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Forbes
14-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Still Waitlisted? What To Know About College Waitlists
May 1, also known as National Decision Day, is when high school seniors officially send their enrollment deposit to the college they plan to attend. Now that this deadline has passed, many graduating seniors are preparing for their next chapter: meeting roommates, choosing classes and other logistics. However, not every student is certain where they will be in the fall. With applications reaching record-breaking numbers, more schools are utilizing waitlists to ensure that they have a full freshman class enrolling in the fall. Here's what students on the waitlist need to understand moving forward. If a student is placed on a waitlist, it means they haven't been accepted, yet haven't been rejected. The admission officers liked the candidate, but at the same time, didn't have space to offer them a spot in the incoming freshman class. When a student receives their waitlist admission decision, they won't be automatically placed on the waitlist if they don't follow the correct steps. For example, to join Case Western Reserve University's waitlist, students had to respond by a certain date and write an essay on why they wanted to attend the university. On the other hand, the University of California-Davis simply wants students to confirm that they want to be on the waitlist; no additional letters of recommendation or essays needed (or wanted). To be considered, students should read carefully what is required before committing to the waitlist. The waitlist can be a tough place for students because it feels like admissions purgatory, unsure of what their chances of success will be. Waitlists can be unpredictable because of various factors like yield rates and institutional needs. Additionally, the number of students on the waitlist can vary greatly. Stanford University placed 414 students on the waitlist and only accepted 25 of them. Carnegie Mellon University placed more than 10,000 on the waitlist and accepted 32. Students should research the school's history of waitlist acceptances to learn how many applicants are typically accepted. This can help to manage expectations. While it makes sense for the waitlist to be ranked and accept students in a particular order, that is rarely the case. Some universities do rank their lists, however, most don't. Instead, the admission officers will review the school's institutional priorities like major, geographic diversity or underrepresented demographics, and then decide which students fit those needs best. If a school is looking for a student who doesn't need financial aid and is a computer science major from the South, the admission officers will first look at students who fit those qualifications. That student may get pulled from the waitlist even if they have lower stats than another student on the waitlist. For students placed on the waitlist, this isn't the opportunity to inundate admission officers with unsolicited information. The school will give clear instructions on what they want, such as an additional essay, another letter of recommendation or a letter of continued interest. Contacting the admissions office with unsolicited information will not improve your chances; therefore, once the requested tasks have been done, it is time to sit back and wait. There is no limit to the number of waitlists a student can be on at any time. Since there is no guarantee one will be accepted off the waitlist, it could make strategic sense to be on many waitlists, as long as the student would consider attending the university. Another reason a waitlist can feel like purgatory is that there is no clear timeline. Some students get informed that they are accepted off the waitlist before the May 1 enrollment deadline. Others might be notified just a few weeks before the fall semester begins. At Moon Prep, we have seen students get waitlisted at competitive BS/MD programs. The University of Missouri-Kansas City, Siena College, Union College, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, and the University of South Carolina all utilized the waitlist this year. When students were notified they were accepted off the waitlist, they were given a deadline to decide, typically 48-72 hours before the offer passed to the next student. Students accepted off the waitlist might still receive scholarships. However, it will likely be need-based aid and not merit-based scholarships. The merit-based scholarships have likely all been distributed. If a student doesn't get merit aid as a freshman, they can talk to the financial aid office to learn what scholarship opportunities will be available to apply to as a sophomore. Unfortunately, the enrollment deposit is non-refundable. The enrollment deposit is typically less than $500, and could be a relatively small price to pay for getting into a dream school at the last minute. Being on the waitlist can be stressful, but students should remain realistic. While waiting for a waitlist notification, make sure to move forward with your plans at the school where you made an enrollment deposit. Stay hopeful and keep checking your inbox—you never know when the notification may come.
San Francisco Chronicle
07-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
A California supermarket staple could become cheaper under Trump tariffs
President Donald Trump's tariff war is expected to make the price of a host of goods go up. But almonds — California's most valuable agricultural export — may get a bit cheaper. Almonds from California make up about 80% of the world's supply, with a significant amount exported to China, a country subject to President Donald Trump's highest tariff — 145% — which took effect last month. The Chinese government briskly retaliated with a 125% tariff on U.S. imports. If China buys fewer almonds, Central Valley growers will have to sell more of the crop domestically. That could mean slightly lower prices at the supermarket, even as almond growers take a hit. 'There's no question: more almonds have to get sold on the U.S. market,' said Daniel Sumner, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of California Davis. 'If there's more of them around, the only way to get them sold is at a lower price.' Consumers shouldn't expect half-priced almonds or bargain bin almond milk, Sumner said, noting that many factors go into supermarket pricing. But almond prices are likely to decrease slightly — a sharp contrast to a number of other food items that could see rising price tags due to tariffs. But even that slight grocery-store discount could correspond to major losses for almond growers who already operate on razor-thin margins. California-grown almonds brought in $4.7 billion in export revenue in 2022, according to the state's Department of Food and Agriculture. China was the fourth-largest foreign market for almonds that year, importing about $269 million, behind the European Union, India and the United Arab Emirates. California could lose out on up to $868 million in lost export revenue from almonds if other countries impose retaliatory tariffs, according to a study from the University of California Davis that assumed tariffs of 60% from China and 10% from the rest of the world. During Trump's first term, Chinese retaliatory tariffs hit almond prices hard, causing per-pound prices to drop from $2.50 to $1.40, the study found. The EU, which imported $1.48 billion in California almonds in 2022, approved counter-tariffs in April including a 25% tariff on U.S. almonds, which would go into effect in December. More retaliatory tariffs could materialize from other almond markets if the White House's universal 10% tariffs go into effect. Trump paused implementation for 90 days on April 9. 