Building Blocks 1.1
Curriculum Surfing
Why it’s not all about grades anymore
It’s a given that grades are the most important factor that colleges consider when evaluating applications. But it might be worth nothing that there are other factors universities are reviewing to determine a student’s college readiness. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), college prep courses (like AP or IB classes) are becoming more of a barometer. NACAC says that 71 percent of colleges rated grades in college prep courses as “of considerable importance.” That means students must make sure their curriculums are challenging enough. They also need to know how to recognize grade problems and how to seek help to improve their academic performance, the group says.
Are You Ready?
Report shines light on staff time for college counseling
One of the many functions of a school counselor is postsecondary admission counseling. According to the “State of College Admissions” report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), time spent typically differs based on the school’s characteristics. For example, the counseling staff at private, non-parochial schools spent an average of 54 percent of their time on college counseling, compared to 39 percent at private, parochial schools, and only 21 percent at public schools. On average, the time that counselors in secondary schools spend on various tasks breaks down in the following way:
Are College Waiting Lists Out Of Control?
Most college students have a story about how a college dropped them off the waiting list at some time during the process. Looks like the struggle will continue. According to the “2018 Survey of College and University Admissions Directors” report by Inside Higher Ed/Gallup, 61 percent of college admission directors say waiting lists are just too long. Seems many colleges are expanding their lists to include more names than can be enrolled for a first-year class. Here’s a look at how they view the practice:
