Research & Advocacy

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Student Health: 21% of College Students Report No Alcohol Use

The headline of the story is noteworthy - "I Am A College Student With 0% BAC" but for reasons that may not be obvious. According to 93,034 student responses to the 2015 ACHA National College Health Assessment approximately 21.3% of students have never used alcohol.
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Transparency when dealing with student mental health policies

This is an important article from The Atlantic. It highlights the complex issues surrounding how colleges and universities manage mental health issues of students.
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Eight Ways to Help Pay for College

The National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education reports that the cost of higher education has risen dramatically. Between 1987 and 1996, the cost of attending public institutions rose by 132 percent, and the cost for private institutions increased by 99 percent both during a period of relatively low inflation with a modest 52 percent increase in family disposable income.
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Four Easy Steps To Application Sanity

One peek in your son's room confirms that he's in the midst of the college application process. His floor is littered with school viewbooks, post-it notes obscure his computer screen, and his test score summary has gone AWOL. One thing is certain: if colleges are looking for well-organized students, he'll be getting mostly thin envelopes. You wonder how he'll ever pull it all together!
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FINANCES TOP SURVEY LIST OF CURRENT COLLEGE PARENT CONCERNS

College students' finances are of "extreme" or "great concern" to nearly half of the 1,727 respondents to the Second Annual National Survey on the Current College Parent Experience, which was conducted online from February 23 through March 5, 2007.Approximately one-half of the respondents were made up of those of you who receive this weekly e-mail and who reside in the College Parents of America database. The other half of respondents came from parents who are part of the Student Advantage, LLC database, a College Parents of America partner since 2005.
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About Eating Disorders

About Eating DisordersAccording to a 2004 online study conducted by Screening for Mental Health, Inc. 59.34% of students screened tested positive for symptoms of an eating disorder. Of those who scored positive, 96% were not in treatment for an eating disorder at the time of the screening.
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College Guidance Counselors Send Mixed Messages on Parental Involvement in the College Selection Process

There were no protesters, no police blockades and no talking heads on television, but last week in Milwaukee there was a national convention.As Boston in July was to the Democrats, and as New York in late August and early September was to the Republicans, Milwaukee last weekend was to guidance counselors.
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Assessing Campus Security

While your child may be eager to visit colleges to check out the dorms, the study and athletic facilities, the food and the social atmosphere, what shouldn't be overlooked is the level of security provided on campus. Most high school students would not rate this as one of their primary concerns when considering which college to attend, which is why it is often up to their parents to ask important questions about the safety of where their children may be spending the next several years.
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A Bigger Tax Break on Tuition for College

Who wants more tax breaks? Everybody.Who deserves a greater tax break on the cost of college tuition? All current and future college parents and that means you, the members of College Parents of America.One of our greatest priorities in the coming months will be to push in Congress the dual notion of greater tax deductibility for the cost of college, and universal eligibility for taking advantage of those deductions.
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The Path to Influence

Last week, in this column, I wrote about the upcoming “road to reauthorization” for the Higher Education Act, certain provisions of which are already being considered in the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee, chaired by Rep. John Boehner of Ohio.
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College Tip Student Health: – Insurance, Waivers & More

College Parents of America has been an active contributor to the topic of student health. There are many topics to consider. We try to make it simple and easy for college parents with three college student health tips for parents.
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College Tip: 5 Paths to College Success

In our twenty years of efforts to serve college parents, there are a few noteworthy voices who provided valuable insights into what is required by families, students, institutions and communities to promote & define college success.  That's why we are pleased to showcase an article below by Brandon Busteed who successfully served as the Executive Director, Education and Workforce Development, at Gallup.
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5 Things To Know Before Getting An Education Major

Top 5 Things You Should Know Before Getting An Education Major There are so many different types of fields that you can major in. Some fields aren’t too popular, while others will be booming for some time then die out, and then there are some that are always needed and are consistent. One of the […]
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Preparing For Freshman Year at College

Have you just graduated from high school? Have you received an acceptance letter from a college or university? Have you already committed or are you considering committing to a school? We have a list of things you should get started on over the summer in order to be fully prepared for your upcoming year as […]
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“My Young Adult is F.I.N.E.”

How we can ask more specific questions to ensure that our young adults aren’t struggling in silence and be honest about what they’re experiencing in higher education. When asking “How are you?” to your young adult, have you ever wondered if there’s something more behind the curtains of their “I’m fine” answer?  I wish I […]
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The Top 3 Most Powerful Consequences of Immersive Learning: How We Can Re-Route Our Students’ Professional Pathways

By Anna Fitzgibbon Are we doing it backward? It’s interesting- we expect our students to choose majors, professional pathways and career fields before they take a full inventory of what exists, what they love and how they could find their place within an existing model. If we want our students to potentially change industries, create […]
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College Waitlist: Should Your Student Just Wait?

The college application process is a stressful time for both students and their parents: college visits, narrowing down the choices, SAT or ACT exams, applications, essays, recommendations, and then – finally – your child finds that she has been put on the waiting list for her first choice college.  Yes, it may be discouraging, but all may not be lost.  There are some things that your “almost” college student should – an
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2019 College Admission Scandal (II) – Useful Observations for Parents

College Parents of America has a long history of making observations regarding the insanity of the college admissions process, but nothing really prepared our editors and contributors for the college admissions scandal that was announced yesterday by the FBI. It is very disappointing and disconcerting to those of us who promote the value of higher […]
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2019 College Admissions Scandal (I) – Shock & Disgust

In the past twenty years of supporting college-bound families, we have learned to not be overly surprised by the potential for misconduct and harmful behaviors of parents. The Atlantic provides a succinct summary “A coast-to-coast FBI probe alleges that a network of celebrities, business executives, and other powerful figures is at the center of a […]
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If Your College Doesn’t Provide 100% Refunds, You Are Smart To Consider Tuition Insurance

If you are like most college parents, you are unaware if your college or university will provide a refund if your student is forced to withdraw mid-semester for health or medical reasons.  In a 2017 survey of college officials, only 16% of schools reported providing 100% refunds.  That's when tuition insurance can help.  Tuition insurance provides a refund when a college or university may not. 
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College Admissions Acronyms & Terms

The College Admissions process can be daunting for both students and parents. Throughout the process, there will be many terms and acronyms that may become confusing. We have put together a list of Acronyms and Terms to help guide you through the College Admissions process! College Admissions Acronyms ACT – The letters do not mean […]

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College Mental Health – Mid-Term Anxiety & More

This time of year - particularly with mid-terms can bring a great deal of stress in the lives of college students and their families. This is somewhat predictable given the high expectations and academic workloads. There are some things all parents need to know about your college student and their mental health.
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College Tip Student Health: – Insurance, Waivers & More

College Parents of America has been an active contributor to the topic of student health. There are many topics to consider. We try to make it simple and easy for college parents with three college student health tips for parents.
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College Sex – The Truth is in the Numbers

College sex. The truth is in the numbers.
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2016 Survey of College Parents

We are pleased to share the results of the 2016 biennial survey of college parents. The findings of this report are consistent with our prior the two prior research studies and confirms that “college families are an important source of support for increasing student success and college completion.” The 2016 survey of more than 510 College Parents conducted by College Parents of America through internet channels and subscribers in late June of 2016. We have a high degree of confidence that the survey is directionally correct and will be valuable to colleges and universities as well as other stakeholders interested in increasing rates of college completion.