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As essay season is upon us, Rick Clark from Georgia Tech comes through again with an excellent post about how to write the essay! You can read more here.
Parents and High School Students: Is your child's college major truly the most important factor for their career success? Think again.
As educational consultants, we frequently see families stressed about picking the 'perfect' major. However, a recent UW Seattle Admissions webinar revealed a powerful truth: 93% of employers recruiting from UW prioritize factors other than your major. This isn't just a statistic; it signals a fundamental shift. Your chosen major is merely one piece of a much larger, more dynamic puzzle. True career fulfillment now hinges on cultivating a diverse, adaptable, and 'future-ready' skillset beyond academic specialization. Let's explore why this emphasis is shifting from degrees to demonstrable skills, and what truly matters for your professional journey as you plan for college. The Shifting Work Landscape Forget the straight-and-narrow career path. Today's professional world is a whirlwind, shaped by rapid technological disruption, a dynamic global economy, and a persistent skills gap. These seismic shifts demand continuous learning, unwavering adaptability, and a versatile toolkit of transferable skills. Your resilience isn't just a bonus; it's your superpower [2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12]. As educational consultants, we help you interpret these trends, focusing on how your education will equip you with essential future-proof abilities. Durable Skills As specialized technical skills face a shorter shelf-life, "durable skills"—often called "soft skills"—are stepping into the spotlight as your most valuable assets. Research unequivocally proves their immense importance, forming the true bedrock of professional success. Notably, 85% of Job Success comes from Durable (Soft) Skills, while only 15% comes from Technical Skills. (Source: Harvard University, Carnegie Foundation, Stanford Research Center [14, 15]) Employers actively seek graduates mastering these highly transferable and non-negotiable durable abilities. Topping their list are:
A Universal Expectation for Every Major Beyond durable skills, digital fluency is a universal expectation across virtually every industry. A striking 92% of all jobs now require digital skills [7], emphasizing mastery of digital literacies, regardless of your field of study:
What Colleges and Employers Want The hiring game has changed, and college admissions have long evaluated applicants for the promise you hold. Both companies and universities actively look to a 'skills-first' approach, prioritizing what you can do over where and what you studied [10]. This is a significant trend, with 66% of Employers having Adopted Skills-Based Hiring, while only 34% still use Traditional Methods. (Source: McKinsey & Company [10]) Your ability to showcase talents through activities and your academics is your golden ticket. Your 'learnability quotient'—aptitude and eagerness for continuous learning—is the true predictor of career progression, regardless of major. The shift is clear: from Major → Degree → Job to Skills → Experience → Career. As your educational consultant, we guide you in building a college list that includes programs emphasizing hands-on learning, interdisciplinary studies, and opportunities to build a diverse skill portfolio that resonates with admissions committees and future employers. Roadmap for High Schoolers and Parents So, if your major isn't your destiny, what's your next strategic move? To thrive in this dynamic landscape, we, as educational consultants, empower students and parents to focus on these actionable steps starting now, ensuring a strong profile for college and beyond: High school classroom experiences and activities—from club leadership and debate to history projects and sports—provide powerful platforms to develop and demonstrate essential skills. These real-world applications offer tangible proof of abilities, valued by colleges and employers more than just a list of courses or activities. We help students reflect on the specific durable and digital skills gained, guiding them to articulate why these skills matter in college essays and applications. Additionally, we work with students to identify and highlight skills developed through classroom learning, such as analytical thinking from a history research paper or problem-solving from a challenging math project.
