Sunday 3/7: NACAC Virtual College Fair (STEM Focus)

Sunday 3/7: NACAC Virtual College Fair (STEM Focus)

By Brittany MaschalMar 06, 2021

The Common Application is collaborating with the National Association for College Admission Counseling to offer NACAC Virtual College Fairs. 

—Event Info from the CA below:

The NACAC Virtual Colleges Fair for students interested in STEM majors and careers will take place this Sunday, March 7. Registration is free.

These fairs offer students an incredible opportunity to connect with colleges and universities in all 50 states and more than 15 countries. Hundreds of colleges will be available on each fair date to offer Zoom sessions and one-on-one appointments, so students can easily explore their options. 

Students are encouraged to sign up now at virtualcollegefairs.org. They’ll want to start tagging the sessions they want to attend.  

To help get the word out, please visit the counselor resources page for ready-made resources such as social media graphics and sample text. Also available are links to a how-to video, tips for STEM students and a PDF list of participating colleges.

As we all look for new ways to explore colleges, NACAC Virtual College Fairs offer an easy and accessible way to connect counselors, students, and families with colleges and universities around the world. We look forward to seeing you online!

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

College Application, College List, College Tour, Common Application, News, Off to College, Online Event, Online Program, Research & Outreach, , , , , , ,

A Note on the College Admissions Cheating Scheme

By Brittany MaschalMar 12, 2019

The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and its members (like us!) are committed to helping families find the most appropriate colleges for their students and assist families in navigating the application process. Following a comprehensive code of ethics, IECA members are professionals who understand and adhere to high ethical standards in all their interactions with clients and institutions and are compensated by and work exclusively on behalf of their client families.

In response to the breaking news of an FBI probe and Justice Department charges for 50 people—college officials from elite institutions, wealthy parents, coaches, and others—in a long-running admissions bribery scheme, IECA CEO Mark Sklarow said, “The charges presented today exemplify the intense anxiety that even some wealthy parents feel about their children being admitted to their preferred colleges.”

All parents and students should keep the following advice in mind as they begin their college search.

  • The college search and application process should be a fun and exciting time for students and their families. If anyone in any setting is exerting pressure or causing undue anxiety and pressure, be cautious. If you are told someone has “inside” information, can pull strings, provide shortcuts to admission, or give you a special advantage (for a fee or otherwise), you are being misled.
  • There are many great postsecondary options for every student, and no student should be made to feel that they must become something they are not to get accepted. The “best” school is the school that fits a student academically, socially, and financially. Being and presenting one’s authentic self and demonstrating one’s own talents and abilities is a way of ensuring the right college fit. This is central to what an ethical independent educational consultant does.
  • The vast majority of admissions officers, school counselors, and IECs are ethical and compassionate professionals who dedicate their careers to advising students and families.

If you decide to seek help with the college search and application process outside of the school setting, ensure that you hire someone who is a member of a professional organization, such as IECA or NACAC, that requires them to abide by the highest ethical standards. A fully vetted independent educational consultant (IEC) will be solely concerned about an individual student’s well-being and helping to gain admission to a school where they will thrive and succeed on their own merits.

 

*Stay in the know! Subscribe for news, tips, and advice*

 

News, , , , , , , , , , ,

Why You Need a College Counselor

By Brittany MaschalNov 17, 2016

 

Most high schools have at least one on-site college counselor to advise students on finding and applying to colleges. As the point person for your applications, college counselors keep you on top of deadlines and graduation requirements and ultimately send your official transcript to colleges. They can also help you find schools that fit you, identify dream/match/safety schools, complete your FAFSA, craft strong school-specific application essays, and help manage anxiety and stress.

Depending on how much one-on-one time they get with their schools’ college counselors, some families decide to hire independent college counselors to guide them through the admissions process. I always tell parents who are thinking about hiring an independent college counselor to make sure that person is a member of a professional organization, like IECA or NACAC. Why? Because not all IEC’s are created equal. For example, IECA members have met the highest standards of the profession. IECA’s required qualifications include a master’s degree; at least three years of admissions counseling experience; and experience working with scores of students. IECA also requires extensive member undertake campus visits—members, on average, have visited over 150 campuses each—and continue to visit an average of 35 campuses annually.

Whichever route you go, check out this Princeton Review article that outlines five (accurate) reasons you need your college counselor. You can also read more about IECs from IECA here, or from me directly during a consultation!

Advice, News, , , , , , , , , ,

Student-Counselor Ratios Only Getting Worse

By Brittany MaschalFeb 22, 2016

 

The National Center for Education Statistics has released the latest student-to-school-counselor ratio data, showing the nationwide average student-to-school-counselor ratio increasing to 491-to-1, from 482-to-1 the previous year. Only three states, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Vermont have an average student to counselor ratio falling within the recommended 250 to 1 by the American School Counselor Association. Three. Three states. Given the uproar over the findings, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) took an even deeper dive into the data, which I will provide below.

NACAC has compiled a by-state document containing student-to-counselor ratios for each state and school district in the United States. Within this document, states are in alphabetical order in the tabs at the bottom. Within each state, school districts are listed in alphabetical order.

Student-to-Counselor Ratios, by district

The information comes from the Common Core of Data at the National Center for Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education.

NOTE:
The following states did not report district-level data to the Department of Education:

  • Alabama
  • Kentucky
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Washington, DC

Many states reported partial data, enabling us to calculate ratios for only some school districts within those states. NACAC is working to fill in those gaps. In the meantime, access NACAC’s Student-to-Counselor Ratios by state.

We need more funding for counselors. No art, no music, no gym, no counselors. It is just no good.

News, , , , , , ,