schools that are not part of the University System of Maryland, would also be required to implement the plan. Virginia and Tennessee are among the states that have recently implemented similar policies at certain universities.

HOW SUPREME COURT DECISION, FREE TUITION, AND POLICY CAPPING OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS AT UNC-CHAPEL HILL AFFECTED APPLICATION NUMBERS

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I got this from one of our seniors while I was eating lunch on Saturday and it just made my day :)

In 2023, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was at the center of a Supreme Court decision that limited the ways in which colleges and universities can consider race in admission decisions. Many predicted the landmark decision would have a direct, negative impact on applications for the class of 2028. In response, former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz implemented several new initiatives that include providing North Carolina undergraduate students whose families make less than $80,000 per year free tuition. At the same time, the university hired additional admissions team members to recruit in “under-resourced” areas of North Carolina. Early numbers indicate that those initiatives have had an impact as Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts announced last week that applications are up 15% over applications received by the same date in 2023. UNC-Chapel Hill has received approximately 67,000 applications in 2024 in contrast to approximately 58,000 at the same time last year. Despite all of this, our students actually done pretty well - with multiple EA acceptances that came out a few days ago.

CANADA ANNOUNCES CAP ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Last week, Canadian officials announced a new two-year cap on the number of student permits issued to incoming international students. The initiative seeks to address severe housing shortages across provinces. In 2023, Canada approved almost 1 million study permits for international students, however, under the new policy, there will be a 35 % reduction, or approximately 350,000 fewer study permits. At the same time, the policy will also limit the number of work permits approved for foreign students after graduation from a Canadian institution. Popular university options for U.S. students include the University of Toronto (U of T), McGill University, and the University of British Columbia (UBC) as they offer excellent undergraduate educations at a lower cost than many private and public universities in the U.S.

A pre-Covid visit to LMU with some of my favorite colleagues - love that California sun in November!

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY CUTS SIX NCAA DIVISION I SPORTS

Loyola Marymount University (LMU) announced plans to cut six NCAA Division I sports at the end of the 2023-2024 seasons in an effort to maintain equal access and opportunities for athletes. The sports announced include men’s and women’s rowing, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s swimming, and men’s cross country. LMU’s more than 400 student-athletes are the highest among the West Coast Conference member schools’ athletic programs. The decision to reduce the number of teams allows LMU to redirect its funding to its other DI teams. LMU is assisting students affected by the decision in a number of ways, including continuing to honor students’ athletic scholarships and financial aid, and supporting students who want to transfer to another school to continue to play their sport in college.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS REPORT SHOWS 968 PERCENT INCREASE IN UNDERGRADUATE DATA SCIENCE DEGREES

The results are in and the number of undergraduate degrees awarded in data science jumped from 84 in 2020 to 897 in 2022. Wow! The report released by the National Center for Education Statistics also included an increase in degrees awarded in data analytics from 325 in 2020 to 767 in 2022. The Department of Labor projects that jobs for data scientists will increase by 36 percent over the next 10 years. Majors in data science, data analytics, and statistics are all increasing in popularity, particularly as students can combine them with other areas they are passionate about. Interestingly, in a study released by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), “data science has a higher concentration of female students than comparable majors, such as computer science and cybersecurity.”

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

The New York Times reporter Bernard Mokam, shared his reflections on changes in the college essay since writing his own 10 years ago. Mokam, a former admissions essay coach himself, wrote on how the college essay and what students choose to write about has changed in light of the Supreme Court decision on the use of race in college admission decisions last June. His research for his article and the conversations he has had with students inspired Mokam to reflect on his own college essay and ask himself, as a Black American attending a boarding school in Massachusetts, if he would have made any changes. While he admits that there is no way to know what he might have changed, he does acknowledge that through the process of self-reflection, writing, and editing the college essay, students learn about their values and themselves.

As has been well-documented, colleges are coping with a mental health crisis among students, faculty, and staff. The New York Times Magazine took an in-depth look into the series of suicides in 2021 on the small, New England campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The article takes readers through the events and the response of the school’s administration and faculty. The lessons WPI and its leaders learned are a starting point for other colleges and universities as they assess their mental health resources and emergency procedures. Charlie Morse, the former director of counseling, hopes that the choice to be open, honest, and transparent with all of the members of the WPI community can serve as a framework for best practices for other educational institutions that are faced with such a crisis. 

In past blog posts throughout December and January, we have followed the redesign and launch of the new FAFSA, the application all students must complete in order to receive federal financial aid. NPR’s “All Things Considered” reports that the U.S. Department of Education has confirmed they will fix the error in the formula used to calculate a student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) which we covered on December 12 (the Department of Education neglected to account for inflation in the new formula used to calculate the SAI). (To understand how the SAI is calculated and/or estimate your own eligibility, go to the Federal Student Aid Estimator.) The failure to adjust for inflation results in a lower “income protection allowance” and, in turn, leads to students qualifying for less aid. NPR reports that the mistake could underfund students by $1.8 billion in federal student aid. Unfortunately, the Department of Education has not given a timeline to fix this error, further delaying the release of data to colleges and universities, and, therefore, financial aid packages for applicants.

