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College Admission Counseling - Good, Bad or Ugly?

New Jersey School Counselors Association October 14, 2012 Bob Bardwell, School Counselor & Director of School Counseling, Monson High School, MA. College Admission Counseling - Good, Bad or Ugly? . Why is college important?.

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College Admission Counseling - Good, Bad or Ugly?

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  1. New Jersey School Counselors Association October 14, 2012 Bob Bardwell, School Counselor & Director of School Counseling, Monson High School, MA College Admission Counseling - Good, Bad or Ugly?

  2. Why is college important? “And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it¹s quitting on your country ­ and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.” President Obama, February 24, 2009

  3. Is college worth it?

  4. The Ugly • A generation ago the United States had the highest college graduation rate in the world. Today it ranks 16th among developed counties in the percentage of young adults with college degrees. • The US has the highest college dropout rate in the industrialized world. • State & federal government spent an estimated $9 billion between 2003-2008 on students who dropped out of college in their freshmen year. • The goal of No Child Left Behind calls for every student to be reading at grade level by 2014 yet in 2009 only 75% of 8th graders were at or above the basic reading level.

  5. The Ugly (continued) • In 2007, 68.8% of students graduated from high school, yet only about half of the black, Latino and Native American students earned a diploma; down .04% from 2006 • Each year about 1.2 million students drop out of school, nearly 1 in 3 students. 1.7% of students drop out in New Jersey • By 2018 we will need 22 million new college degrees but will fall short of that goal by at least 3 million • 62% of first generation college students have not completed their college degree after 10 years

  6. Relative Expected Lifetime Earnings

  7. Educational Attainment and Median Salary

  8. The Ugly (continued) • At community colleges, 6 out of 10 students find themselves needing to take at least one remedial course, something they should have learned in high school • Chicago City Colleges spend $30 million (6%) on remedial courses • 25% of students in remedial courses transfer to a 4 year college or earn an associate’s degree • Only 56% of the students who enroll in a four-year college are able to graduate in six years • 60% white • 49% Latinos • 40% African Americans • Only 29% graduate with an Associate’s Degree within 3 years

  9. The Ugly (continued) • A 2011 study of those who took the ACT revealed that 47% were woefully underprepared for the academic rigor in college. • 60% failed to meet benchmarks in 2 of the 4 subject areas • 28% met none of the 4 ACT benchmarks • 15% met only one • 57% of SAT test takers did not meet the Benchmark of 1550 indicating a 65% chance in achieving a B- average in their first year of college • 170,000 college qualified students don’t go to college at all. • Low income students in the top 10% of the class go to college at the same rate of the lowest 10% as high income students.

  10. The Ugly (continued) • In 2007, 78% of full time students in public institutions were retained from freshmen to sophomore year • 43% of school counselors spend more than 20% of their time on post secondary education admissions & selections (2003)

  11. The Ugly (continued) • Students from some racial & ethnic minority groups and those from disadvantaged families have lower SAT scores than white, Asian and more affluent peers

  12. The Ugly (continued) • Public perception of school counselors is not great; we lack political clout and urgency to make substantive change quickly • Public Agenda’s Report (2010) found that 48% of high school graduates felt their counselor treated them like “just another face in the crowd.” • A 2012 study (IQS Research) found that 4 in 10 students found their counselors unapproachable and lacking adequate knowledge • Many within the profession do not feel the need to change

  13. The Ugly (continued) • The average student to school counselor ratio is 459:1; in New Jersey it is 334:1; ASCA recommended: 250:1 • Nationally, public high schools average 2.6 school counselors per school. And, high poverty schools have an average of 1.3 full and part-time counselors per school.

  14. The Bad • Although most colleges continued to experience increases in the number of applications they received for Fall 2010, the largest proportion since 1996 (29 percent) reported decreases. • 36 percent of colleges with ED policies reported increases in the number of students accepted through Early Decision, compared to 65 percent in 2009 and 36 percent in 2007. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of colleges reported an increase in Early Action applications and Early Action admits (68%).

  15. The Bad (continued) • For the Fall 2010 admission cycle, colleges with Early Decision policies reported a 7-percentage point gap in acceptance rates between ED applicants and the overall applicant pool (57 percent versus 50 percent), down from an 15 percentage point gap in Fall 2009 (70 percent compared to 55 percent). • In 2010 for example • Lehigh University – 65% ED accept rate; 30% non-early accept rate • Johns Hopkins – 50% ED accept rate; 25% non-early accept rate

  16. The Bad (continued) • The number of graduates will continue to decline through 2014-15, but will rebound to 3.4 million by 2018-19. • The average cost of college for resident students at private four-year colleges in $39,028; for public schools it was $19,388 • 45% of full time students are employed. 29% work more than 20 or more hours a week • Men will represent only 43% of all college students in 2011 • The Northeast population continues to shrink

  17. Fewer students in the Northeast

  18. The Bad (continued) • The average mean load debt for a bachelors degree is about $25,000; for-profit 4 year schools was $32,653 • The average cost of attendance for public schools is $16,140, up 6.1%; and $36,993 for private schools, up 4.3% • Student load delinquency rates continues to rise; Student loan debt rose to $914 billion in 2012 • In NJ in 2012-13 there will be approximately 93,690 high school graduates; a 2.5% decrease from 2011-12

  19. The Bad (continued) A 2012 study found only 57% of adults thought college was a good investment as compared to 81% in 2008. 4 year college graduation rate is 56.9% Native American – 45.9% Black – 32.1% Hispanic – 54.6% Asian – 66.1% College selectivity continues to increase – Harvard – 6.2% acceptance rate

