Happy 4th of July, everyone!! I hope the heat and thunderstorms didn’t stop you from celebrating with friends and family over the holiday weekend.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

ETS ACQUIRES ACT: WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

One of the more surprising stories this week is that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) – the organization best known for the GRE and TOEFL – has acquired ACT. This seems like an odd move at first glance, as many colleges moved away from standardized testing during the pandemic. But ACT has become much more than just a college admissions exam, offering career-planning tools and workforce readiness assessments, and ETS has been investing heavily in that same space. The acquisition also comes at a time when more colleges are beginning to reverse their test-optional policies, suggesting that standardized testing may be regaining momentum (just take a look at our last few Weekly Updates for more on this topic!). While it’s too early to know the outcome of this acquisition, Michael Nettles, professor of psychometrics at Morgan State University, sees it as “yet another signal that there’s growing demand for more detailed, candidate-specific assessments” within both higher education and the job market. This is another good reminder that students should seriously consider taking the SAT or ACT even if their colleges list testing as optional. I still love my pool analogy from 2020 and it absolutely rings true today.

AP EXAM SCORES NOW AVAILABLE

Speaking of test scores, the College Board has just released students' AP scores, and Trevor Packer highlighted an important trend: even as more students than ever are taking AP courses and exams, overall performance has remained strong despite record participation. AP Physics 1 posted another strong pass rate, continuing its remarkable turnaround, and AP Biology and AP U.S. History both ended up posting stronger results than much of the post-exam discussion had predicted. But the post-exam buzz wasn’t entirely as accurate as it seemed at the time, as Computer Science Principles saw lower-than-expected results, and AP Statistics once again had one of the lowest percentages of students earning a 5. It's a good reminder that reactions after exams can be misleading, so wait to see the actual test scores before drawing conclusions! To check your own scores, just follow this link! NOTE: Current clients should make sure to send us copies of their score reports. Use our multi-purpose submission form and navigate to: DCCC Forms and Information -> Test Scores, Report Cards, or Transcripts

SYRACUSE OPENS UP ABOUT PRESENT CHALLENGES AND THE ROAD AHEAD

For months now, we’ve been watching colleges respond to a rapidly changing higher education landscape. Between shifting enrollment patterns, financial pressures, changing student and family expectations, and increased public scrutiny, many universities are being forced to rethink how they operate. Syracuse University is the latest example. Just two weeks ago, the university announced a projected 1.5% operating deficit and enrollment numbers below target. Rather than simply making quiet budget cuts or lowering admissions standards, Chancellor J. Michael Haynie announced the creation of a university-wide committee to take a look at Syracuse’s future. The group has been asked to make recommendations on everything from academic programs to financial sustainability, and Haynie has even encouraged ideas that might be unpopular as long as they strengthen the university. We actually think that’s one of the most interesting parts of this story. At a time when higher education is facing questions from so many different directions, being willing to openly examine what’s working – and what isn’t – feels like a smart approach.

FORMER STANFORD STUDENT TURNS ROMANCE WITH A DEAN INTO A STAGE PRODUCTION

A story that made headlines a couple of years ago is back in the news. In 2024, former Stanford student Olivia Swanson Haas published an essay about her relationship with a university dean, prompting conversations about power dynamics and boundaries in higher ed. During the romance itself over a decade ago, Haas hid her relationship from her friends and worried about its impact on then-Stanford dean Julia Lythcott-Haims. Now, she has turned that experience into a play called Mimi & Jo, which recently won a Stanford alumni scriptwriting competition. While the story itself is certainly unusual, it’s also a reminder that challenging experiences often become the inspiration for meaningful and cathartic creative work. Learning how to reflect on difficult moments and transform them into something constructive is a valuable skill – and one that can also lead to some outstanding college application essays!

