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Tag: college readiness

  • The three P’s of writing a memorable college essay

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    As a former admissions officer and now an independent education consultant, I’ve read thousands of college essays. The ones that earn students admission to their dream schools aren’t necessarily the most polished. They’re the ones that sound like the student and express that student’s personality and experience. Within a few minutes of reading a file, I could distinguish between an applicant who had checked all the boxes and a real person I could imagine. As I tell my students, “Colleges are admitting you, not your essay.”

    Writing that kind of essay starts with what I call the 3 P’s: following a process, showing your personality, and letting go of perfection.

    ​How process removes pressure

    ​The number one challenge my students face with their essays is deciding where to start. They worry that they won’t engage the reader right away or won’t be creative enough. There’s a myth that the opening needs to be shocking, that it needs to be something that’s never been heard before. To help students overcome this hurdle, I encourage them to find their voice through a low-pressure process that begins with exercises such as free writing or simply telling me their story, which I record.

    In the past few years, I’ve worked with many students who have solved their “blank page” panic by using AI to draft their essays. Students are often hesitant to admit they’ve used these tools, which creates a barrier between us. While I coach them to use AI responsibly for brainstorming or outlining, many still fall back on it for the actual writing.

    I researched tools that could support a student’s voice without replacing it, yet many still worked behind the scenes. I wanted a platform that offered inspiration, feedback, and insights without taking over the creative process. I chose Esslo, which allows me to collaborate with students on their actual writing, along with tools like College Planner Pro and Grammarly.

    I was working with a student who was spending too many words of her essay writing about what was happening to her mom, so I asked her to self-assess her “contribution” score and then check it against the AI-powered score from Esslo. Revising an essay is like teaching someone to golf–you can’t fix everything at once. Working on one area at a time creates a process that is more manageable and effective for students and counselors.

    Personality over polish

    ​Even an essential process can go too far. If students revise endlessly to chase near-perfect scores on a rubric, they often scrub away the pieces and quirks that make it uniquely theirs. At the end of what we believe is the final draft, I have my students read their essays aloud. Then I ask them, “Is this something you would say? On a scale of zero to 10, would this actually come out of your mouth?” If it’s not seven or above, then we’re not going to submit that essay.

    ​I also ask students, “What part of this essay is written because you think it’s what the reader wants to hear?” And sometimes, if an essay isn’t working, I’ll ask, “What’s the real story behind this? What part of this story are you hiding?” We’ll talk about it, and more often than not, that conversation will uncover the authentic essay. An essay that sounds like the student–even if it’s imperfect–will always do better than a flawless essay that could have been written by anyone.

    The problem with perfection

    Every student needs a different path to get a finished essay. Some do well with tech tools, but others use them to chase perfection, over-revising their essays until they become overly complicated. Think about the best books you’ve read. They flow naturally and show personality. It’s important to remember that a personal statement isn’t an AP English assignment–it doesn’t need to be academically rigid, but it needs to be honest.

    If getting started is the hardest part for many of my students, knowing when to stop can be almost as challenging. When do they stop revising? When do they need to start over? Sometimes I tell students to scrap everything and grab an actual pen and paper. Set a timer for 15 minutes and answer the prompt with a specific scenario, whatever comes to mind, with as much detail as possible. Even if the experience they write about doesn’t end up getting submitted as their answer to that specific prompt, it is usually so vulnerable and unique that they’ll be able to use it for another essay.

    Whether it’s a student writing too much about her mom or someone stuck focusing on what they think admissions officers want to hear, my advice is the same: Write about yourself and don’t be afraid to be who you are. Tech tools can be an enormous help in this process–not by pushing students toward perfect rubric scores, but by helping them present the real person behind the application.

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    Christa Olson, Independent Education Consultant

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  • Measuring student global competency learning using direct peer connections

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    Key points:

    Our students are coming of age in a world that demands global competency. From economic interdependence to the accelerating effects of climate change and mass migration, students need to develop the knowledge and skills to engage and succeed in this diverse and interconnected world. Consequently, the need for global competency education is more important than ever.