The board of governors of Florida’s state university system ruled last week to remove sociology as a course students could take to fulfill their core curriculum requirements. It will now be replaced with a “factual history course.” According to The New York Times article, the new course will cover “America’s founding, the horrors of slavery, the resulting Civil War and the Reconstruction era.” This is the latest change enacted by the board in response to Governor Ron DeSantis’s Individual Freedom Act, more commonly known as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, which was passed in April 2022. 

Once again, this week’s uplifting story comes from a marching band – The Mighty Sound of Maryland of the University of Maryland, College Park. When Alejandro Marroquin answered the door Sunday morning, he never expected to see someone dressed in a turtle costume and members of the UMD marching band standing in his front yard. James Massey, Jr., UMD Director of Undergraduate Admissions, handed Alejandro a letter while saying, “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted to the University of Maryland, College Park.” Alejandro’s parents were in on the surprise, having been contacted a few days prior by the office of admissions to arrange to deliver the good news in-person. Alejandro quickly joined the band to show off some of his percussion skills. Alejandro will be the first in his immediate family to attend college; he plans to major in Cinema and Media Studies and play percussion in the band at UMD.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

This week we’ve seen the release of early action decisions from a number of large, state flagship universities, including the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin, the University of North Carolina and the University of Maryland, as well as a number of private institutions such as the University of Richmond and the University of Miami. We are continuing our work with seniors who were deferred by their early decision or early action schools to craft their letters of continued interest (LOCI). If you are a current client, we encourage you to book a meeting with us to discuss your decisions received and advise you in writing your LOCIs. 

If you are a student who is not working with us, follow up with your school counselor about your deferral and take a look at our past blog post about drafting your letter of continued interest.

And as I shared on social media over the weekend, our team participated in a training session over the weekend to get ready for Common Application® essay season!

We expect prompts for this main personal statement - the essay that students will send to each of their schools - to be released in February for the high school Class of 2025. We’re excited to jump right in and help our juniors navigate this important milestone in the admissions process!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Take a look at all of our january updates!

Weekly Update: January 25

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

VIRGINIA SENATE VOTES TO BAN LEGACY PREFERENCE IN ADMISSIONS

Virginia Tech got rid of legacy last summer, and it looks like we’re about to see the other Virginia schools follow suit. Here’s my unpopular opinion of the day: I am really bummed and disappointed about this. And I say that as someone who did not have the benefit of legacy preference to any schools I wanted to go to, when I applied to college - so I have no personal skin in the game here. But after so many years hearing incredibly heartfelt stories from students who have grown up watching basketball games with their parents in the JPJ for the previous 18 years or similar - these people live and breathe for their schools. I could share so many fun stories I’ve heard over the years - college-themed Christmas trees, family pets named after coaches, and more! Why shouldn’t those kids, who are already loyal members of a community, be able to get some preference to strengthen and formalize their role in that community? I assure you that unqualified legacies are not being admitted to these places anyway, so it just feels very unfair to me. My guess is that the average person on the street - or average lawmaker - does not realize that legacies still have to be exceptionally qualified applicants in order to get in under the current climate.

FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HOST ANNUAL GAP YEAR FAIR

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, FCPS School Counseling Services is partnering with Go Overseas to host the 2024 Gap Year Fair at Marshall High School (inclement weather plan: Thursday, February 1, 2024, 6-8:30 pm). A gap year is a break in schools between completing high school and beginning college which is typically a year-long break. The program begins at 6:00 pm with Gap Year 101, where an expert gap year counselor will present a general overview and then open up to questions. The fair itself begins at 7:00 pm. Students and families will be able to speak with gap year program providers, trip leaders, advisors, and gap year alumni and explore programs ranging from outdoor and experiential opportunities to travel and language immersion to community service and internships. Students should register using this link.

AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET CAN TEACH PERSISTENCE

The most recent “Teaching” newsletter in the Chronicle of Higher Education discusses a recent study that took a look at how an entrepreneurial mindset can help students who experience challenges, setbacks, or negative emotions to persevere through rather than disengage. Eliana Crosina, an assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College in Massachusetts and her team document four ways in which professors can support students and teach them to persist. One of those actions suggests professors work with their colleagues to create a community to support both students and faculty. The newsletter’s author also brought into the discussion the dichotomy between a movement to deemphasize grades known as “ungrading” and the traditional classroom, in which students receive a final grade for the course.

SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL TO BLACK MALE COLLEGE COMPLETION

Katelynn Jarrells’ article “Building Belonging to Benefit Black Male Students” focuses on advice for college faculty and staff in addressing the significant drop in the rate of black male students who complete a bachelor’s degree. Research demonstrates that efforts to create a sense of belonging are more effective in supporting black males to degree completion than an emphasis on individualism has been. Virginia Commonwealth University’s success with their Men of Color Initiative is a model for other institutions of higher education in ways to help students feel connected to a community. This article argues that DEI training (diversity, equity, and inclusion) is inadequate and calls on colleges and universities to refocus on building community and engaging diverse students.

DIRECT-ADMISSION PROGRAMS ON THE RISE

Direct-admission programs have increased significantly over the past three years. State legislation in Idaho, Minnesota, and Georgia guarantees admission to specific state colleges or universities to students who meet specific criteria. A new collaboration between the Common Application and Niche, a college search website, allows students to input their information into an account, and participating colleges - including George Mason University, locally - can view and respond with an offer of admission for students who meet their criteria.

COLLEGES INVOLVED IN FINANCIAL AID ANTITRUST LAWSUIT CONTINUE TO SETTLE

An antitrust lawsuit filed in January 2022 accused 17 colleges and universities of acting as “a price-fixing cartel” when they collaborated on financial aid formulas. The lawsuit contends that the 17 schools violated the terms of the federal antitrust exemption that prohibited them from taking a family’s ability to pay into account when making admission decisions. University of Chicago was the first defendant to reach a settlement in August 2023, while Emory, Rice, and Vanderbilt followed in September, October, and November respectively. Brown, Columbia, Duke, and Yale settled earlier this week.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

A study released this week reports that 86 percent of college and university faculty and staff support implementing new learning models which focus on skills and competencies. The survey also assessed the use of “comprehensive learning records” (CLRs) to document students’ mastery of these skills or competencies. More community and technical colleges are taking the lead on the shift to map learning to the skills employers are looking for in their employees. 

The cost of college has been in the news frequently over the past month. The New York Times article, “Why Is Paying for College So Complicated?” provides an overview and history of the financial aid system in American colleges and universities. Ron Lieber, the author, provides insight into the rise of merit aid and federal and state grants, savings, and loan programs. In our January 16 Weekly Update we shared an article about the College Cost Reduction Act introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives, and in our January 5 Weekly Update, we included an article about the launch of the redesigned FAFSA, which has been plagued by delays and other issues. Last week, a different New York Times article chronicled the choices recent college dropouts have faced and why some young people are questioning whether or not a degree from an expensive school is worth the debt.

Financial concerns are not just affecting high school and college students, but also having an impact on higher education institutions across this country. The University of Redlands in southern California west of Los Angeles announced its third merger with a floundering school—nearby Woodbury University located in Burbank, just north of LA. In 2019, Redlands merged with San Francisco Theological Seminary, and, in 2022, they began the merger process with the Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. In 2023 alone, 15 colleges and universities closed, merged with another school, or were acquired by other schools. 

Amid renewed controversy over the role of the SAT and ACT in college admissions, the Commonwealth of Virginia has initiated funding for tutoring for students in grades three through eight who performed poorly on the reading and/or math SOLs (Standards of Learning). An article in The Washington Post details the plans to implement the requirements of ALL In VA, the education plan announced by Governor Youngkin in September in response to learning loss as a result of the pandemic. Tutoring efforts have begun in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Loudoun counties. Each district has the authority to determine who is eligible for the tutoring, how the tutoring will be implemented, and how families will be notified. 

And in the feel-good story of the month, the Oakton High School marching band learned that they were the winners of the high school small band division of the first ever “For Whom the Band Tolls!” competition, in which marching bands were challenged to create performances using the songs and sounds of Metallica. Over 450 high schools and colleges entered the competition in one of five divisions, and the marching band will receive a customized package of musical equipment with a value of $15,000. Performances by each of the winning bands, including the Oakton High School Marching Cougars, can be viewed on YouTube. Congratulations, Cougars!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Do you want to build a snowman? Across the northern Virginia, DC, Maryland region, students enjoyed two snow days last week! Sally’s 9th grade daughter and her friends found enough snow to build a little snowman. Whether it was sleeping in, reading a book, playing outside, or enjoying some family games, we hope our students and their families were able to enjoy the days off.

In other news, we are busy gearing up for a meeting with all of our essay coaches this weekend to get ready for the upcoming 2024-2025 Common Application (R) essay prompt release! It will be nice to have our entire team together, albeit virtually!

check out our most recent weekly updates in case you missed any!

Weekly Update: January 16

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM EASES REQUIREMENTS FOR JEWISH STUDENTS SEEKING TRANSFER DUE TO ANTISEMITIC FEARS

Florida State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues issued an emergency order this week for the state system to “remove barriers for undergraduate students who are seeking to transfer to a Florida university because of a well-founded fear of antisemitic or other religious discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or violence.” Rodrigues' action came after Florida Governor (and Republican presidential candidate) Ron DeSantis said in his annual State of the State that Jewish students would find Florida welcoming them “with open arms.”

NEW BILL INTRODUCED TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE CHANGES TO FEDERAL GRANTS AND LOANS FOR STUDENTS

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a bill intended to make major changes to how students pay for college. The “College Cost Reduction Act” includes a variety of changes to student loans, capping how much a student can borrow, making colleges potentially responsible for unpaid loans, and reforming the Pell Grant program (doubling it for many juniors and seniors), among other things. Some of the changes have bipartisan support, including Pell Grant reform, but it’s not clear yet how much support the full bill will attract.

EMORY UNIVERSITY’S FACULTY SENATE SEEKS ANSWERS AFTER INVESTIGATION INTO USE OF ATLANTA POLICE IN PEACEFUL STUDENT PROTEST

Wading into the recent conversation on many campuses about freedom of speech and assembly, this week The Chronicle of Higher Education examines a campus incident and subsequent university actions from last year. Students at Emory University staged a demonstration in April to bring attention to their concerns about the Atlanta Police Department and a new training facility it plans to build. The students organized the peaceful protest on the University Quad, but when some students decided to camp out overnight, the Open Expression Observer (a trained faculty or staff member acting on behalf of the dean of campus life) alerted the students that they needed to disperse or possibly face conduct violations and be forcibly removed by campus police. Sometime after midnight, the observer contacted the campus police, who in turn called the Atlanta Police, and dozens of officers from both departments dispersed the protest. Now, the school’s faculty and students want the university to explain itself.

UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND RECEIVES $100 MILLION GIFT TO SUPPORT POOLED ENDOWMENT FOR HBCUS

Thirty-seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) got good news as the new year began. The United Negro College Fund is engaged in a $1 billion capital campaign that is to include at least $370 million for HBCU endowments. The Lilly Endowment Inc., a “private philanthropic foundation supporting the causes of religion, education and community development,” put a big dent in that goal with a $100 million gift toward that $370 million goal. According to Inside Higher Ed, the average HBCU endowment is only about $16 million, so an additional $10 million from the UNCF for each school would be truly meaningful. (For comparison, William and Mary’s endowment is almost $1.4 billion.)

SUNY CHANCELLOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPLAUD NY GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED GUARANTEED ADMISSION INITIATIVE

In New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address on January 9, 2024, she announced her plan to offer direct admission to students in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes to State University of New York and City University of New York schools. In a statement released by the Chancellor and Board, “As we have seen in other states, this plan will advance equity while helping to retain our most talented students.” In addition, the governor is proposing legislation which will require every public school district to ensure all high school graduates complete the FAFSA or the NY State DREAM Act Application or sign a waiver attesting that they were made aware of the financial aid opportunities, but chose not to apply.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision last June, James Murray Jr., a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky, argues that the end of race-based considerations in college admissions opens a door for reparations for the descendants of enslaved people in the form of educational consideration and tuition remission. Citing a variety of legal scholars—as well as questions from conservative Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during oral arguments—Murray suggests that a person’s specific genealogical lineage should be examined, not that person’s racial makeup per se, to determine preferences and financial assistance up to full tuition. 

Arena BioWorks is a Cambridge, Massachusetts, startup company with interests in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. On the face of it, there’s nothing unusual about that, but when The New York Times refers to company researchers as “a splinter group of scientists,” you can bet this is no ordinary startup. With half a billion dollars on hand, Arena BioWorks isn’t just filling its coffers with money—it’s luring academic researchers away from tenured and high-visibility jobs at prestigious universities. Paydays for some of these rock-star scientists are reputedly in the range of $10 million, not to mention the freedom to explore their areas of interest with a lot less bureaucracy than in a university setting. A single, deep-pocketed research company (funded by Michael Dell of Dell Computers and Boston Celtics owner Stephen Pagliuca, among others) probably isn’t going to blow up university research by itself. But it’s a sign that times are changing in biotech and colleges and universities probably need to start thinking differently about how they approach the care and feeding of science students and faculty, as well as their output. 

At the input end of things, Forbes blogger Brennan Barnard says students should start thinking differently about how they approach the college admission process. Calling on high schools students to “revolt against the idea that admission is a zero-sum game” and “resist the impulse to approach your studies as simply a means to an end”—maybe harder to do now, knowing there’s a $10 million biotech payday out there—he urges students not to let the prospect of admission to a given school or a given major dictate what courses and academic risks they take. He goes on to call for a measured approach (like the one we urge students to take) to things like testing and rankings. In short: “Revolt against a single definition of success and the notion that being admitted to any one college will guarantee contentment or thriving.”

As if to prove the value of Barnard’s advice, in his newsletter writer Jeff Selingo shares some “where are they now” type reporting about three students he followed through the admission process in his book “Who Gets In, and Why.” All members of their different schools’ classes of 2019, Grace (accepted at UCLA), Nicole (Northeastern University), and Chris (Gettysburg College) have followed a variety of paths since graduation. Love this!

The students’ stories show in vivid color that the acceptance and rejection letters are only the first steps in the next part of the story and that the costs (financial, emotional, and personal) of “success” in the process accumulate long after a high school senior crosses a stage to become a graduate. The stories he told in the book and the stories he tells now are worth reading, because there’s something in them for just about anyone applying to college today.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As we approach the midpoint of the school year, our students are busy with midterm or final exams and papers, but juniors are making time for their first round of check-in meetings to make sure they are on track! Once the second semester begins, we recommend students and families begin to plan for college visits or revisits in February, March, and April.

Of course, college visit planning will look different depending on the students’ class years. Juniors should be researching colleges, attending virtual visits and information sessions, and beginning to make plans to take advantage of school breaks, long weekends, and in-service days for on-campus trips. As seniors receive admission decisions, they should make note of programming that schools are offering for accepted students and look ahead to March and April to get some visits on the calendar, especially if they have not yet been able to visit a school in person yet. Remember: it is not a good idea to commit to a school that you’ve never seen in real life!

