Welcome to our monthly newsletter!

Welcome back to our monthly newsletter! Below you will find a link to a page on our website highlighting what students should be working on this month, important news in higher education, new blog posts, and other resources we feel are important to share. Enjoy!

Haven't joined our mailing list yet? Virtual College Counselors believes every student and family should have access to expert advice on the college search and application journey, regardless of any financial or time constraints. By signing up for our newsletter, in addition to monthly college search and application updates, you will also receive a Free College Search Starter Kit PDF containing the following starter guides: ​ ​- The College Application Timeline - Discovering College Fit - College Essay Tips - Common College Essay Pitfalls - Introduction to Financial Aid 101 Send Me The Starter Kit!

New Student Blog!​
Eight Things to Know Before Studying Abroad

Our blog this month was written by our current intern, and previous student, Olivia Porta! We love hearing from students because their voices are often lost or overshadowed in conversations around higher education. If you are a current high school or college student interested in writing on a particular piece of the education process, please don't hesitate to reach out. We'd love to hear from you!

"I studied abroad during the fall semester of 2023 in Florence, Italy. I’ve known I wanted to study abroad since high school and considered international programs while applying. Studying abroad was different than I expected, but I would do it again a thousand times over. Without further ado, here are eight pieces of advice I wish I had received before pursuing this international adventure."

Fall 2024 Virtual & In-Person College Fairs

For many students and families, attending a college fair is going to be the easiest and most affordable way to learn about and visit several college representatives in one convenient location. Click the photos above to review planned college fair events hosted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL). NACAC's regional affiliate groups also host local college fairs, check out their regional affiliates list for a college fair location near you. If you're not familiar with in-person or virtual college fairs, then we strongly recommend you visit some of our blogs on the subject:

• ​Tips for Navigating Virtual College Fairs​
• ​Standout Questions to Ask Admissions Counselors​
• ​How to Demonstrate Interest Before Applying​

Higher Education in the News

• "To understand racial inequities in higher education, don’t just look at income disparities among different groups of Americans. Be sure to look at enduring wealth gaps, too." A recent Insitute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) report reveals that while white households' median income is nearly double that of Black households, their wealth is 13 times greater, with significant impacts on college access, debt, and career success. Eric Hoover's article in The Chronicle of Higher Education summarized the report. Some highlights include:
  • People receiving $10,000+ from parents or grandparents are nearly twice as likely to save for their children’s college.
  • The impact of wealth and income on college enrollment varies by race: wealth is a stronger indicator for Latino Americans, income for white Americans, and both similarly for Black Americans.
  • Wealthier white students borrow less, but this isn't true for all racial groups. Despite higher wealth, Black and Latino Americans face persistent enrollment barriers, with Black Americans having the lowest college enrollment rates even among the wealthiest.
  • Non-financial barriers and exclusionary policies contribute to these disparities.
• Most families with high school students are familiar with the SAT, but the acronym ETS is a far less common piece of college application vernacular. Educational Testing Services (ETS) has historically been the administrator of the SAT and GRE, but that is about to change. A new contract with the College Board has removed ETS as the administrator of the SAT. The number of GRE test-takers is shrinking, ETS is now entering its fifth year of budget cuts, and historically ETS's College Board contract has represented ~30% of the company's total revenue. With so many radical changes happening, parents and educators should read this article to understand the evolving landscape of standardized testing and its implications.
  ​
• As public faith in higher education's value wanes, new research from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity examines the return on investment (ROI) of 53,000 college programs. This study reveals that ROI varies greatly: while bachelor's degrees offer a median return of $160,000, some have lower ROI than technical certificates. Alarmingly, about one-third of Pell Grant and federal student loan funding goes to programs that don't pay off. This article covers an interesting interview and links to a database from the findings of the study.
  ​
• "But even the botched software rollout isn’t FAFSA’s biggest problem. That’s the fact that the whole higher education system misuses the FAFSA, which has created a system of college pricing and phantom financial aid that almost nobody understands. The form’s misuse also accounts for how a few software glitches could bring the whole higher education sector to its knees." If you still haven't gotten your fill of news about the botched FAFSA rollout, Dan Currell takes a deeper dive into some of the more nuanced and problematic ways that our education system misuses the FAFSA. ​
  ​
• Brennen Barnard continues to be a recurring name in our monthly newsletters, and for good reason! In a recent article, Barnard provides some of the most refreshing tips and insights about writing essays during the college application process. Writing college application essays is often the most stressful and misunderstood piece of the application process. The article also features some quotes from admission professionals providing their insights into the process.

College Audition Pros:
The Summer Intensive!

We're excited to highlight an opportunity for serious and competitive students interested in actively pursuing musical and acting programs in college. The Summer Intensive program provides eight days of packed content while working with professionals on video recordings, resume building, auditions, headshots, financial aid seminars, and more!

Drew Boudreau is a trusted partner of Virtual College Counselors and has helped our musical theater and acting students navigate the college audition process with incredible results. Find more details about the program on their website: https://collegeauditionpros.com.

We want to once again express our gratitude to all of our students, their families, other professionals, and even strangers who have taken the time to peruse our newsletter. As always, if you have questions OR if you have a topic you'd like to see discussed, please don't hesitate to reach out.

info@virtualcollegecounselors.com

Other Virtual College Counselors Content

​​​​​​​

​Unsubscribe · Preferences​