    “Being born into a global world does not make people global citizens,” Andreas Schleicher of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has said. “We must deliberately and systematically educate our children in global competence.” 

    Here at Global Cities, we regularly talk with educators eager to bring global competency into their classrooms in ways that engage and excite students to learn. Educators recognize the need, but ask a vital question: How do we teach something we can’t measure?

    It’s clear that in today’s competitive and data-driven education environment, we need to expand and evaluate what students need to know to be globally competent adults. Global competency education requires evaluation tools to determine what and whether students are learning.

    The good news is that two recent independent research studies found that educators can use a new tool, the Global Cities’ Codebook for Global Student Learning Outcomes, to identify what global competency learning looks like and to assess whether students are learning by examining student writing. The research successfully used the evaluation tool for global competency programs with different models and curricula and across different student populations.

    Global Cities developed the Codebook to help researchers, program designers, and educators identify, teach, and measure global competency in their own classrooms. Created in partnership with Harvard Graduate School of Education’s The Open Canopy, the Codebook captures 55 observable indicators across four core global learning outcomes: Appreciation for Diversity, Cultural Understanding, Global Knowledge, and Global Engagement. The Codebook was developed using data from our own Global Scholars virtual exchange program, which since 2014 has connected more than 139,000 students in 126 cities worldwide to teach global competency.

    In Global Scholars, we’ve seen firsthand the excitement of directly connecting students with their international peers and sparking meaningful discussions about culture, community, and shared challenges. We know how teachers can effectively use the Codebook and how Global Cities workshops extend the reach of this approach to a larger audience of K-12 teachers. This research was designed to determine whether the same tool could be used to assess global competency learning in other virtual exchange programs, not only Global Cities’ Global Scholars program.

    These studies make clear that the Codebook can reliably identify global learning in diverse contexts and help educators see where and how their students are developing global competency skills in virtual exchange curricula. You can examine the tool (the Codebook) here. You can explore the full research findings here.

    The first study looked at two AFS Intercultural Programs curricula, Global You Changemaker and Global Up Teen. The second study analyzed student work from The Open Canopy‘s Planetary Health and Remembering the Past learning journeys.

    In the AFS Intercultural Programs data, researchers found clear examples of students from across the globe showing Appreciation for Diversity and Cultural Understanding. In these AFS online discussion boards, students showed evidence they were learning about their own and other cultures, expressed positive attitudes about one another’s cultures, and demonstrated tolerance for different backgrounds and points of view. Additionally, the discussion boards offered opportunities for students to interact with each other virtually, and there were many examples of students from different parts of the world listening to one another and interacting in positive and respectful ways. When the curriculum invited students to design projects addressing community or global issues, they demonstrated strong evidence of Global Engagement as well.

    Students in The Open Canopy program demonstrated the three most prevalent indicators of global learning that reflect core skills essential to effective virtual exchange: listening to others and discussing issues in a respectful and unbiased way; interacting with people of different backgrounds positively and respectfully; and using digital tools to learn from and communicate with peers around the world. Many of the Remembering the Past posts were especially rich and coded for multiple indicators of global learning.

    Together, these studies show that global competency can be taught–and measured. They also highlight simple, but powerful strategies educators everywhere can use:

    • Structured opportunities for exchange help students listen and interact respectfully with one another
    • Virtual exchange prompts students to share their cultures and experiences across lines of difference in positive, curious ways
    • Assignments that include reflection questions–why something matters, not just what it is–help students think critically about culture and global issues
    • Opportunities for students to give their opinion and to decide to take action, even hypothetically, builds their sense of agency in addressing global challenges

    The Codebook is available free to all educators, along with hands-on professional development workshops that guide teachers in using the tool to design curriculum, teach intentionally, and assess learning. Its comprehensive set of indicators gives educators and curriculum designers a menu of options–some they might not have initially considered–that can enrich students’ global learning experiences.

    Our message to educators is simple: A community of educators (Global Ed Lab), a research-supported framework, and practical tools can help you teach students global competency and evaluate their work.

