There was a time when sending students with learning disabilities off to college was unheard by most guidance counselors. That has changed and now 32 percent of learning disabled students are pursuing higher education.

The following article by Boston Globe correspondent, Kay Lazar, appeared online March 30.

The question is not whether Christine Logan will head off to college, but rather which passion she will pursue.

The Wakefield teenager became fascinated with forensics after getting hooked on the TV crime show ”CSI” and now thinks law enforcement might be the way to go. But Logan, 16, also is captivated by children — she is the most popular baby sitter on the block — and is considering a teaching career, too.

One factor is certain. Logan, who has dyslexia, will have to navigate a difficult path in her search for the perfect school. But she is determined.
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Now that your students have received their SAT scores in the mail, it can be complicated
helping them make sense of those scores. Especially with the problem of incorrect scores affecting a growing number of students.

An article on MSN’s Encarta offered some help for high school guidance counselors to help translate exactly what those SAT scores mean.

About one month after administering the new SAT, the College Board posts individuals’ scores on its Web site. For example, scores from the March 12th administration of the new SAT were made available online on April 11.

Log on to the College Board site for:

Your raw score and 200-800-point scaled score for each Math, Critical Reading, and Writing section

Your 0-12 essay sub-score

Information about your responses, including which questions you answered right and wrong, and which you omitted

Your estimated percentile rank for college-bound seniors based on the test you took (Note: your percentile rank will help you understand how you scored in comparison to other test takers.)

A printable copy of your essay

Soon after it’s posted online, this information is sent to your home so that you have an official score report. You can also use the College Board site and your official score report to confirm the colleges to which you sent your scores.
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As more school districts go high-tech across the nation with wireless internet access, electronic textbooks and laptops in the classroom, many educators are asking if these new technologies are a learning tool or a crutch for today’s students.

Consider the students at Mill Creek Middle School in Kent, Wash., who are allowed to use the internet to look up answers for quizzes and tests.

“What I’m hoping is that they can find information to help them become better thinkers,” says Mill Creek teacher Becky Keene.

According to NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander, students at High Tech High in San Diego, are building their own online study guides. They even record messages explaining the chemistry lessons to themselves. And, yes, they can use it during a test.

“I don

The stress to get a high score on the SAT is enough to drive any sane high school student crazy. SAT scores are used to determine a high school student’s readiness for college, and their likelihood for success. The scores that arrived in the mailbox, however, might not have been correct. High school guidance counselors should share this information with their parents and students.

According to a story published on CNN.com, about 4,000 students who took the main SAT college entrance exam last October received incorrectly low scores because of problems with the scanning of their answer sheets.
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High school guidance counselors have one of the most noble and challenging jobs in the education system. Guidance counselors assist students and support teachers in a number of ways ranging from college or career preparation to health and safety issues to sensitive personal counseling and development. High school guidance counselors fill many shoes. Learn about the job of high school guidance counselor from the description included below.

Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and on the settings in which they work.
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Here is a great article for high school guidance counselors to pass on to their high school seniors and juniors.

Going to college can be both exciting and scary. The joys of being on your own, meeting hundreds of people at once and starting on the path to adulthood are enough to send most college-bound teens into a state of permanent euphoria. It’s figuring out how to get to college that can be a tad scary. And it’s okay to be a little scared. We have all been there. The key is to identify the source of your fear and find the information you need to be comfortable about heading to college!

We want you to make the transition to college without unwanted awkwardness, we have put together a list of web sites that every college-bound student should frequent. So, keep this list handy, bookmark these sites and get ready for the greatest adventure of your life!

U.S. Department of Education
The US Department of Education sets the education standards for the national public education system. They also have a cool web site. In addition to learning how the No Child Left Behind Act affects your education, you can get help with homework, find financial aid for college and connect with volunteer organizations!
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By now, your students are beginning to receive, or anticipate receiving, those important acceptance letters. They might be giddy with excitement or nervous with anxiety each day as they check the mailbox. For some, the letter will arrive in a thick packet that includes housing and financial aid information. Others will receive a thin envelope, concealing a single sheet of paper that shuts the door to that school.

High school counselors are privileged enough to experience both the victories and defeats of students. The college application process is an opportunity to share both ends of the spectrum. But a college rejection letter does not have to be the final say. There is always room for students to appeal a rejection letter.
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High schools play a huge role in preparing students for college. But should those same high schools be punished if graduates fail to succeed in college? That is a question the Texas State Department of Education is debating in a new proposal that would modify the ratings system to reflect how graduates fair in college.

Texas Education Agency spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson says the plan is meant to help improve students’ preparation for college.

College success is determined by a number of different factors. A student’s temperment, the environment of the college or university, financial pressures and family expectations are all factors that can affect a students success. High school preparation is certainly important, but it is not the only thing to be considered. Would relying on college performance to rate high schools put those schools at an unfair disadvantage? Will students then have the option of choosing another school to attend if their assigned school rates lower? How will colleges view low-rating schools? Should other states adopt such a practice? Do you see a program like this helping or hurting your school? Please share your thoughts. Read more about the plan to rate high schools based on graduates success in college.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the growing crisis of education for male students. According to a University of Michigan study, the number of boys who said they didn’t like school rose 71 percent between 1980 and 2001. This discontent with education has spilled onto college campuses where male students are only 44 percent of the college population, down from 58 percent thirty years ago.

Newsweek ran a story highlighting the problem in its Jan. 30, 2006 issue. While the story introduced some to the challenges of educating boys, it only reiterated what many high school counselors, administrators and teachers already know to be true. And it has caused many to take action.

“Helping underperforming boys has become our core mission,” said Gates Foundation Education Director, Jim Shelton.
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Making the time to meet with all of your students on a regular basis is little more than wishful thinking for most high school guidance counselors. Large case loads, small budgets and few resources present challenges on all levels. But, there are a few things you can do to help your students make the most of the time they have with you.
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