  20. The Good • There are 4599 profit and non-for-profit institutions of higher education in the US • Between 1973 and 2008 the # of jobs that required postsecondary education increased from 28% - 59% • The average selectivity rate—percentage of applicants who are offered admission—at four-year colleges and universities in the United States was 65.5 %for Fall 2009. The average institutional yield rate—percentage of admitted students who enroll—was 41%. • Nearly 1.66 million students took the ACT test in 2012 – up 45% since 2002

  21. The Good (continued) • Enrollment at community colleges is up 17% during the past two years • Students from low socioeconomic status relied on high school counselors as the single most consulted source of information about college • 59% of all New Jersey residents were freshmen enrolled in college in New Jersey • 91% of high school graduates in New Jersey in fall 2010 enrolled in college immediately after graduating; 62% do so nationally • The average growth rate in college endowments in 2011 was 19.2%

  22. None of the Above • The number of high school graduates in the US reached a peak of 3.33 million in 2008-09 after more than a decade of steady growth. An estimated 3.29 million students graduated in 2009-10. 3.4 million by 2018-19 • Online Applications Continue to Increase: For the Fall 2010 admission cycle, four-year colleges and universities received an average of 85% of their applications online, up from 80% in 2009, 72% in 2008, 68 %in 2007 and 58% in 2006. • The top factors in the admission decision were grades in college preparatory courses, strength of curriculum, standardized admission test scores, and overall high school grade point average. Among the next most important factors were the essay, teacher and counselor recommendations, extracurricular activities, class rank, and student’s demonstrated interest. 

  23. Why students do not go to college • College cost & the availability of aid • 70% of counselors and 63% of students said cost was a factor • 80% of students said availability of aid was the factor in deciding not to attend • Opportunity Costs & Economic mobility • Not taking the proper steps to enroll • Decisions made early • Do not feel prepared

  24. The Student of tomorrow • Between 2005-2006 and 2018-2019, the number of high school graduates is projected to increase nationally by 9% (decrease in private school graduates) • Between 2007-2018 enrollment in “Degree-Granting Institutions” is projected to increase: • 9% for students who are ages 18-24 • 25% for students who are ages 25-34 • 12% for students who are ages 35 and older • 4% for students who are White • 26% for students who are Black • 38% for students who are Hispanic • 29% for students who are Asian or Pacific Islanders • 32% for students who are American Indian or Alaska Native • 14% for students who are nonresident aliens NCES

  25. So What? • Does any of this matter? • Can anything change? • Does anyone else care? • Can I make a difference? • How does this affect me as a school counselor?

  26. Solutions • Ensure school counselors sit on school and district leadership teams • Require school counselors to have specific pre-service training in college admission counseling and ongoing professional development • More school counselors to improve student to counselor ratios • Expose all students to college readiness curriculum • Assessments that directly measure student performance on readiness standards • Relevant teacher professional development

  27. Solutions (continued) • Create a college going culture in your school • Comprehensive curriculum 7-12 • School-wide/grade specific activities • Advisory activities • Career & College Awareness Week • College Fair Field Trip • College Tours • College prep night(s) • Financial aid night(s) • SAT/ACT Prep courses • Frequent and effective communication

  28. Solutions (continued) • Colleges must use standard placement tests • High schools must provide students exposure to college placement tests • State accountability systems must assess whether high school graduates are college ready • Require and pay for all students to take the SAT/ACT at appropriate grade level(s) • Provide targeted outreach programs for first generation students

  29. Solutions (continued) • Provide additional financial aid training and education for school counselors, parents and students • Simplify the financial aid process • Require dual enrollment participation • Provide additional AP/IB courses • Require career plans for all high school graduates • Create Early College High School Programs

  30. To contact me Bob Bardwell School Counselor & Director of School Counseling Monson High School 55 Margaret Street Monson, MA 01057 413.267.4589x1109 bardwellr@monsonschools.com www.bobbardwell.com

  31. References • Chronicle of Higher Education. Almanac Issue 2012-13. • National Association for College Admission Counseling. State of College Admission 2011. • Public Agenda. Can I Get a Little Advice Here? March 2010 • The College Completion Agenda: 2010 Progress Report. College Board Advocacy & Public Policy Center • Beyond the Rhetoric: Improving College Readiness Through Coherent State Policy. Southern Regional Education Board. June 2010 • Charting the Path from Engagement to Achievement: A Report on the 2009 High School Survey of Student Engagement • Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. June 2010

  32. References (continued) • Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. June 2010 • Dounay, J. Strategies to Empower Low-Income and Minority Students in Gaining Admission to and Paying for College. Education Commission of the States. November 2008. • The Condition of College & Career Readiness: 2011. ACT. • Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century. Harvard Graduate School of Education. February 2011. • Bryan, J., Moore-Thomas, C., Day-Vines, N., & Holcomb-McCoy. School Counselors as Social Capital: The Effects of High School College Counseling on College Application Rates. Journal of Counseling & Development., 89, 190-199.

  33. References (continued) • Simmons, O. Lost In Transition: The Implications of Social Capital for Higher Education Access. Notre Dame Law Review. • Baum, S., Ma, J., & Payea, K. Education Pays 2010. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. • Rennie Center for Educational Research & Policy. (Fall 2010). A New Era of Education Reform: Preparing All Students for Success in College, Career & Life, MA. • Venezia, A., Kirst, M., & Antonio, A. Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations. Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research. • Coles, A. Promise Lost: College-Qualified Students Who Don’t Enroll in College. May, 2009

  34. References (continued) • Thompson, D., Not Just a Good Investment, But the Best Investment, The Atlantic. October 5, 2012. Center for • Elliott, W (2012). Why policymakers should care about children’s savings. (Creating a Financial Stake in College, Report I. Washington, DC: New American Foundation, St. Louis, MO. • The transition from high school to college: Understanding the gap between perceptions and realities. (2012). IQS Research: Louisville KY.

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