Happy Halloween!
BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK
ACT SETTLES CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT
The ACT had to pay out $16 million to students in California this week. The students sued ACT because the organization indicated on score reports when the students had received extra time on the test or had another documented disability (it is worth noting that the SAT does not include disability status on score reports). Thankfully, the ACT stopped this practice in 2018 as a result of the pending lawsuit and the settlement forbids them from restarting this practice in the future.
UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON FRESHMAN DIES OF COVID-19
This week saw another tragic death of a college student due to complications from COVID-19. 18-year-old Michael Lang died after a long hospitalization in LaGrange, Illinois. It is not clear if Lang caught the coronavirus on campus, where he was living until switching to remote learning on September 13. Every time I read a story like this, I’m heartbroken - as a parent and as an educator, I can’t even imagine such a devastating loss. It underscores the stakes involved in keeping young people, particularly college students, safe and healthy during this time.
Michael Lang, a first-year student at the University of Dayton (PC: University of Dayton)
FCPS RETURNING TO SCHOOL! (AND SCHEDULE CHANGES)
It’s official - almost 11 months after COVID-19 began, Dr. Brabrand announced that FCPS high school students will be heading back for in-person instruction on January 26. Many parents have expressed frustration that the return will only involve two days of in-person instruction (augmented by two days of virtual instruction). Fingers crossed that we can keep the cases low enough in our area that the plan actually comes to fruition in January! On another note, Dr. Brabrand also extended the first quarter of the current school year. Students will now have until Monday, November 2nd at 5 p.m. to complete missing assignments.
BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK
The New York Times published an article this week recounting the drastic budget cuts that schools are having to make as a result of the pandemic. Even Harvard University, with its nearly $42 billion endowment, reported a deficit this year. The temporary hiring freezes, furloughs, and early retirements that colleges implemented at the start of the pandemic are giving way to more permanent measures, including cuts to programs and faculty. Other school systems, like those in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, are merging multiple schools or campuses to create single operating units with centralized administrations as a way to cut costs. The article notes that many of the changes happening now on college campuses are likely to outlast the pandemic and will change higher education for this entire generation.
This Forbes article details the potential impact of the election on college admissions. The impact is not limited to the presidential election - it could be a result of state and local elections as well. These effects include a shortage of counselors at public schools. (As an aside: did you know that the average school counselor handles a caseload of 480 students?! That’s why it’s so important to provide your counselor with lots of content for the recommendation letter!) The election may also dictate whether or not schools are permitted to take race into account for admissions, as well as their ability to accept international students. Funding for higher education institutions could also be dependent on potential federal stimulus.
This is a great article from Dr. Lisa Damour, author of Untangled. You may have seen her book on my bookshelf in my office! It’s an absolute must-read for parents, teachers, and other adults in the lives of teenage girls. In this article, she tackles the lack of motivation that some teenagers are experiencing during the pandemic. We have definitely noticed this for some of our students - it is so hard to stay motivated when studying virtually. Damour covers the two forms of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic, and discusses how students can use both in a balanced way. This is such an important point! I think a lot of times as parents we want our students to learn because they love the material or are intellectually curious. But sometimes there is a late-night study session or a difficult class, and the promise of ice cream at the end is what gets the student through it - and that’s okay too! Keeping up the balance is how we can really help our students stay motivated over the long term.
OFFICE HAPPENINGS
Shannon had the opportunity on Wednesday to speak at a College Selection webinar through the office of the DC Student Loan Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s role is to help make higher education available and affordable for all DC residents, and Shannon was really excited to participate and talk to students about what they should consider when selecting a college, essay preparation, and application timelines. The shift to virtual events has been a challenge for a lot of organizations during COVID-19, but we’ve loved participating in these types of events this cycle! If you have a group that would like us to come speak at an event, please reach out and we’ll do our best to fit you into our calendar.
Our students already know how to avoid these common admissions misconceptions!
The office of the Student Loan Ombudsman is an excellent resource for DC families with questions about paying for college. College Access Fairfax provides resources for Northern Virginia families as well - if you need help with the FAFSA, CSS Profile, or other financial aid forms, I really recommend attending one of their free virtual seminars. These events are open to anyone and can be really helpful in figuring out financial aid questions. They will literally walk you through the forms line by line. Class of 2021 seniors and their parents can also set up individual appointments to complete the FAFSA with 1:1 help. Such an amazing organization!
CONGRATULATIONS to all of our seniors who have submitted their early applications! We are so proud of all of you (and so beyond relieved to have hit this milestone, let’s be honest!). If you’d like to get a head start on post-submission emails, check out Wednesday’s blog post for instructions. Otherwise, enjoy the Halloween weekend and stay safe!