Our Research & Insights As educational consultants, our guidance is rooted in continuous research and real-world insights. We regularly engage with industry and market trends, attend university webinars and career centers, analyze higher education data, and actively participate in professional conferences. Our insights are further sharpened through ongoing interactions with colleagues and admissions professionals. This comprehensive, evidence-based approach ensures our advice is current, highly relevant, and designed to position students for success not just in college admissions, but throughout their careers. For this article, we have referenced some of the academic articles and reports listed in the 'References' section below. References [1] Deloitte. (2023). The future of work: A guide to navigating the changing landscape. [2] World Economic Forum. (2023). Future of Jobs Report 2023. [3] National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). (2020). Job Outlook 2020. [4] Burning Glass Technologies. (2021). The New Foundational Skills for the Digital Economy. [5] European Commission. (2022). Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2022. [6] LinkedIn Learning. (2023). Workplace Learning Report 2023. [7] National Skills Coalition. (2021). The Digital Skills Gap in the United States. [8] World Economic Forum. (2022). Future of Jobs Report 2022. [9] IBM. (2023). The AI Skills Gap: New Imperatives for Business and Education. [10] McKinsey & Company. (2023). Generative AI and the future of work in America. [11] GMAC. (2023). Corporate Recruiters Survey 2023. [12] Strada Education Network. (2022). Public Opinion on Higher Education. [13] Al-Dahhan, N., & Al-Amri, M. (2022). The role of university values and skills in enhancing graduate employability: A progressive performance model. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 22(1), 1-17. [14] Capella University. (2018). The Value of Soft Skills in the Workplace. [15] Stanford Research Institute International & Carnegie Mellon Foundation. (2018). The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning. [16] National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). (2023). Job Outlook 2023. [17] World Economic Forum. (2020). Future of Jobs Report 2020. [18] Deloitte. (2022). Millennial and Gen Z Survey 2022. [19] PwC. (2023). Global Hopes and Fears Survey 2023. [20] UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining Education: The Future of Learning. [21] CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. Why Your College Major Matters More Than Ever (Yes, Even Beyond STEM)
At ICC, we're constantly looking ahead, and right now, there's one monumental force reshaping the future for every student: Artificial Intelligence. For those of you on the cusp of making big decisions about college and your major, understanding AI's impact isn't just an option—it's absolutely essential for navigating the job market you'll soon enter. The Future Job Market: Is the AI Tsunami Real? We're not just reading headlines; we're closely observing the profound shifts AI is bringing. Historically, many college majors reliably led to clear-cut entry-level roles—those crucial first steps in a career. But that landscape is changing. Here's what we're paying keen attention to:
Choosing Your Major: It's About Skills, Not Just Degrees So, how do we navigate this evolving landscape? At ICC, when we discuss college majors, we encourage you to look beyond just the subject matter. We want to focus on the life skills you'll develop—especially those that are resilient to AI. Here's our core advice for choosing your higher education path:
We look forward to meeting with each of you over the next few months to discuss how these insights apply to your unique interests and aspirations! A few interesting reads for this: 1. MIT publication - Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task 2. NY Times: For Some Recent Graduates, The AI Job Apocalypse May Already be Here 3. UT San Antonio: Nation's First Dual Degree In Medicine and AI 4. UC Irvine: Humanities and AI 5. Education Week: Skills Students need Most to Succeed in Future Jobs  As has been widely published. the current administration has dramatically cut funding to universities across the USA. This is starting to have trickle down effects felt throughout entire campuses at all levels. Here are a few articles addressing the changes in higher education:
 We are finding more and more that cost becomes a defining factor in the final decision, especially when graduate school, especially any kind of medical training, is also part of the long-term plan.
Bloomberg published an excellent article, Top Colleges Are Too Costly Even for Parents Making $300,000. The article states, "The squeeze starts at about $150,000 of pre-tax household income, when families are expected to fork over roughly 20%, or about $30,000 annually, for tuition. At $270,000 of income families are expected to pay $61,000 a year. Most schools cut off financial aid at about $400,000 of income, according to the analysis." Here is another article from CNBC that substantiates cost playing a significant factor. Our class of 2025 reported scholarships totaling $1,906,528 (note: not all scholarships may have been reported). The largest were $80,000 per year which was based on residency in an adjacent state, $70,000 per year for military, and $68,000 per year for academic excellence and meeting institutional priorities. Several students also benefitted from the WUE scholarship. The House Education & Workforce Committee just approved a bill that would reshape the federal student aid programs. While this has not passed, we expect some provisions to be successful. Some of the highlights include redefining borrowing limits based on the academic program, holding schools accountable and "risk sharing" the debt held by former students who are delinquent on their loans, limiting the amount parents can borrow, and ending subsidized student loans no longer having the government pay the interest while the student is enrolled in school. Newsweek published this article about how this could "drastically reshape how Americans pay for college." Evolving Landscape of Standardized Testing and What it means for Students!
