Author’s note: This edition of the CHILLS Counseling Courier could very well be considered an unofficial “post mortem” review of the (elite) 2024 College Admissions season and a “table setting” for the 2025 admissions cycle. I didn’t set out to purposefully write it as such, but that is what the people that I follow regularly were writing and discussing last week, so that’s what I was reading and listening to. Given that this blog is for every kid and every pathway, I’ll cluster that content in the end and keep the material that applies to everyone in the fore. If you are interested you can read it, if you aren’t you can skip it. Choose your own adventure!
MCST 24-25 Placements
MCST is wrapping up their admissions process and expects to be distributing letters soon. Patience is a virtue… Just a little patience…
CHILLS Counseling Careers and Colleges Week is Next Week!
^ New and Improved
We have completely overhauled what was our Career Fair last year into a New and Improved format based on our “Waypoint Wheel”
Monday 5/20: we will feature resources for students planning to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation (Direct to Workforce-DWF)
Tuesday 5/21: WFD (workforce development) day will focus on short-term, job-specific training programs available to new graduates or those looking for a job change.
Wednesday 5/22: Wednesday will see admission reps from a number of Maine Community Colleges descend on CHILLS with info about Maine’s free community college initiative.
The Wednesday Assembly will feature some (arguably famous) Mainers sharing their stories about taking “The Road Less Traveled” and how it has made all the difference.
Thursday, 5/23: we will welcome admission reps (and their mascots!) from Maine public and private colleges and universities to share what makes each a great education destination.
Friday 5/24: Military Service Day will feature recruiters from each branch of the armed forces for students seeking to serve our country upon graduation.
No matter what your plans are for after graduation, we hope that you will discover something to excite or inspire you next week!
Sophomore Visits are Underway!
We have begun and are now in the midst of doing our sophomore visits, an opportunity for counselors to meet 1:1 with each of their kids. In the past, we would not have laid eyes on many of these kids since doing their 9th grade visit, but this year we have been pushing into our sophomore Advisories all year. This practice has enhanced the value of sophomore visits significantly. They have already completed the assessments that we need them to take in Naviance. They have already requested their courses for next year. We have had ongoing conversations throughout the year. Rather than being a Reunited situation, it’s more of a “pick right up where we left off” scenario.
A central theme of the sophomore visit–indeed of all of our programming--is the importance of “fit.” It’s a somewhat amorphous term that could mean so many (even inherently disparate) things, so we think it is critical that we define what we mean. When we refer to fit, we’re talking about Ikigai, the Japanese principle of “living a purposeful life.”
Ikigai is the “sweet spot” for each person in which what they love to do and are good at melds with what the world needs and what they can do to earn a living. This tends to happen in a gradual unfolding rather than a blinding flash of insight, and is constantly in the process of iteration and revision. Ikigai matches perfectly with the principal task of adolescence–figuring out who you are and want to be.
How To Structure Your Sleep, Use Naps, Time Caffeine
Why We Sleep by Dr. Matt Walker is an absolute must read for anyone who is or who has a close relationship with a teen. Fun Fact: The natural shift in circadian rhythm that leads teenagers to stay up late (and sleep late) is thought to be an evolutionary advantage. Seems that the early humans that had teenagers staying up late to tend the fires fared better with the marauding predators, so this trait was selected and passed on to subsequent generations.
This is episode 3 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and leading public educator about the role of sleep in health, disease and performance.
We explain how our sleep architecture changes as we age. We also cover how childhood development and aging affect sleep biology and needs. We also discuss whether polyphasic sleep (multiple short sleep periods) is beneficial.
Then, we discuss naps, including their positive benefits, individual variability, those who should not nap, and alternative rest states like non-sleep deep rest. Dr. Walker shares protocols to optimize nap duration, timing and effectiveness.
We also explore the effects of caffeine on sleep and other health aspects, as well as the optimal timing for caffeine intake.
This episode describes many actionable science-based tools for optimizing sleep, naps and caffeine use for better health and performance.
The next episode in this special series explores the relationship between sleep, memory, and creativity.
Articles
In short photoperiods, human sleep is biphasic (Journal of Sleep Research)
Sleep-Dependent Facilitation of Episodic Memory Details (PLOS ONE)
A Role for REM Sleep in Recalibrating the Sensitivity of the Human Brain to Specific Emotions (Cerebral Cortex)
Sleep, alcohol, and caffeine in financial traders (PLOS ONE)
The alerting effects of caffeine, bright light and face washing after a short daytime nap (Clinical Neurophysiology)
Sleep deficiency and motor vehicle crash risk in the general population: a prospective cohort study (BMC Medicine)
Reworking the Plan: Alternative Pathways Available to Students
If the FAFSA debacle has you working on an alternate plan (or many…) this FAME webinar may be just the thing for you!