And on a lighter note, who else has been watching RushTok this week? Panhellenic (sorority) recruitment has just finished up at so many schools, including Northwestern, Tulane, Villanova, Virginia Tech and fan favorite SMU, and some of us (cough) have been tuning in for all those #OOTDs. I just finished a meeting with a junior who knew more about each chapter’s reputation on the various campuses than some of the girls who attend the actual schools probably do—I was very impressed with her research :)

While you can learn a lot about a school’s culture through these videos, remember that you’re seeing content created for entertainment purposes - and some of these girls are professional content creators! So the stories they tell are not necessarily reflective of the typical student experience at each of the schools. Still, there’s no denying the amount of Cartier jewelry on the SMU campus— that’s for sure!

INTERESTED IN MORE TIPS ON COLLEGE VISITS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS

Trends and Themes: January 2024

January is always a good time to reflect on the trends and themes of the most recent application cycle and look ahead to what’s coming in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. As chair of the Committee on Current Trends and Future Issues of PCACAC (Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling), Sally and the committee have been keeping track of the following trends:

ChatGPT made a splash in 2022 and since then more generative artificial intelligence programs have been released. Throughout 2023, many people in college admissions questioned how these chatbots would impact the college admission essay and supplements and how institutions would respond. Some schools have instituted new policies to address this issue; for example, the University of California system includes a Statement of Application Integrity in which they state that the “UC conducts regular screenings to verify the integrity of the responses” and “may request authentication of the content or writing as the student’s.” Our March 1 blog post, Rejected! How ChatGPT Destroys the College Admissions Essay, offers an in-depth look at the risks of using AI chatbots to write college essays.

The Supreme Court decision on race consideration in college admission released at the end of June 2023 had a significant impact on the way that colleges are reading applications this cycle and changing their internal processes. Many schools changed their supplemental essays in order to comply with the ruling, including the University of Virginia. Their new prompt asks students: “What about your individual background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at UVA?” Other schools added on more essays.

In December 2020, Congress passed legislation requiring the Department of Education to update and simplify the FAFSA (the application which determines eligibility for federal student aid) by December 31, 2023. The Department of Education has begun a “soft launch” of the redesigned FAFSA and students and families can begin to complete their applications. We have yet to see the impact of the changes in the formula the government uses to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI). One of the more significant changes is the removal of the number of children a family has attending institutions of higher education in a given year. 

Changes relating to standardized testing have continued to emerge as a trend. While many schools saw an increase in applications and an increase in applications from historically underserved populations, other schools have decided to return to requiring either the SAT or the ACT. Two great examples are CalTech and MIT. Based on data from their internal review, CalTech has extended their moratorium on standardized test scores through the fall of 2025 and will no longer consider test scores in the admissions process. Conversely, MIT’s internal research demonstrated the need for test scores to be used in conjunction with a holistic review, to properly assess an applicant's preparedness to succeed given MIT’s curriculum. MIT requires students to complete a minimum of two semesters of calculus and two semesters of calculus-based physics regardless of their major. 

In addition to institutional policies based on internal research, the 2023-2024 admission cycle saw an increase in some state schools returning to requiring standardized test scores or considering test scores in specific cases such as below a certain GPA or for consideration for scholarships. For example, the University System of Georgia announced that they would continue the temporary test score waiver for schools not including the University of Georgia, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia College & State University. 

The increase in both state and federal government oversight and involvement grew over the past year to include: a congressional hearing on antisemitism on the campuses of Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania; Department of Education investigations in response to alleged incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia; the North Carolina state legislature appointing board of directors; and proposed federal legislation introduced by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to ban legacy admissions. We anticipate that such oversight and proposed changes will continue through 2024 and will keep our readers abreast of any changes and their impact on students in the college application process.

Finally, the mental health of college students remains a priority for institutions across the country. Many schools are in the process of increasing access and resources for students who are struggling with issues ranging from anxiety and depression through substance abuse education and addiction counseling.

Weekly Update: January 9

It’s been a week since winter break ended and everyone is back to the grind!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

GWU SETTLES COVID-19 LAWSUIT FOR $5.4 MILLION

This week, a district judge in Washington, DC approved a settlement between The George Washington University and the four students who filed suit against the university. The students alleged that GW broke their enrollment contract following the switch to online education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While similar lawsuits have been filed against colleges and universities across the country, many have been dismissed only to be reversed on appeal. Other universities have reached similar settlements and/or provided refunds of room, board, and fees to students impacted by the change to distance learning.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES WEST POINT CAN CONTINUE TO CONSIDER RACE IN ADMISSIONS

Students for Fair Admissions, the group whose lawsuits against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina led to the Supreme Court’s ruling about race in college admission decisions last June, filed a petition with the court in September to prohibit the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from considering race in its admissions decisions. The Supreme Court specifically excluded U.S. service academies from the June ruling. The U.S. District Court judge in New York wrote in his opinion that “a full factual record is vital to answering this critical question” and that an injunction at this time would require West Point to change their admissions process in the middle of a cycle. A federal judge in Maryland issued a similar ruling in mid-December allowing the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis to continue to include race in making admission decisions. However, this is likely not the end of the court’s involvement in either case, as they now both continue to move forward through the court process.

MIT PRESIDENT SENDS MESSAGE TO COMMUNITY WITH PLANS TO ADDRESS DISCORD ON CAMPUS

Sally Kornbluth, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of three university presidents to testify before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, sent a message to the MIT community that included four steps to address what she has identified as “challenges” in the community that need to be “solved.” Claudine Gay, the former president of Harvard University, and Elizabeth Magill, the former president of the University of Pennsylvania, each faced significant backlash and criticism following their appearance before the committee and have since resigned their positions. Dr. Kornbluth not only outlined these four steps in her letter, but also delineated current ongoing initiatives in which the community can participate as they work to rebuild trust, educate community members about antisemitism and Islamophobia, and “address conflict on [their] campus.”

UCLA PURCHASES NEARBY MALL TO CONVERT INTO SCIENCE INNOVATION CENTER

UCLA has purchased a closed indoor mall two miles from its campus, which will be transformed into a biomedical research facility to be named the UCLA Research Park. The site “will house two multidisciplinary centers focusing on immunology and immunotherapy as well as quantum science and engineering.” With little room to expand its Los Angeles campus, this is UCLA’s third acquisition in the past two years – the first was the purchase of “the Art Deco-style Trust Building”, which was renamed UCLA Downtown; the second was the purchase of Marymount California University’s 24.5-acre campus and their 11-acre residential campus in San Pedro, approximately 30 miles from UCLA’s main campus.

UC BERKELEY TAKES STEPS OVERNIGHT TO BUILD WALL AROUND THE PEOPLE’S PARK

In 2018, UC Berkeley developed plans to build a large residence hall on a property known as the People’s Park, which was taken by the university through eminent domain in 1969 and has been held up in litigation ever since, after city of Berkeley residents began occupying it in 1970. In the early morning hours of January 4, however, law enforcement officers from the UC and Cal State police, the California Highway Patrol, and other area sheriffs’ departments helped UC Berkeley clear the park of protesters and erected a fence made of double stacked cargo containers. However, the university cannot begin construction of the 1,100-bed residence hall until the California Supreme Court determines that UC Berkeley has completed the requisite environmental reviews.

RECENT STUDIES SHOW ADMISSIONS SCATTERGRAMS DISCOURAGE STUDENTS FROM APPLYING TO MOST SELECTIVE COLLEGES

Many high schools use college counseling programs, such as Naviance, Scoir, and MaiaLearning, that include the use of scattergrams. These are visual representations which plot application outcomes on graphs with GPA and standardized test scores of past applicants from that high school, without sharing identifying information of the applicants. Two recent studies contend that students who view the scattergrams are discouraged from applying to the “most competitive schools, such as Harvard and Stanford.” At the same time, after viewing scattergrams, students with lower GPAs and/or standardized test scores are more likely to apply to four-year colleges and are encouraged by the statistics to aim higher than they had previously believed possible.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

For a number of years, college application statistics, undergraduate enrollment numbers, and six-year graduation rates have indicated a decline in male enrollment and completion of undergraduate degrees is declining. Inside Higher Ed published an opinion piece by Joe Henry, Dean of Students at King’s University College at Western University in Ontario, Canada, in which Henry shines a light on this gender gap in both Canadian and US colleges and universities. He calls on professionals in both admissions and student affairs to address this gap, starting with understanding the data available and recommending that better data should be collected in order to provide support and interventions to increase student success. 

The New York Times article, The Misguided War on the SAT, brings to light recent research into the value of SAT scores, and more generally standardized test scores including the SAT and ACT, and their ability to predict student success in college and beyond. While many highly selective colleges and universities have instituted test-optional policies, the research indicates that test scores are better predictors than high school grade point averages. In their study of “Ivy Plus” colleges, the authors of the study looked at multiple measures of student success, including whether students were accepted into “elite graduate schools” or were “working at a prestigious firm.”

In a related article, The New York Times explained the “science of reading” movement that is at the heart of reforming how reading is taught in K-12 education and how colleges and universities are preparing educators. One of the hopes of supporters of the movement is that this redesign will raise the reading test scores of students across the country. In 2022 the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Literacy Act requiring all Virginia public schools to align their reading curriculum with science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction.

While the debate about the efficacy of using standardized test scores in college admissions continues, students and admissions professionals alike are grappling with understanding and adapting to the Supreme Court’s ruling in late June 2023 regarding the use of race in college admissions. In Friday’s “The Daily” podcast from The New York Times, producer Jessica Cheung interviews those on both sides of the admissions process, specifically focusing on students’ disclosure of their racial identity through their activities and essays. In the 237-page decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote a key passage that Ms. Cheung summarized as meaning “the student must be treated on the basis of his or her experiences as an individual, not on the basis of race.” As she researched the impact on the Class of 2024, she noticed a trend of new supplemental essays which include prompts that ask applicants to “talk about lived experiences and how you could uniquely contribute to their campus.” In our blogs, Questions on the Affirmative Action Decision – Answered! and Weekly Update: August 7, we wrote about these exact changes and their impact on our students.

