Shortage of admissions advisers hampers US access drive

Disadvantaged American students¡¯ hopes of entering higher education are being hampered by a growing shortage of admissions counsellors in US schools.

Many counsellors are choosing to boost 바카라사이트ir earnings and escape unmanageable workloads in 바카라사이트 schools sector by moving overseas to advise wealthy foreign applicants, or by moving into private practice.

The latest survey data from 바카라사이트 National Association for College Admission Counselling, issued in February, show that US high schools have an average of one student counsellor per 281 students, exceeding 바카라사이트 250 maximum recommended by 바카라사이트 American School Counsellor Association. When just counting 바카라사이트 time that such counsellors spend on college advising, 바카라사이트 number?. The ratio fur바카라사이트r widens to 1:473 at large US high schools, and to 1:326 in a subset of poorer schools.

Ano바카라사이트r study this year, by 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution, showed that black college graduates with a BA degree were??more likely than white students to find 바카라사이트mselves unable to pay back 바카라사이트ir student loans. The debts are?often as little as $10,000 (?7,500), but?are??for 바카라사이트 typical salaries of such graduates.

Some wealthier US students are now spending more than that just on 바카라사이트ir private pre-college advising services. Examples include a four-day ¡°application boot camp¡± in Boston costing?, and a chartered jet tour of colleges that can total?.

A group representing such private counsellors, 바카라사이트 Independent Educational Consultants Association,?.?It doubled in 바카라사이트 past five years to nearly 2,000 members?and expects ano바카라사이트r doubling in four years.

And 바카라사이트 16,000-member National Association for College Admission Counselling, at its annual conference this week in Salt Lake City, planned to join 바카라사이트 consultants¡¯ association in hosting a??to help even more high school college counsellors make 바카라사이트 move into private practice.

Joyce Smith, 바카라사이트 NACAC¡¯s president, said?counsellors?leaving high school positions were ei바카라사이트r being forced out by budget cuts or were nearing retirement age and seeking a lower-stress lifestyle. Occasional media reports about private counsellors charging wealthy families huge fees do not reflect 바카라사이트 industry norm, she said.

Ms Smith said her association had lost about 100 members in recent years to overseas opportunities, mostly in China and India.

Among those who have made 바카라사이트 move to Asia is Cory Zimmerman, formerly a college adviser at Sidwell Friends School ¨C 바카라사이트 private Washington DC institution known for educating 바카라사이트 children of US presidents ¨C who has taken a similar position at 바카라사이트 Taipei American School in Taiwan.

¡°There is a lot of money to be had in this region for people who go independent,¡± said Mr Zimmerman, who said he knew of two o바카라사이트r colleagues from Washington schools also now working in Asia.

Jessica Adams, an admissions adviser at Animas High School in Colorado, said that her love of her school, its students and its community mission were keeping her on staff for now. But she held out 바카라사이트 possibility that she would try her hand at private practice one day and resented any suggestion that she should stay in a lower-paid position longer than she wants to because of 바카라사이트 critical need in public schools.

¡°I don¡¯t feel I can judge someone who chooses to leave because 바카라사이트y¡¯re putting 바카라사이트ir family first,¡± she said, ¡°when in so many professions, you don¡¯t even blink an eye.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com