    The question is no longer whether we need more global competency education. We clearly do. Now with the Codebook and the Global Ed Lab, teachers can learn how to teach this subject matter effectively and use tools to assess student learning.

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    Marjorie B. Tiven, Global Cities, Inc.

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  • More teens are using summer for college and career prep

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    Key points:

    The academic landscape has evolved dramatically, especially when it comes to summers. More students are embracing year-round learning to build strong study habits and develop the critical thinking, application, and retention skills they need for success in higher education and the workplace. They’re treating AP®, SAT®, and ACT® practice and preparation as long-term investments rather than temporary obligations where they are last-minute cramming for these high-stakes exams.

    Trends and research support this approach. The Pew Research Center found that 36.6 percent of U.S. teens had a paying job during the summer of 2021–the highest rate since 2008. According to their research, 86 percent of U.S. teens say having a job or career they enjoy is extremely or very important, and 58 percent say having a lot of money is highly important. Their drive for meaningful, financially secure careers is reshaping how they spend their time, especially during the summer.

    Beyond earning money, today’s teens are using their summers for skill development through jobs, internships, and academic prep. This dual focus on work and learning shows maturity and foresight. Students are preparing not just for the next school year but for the professional expectations they’ll face later in life.

    What the Surge Says About Student Ambition

    This rising engagement in AP coursework aligns with a broader cultural shift toward early academic specialization. Students see AP coursework as more than a way to earn college credit. It’s the first step into their intended career path.

    • Future healthcare professionals are diving into AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, and AP Psychology as early tests of their aptitude for the MCAT® and various medical fields.
    • Aspiring attorneys and policymakers turn to AP Government and AP U.S. History to build knowledge of our legislative and judicial foundations, as well as analytical and writing skills.
    • Future accountants, entrepreneurs, and business people gravitate toward AP Calculus, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Statistics to develop quantitative fluency and business reasoning.

    The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that six in 10 teens say graduating from college is extremely or very important to getting a good job. Many recognize that advanced coursework in high school can make college more manageable and scholarships to their dream schools more attainable.

    The rise in AP participation isn’t just academic enthusiasm. It’s strategic planning. Students are approaching high school as a career laboratory where they can test their interests, gauge their strengths, and start aligning their goals with future opportunities.

    Summer as the new launchpad

    For this generation, the summer is a launchpad, not a pause. Teens are blending part-time work with academic enrichment, community involvement, and skill-building activities that align with their future ambitions. Many see the summer as the perfect window to study at their own pace, without the pressure of a full course load or extracurricular overload. 

    More students are using summer break strategically to strengthen their understanding and prepare for challenging AP and SAT content. This behavior echoes findings from Pew’s 2025 survey: Teens are more focused on professional and financial success than on traditional milestones such as marriage and family life. They’re motivated by the pursuit of independence, stability, and purpose, values that translate directly into how they approach school and learning.

    When I talk to students, what stands out is how intentional they are. They want to be prepared, and they want options. They see every AP class and every practice question as one step closer to a career that excites them, and a future they can control.

    From short-term learning to lifelong skills

    This trend toward early preparation also reflects a shift in how students define success. They understand that knowledge alone isn’t enough; the ability to apply, adapt, and persist will carry them through college and into their careers.

    With the research in mind, educators and edtech tools must prioritize active learning over memorization. By helping students understand the why behind each step, not just the correct answer, we build the problem-solving and analytical reasoning skills that mirror the expectations in fields more students are pursuing, including medicine, law, engineering, and business.

    The Future Belongs to the Prepared

    The surge in AP course engagement this summer isn’t an anomaly. It’s a glimpse into the future of learning, and we see that as a positive sign. Students are no longer waiting for senior year or college to take their goals seriously. They’re taking ownership of their learning, developing study skills that extend far beyond exams, and connecting their academic effort to real-world ambition. They’re not just preparing for tests; they’re preparing for life.

    High school may be where lifelong learning begins, but for this generation, it’s also where futures are built.