Finally, The Learning Network asked students and educators to answer the following question in any medium they chose: “What can you show or tell us that might help explain what it’s like to be an educator or a student in a secondary school right now?” In the article “What High School Is Like in 2023: The Winners of Our Multimedia Challenge,” The New York Times shares the responses of the 25 winners. From essays and poems to videos, pictures, and even interactive media, see their submissions and artists’ statements as they attempt to explain high school in 2023.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It’s one of our busiest times of year - course selection season! We’re helping students all the way from middle school through junior year in high school choose the right classes to take next year. There are so many nuances and implications to consider, from keeping doors open in the future, demonstrating interest in a particular field, and showing the desire to challenge oneself. Check out some of our published guidance on middle school course selection and high school course selection, or book a one-time strategy session for targeted strategic advice based on your student’s interests and background.

As we approach mid-January and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 15, we remind you that our office will be closed for the day. Enjoy your long weekend!

Stay up-to-date with our recent weekly updates!

Weekly Update: January 5

Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed the time off from school and the opportunity to catch up on sleep, TV shows, or favorite blogs! 

My kids and I went to Newport Beach, CA for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It was nice to get away and the area is fantastic. Now I understand why Chapman has emerged as a favorite (especially for film students) over the last few years! I also really love UC Irvine and had the same impression I had when I saw it a few years back - that more East Coast students should consider it as an excellent alternative to UCLA, UC San Diego, and USC!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RESIGNS

In an unexpected move, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned on Tuesday, January 2 after weeks of backlash following her appearance before a congressional committee looking into antisemitism and questions regarding plagiarism including six new charges. On December 31, two members of The Harvard Crimson Editorial Board penned an editorial – Dissent: For Harvard’s Sake, It’s Time to Let Gay Go – in which they stated that “the continuation of Gay’s tenure as president only hurts the University.”

SIMPLIFIED FAFSA LAUNCHED

The Department of Federal Student Aid (FSA) launched the redesigned FAFSA this past week. Students and parents are now able to access the 2024-2025 FAFSA during what the department is calling a “soft launch period.” However, reactions to the new FAFSA and website have been anything but positive. Students and parents should expect “maintenance pauses” during which the FAFSA may not be accessed and users are directed to try back at a later time. Also new, when logging in, students and parents may be placed in a “waiting room” to help optimize website volume. The department will begin to process FAFSA forms in mid- to late-January. If you are applying for financial aid, be sure to check each of your college’s financial aid websites for their deadlines and any additional forms required such as the CSS/Profile, uploaded documents (tax returns, etc.), and school-specific forms. We encourage families who need to submit to not give up on the new seemingly problematic process and continue to try and submit their FAFSA. Consider registering for one of the FAFSA Completion Events or Line-by-Line Events held by College Access Fairfax. These are incredibly helpful and FREE!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies are playing one another in Houston on Monday evening, and it seems like those in the know (in other words.. not me!) are putting their money on Michigan! I’ll be rooting for Washington, because Michigan is already impossible to get into and the absolute last thing we need is a national championship win!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Each year The New York Times publishes a selection of student essays “about money, work, social class, and other related topics.” These essays are great examples of how to take an enormous topic like money and write a piece that conveys what is unique about each student, while telling a story about who the student is and what is important to them.

Derek Thompson of The Atlantic raises an interesting and poignant question in a recent article, “How Anxiety Became Content.” Has the shift in how anxiety and other mental health diagnoses are discussed in the media and in social media taken a once taboo topic and popularized it? And if so, is this shift creating a feedback loop for those with anxiety? In his article, Thompson explores these themes with a clinical psychologist at USC.

Not exactly a traditional article but I saw this TikTok post about hard discussions relating to college major selections and really liked it. I know this is a controversial topic, and I don’t agree at all that you can’t earn a living with less “lucrative” majors (I’m an English major and have done pretty well for myself as a business owner!). But at the same time, I think it’s incredibly important for students to understand more about the cost of living and income potential when they go to make career-related decisions.

Lastly, New York magazine interviewed parents and admissions professionals to expand on the results of a study we covered in a blog post last summer, underscoring that “children who are wealthy, but not private-jet rich, [are] at a disadvantage for admission to the most elite colleges.”

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Our meetings with juniors have picked up as they begin to research schools and build their lists. At the same time, we are continuing our work with seniors who were deferred by their early decision or early action schools to craft their letters of continued interest (LOCI). More early application decisions are expected throughout January and through the beginning of February. If you are a current client, we encourage you to book a meeting with us to discuss your decisions received and advise you in writing your LOCIs. 

If you are a student who is not working with us, follow up with your school counselor about your deferral and take a look at our past blog post about drafting your letter of continued interest.

As the days begin to get longer again, enjoy the growing minutes of daylight!

interested in more updates and trends? take a look at these posts!

