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College admissions is continually changing. It seems every year there is something new. Parents usually do not have the time to keep up with these changes, but as an independent college counselor and educational consultant, it is my job to do so. Since I know that these changes may affect your college planning, I want to bring them to your attention 1. High School Counselors See Increase In Student Load - Budget cuts have forced high school counselors to take on additional students. Most counselors find themselves so busy with administrative jobs and other guidance issues that they have little time for college advising. Some say they would estimate that only about 10% of their time is now dedicated to helping students with college planning. While the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) recommends that counselors work with no more than 250 students, most high school counselors have at least 450 students or more. Many families are turning to independent college counselors because they feel their students need the expertise they provide and the one-on-one attention 2. Unfair Advantages in College Admissions - Money seems to speak and this is increasingly the case in college admissions. Students whose families can pay the full amount are finding more college opportunities open up than those who need to apply for financial aid. Very few schools can say they are need-blind when it comes to college admissions. Most try to keep the loans to a minimum, but many students are incurring excessive debt if they choose schools that are way beyond their financial means and they are not able to get merit aid or scholarships. International students, Chinese, in particular, are being eagerly recruited by colleges, especially if their families have the ability to pay. On the other hand, Asian-American students seem to be having a more difficult time getting into many top colleges. Some schools seem to feel that Asian-American students bring only their high GPA's and test scores and not enough else to the college community. 3. College Graduation Rates Continue to Fall - One of the most shocking trends is the number of students who are failing to graduate in four years. Private four-year colleges are doing a better job than the rest. 58% of students attending private colleges are graduating in four years. However, at many state universities, only 41% of the students enrolled will graduate in four years. Students who attend 2 year community colleges have a graduation rate of 14%. Whether students are unprepared academically from high school, receive poor advising in college, or find themselves locked out of courses because of budget cuts, these figures are quite alarming. As an independent college counselor, I do everything I can to guide students to schools that are committed to seeing their students graduate in four years. As you begin your college planning, think what two years or more of college expenses will cost you and factor that into your college decisions.
Susie Watts is a private college counselor and the founder of College Direction in Denver, CO. To receive the free College Direction newsletter, go to http://www.collegedirection.org. It is full of advice on college planning, paying for college, college majors, and important college topics.
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