Latest news with #NACAC
Eyewitness News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
MPs mull proposal for SIU to be merged into independent body
CAPE TOWN - The National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) is suggesting the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) be merged into a new, independent body it proposes be called the Office of Public Integrity. Like many other African countries, which have anti-corruption commissions, the council established by the president thinks South Africa should do the same. On Wednesday, NACAC briefed Parliament's justice committee on changes being mooted to the country's anti-corruption architecture, and how this differs from a private member's bill introduced by the Democratic Alliance, Glynis Breytenbach, for the establishment of a Chapter 9 anti-corruption body. The second phase of its work, before wrapping up its three-year term in August, NACAC said it doesn't believe a single body is capable of fighting corruption. The council's David Lewis said it's weighing up whether setting up a constitutional body under chapter 9 would delay the establishment of an agency that can deal with systemic corruption in the country. "Can this SIU be strengthened in such a way as to enable it to carry out already a large number of the functions that we're recommending should be undertaken by this body, so as to short-circuit the way of establishing the institution."
Forbes
05-04-2025
- General
- Forbes
AI Can Help You Choose A College
getty College admission decisions have landed. Over the last few months, schools have chosen between applicants, and now the decision-making process is back in the students' hands. Along with their supporters, newly admitted applicants have until May 1, the National Candidate Reply Date, to choose and submit an enrollment deposit at one school. Choice is a privilege but it can be layered with uncertainty, doubt, and emotion. For many young people, this will be the most significant decision they have made to date, and it can feel overwhelming. A 2023 survey from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that 76% of students felt that applying to college was a decisive moment in their lives. Now that they know where they have been admitted, information will be coming at them from many sources—admission marketing, classmates, family, etc.—and it can be challenging to make sense of it all. In that same survey, 61% of respondents reported being overwhelmed by the advice they had been given. This is a highly personal decision that cannot be outsourced, but one that can certainly be supported by the power of artificial intelligence (AI). After all, one thing AI is good at is processing a lot of information. I have written about the decision-making process before with advice from admission leaders, a look at the paradox of choice, and a discussion of belonging. I continue to believe that there is no substitute for identifying your key criteria, stepping onto campus, and asking good questions of many different people. AI, however, can help you up your game, filter out distractions, and dig deeper into what matters. Get Personal Emily Pacheco is an associate director of undergraduate admissions at Case Western Reserve University and founder of the NACAC special interest group on AI. She agrees that 'AI can be especially valuable in helping students make sense of the overwhelming amount of information involved in the college decision process.' She says, 'Rather than researching each school individually and drawing their own conclusions, students can use AI tools to compare institutions based on highly personalized criteria. For instance, a student might ask an AI tool to compare two universities in terms of how well they support introverted students who are passionate about music and plan to major in STEM.' Pacheco adds, 'These tools can synthesize large amounts of data and present insights in a way that is tailored, digestible, and easy to act on. By cutting through the noise of countless websites and brochures, AI offers students a focused, more nuanced perspective on what matters most to them.' As you attempt to choose a college home for the next four (or more) years, what will be most important to you? Use this knowledge to generate prompts for AI tools to explore. Here are some potential questions/prompts you might use with a Large Language Model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Gemini: 'Compare the mission statements of (names of two or more colleges). What are the key differences?' 'What is the return on investment for a degree from (college name) and what is the alumni network like?' 'Please review the last two years of articles from the (college name) student newspaper and give the 10 most frequently written about issues and areas of concern for students.' 'Review all social media feeds from (college name) in the last year. What are common themes and highlights?' 'I plan to study (major) in college. What are special opportunities or challenges at (college name) in this major?' Make a Matrix Jeff Neill is the director of college counseling at Graded, The American School of São Paulo. He writes a weekly newsletter, Tech-Neill-ogy, on 'leveraging technology in college counseling.' He suggests that students take comparisons to the next level by having AI tools develop dynamic outputs. He shares this prompt: 'Transform my difficult decision between [specific college/university options] into a clear decision matrix. Reveal hidden risk, long-term consequences, and psychological factors influencing my decision that I am completely blind to.' Try it with two or more colleges and you will be amazed by what it delivers. Neill compared Boston College and the University of Notre Dame and here is an example of what it generated. Go Deep Ben Neely is the chief academic officer for Revolution Prep and has been researching and presenting on AI. He says, 'While AI platforms can't replace school visits when it