    Laura Ascione
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    Philip Bates, UWorld 

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  • Powering college readiness through community partnerships

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    Key points:

    Texas faces a widening gap between high school completion and college readiness. Educators are already doing important and demanding work, but closing this gap will require systemic solutions, thoughtful policy, and sustained support to match their efforts.

    A recent American Institutes for Research report shows that just 56.8 percent of Texas’ graduating seniors met a college-readiness standard. Furthermore, 27 percent of rural students attend high schools that don’t offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This highlights a significant gap in preparedness and accessibility.

    This summer, distinguished K-12 educators and nonprofit leaders discussed how to better support college-bound students.

    The gap widens

    Among them was Saki Milton, mathematics teacher and founder of The GEMS Camp, a nonprofit serving minority girls in male-dominated studies. She stressed the importance of accessible, rigorous coursework. “If you went somewhere where there’s not a lot of AP offerings or college readiness courses … you’re just not going to be ready. That’s a fact.”

    Additional roundtable participants reminded us that academics alone aren’t enough. Students struggle considerably with crucial soft skills such as communication, time management, and active listening. Many aspiring college-bound students experience feelings of isolation–a disconnect between their lived experiences and a college-ready mentality, often due to the lack of emotional support.

    Says Milton, “How do we teach students to build community for themselves and navigate these institutions, because that’s a huge part? Content and rigor are one thing, but a college’s overall system is another. Emphasizing how to build that local community is huge!”

    “Kids going to college are quitting because they don’t have the emotional support once they get there,” says Karen Medina, director of Out of School Time Programs at Jubilee Park. “They’re not being connected to resources or networking groups that can help them transition to college. They might be used to handling their own schedule and homework, but then they’re like, ‘Who do I go to?’ That’s a lot of the disconnection.”

    David Shallenberger, vice president of advancement at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas, indicates that the pandemic contributed to that soft skills deficit. “Many students struggled to participate meaningfully in virtual learning, leaving them isolated and without opportunities for authentic interaction. Those young learners are now in high school and will likely struggle to transition to higher education.”

    Purposeful intervention

    These challenges–academic and soft skills gaps–require purposeful intervention.

    Through targeted grants, more than 35,000 North Texas middle and high school students can access college readiness tools. Nonprofit leaders are integrating year-round academic and mentorship support to prepare students academically and emotionally.

    Latoyia Greyer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County introduced a summer program with accompanying scholarship opportunities. The organization is elevating students’ skills through interview practice. Like ours, her vision is to instill confidence in learners.

    Greyer isn’t alone. At the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Development Officer Elizabeth Card uses the grant to advance college readiness by strengthening its high school internship program. She aims to spark students’ curiosity, introduce rewarding career pathways, and foster a passion for STEM. She also plans to bolster core soft skills through student interactions with museum guests and hands-on biology experiments.

    These collaborative efforts have clarified the message: We can do extraordinary things by partnering. Impactful and sustainable progress in education cannot occur in a vacuum. Grant programs such as the AP Success Grant strengthen learning and build equity, and our partners are the driving force toward changing student outcomes.

    The readiness gap continues to impact Texas students, leaving them at a disadvantage as they transition to college. School districts alone cannot solve this challenge; progress requires active collaboration with nonprofits, businesses, and community stakeholders. The path forward is clear–partnerships have the power to drive meaningful change and positively impact our communities.

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    Jeffrey A. Elliott, UWorld

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  • They love me, they love me not: Smart strategies to help students find the perfect college

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    Key points:

    You’ll often hear two words come up in advising sessions as students look ahead to college: match and fit. They sound interchangeable, but they’re not.

    Match refers to what colleges are looking for from students. It’s mostly determined by admissions requirements such as GPA and test scores, and in some cases, other criteria like auditions, portfolios, or athletic ability. Fit is more of an art than a science; it refers to what the student is looking for in a college, including personal preferences, social and cultural environment, financial factors, and academic offerings. When we talk to students about college fit, it’s an opportunity for them to ask themselves whether they like what a certain institution offers beyond being admitted.