The testing landscape is complex because of differing views on the value of tests and the ongoing reevaluation of their policies by many institutions. This has resulted in some institutions requiring scores, some recommending them, and some allowing flexibility. Here's how these evolving needs are reshaping admissions practices: Many colleges (over 18,000) adopted test-optional policies, recognizing that standardized test scores may not accurately reflect a student's potential. This shift gained momentum during the pandemic, as many institutions evaluated the student through other application components. Some universities, like the University of California system, have gone fully test-blind, meaning test scores are not considered at all. One nearly universal impact of test optional policies was an increase in applications at competitive colleges. The question for many colleges, though, was whether or not this rise in applications translated to more competitive or more diverse classes and whether they were able to meet their institutional goals of shaping the class. Hence it is no surprise that even though some schools announced that the policy change would be permanent, many took this few years as an opportunity to study the merits of testing requirements. Even though test-optional admissions policies are quite prevalent among colleges in 2025, some are returning to requiring standardized test scores. A few still require or value test scores, particularly for competitive programs or to identify socioeconomically disadvantaged students (MIT). Highly competitive programs at some schools, such as engineering or computer science programs at Purdue University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, require test scores to ensure students meet the academic demands of those fields. In recent times, we have witnessed some notable shift as institutions are reevaluating their test-optional policies. Some that initially adopted test-optional policies are now reviewing their stance and returning to testing requirements. For example, the University of Miami, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, Stanford University, the University System of Georgia, Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, Harvard College, University of Texas—Austin, Brown University, Yale University, and Dartmouth College have all moved to reinstate test score requirements or recommend them. In summary, while test-optional policies are widespread, there is a complex landscape of testing policies, with some institutions requiring scores, recommending them, or allowing flexibility. This landscape will continue to change & evolve, as colleges analyze admission cycles and academic years of test optional policy. At ICC, we closely track the test optional policies and their role in as valuable piece of information for a competitive edge in admissions. In other news, with the Trump Administration's cuts in federal research dollars, graduate school admission has been affected. Ian Bogost's Atlantic article (subscription required) outlines how the University of Washington. the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, and others have paused or reduced their graduate admissions, at least temporarily, because of freezes in federal funding. At ICC, we've been actively working on how the federal DEI decisions are going to impact future applications, if at all. Lastly, did you know that only 61% of rural 12-17 year olds said they can get a college degree in their home region, compared to 77% of those from urban areas? This was according to a survey from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. The ringing in of a new year is a time when we reflect on all our students, especially our seniors who we know will graduate high school and embark on a new significantly transformative chapter in their lives. Many have already been offered admission to great school, but the majority of decisions are still awaited. Ultimately, students land at universities that are the right fit where they grow and thrive becoming their own selves.
At Index, we continuously seek opportunities to grow professionally and redesign our services by listening and incorporating client insights. This year Sabrina is joining a group called Counselors Connect. This group of counselors, both independent and school-based, largely based in the US yet with some internationally-based ones, too, is a give-and-take group with monthly meetings. It was started by Mark Stucker of the amazing podcast, Your College Bound Kid. We're looking forward to all the knowledge we will share to help the entire group. Anu will present at the Annual IECA Conference in Michigan this May, alongside a distinguished panel in the session "Communicating with Parents: Strategies for Independent Education Consultants." The IECA Annual Conference is a premier event that brings together hundreds of IECs, admission leaders, and vendors, offering a range of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and campus tours. The session will equip Education Consultants with strategies to build strong, professional relationships with parents, especially those new to the educational process. She will share tools for navigating cultural nuances, managing demanding situations, and maintaining professionalism. Attendees will gain practical insights for effective communication, fostering trust, and collaborating with parents. Additionally, Anu will also be going for post-conference campus tours. The University of California published a fantastic article about how they evaluate applications, which you can read here. *** Did you know that there are more females applying to college than males? That can make it harder for girls as they are 16% less likely to be offered admission than boys. Generally, girls are higher performers overall and colleges aim for a 50/50 gender balance; another example of an institutional priority that can affect you and your application. The highly rejective schools have similar admit rates simply because of the number of applications they receive, but there are other big school like University of Vermont where this is a serious issue. It's so obvious that instead of being located in Burlington, Vermont, a new moniker of "Girlington" has become commonplace vernacular. You can read more about that here. Here are other time worthy articles: --WSJ's Elite Colleges have a Looming Money Problem (behind a paywall) --Brown Faces $46 Million Budget Deficit --Thoughts on 20 years of college teaching (at Duke) Here is the latest on the FAFSA Test Drive of 2024