comes to getting the feel of a prospective college choice, some of the newest tools can be used effectively to research and compare.' In particular, he recommends the Deep Research tools available in OpenAI's ChatGPT ($20/month) and Google Gemini (free with a Google account) which provide the means to dive deeper, and effectively compare different aspects of schools a student is choosing between. He cautions, 'The key is to avoid using standard LLMs like GPT-4o, which will primarily produce responses based on training data that may be out of date.' Neely says, 'When using Deep Research, students should take their list of questions and priorities – such as climate, culture, cuisine, or curricula – and ask the AI tool to provide a thoughtful comparison between the colleges on their shortlist. Unlike typical chatbots, which will immediately start rattling off fairly generic info, these research-oriented programs will ask clarifying questions, and then go and spend several minutes preparing a detailed response with cited sources.' He concludes, 'It's like having a junior research assistant working by your side, which can be super helpful for seniors who are juggling their school and extracurricular priorities. As always, scrutinizing these answers closely with a critical eye for detail is important before coming to any final conclusions. The list of cited sources is a great place to start – you'll be looking for websites hosted by the schools themselves, or other well-reputed authors.' The Student Perspective William Liang is a high school journalist writing about emerging technologies in education. He says, 'I've noticed that while many high school seniors experiment with AI tools—using them to rank schools or compare specific programs—they're ultimately making these decisions on their own.' He adds, 'In my recent conversations with students and counselors, I asked them to dig into their ChatGPT or Claude histories for prompts they'd used while deciding between colleges. They identified five recurring themes: comparing financial aid packages, weighing program strengths for specific majors, brainstorming questions for campus tours, gauging real-world career outcomes, and clarifying factors like location or student life. In most cases, they simply found AI to be a quicker way of aggregating info that might otherwise require multiple Google searches.' Liang points out that 'the consensus remains that these tools don't fundamentally change the decision-making process. Data-driven prompts can help students sift through schools, financial aid packages, and even campus culture, but the final choice invariably comes down to gut feelings, in-person visits, and honest conversations with family. For the time being, the deeply personal nature of choosing a college simply isn't something AI can meaningfully alter. These are decisions that have to be made face to face, and AI doesn't add anything to that discussion (yet).' Facilitate Finances Liang's comment about sifting through financial aid packages is not lost on Michael Kolowich. He is a former Emmy-winning TV news reporter in Boston and partner at Bain and Company. Kolowich also founded or led six companies at the intersection of technology and media and is the creator of the ParentGPS mobile app for College Guidance Network (CGN). As he continues to develop innovative AI products, he has been exploring financial comparison abilities. He suggests this prompt: 'You are an expert financial aid advisor with deep knowledge of college financial aid practices. I have three financial aid offer letters from College A, College B, and College C, and I need to compare them in detail. My goal is to determine which college is most affordable and identify any red flags or opportunities for appeal.' Once the user uploads PDF copies of their award letters or enters the text data, AI tools go to work and within minutes you have a starting point for family discussions about affordability. He suggests this follow-up prompt: 'Please create a side-by-side comparison table of key financial metrics (COA, grants/scholarships total, net price, total loans, estimated out-of-pocket costs). Then provide a detailed narrative comparing the financial aid packages, highlighting important details like loan interest, renewal conditions, or potential annual cost increases. Finally, recommend which offer appears most financially viable, and suggest any next steps for appealing or negotiating additional aid.' Kolowich says 'Large Language Models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are quite good at cutting through the jargon and complexity of financial aid packages, explaining them in simple, easy-to-understand terms. They can even read and interpret uploaded PDFs of the offer letters themselves.' If you don't qualify for need-based financial aid, you can still employ AI tools. You might, for example, try these prompts: 'I am a New Hampshire resident, please compare the total cost of attendance, including travel expenses and other related fees, for me to attend the University of New Hampshire versus being an out-of-state student at the University of California—San Diego.' 'What are the hidden costs that I might not be aware of to attend (college name)?' These and other questions will allow you to have more informed conversations as a family about paying for college. Keep Control AI should not choose a college for you. If you ask it to and are persistent, it will. Don't cede control. As Liang emphasized, it is not a substitute for 'gut feelings, in-person visits, and honest conversations with family.' You can, however, use these tools to provide background context, research unique features about each college, and free up time to talk to trusted supporters. If you have a choice among colleges, that is an exciting opportunity. Embrace it. While it is a significant decision and investment, it doesn't have to overwhelm you. Use the AI resources available to be an informed consumer, and good luck!