    In the college admissions process, both terms matter. A strong match without a good fit can leave a student disengaged and negatively affect their chances of graduating from college. Nearly a quarter of undergraduate freshmen drop out before their second year, and it seems likely to me that a lot of these cases boil down to bad fits. On the other hand, a great fit that isn’t a match could be difficult for admission in the first place, and if a student is admitted anyway, the rigorous coursework they encounter might be more than they’re ready for. To maximize postsecondary success, advisors, families, and students alike should fully understand the difference between match and fit and know how to approach conversations about each of them.

    Match: Reach, target, and solid

    As I’ve worked with advisors over the years, one of the best ways we’ve found to guide students on match is using the categories of “Reach,” “Target,” and “Solid” schools. We can determine which schools belong to what category using the data that colleges share about the average incoming GPAs and test scores of admitted classes. Typically, they report weighted GPAs and composite test scores from the middle 50 percent of accepted applicants, i.e., from the students who fall anywhere from the 25th to 75th percentile of those admitted.

    • Reach: These are schools where admission is less likely, either because a student’s test scores and GPA are below the middle 50 percent or because the school traditionally admits only a small percentage of eligible applicants.
    • Target: These are schools where either GPA or test scores fall in the middle 50 percent of admitted students.
    • Solid: These are schools where students are well within the middle 50 percent for both GPA and test scores.

    Building a balanced college list across these categories is essential in the college planning process. Often, I see high-achieving students over-index on too many Reach schools, which may make it hard for them to get accepted anywhere on their list, simply because their preferred schools are ultra-selective. Meanwhile, parents and guardians may focus heavily on fit and overlook whether the student actually meets the college’s admission criteria. Advisors play a key role in keeping these data-informed conversations grounded with the goal of a balanced list of college options for students to pursue.

    The importance of early planning

    Timing matters. In general, if you meet with students early enough, conversations about fit are productive, but if you’re meeting with students for the first time in their senior year, the utmost priority should be helping them build a balanced list. Ideally, we want to avoid a situation where a student thinks they’re going to get into the most competitive colleges in the country on the strength of their GPA and test scores, only to find out that it’s not that easy. If advisors wait until senior year to address match, students and families may already have unrealistic expectations, leading to difficult conversations when options are limited.

    On the other hand, we would stress that although GPA is the factor given the most weight by admissions offices, there are ways to overcome match deficits with other elements of a college application. For instance, if a student worked part-time to support their family or participated in co-curricular activities, colleges using holistic review may see this as part of the student’s story, helping to balance a GPA that falls outside the typical range. These experiences highlight a student’s passions and potential contributions to their chosen major and campus community. We don’t want students to have unrealistic expectations, but we also shouldn’t limit them based on numbers alone.

    In any case, advisors should introduce both match and fit concepts as early as 9th grade. If students have a specific college in mind, they need to be aware of the match requirements from the first day of freshman year of high school. This allows students to plan and track academic progress against requirements and lets families begin exploring what kind of environment, resources, and financial realities would make for the right fit.

    Fit: A personal process

    Once match is established, the next step is making sure students ask: “What do I want in my college experience?” The answers will involve a wide range of factors:

    • Institutional type: Public or private? Small liberal arts college or large research university?
    • Academic considerations: What majors are offered? Are there study abroad programs? Internship opportunities?
    • Student life: What is the student body like? What kind of extracurriculars, sports, and support services are offered? Are there fraternities and sororities? What is the campus culture?
    • Affordability: What financial aid or scholarships can I expect? What is the true net cost of attendance?
    • Outcomes: What a student hopes to gain from their postsecondary experience, including specific degrees or credentials, career preparation, financial benefits, personal growth, and skill development.

    Fit also requires conversations within families. I’ve found that open communication can reveal misunderstandings that would otherwise falsely limit students’ options. Sometimes students assume their parents want them close to home, when in fact, parents just want them to find the right environment. Other times, families discover affordability looks very different once they use tools like free cost calculators. Ongoing dialogue about these topics between advisors, students, and families during the high school years helps prepare for better decisions in the end.