AFTER DELAY, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FINALLY NAMES NEXT PRESIDENT

The University of Florida officially confirmed Stuart Bell as its next president on July 1, although the path there was anything but straightforward. Bell previously served as president of the University of Alabama, where enrollment and research activity both increased during his tenure. He had already been acting as interim president since June, but his past support for diversity initiatives led to considerable pushback from conservative groups, causing a delay in his final confirmation. While he was ultimately approved, the controversy serves as a reminder that colleges are increasingly having to balance educational priorities with political pressures, a challenge that doesn't seem to be disappearing anytime soon.

VIRGINIA AND OHIO WANT TO DEVELOP A 3-YEAR BACHELOR’S DEGREE

Last week, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia announced that it will begin exploring the possibility of offering three-year bachelor’s degree programs instead of the traditional four-year model. As the cost of higher education – and questions about its overall value – continue to concern families across the country, Virginia is exploring ways to allow students to complete certain bachelor's degrees in three years through more streamlined degree pathways. Ohio is also examining similar approaches as part of a broader effort to reduce college costs. The concept itself is not entirely new, but three-year bachelor’s degrees have never really gained traction in the United States. Critics argue that it would limit opportunities for students to develop important skills like critical thinking and communication in favor of getting graduates on the job market faster. At the very least, however, the proposal is fostering important conversations within these states about balancing academic rigor with the demands of a changing workforce. Pro Tip: Many students can already graduate in three years simply by bringing in AP, IB, or dual-enrollment credit, taking summer classes, or pursuing slightly heavier course loads. I graduated from WashU in three years after entering with AP credit for just one course. I simply took an extra class most semesters, a couple of summer classes, and earned internship credit along the way.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Here’s an interesting article in the spirit of Independence Day and a nation built on taking risks: are teenagers actually starting to behave? I’m sure some parents might find this difficult to believe at first, but according to the Institute for Family Studies, teenagers are taking far fewer risks than they have historically. Underage drinking, teen pregnancy, and even things like trespassing have all declined dramatically, and that’s obviously good news! But the IFS article raises an interesting question: are some of these changes also connected to teens spending less time interacting face-to-face? Teens may be becoming more cautious, but sometimes taking a risk is an important part of growing up. And as the article points out, a willingness to take risks has always been woven into the history of this country. Moreover, while parents have become far more observant and often strict when it comes to their kids' interactions in the real world, the same level of scrutiny doesn’t apply online. So teenagers may be developing more of their social habits in virtual spaces rather than by taking chances in face-to-face interactions. It's reasonable to wonder whether this growing caution also plays a role in decisions like applying to colleges far from home or pursuing more ambitious opportunities.

Of course, no one is arguing that teenagers should be making reckless decisions. But the future is inherently uncertain, and not every risk is a bad one. Sometimes taking a chance is exactly what leads to growth. Visiting a new campus, applying to a reach school, or saying yes to an opportunity that feels a little intimidating can all be healthy risks that help students grow. That’s one reason we spend so much time helping families prepare for the college process: not to eliminate uncertainty, but to make the next big step feel exciting instead of overwhelming.

Continuing that Fourth of July spirit, this piece from the Christian Science Monitor looks at how several of our oldest colleges quite literally found themselves on the front lines of the American Revolution. Harvard housed Continental soldiers, Princeton’s Nassau Hall was occupied by British troops and later used as a hospital, and William & Mary turned the historic Wren Building into a hospital for French soldiers. Many of the people who would eventually sign the Declaration of Independence, draft the Constitution, and shape the new nation also studied at these schools. It’s a fun reminder that colleges have always been more than just places of learning; they’ve often been at the very center of history! The next time you take a campus tour, find a few minutes to explore its history as well and see what kind of fascinating details you can dig up (they might even become the perfect detail for your next supplemental essay).

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

This week, our coaches have been busy making great progress through supplemental essays. We’ve seen more appointments starting to pop up in the calendar, and that’s great! The more we can finish in July and early August, the less we’ll have to cram into those precious few weeks before the new school year begins. So leave yourself that break for back-to-school shopping and book a few more appointments now while we’re all happily staying inside and hiding from this oppressive heat!