Pamela Donnelly here. As a professional consultant working with corporate, non-profit and governmental organizations within the college admissions sector, I am offering this article to support awareness and encourage student-centered decisions at a time when financial fears may hijack better thinking. I invite you to connect with me, and to view other analyses here on […]
Pamela Donnelly here. Most Americans believe the American dream—that is, the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative—is within reach, according to the Pew Research Center. Samantha Smith there reports that only 17% say the American dream is “out of reach” […]
Too many students and their families have pre-conceived notions about receiving financial aid, thinking that their income is either too high or too low. A strategic approach can mean real savings. So much depends on the particular colleges to which students apply, and even the fields they intend to study. Many universities are now offering recruitment […]
An important fact that many students, parents, counselors and teachers fail to understand is the critical role individual demographics play in eligibility for free money for college. Since there are tens of thousands of different scholarships, grants, fellowships and institutional forms of aid out there for US college-bound teens to navigate, the odds have been […]
February 19, 2019 GATE’s financial aid support in tandem with Red Kite helps students find how much free money for college? Glad you asked. In considering a single student example, above, on the basis of demographic descriptors captured within the GATE College System solution, this is a typical example of a student who’s begun working […]
Part Three. Putting it All Together: Aligning Public, Private and Philanthropic Stakeholders to Transform America’s College Access Inequities The time has come for leaders to increase equitable access to higher education, particularly for disadvantaged students in America. This third and final article in the series will argue the need for shared accountability. It will also explore […]
Part Two: Counselor Realities Because accurate, effective mentorship is so critical to establishing college readiness for first generation students, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors recommends a ratio of no more than 250 students to 1 counselor (NACAC, 2018). Many public high schools would have to double or even triple the amount of on-site […]
Part One: The Dream Most Americans believe the American dream—that is, the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative—is within reach, according to the Pew Research Center. Samantha Smith there reports that only 17% say the American dream is “out of […]
The PSAT raises concerns and confusion for many. The primary question students ask is, “What is this the purpose of this test?” The follow up questions often inquire, “Is this really preparing me for the SAT, or is there some other point? Will it count for my grade in a class? What if I’m planning […]
The College Board announced starting in 2015 that no longer could professional tutors come in, take the test, and apply what they see to their for-profit businesses. The fact that the students-only policy sent dozens of high stakes test prep corporations into a tail spin amuses some people. For the team at GATE, it was […]