    Bringing it all together

    With more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. alone, every student can find a college or university that aligns with their goals and abilities. Doing so, however, is both an art and a science. Advisors who help families focus on both dimensions, and start the conversation early, set students up to receive those treasured acceptance letters and to thrive once they arrive on campus.

    For school districts developing their proficiency in postsecondary readiness factors, like advising, there is an increasing amount of support available. For one, TexasCCMR.org, has free guidance resources to strengthen advising programs and other aspects of college and career readiness. While Texas-focused, many of the insights and tools on the site can be helpful for districts across the country in building their teams’ capabilities.

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    Donald Kamentz, Contigo Ed

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  • How AI is Affecting High School Students in Silicon Valley

    How AI is Affecting High School Students in Silicon Valley

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    CUPERTINO, Calif., February 7, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Today’s generation of students is accustomed to using technology to learn, socialize and make their lives easier. In recent years, artificial intelligence has become a hot topic among educators. Specifically, tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a rapidly growing platform ecosystem, have some teachers and parents intrigued, others concerned, and many often detached from what’s happening with the student.

    “The effects of AI on education are widespread, and AI certainly has the power to solve problems and innovate teaching and learning,” says Lee Yee, director and owner, Huntington Learning Center in Silicon Valley. “However, there are worries about AI and the negative implications in and outside of the classroom. It’s important for parents to be engaged and understand how AI could boost or damper student success — and know when to get help.”

    He urges parents to talk with their students about the various ways that AI affects students:

    1. AI personalizes learning. There are many learning apps that use algorithms to analyze student data and provide individualized exercises and recommendations to provide targeted interventions — curriculum meant to help students’ learning outcomes. Teachers might use AI-powered learning platforms to become more productive while collecting more data about students. Students are starting to see adaptive learning platforms in standardized tests, such as the new digital SAT. The test changes based on individual students’ progress and test-taking patterns. 
       
    2. AI drives interactive content and engagement. Interactive content in the classroom will be evidenced by more interactive quizzes, simulations, and other assisted experiences. Coupled with augmented reality, it can help some students increase attention and curiosity through visual, auditory and tactile senses. According to CDC, over an estimated six million children are diagnosed with ADHD each year, which can cause disruptions in learning. Adapting interactive human-like engagement with immersive environments could improve learning effectiveness. 
       
    3. AI can aid a student in their research process. High school students are now frequently using AI for research and writing projects, as its algorithms can efficiently sort through data, speeding up the research process. However, this convenience might impede the development of essential critical thinking and writing skills in college. Parents and students should evaluate the learning tools in use, allowing parents to track AI’s effect on study habits and academic performance. Given that grades may not fully reflect a student’s abilities, particularly post-COVID-19 learning loss, parent engagement about AI’s role in learning helps to determine the type of support the student needs. 
       
    4. Not all will use AI responsibly. Some students may view AI as a sort of “cheat code,” seeking shortcuts to “pass” the system and sidestep the learning process. Address the issue of ethics and AI with your student regularly. Acknowledge the ways that students could use AI inappropriately, like having ChatGPT write their essays, and the punishment for doing so. Most schools have developed policies and tools to detect AI-assisted work, including how teachers will also be expected to change their teaching and testing methods.

    “There’s no question that AI has the potential to enrich your student’s education, but it can also make students rely on it too much to ‘think’ and ‘do,’” says Lee Yee. It can replace the dictionary, but it should not be a replacement for learning — just as AI will never replace the role of their teachers.”

    Parents can talk with their students about why academic integrity and learning are always the most important goals.

    About Huntington

    Huntington Learning Center, the nation’s leading K-12 tutoring and test prep provider, offers personalized, in-person, online, and hybrid programs. Our certified educators specialize in phonics, literacy, writing, study skills, math (elementary through Calculus), Chemistry, and more, preparing students for the SAT, ACT, and other exams. Our data-driven approach enhances skills, confidence, and motivation, aligning with Common Core Standards. Accredited by the Middle States Association, Huntington has been committed to excellence in education since 1977.

    Source: Huntington Learning Center of Cupertino

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