1. FAFSA deadline changes the admissions plan
Admissions offices across the country have been considering an adjustment to their admissions timelines now that the FAFSA is available starting October 1st. Marquette is one of those schools, citing competition as a big factor, as schools with rolling admissions were able to send out acceptance letters and receive deposits sooner.
2. Survey says
Consulting firm Ithaka S+R released a survey focused on trends and impacts of current events on undergraduate education. The most negative impact: the appointment of Betsy DeVos as education secretary. The most positive: changing the policy on tax year for the FAFSA. Read more about the survey on Inside Higher Ed.
3. Generation Z under pressure
Generation Z is taking the university system, and the rest of the world, by storm. They are still focused on a four-year degree but feel an immense pressure to decide what their career paths will look like early. Pressure to choose is starting as early as 9th and 10th grade for these students and there is a fear associated with changing their minds. How can admissions counselors help these Gen Z students figure out their path without scaring them?
4. FAFSA questions
With a monumental timeline shift for FAFSA applications, many families are working hard to submit their applications early. US News & World Report is discussing some of the additional changes to the form. Applicants won’t be able to see their tax information as it is being transferred to the application, if they can use the transfer (DRT) at all. This may involve more questions for admissions officials throughout the learning curve.
Recommended Reading
College Admissions for the 21st Century
As a former professor, dean and now Provost at Oklahoma State University, Robert J. Sternberg has strong feelings about the admissions process. His book is research based and focused on the unimportance of the SAT and ACT exams. Sternberg argues that a single test should not be equal to the “years of effort and dedication” in high school. He encourages admissions officials to give more weight to other parts of the application package.