Forbes
23-03-2025
- General
- Forbes
COVID-19 And College Admission: A Progress Report
Five years ago today, we were in the throes of COVID-19. Barely a month into the global pandemic, everything we knew had changed. Not only were we wiping down groceries and banging pots and pans to celebrate front-line workers, but we were also locked down from work and school. High school seniors were receiving their admission decisions and had to choose a college often without ever visiting. Meanwhile, 11th graders were conducting their college search remotely. On March 22, 2020, I published a piece, 'Redesigning College Admission: COVID-19, Access and Equity,' exploring what we could learn from the moment. Angel Pérez was at that time the vice president for enrollment and student success at Trinity College. Three months later he was named the CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). For that piece, I asked Pérez what the impact the pandemic would have on admission. He said, 'COVID-19 is going to force us to think differently about our work. Every aspect of higher education will be disrupted.' He added, 'I believe we should never let a crisis go to waste. While we are taking care of immediate needs, we should also be asking ourselves--what are the opportunities for the long term?' As we reflect on the last five years, it begs the question, 'How did we do?' Was the opportunity wasted? Have we made meaningful changes? Have we moved the ball on access and equity in admission? How is the redesign going? To check on our progress, I reached out to the individuals whom I interviewed for that original article. Here is what they shared: Pérez says, 'Higher education did not let a crisis go to waste. In fact, we should celebrate the extraordinary efforts of admission officers and counselors who guided hundreds of thousands of students through one of the most challenging times in our history.' He adds, 'Colleges and universities adapted in remarkable ways, making higher education more accessible. Direct admission programs emerged, and test-optional policies expanded, opening doors for countless more students.' Pérez emphasizes that 'while DEI initiatives are now under threat, we must not overlook the significant progress made during the pandemic—progress that transformed admission policies, support services, and opportunities for millions of young people.' He says, 'Organizations rose to the occasion: The Common App set a bold, moonshot goal, and NACAC redefined its mission, vision, and educational offerings to meet the moment. The work we did wasn't just about survival—it was about progress.' NACAC's Center for Reimagining College Access will take this progress forward. He concludes 'Let's honor the dedication and innovation that emerged from that crisis. Our profession stepped up, and students are better for it. That is something to be proud of.' Jenny Rickard, president and CEO of Common App says, 'Five years ago this month, our lives were turned upside down, and as a society, we quickly had to make changes to our everyday lives. In higher education particularly, we had to make changes fairly quickly. At the time, colleges and universities changed their deadlines, moved to test-optional, and turned the admissions experience completely virtual.' She adds, 'We also used our wealth of data to inform our colleges and universities, and our partners of alarming trends during Covid, like the sudden drop in first-generation applicants applying to college in the fall of 2020. Tapping into Common App's rich data allowed us to identify the most at-risk students and sound the alarm on troubling trends we saw early on.' Rickard explains, 'We learned a lot and we innovated a lot over five years. At Common App, we had to understand how to reach students who may not feel like college was the right path for them anymore, and give them space on the application to think more broadly about their experiences and how they might have changed during the pandemic.' She highlights two initiatives that Common App implemented to accomplish those goals: Reflecting on the original article, Rick Clark, executive director of enrollment management at Georgia Tech, says 'I'm pretty impressed that a mere two weeks into the pandemic my colleagues pinpointed some critical issues and opportunities.' He adds, 'We absolutely did not let a crisis go to waste. The innovation and access surrounding campus visits in particular stands out as a place where higher education made important and significant strides. The ability now for a student or family to get high-quality content from colleges about admission, financial aid, and other campus departments is phenomenal. Before COVID-19, we checked the box for providing some information, but five years later the depth and breadth of information students can access remotely is amazing.' Heath Einstein, vice provost for enrollment management at Texas Christian University agrees. He says, 'In the years since the pandemic's peak, colleges have responded to both the needs and preferences of prospective students. Forced to spend seemingly endless time at