Two components of the Declaration of Values resonate with me and my experience with the task force: partnerships and access to success. Collaborating with admissions officers and other counselors who gathered not to promote their schools but to focus on overarching concerns about the changing demographics and dynamics of college admissions was inspiring. We are at our best when we focus on student needs, not rankings; collaboration, not competition; education about options, not a narrowing of choices. Next steps should include educating admissions personnel about the changes on the horizon, partnering with NACAC, State and Regional Affiliates of NACAC, ASCA, NASSP and so on, to understand and reach out to this next and changing college-going population.
Phyllis Gill
Associate Director of College Guidance
Past President, Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling
Providence Day School
Download the following resources:
PowerPoint presentation on Preserving the Dream of America
Executive Summary of Preserving the Dream of America
Selected Data on P-20 Education in America
College Board Guidelines on Standardized Admissions Exams Statement
Declaration of Values
Action Commitments
Task Force Roster
Read the article on "Preserving the Dream of America" in The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 6, 2008.
Visit The CollegeKeys Compact™ to view the final report of the College Board's Low-Income Task Force.
Visit Winning the Skills Race and Strengthening America's Middle Class for the January 2008 report of the National Commission on Community Colleges.
Visit Rethinking Student Aid for a summary and full report of the work of the Rethinking Student Aid study group.
Visit College Board Advocacy to learn more about the work of the Commission on Access, Admissions and Success in Higher Education and its report, Coming to Our Senses: Education and the American Future.
Visit the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education website for a summary of the WICHE/College Board/ACT report on projections of high school grades through 2022, entitled Knocking at the College Door, Projections of High School Graduates by State and Race/Ethnicity, 1992-2022.
Visit the NACAC site to view the full NACAC report on the state of college admissions, entitled State of College Admissions 2008.
Visit the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development website to read a summary of OECD's report entitled Education at a Glance 2008: OECD Indicators.
