Out of over 1.9 million students in the 2018 ACT-tested graduating class, 44% took the full ACT® test at least twice in hopes of improving their scores. Camara and Allen (2017) support this practice, confirming that factors such as time in the classroom between test administrations are associated with increases in ACT Composite scores from the…

Is your family just starting to think about visiting colleges? Maybe you are in the throes of the experience, feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. Did we miss a deadline? Should we be looking in-state or out-of-state, big school or small school? And what is a "FAFSA" anyway? "The Truth about College Admission" is the…

Finding the right college is a challenge for all students, but Black families face additional challenges and questions when navigating the admissions process. Veteran admissions experts Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown demystify this complexity by advising families on when to begin the process, where to apply, and how to be a…

Newly revised and thoroughly updated, the fifth edition of Admission Matters continues to be the go-to guide for students and families seeking help with the college admissions process. Higher education experts Sally P. Springer, Ph.D., Joyce Vining Morgan, Ph.D., Nancy Griesemer, M.A., and Jon Reider, Ph.D., deliver a practical and accessible…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "College Opportunity." Contents include: (1) School Counselors Express Concerns…

There are some important factors to consider before jumping into the world of online programming. Since online courses are available 24 hours a day, the student must be disciplined. Accreditation is one very important factor to consider before enrolling in an online school. When all is said and done, colleges look for the same 10 student…

Early college entrance is a form of acceleration, or the process of advancing students in academic programs faster than their same-aged peers. Many early entrants have demonstrated academic ability to achieve at high levels but they exhibit tremendous variety in their age, specific abilities, social and emotional maturity, family support, and…

To understand and evaluate a university's effectiveness requires a lot of information. But rarely is that information brought together in one place. This report compiles publicly available data about the University of North Carolina system. It illustrates key characteristics of the 16 campuses and how they have changed over the past decade. This…

What can a college admissions officer safely predict about the future of a 17-year-old? Are the best and the brightest students the ones who can check off the most correct boxes on a multiple-choice exam? Or are there better ways of measuring ability and promise? In this penetrating and revealing look at high-stakes standardized admissions tests,…

What are the challenges, barriers and facilitating factors connected to the various school admissions approaches used by local authorities? This report gathers the views of local authority admissions officers on the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, as well as the issues and challenges they face in this important area. It covers:…

Given lingering racism in this country, you won't be surprised to learn this: Hispanic students are much less likely than white students to have the most qualified teachers--the ones with the most experience and greatest expertise in the subject matter. And many Hispanic students go to schools that do not even offer some of the high-level courses…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Congress Punts Education Funding Decision to 2009: Education and Other Domestic Priorities Frozen While Defense and Homeland…

Until every school gives all students an education that prepares them for college and a career, African-American parents will have to fight for their children's future, class by class, teacher by teacher, and school by school. Your child deserves nothing less. This guide shows you: (1) Why your child needs to prepare for college and a career; (2)…

Because college admission has become much more competitive, parents and students need to know that excellent grades and test scores may not be enough to gain placement, especially in highly selective schools. Keep in mind that there are more than 25,000 class valedictorians every year, most with nearly perfect standardized test scores. Also, the…

This guide is designed to help college-bound student-athletes and their families understand the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules for progressing from being a high school athlete to a student-athlete in college. Students are encouraged to work closely with high school counselors, recruiters and college admissions officers to…