What is being done to prevent another FAFSA crisis? The U.S. Department of Education is conducting extensive beta testing of the redesigned 2025-26 FAFSA form. This involves releasing the form to increasingly larger groups of students and carefully monitoring for any technical issues. The goal is to identify and fix problems before the form's official release on December 1st. How is the FAFSA beta test going so far? Early indications are that the beta testing is going well. The Department of Education reports that the system is working and that no "critical errors" have been found. However, some less serious issues have emerged, such as a recurring problem with missing signatures on submitted forms. What happened during the first phase of the FAFSA beta test? The first phase involved over 650 high school seniors completing the FAFSA at events hosted by six community-based organizations. Department of Education staff were present to observe and assist. While some technical problems were encountered, most students were able to successfully submit the form. What is the timeline for the FAFSA beta test? The second phase is currently underway and will include 16 organizations and over 1,000 students. The Department of Education plans to continue testing the FAFSA with increasingly larger groups throughout the fall. Why is there so much concern about the new FAFSA? The rollout of the redesigned 2024-25 FAFSA was plagued with technical issues, causing significant delays and disruptions to the financial aid process. This led to frustration among students, families, and college administrators. What are the stakes of a successful FAFSA rollout? A smooth and functional FAFSA is crucial for ensuring equitable access to higher education, particularly for low-income and first-generation students. A repeat of last year's problems could result in students missing out on vital financial aid. What is the Department of Education doing to address concerns about the FAFSA? In addition to the beta testing, the department has delayed the official release of the FAFSA by two months. They are also actively communicating updates and seeking feedback from college access organizations. What is the significance of community-based organizations in the FAFSA beta test? Community-based organizations play a vital role in supporting students, particularly those from underserved communities, in navigating the college application and financial aid process. Their involvement in the beta test helps ensure that the new FAFSA meets the needs of diverse student populations. Read below for important information: If you're considering law school in the future, you may be surprised at which majors do best on the LSAT and are in highest demand at law schools. For more info, read this article. As for ICC, our recent college visits included Univ. of Central Florida, University of La Verne, Azusa Pacific University, a lunch with Purdue, and tour of Univ. of Washington Bothell which has many new buildings that just opened this fall. We are going to make this post very succinct to emphasize this article: High Schoolers Need to Do Less So That They Can Do Better, by Tim Donahue. It's very timely at the start of a new academic year.
"We have pushed high school students into maximizing every part of their days and nights. Those who take the bait are remarkably compliant, diluting themselves between their internships and Canva presentations. We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing. We need to let them slow down. Critical cognition, by definition, takes time. The underbelly of grade inflation is that now the ambitious student must clear more time in their schedule for the stuff that really makes a difference. Harvard’s dean of undergraduate education, Amanda Claybaugh, said: “Students feel the need to distinguish themselves outside the classroom because they are essentially indistinguishable inside the classroom. Extracurriculars, which should be stress-relieving, become stress-producing." Before you read on, you MUST read this article! Thanks to the NYT, we have an article that clearly addresses all the issues when applicants are considering the most rejective schools in the USA.
Moving on now.... When we start working with students, it always seems like there is so much ahead to do to cross the finish line. However, April of senior year inevitably comes so quickly with lots of admission decision considerations. Reflecting upon decisions this year, they were largely what we expected with only a few surprises. UC schools are receiving more applications and becoming even harder, especially for California residents. We found they are starting to lean more on institutional priorities, as evidenced by the selective majors at UCSD. Further, computer science remains in very high demand and those programs are only increasing in selectivity. Students/families are going to have to adjust their expectations of what schools are going to be realistic for them knowing that all colleges and universities have strengths and can provide an amazing experience. In our work, we are trying to balance motivating students to pursue their goals, but also keep their feet grounded in understanding selection is based on much more than grades/courses. We also widened our learning curve by visiting several campuses in the previous few months as an in-person visit offers tangible lessons. Our campus visits in three different states encourages us to dive into the nuances of the academic and cultural fit of the colleges for our students. Our visits--
For your reading, we recommend this article: Does an Ivy League Degree Matter. |
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