Seven Reasons Skilled Trades Might Be Right for Your Teen
Husson University’s College of Health and Pharmacy Summer Camps
The first is our 15th Annual School of Pharmacy Summer Camp, which will be held on July 15-17, 2024. To be eligible, high school students must be juniors or seniors during the 2024-2025 academic year, have a minimum 2.75 GPA and a strong interest in pursuing a career in pharmacy. This is a three-day overnight camp on campus, focusing on laboratory skills, compounding, patient counseling, hospital pharmacy and careers within the profession. The final selection of up to 20 high school camp participants will be notified by July. The cost of this year's program materials, housing, and meals is being generously sponsored by Hannaford.
Pharmacy Summer Camp Application Link: https://admissions.husson.edu/register/2024_pharmacy_camp
The second camp offering is our new Health Professions Day Camp, which is being held on August 2nd, 2024. This camp is an all-day event for high school students to experience a hands-on introduction to the health programs at Husson and explore the wide range of career options within the field of healthcare. Students will get a chance to work with College of Health and Pharmacy faculty, current students and representatives from Walgreens, in addition to touring campus and our state-of-the-art lab facilities. This camp is open to any student entering their freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year of high school. The cost of this year's Health Professions Day Camp is being generously sponsored by Walgreens.
Health Professions Day Camp Application Link: https://admissions.husson.edu/register/2024_hp_day_camp
Three Messages for High School Juniors About the College Process
Don’t apply to a college that you wouldn’t actually attend
The college search is internal
Nothing happens to you in college admissions
Decoding Admissions Trends: The Five Critical Numbers from This Year’s Elite College Admissions
Ultra Low Admissions Rates
Surge in Applications
Shrinking Admit Rates Over Time
High Academic Standards
Rising Demand for Selective Majors
What Students and Parents Need to Know About the 2024 College Admission Results
Continued Application Inflation
The Hardest Hit Were the Selective Schools
State Flagships and Public Ivies Became Even More Selective
Growing Competition for Selective Majors
The Rise of Southern Schools on the National Stage
Academic and Extracurricular Engagement Took Center Stage
The Rise of AI in College Admissions
Hidden Factors That Influence Who Gets In
Socioeconomic Diversity
Gender Parity
High Test Scores
Geography
Athletics
College MatchPoint Guide to Highly Selective Selective Colleges (.pdf)
Click here to download the guide!
Join our expert panel as we analyze the outcomes and trends from this year's college admissions landscape.
In this live webinar, our experienced college admissions consultants will provide an in-depth analysis of the 2024 admissions results and share valuable insights to help guide your student's college application journey. We will share:
- Key takeaways and surprising trends from the 2024 admissions cycle
- Suggestions for building a balanced college list for your student based on the latest admissions data
- Strategies to help your teen craft a well-rounded application that stands out in an increasingly competitive landscape
We will also address your specific questions and concerns.
After registering, you'll receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the webinar.
We look forward to seeing you on May 29 at 6 pm!
The College Spy Newsletter
The College Spy is very active on X. The following recent tweet received a lot of likes:
As you guide your child through this unfair admissions process, it's important to understand the following:
1. Admissions is not solely based on merit, and qualified applicants frequently get rejected from their first-choice colleges. A rejection is not a reflection of an applicant's worth as a student or as a person. Although most parents understand this intuitively, many students are very hurt by rejections.
2. While there are many things applicants can do to improve their chances of acceptance, college decisions are not within their control. This is an uncomfortable fact that is best handled by recognizing that there is more than one college where your child can thrive.
At The College Spy, we recommend casting a wide net if you are applying to reach colleges. It is also important to thoroughly research all colleges on your list, not just the most selective ones. Show your child that all colleges on their list are worthy of their attention and avoid only visiting the most prestigious ones.
THE COLLEGE SPY PODCAST
Parents of teens are often so worried about doing everything "right" to gain acceptance to their college of choice that they fail to focus on what their child will study once they get there and ultimately, what career they will pursue. Listen to The College Spy's interview with Aaron Basko, author of Find Your Purpose: Manage Your Career, and learn how to help your child get started with planning their future. Many practical tips that you can implement right away are discussed.
Postsecondary Influencers
If you are interested in cutting out the middle person (namely me) as you seek to make sense of this evolving landscape, here are some folks that I follow because their stuff is consistently of high quality and typically free.
And if you need a summer reading list:
This is Peak College Admissions Insanity (article)
Elite College Admissions Have Turned Students into Brands (article)
Why Parents Can’t Quit the Elite College Arms Race (article)
Five Blunt and Hard Truths About College (article)
Grown and Flown (articles)
Who Gets In and Why (book)
Mindful Admissions (book)
And a few things to watch: