if you’re one of our long-time readers, you might notice something different this week. We’re posting on Monday! Yes, we are going to try moving our weekly updates to Mondays from here on out, and you’ll see additional content later in the week. Would love to hear any thoughts or comments!
BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK
RUTGERS MOVES TO THE COMMON APP
In an email to counselors on 12/12, Rutgers announced that they will be moving to the Common App for the HS Class of 2024. Great news!
EARLY DECISION ACCEPTANCES ARE AT RECORD LOW
Data is starting to emerge as colleges release their early decision/ restrictive early action news this month. Several schools received a record number of early applicants, including Duke, Dartmouth, and Yale, and once again this has driven acceptance rates to record lows. We will continue to track the data as more early decision data is shared. So far, we were fortunate to have our students accepted ED to a lot of great schools - Tufts, Barnard, Northwestern, Emory, Syracuse, Villanova, Elon and of course a number to UVA! We also had more students than ever choose to opt out of ED because their favorite schools only offered EA (or REA). Still waiting on some of those decisions, but Clemson and UGA came in really strong.
MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT IS FOUND
A missing college student will make it home for Christmas after all. In late November, St. John Fisher University senior Kenny Deland Jr., disappeared from University of Grenoble Alpes, where he had been studying abroad. Friends reported him missing, and investigators undertook a multinational search. Last week Deland was found safe in Spain, but no further details have been released. For now, the mystery of why and how Deland ended up in Spain remains.
INVESTIGATORS SEARCH 22,000 CARS IN EFFORT TO SOLVE IDAHO MURDER CASE
As we reported last week, investigators in the horrific University of Idaho murders finally got a lead in the case. A white Hyundai Elantra was spotted near the crime scene, and police have been trying to identify the individual(s) in the car. They are currently searching over 22,000 vehicles that match the description. Meanwhile, investigators continue to scour surveillance footage and encourage community members to be on the lookout for the white Elantra as well.
LOUDOUN COUNTY SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE INDICTED
Loudoun County’s school system has made headlines over the past year for high profile sexual assault cases. Last week two school officials, Scott Ziegler and Wayde Byard, were indicted as part of the investigation into how the district has handled sexual assault reports. Ziegler has been accused of publishing false statements related to a sexual assault in a school bathroom that took place in 2021. He is also indicted on unlawfully firing a teacher who filed sexual assault complaints about one of her students. At this time the reason for Byard’s indictment is unclear. Several local area parent groups have responded to the news, expressing gratitude for the investigation and the efforts to address these problems within the school system.
best articles of the week
If you are struggling to make sense of a college decision, check out Jon Boeckenstedt’s Why You Were Denied. The bullet-point list is on point, and while some of them are more obvious than others (i.e. we all know that recruited athletes are likely to be in a better position than the rest of us), so rarely do we consider the role that sheer randomness can play.
There’s a surprising new class appearing on high school students’ schedules across the country: Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (otherwise known as JROTC). For over a century, JROTC has been a volunteer program for young adults potentially interested in a military career. However, this class may not be optional anymore. Recent data indicates a rising trend in automatic and/or mandatory enrollment at several high schools, especially those in predominantly non-white, low income areas.
These numbers have created a great deal of controversy, and not just from teens who oppose an additional class. While the program has the potential to provide students with discipline and direction, many insist that it takes advantage of vulnerable young adults. Some are worried that JROTC pressures students into a military career and prevents them from considering other pathways. A number of families have successfully challenged required enrollments, and community debates continue to unfold about the nature and direction of the JROTC program.
What’s the best way to relieve student debt? For months, there’s been a national debate centered on debt cancellation programs, which are meant to support those with limited means. Specifically, President Biden’s proposals focus on people earning five-figure salaries whose debt far outweighs their earnings. But what many don’t know is that there are also programs in place to help even the wealthiest of families better manage the steep price of higher education. Most of us have 529 college saving plans for our children - but “dynasty” 529s allow those with “hundreds of thousands of dollars to spare” to create hefty savings accounts that avoid taxation- provided that future generations use the money for college tuition. These “dynasty” plans have come under attack, as many view these accounts as just another advantage for the economically advantaged.
Speaking of college savings, there’s a great deal going on at Colby-Sawyer College: half off tuition! As part of the great “tuition reset,” several small, private colleges have recently cut tuition prices in an effort to fill their classes. How can they manage such a financial hit? Well, for years many schools have used hefty price tags to denote status and align themselves with the most elite institutions in the country. Here’s a secret, though: the majority of students don’t actually pay the steep price, thanks to scholarships, loans and grants. This financial “game,” as some in the education world label it, has worked for years but hasn’t been so successful in the economically conscious climate of late. Many applicants are now being deterred by sticker shock and opting to apply to schools seen as a “better deal.” In response, schools have begun to lower their prices, which could be a big gamble. Those who are part of the great tuition reset will need to carefully watch the data and see what story the numbers will tell in upcoming admissions cycles.
OFFICE HAPPENINGS
As you might have seen from my social media posts, I made an appearance on CNN last week discussing private versus public schools. We are so fortunate to have lots of great options here in Fairfax County- both of my kids attend amazing schools with incredibly dedicated teachers and administrators.
I personally believe that strong public school systems breed strong private school alternatives, and that healthy competition in the educational marketplace promotes accountability and a culture of excellence across the board. If you’d like to see a clip of the CNN segment, head over to our Facebook page.
As mentioned above, decision notifications continue to roll in, and we are thrilled that so many of our students have been admitted to their first choice schools! If you’re a current client and haven’t shared your news with us yet, please send us a quick email!
For those who may not have received the ED news they were hoping for, we can help! If you’re NOT a current client, book an emergency strategy session ASAP, so we can begin planning your next steps. We also have essay coaching meeting times available for students who need to write a letter of continued interest. If you ARE a current client, email us to figure out your next step!
And lastly - it’s hard to believe that we are right in the middle of the holidays already! Hanukkah started last night and Christmas is in just a few days. We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday with family and friends. But try to keep the college admissions talk to a minimum with extended family! This article is a few years old, but it still rings true!