home, joining classes from their bedrooms or living rooms, many students boomeranged back to preferring in-person activities. And yet, a catalog of resources are stored on websites and a tailored set of virtual programs are still offered to students who either prefer that method or lack the time and resources needed to engage on campus.' Clark explains that 'colleges were generally accommodating when it came to testing policies during the pandemic. In recent years, some schools have gone back to requiring tests, while others have gone test free or permanently test optional.' He adds, 'Ultimately, colleges should create testing policies that help them select students who will do well on their campus based on data. The truth is that's not why most have reinstated testing. Instead, sadly, it has been more about competition for students, net tuition revenue, yield, and the unwillingness to make independent decisions.' He highlights that 'while there is still tremendous inequity when it comes to counselor: student ratios, I am encouraged by recent innovations from College Guidance Network (CGN), Sal Khan, among others. The emergence and proliferation of AI, while not caused by the pandemic, is proving to be a step in the right direction since states have not taken action to remedy these gaps.' Clark concludes, 'In truth, however, five years might as well have been 50. Between the Supreme Court ruling on race-based admission, the fragility of the Department of Education, and the shrinking of the top of the admission funnel both domestically and internationally for a variety of reasons, there has never been a more challenging time to work in higher education or enrollment management. The pandemic was tough and showed us how to adapt, endure, and innovate. I don't have all the answers–in fact very few–but I do know this- we'll need to call on all of those learnings in the years ahead.' Richard Weissbourd is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the faculty director of Making Caring Common. He says, "The pandemic was damaging, and sometimes traumatic, for huge numbers of college students. But it also generated new ways of thinking about higher education and new pathways to careers at a speed that I would have never dreamed possible.' He adds, 'Perhaps most importantly, I think it has made at least some colleges think far more imaginatively and boldly about how they can organize around students, via online experiences or various combinations of in-person and online experiences, rather than expecting students, especially low-income students who have many demands on their lives, to organize around them.' Weissbourd points out, 'we still have a long way to go,' saying, 'I had also hoped that selective colleges in particular might create innovative pathways that enabled them to educate far more students, rather than touting their selectivity. There's little evidence of that yet." 'Miles To Go Before We Sleep' While the college admission profession responded with thoughtfulness and flexibility to the pandemic, as Weissbourd acknowledges, there is certainly room for improvement and missed opportunities to advance a more equitable process. Five years ago, Jerry Lucido was the executive director of the USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice. He asked at that time, 'What if we found new ways of evaluating talent? What if we leveled the playing field, as does the virus, by eliminating the natural advantages that wealth and privilege have in the admission system?' He suggested that we could 'eliminate Early Decision, Early Action, and other forms of demonstrated interest in the process, as only the privileged really understand how to play these games.' Sadly, the use of Early Decision and Early Action plans has only increased in the subsequent year with some colleges enrolling more than 50% of their class this way. We must also continue to explore innovative ways of evaluating applicants. AI might help this in some ways, but it is not the full answer. We have also failed to increase access to school counselors in many communities. I have talked both with counseling colleagues who report caseloads of well over 500 students and with students who don't have a counselor at their school. In the years since the pandemic, with absenteeism, mental health challenges, and other demands requiring increased attention from counselors, their time and energy for post-secondary planning has been further diminished. We need to invest in human resources to support young people as they plan for the future. Clearly, there are dedicated educators who are resolute in making progress and adapting to the challenges we face in college admission. To Clark's point, no one individual or institution has the answers. We must continue, however, to ask how we can do better and confront the landscape in innovative ways that acknowledge the reality of higher education as a business and also a common good. The redesign of this process requires constant iteration and ideation, as well as a repudiation of the status quo. Hopefully, it will not take another crisis to spark action.