Weekly Update: December 19

As we head into the final weeks of December, emotions are running wild as our students have been learning their early application results! We’ve been anxious too!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

LEGACY ADMISSIONS – NOT JUST FOR THE MOST SELECTIVE SCHOOLS

The U.S. Department of Education released data this week on the number of colleges that give preference to applicants with legacy status. A new push to eliminate legacy admissions emerged after the Supreme Court’s decision on colleges’ use of race in admissions decisions this past June. In the 2022-2023 academic year, under 600 colleges and universities consider legacy status while making admissions decisions, with approximately two-thirds of those schools accepting more than 50 percent of applicants.

UVA ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF ACCESSUVA PROGRAM

UVA’s president announced the decision of the Board of Visitors to expand AccessUVA, the financial aid program to benefit more low- and middle-income students and families. The program was started in 2004 as a way to attract more applicants from diverse backgrounds. Students from families with incomes of $50,000 or less (previously $30,000 or less) will receive grants and scholarships to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room, and board. Families whose incomes are $100,000 or less will receive grant or scholarship aid equal to tuition and fees or more. And finally, families with annual incomes below $150,000 (an income increase from $125,000/year) will receive a minimum of $2,000 in grants. Additionally, UVA has set caps on the total students can borrow within each income bracket, both annually and cumulatively over their four undergraduate years at UVA.

VIRGINIA SENATOR TAKES THE LEAD IN REQUESTING FAFSA CLARIFICATION

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) is part of a group of U.S. senators asking the Department of Education to provide “clear guidance and communication” regarding the implementation of the new FAFSA to students and their families. The Department of Education has announced that the FAFSA will be available by December 31, 2023, but the senators are asking for “an actual date.” Recent articles have suggested that once the new FAFSA is launched, there will be further delays in the time needed before the information will be sent to colleges and universities. This comes on the heels of the FAFSA calculation problems we discussed last week.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT BACKED BY BOARD

Fallout continues following the testimony of Harvard University President Claudine Gay before a U.S. House of Representatives hearing regarding increased incidents of antisemitism on campus. While there was a public cry for her resignation, both the Board of Overseers and the hundreds of faculty supported President Gay in continuing in her role. Since giving her testimony, President Gay has apologized for and clarified her remarks.

STUDENTS ARRESTED IN SIT-IN AT BROWN UNIVERSITY

At a sit-in at Brown University’s University Hall, 41 students were arrested and charged with trespassing. The action was organized by Brown Divest Coalition, a student group demanding that the university divest from companies that produce weapons and support a ceasefire in Gaza. More than two hundred additional students protesting outside the building on the Green were not arrested.

FCPS ANNOUNCES PLANNED OPIOID AWARENESS EVENT IN JANUARY

Earlier this year, Cayden Foster, a Centreville High School student, died from a fentanyl overdose. His parents have asked Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS Superintendent, to share their story as part of a community conversation about opioid awareness. Please watch their story and join Dr. Reid at Edison High School at 6:30 p.m. on January 10 for this important conversation about opioid and drug use in Northern Virginia and Fairfax County. You can register using this link, though it is not required to register in advance. For more information and resources, visit FCPS’s website.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

A year ago, the media was focused on the impact that ChatGPT and AI tools were going to have on the college essay and supplements. Now recent research from Stanford University shows that the hype and attention may have been over the top. The research analyzed surveys from over 40 high schools and found that 60 to 70 percent of students reported that they had recently cheated – about the same number as compared to last year, prior to ChatGPT. Pew Research Center surveyed over 1,400 adolescents in the U.S. and found that 32 percent reported having heard “nothing at all” about ChatGPT and another 44 percent had only heard “a little.” What we know from our essay work is that students who answer the prompt with highly specific, personal examples fare better in the admissions process!

Entrepreneur and Texas resident Elon Musk may try his hand at education. Reportedly, one of his charities’ tax filings indicates plans to use a $100 million gift from Musk to open a K through 12 school focused on STEM education. Once the school is operational, they will create a university to educate students in person and use technology to offer distance learning.

We mentioned two weeks ago that students might be avoiding Ivy League schools as a result of the anti-Semitism that has been rampant on their campuses since October 7. It turns out that we were on to something, because early applications to Harvard were down by 17%. And that’s not all - word on the street is that a lot of admitted Harvard students are, in fact, turning elsewhere - a theme emphasized in this New York Post article. Remember, Harvard has a restrictive early action program, so applicants are not obligated to enroll. Like I mentioned before, I think we will be seeing the consequences of this for a while.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

The level of stress we feel at this time of year can be pretty intense. Most people have one kid to worry about, but we have about forty! Whether we’ve been working with a student since seventh grade or just for a few months, we hold their hands every step of the way and become very emotionally invested in the outcomes.

We had a lot of good news - more than I was expecting given the circumstances relating to the Supreme Court ruling and all of the uncertainty associated with it - but some disappointing decisions too. And at the end of the day, I really believe that the kids who consistently work hard and make smart decisions will end up somewhere great. They don’t always get into their absolute top choice, but it will still be a happy outcome - it always is.

And with all of that behind us, we’re taking a much-deserved break! Some of us are working reduced hours this week, and then our office will be fully closed from Friday, December 22 through Monday, January 1.

We will reopen on Tuesday, January 2. We wish everyone a safe, healthy, and restful winter break and a Happy New Year!

Interested in other Weekly Updates? Check out these recent posts!