'We're bracing ourselves for some negative impacts,' said Joe Sansoni, an almond grower and former president of the Merced County Farm Bureau. 'We're not gonna see the price that we should.' Jenny Holtermann, president of the Kern County Farm Bureau and co-owner of almond farm H&H Family Farms, said almond prices were 'just starting to rebound' from the impacts of COVID-19 and the U.S.-China trade war during Trump's first term. With almond prices below $2.00 a pound, Holtermann has not turned a profit in recent years; she said it costs her about $1.75 to grow each pound, a figure that could rise if tariffs increase the price of other farming inputs like fertilizer, irrigation parts and tractors. 'It is very hard to make a living off of farming anymore,' said Holtermann, who supplements her income by working as a water consultant for two nonprofits. It's too soon to tell exactly how much foreign demand for California almonds will drop. That's because last year's crop has already been sold and the next harvest isn't until fall. A historic honeybee die-off over the winter could result in lower-than-usual yields for almonds, and the fast-fluctuating tariffs make predictions challenging. 'Nobody really knows what tariffs are going to look like in the fall,' said Aaron Smith, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley. 'People are kind of shrugging their shoulders a little bit and assuming that 145% tariffs are kind of ridiculous and that they're not going to persist.' The tariffs' impact also depends on how much foreign customers are willing to pay for almonds. Because California dominates the world's almond supply, other countries can't easily buy non-American almonds; they'd have to opt out of buying almonds altogether. 'The big question is whether people think about almonds as something where they're like, 'Oh, I'm just going to eat walnuts instead or some other nut instead,'' Smith said, 'or whether it's a specific thing of, 'I really love my almonds.'' But even if foreign demand drops only slightly and almond farmers see just a 5% drop in the wholesale price, the industry would take 'a significant hit' that could get passed along to farm workers or contractors in the form of lower wages, Smith said. Drops in the wholesale price don't map on perfectly to drops in consumer prices. A 10% drop in the farm price could translate into just a 3% discount in the checkout line — 'pennies,' if that, Sumner said. That discrepancy is because supermarket pricing factors also include processing, shipping and marketing, he said. Because almond trees can take decades to cultivate, growers can't easily change crops. A 5% drop in price would likely not be dramatic enough for them to yank out trees, Smith said. The full impacts on almond growers depend on another major variable: whether the White House will provide relief funds. Unlike crops like soybeans, rice and cotton, the federal government does not usually offer subsidies for almonds, Smith said. But the government broke from that precedent during Trump's first term and shelled out tens of millions in direct aid for almond farmers, resulting in historic profits for some growers, he said. 'Everybody in the industry who's paying attention will be expecting those same payments,' Smith said. In a statement, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump 'cares deeply about strengthening America's agriculture industry' and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture 'is operating a range of programs to serve our farmers while evaluating new ways to ensure they have the resources they need to feed the world.' Holtermann, the Kern County grower, said she received aid from the government during Trump's first term and that she believes Trump will 'make it right' this time around, too. She said she's 'cautiously optimistic' that Trump's tariffs will 'put the American economy back up to the powerhouse that we're supposed to be,' even as she's not 'naive' about the short-term impacts. 'At the end of the day,' Holtermann said, 'all I can do is keep farming and do what I'm doing every single day and hope everything pans out.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Clarity on abortion exceptions, more enforcement on abortion pills pass Texas Senate
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas Senate passed multiple pieces of legislation this week that would give reproductive care providers more clarity for when a doctor can legally perform an abortion to save a mother's life, and also legislation that would allow Texas residents to sue abortion pill manufacturers and anyone who delivers to product to the state. State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R – Mineola, authored Senate Bill 31. It passed the Texas Senate with unanimous support. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said after the passage the bill, 'clarifies current law to provide guidance to physicians when they treat a pregnant woman who is at risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function by clearly defining 'life-threating.' The bill defines the medical emergencies where doctors can intervene to save the mother's life. It also provides exceptions for pregnant women going through cancer treatment. Although gaining support from Senate Democrats, State Sen. Molly Cook, D – Houston, said the bill helps a lot, but more needs to be done for reproductive health in the state. 'There's still no exceptions for instances of rape, or incest, or fetal anomalies, and it of course does nothing for people who just want to be in charge and have the choice,' Cook said. Moments after passing SB 31, senators debated another bill from Hughes, SB 2880. It expands enforcement on abortion-inducing medications by allowing Texans to sue anyone who mails or delivers abortion pills to Texas, including the companies that manufacture the product, for $100,000. 'Women are being harmed. Women are being hurt by these pills,' Hughes said when laying out his bill on the Senate floor. He referenced a recent study conducted by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a faith-based policy institute. The study analyzed, 'health insurance claims database that includes 865,727 prescribed mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023.' Of those abortions, the study found 10.93% of the women experienced a 'life-threatening adverse event.' But, other studies have shown success from the pills. One study found in a one- year period, of the 2,268 women who used the drug, 98.4% were satisfied with the experience. Texas has already tried to enforce civil penalties on a New York-based doctor. Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the doctor, saying she mailed abortion-inducing medications to a Texas woman that resulted in the death of an unborn child and serious complications for the mother. A Texas judge issued a $100,000 penalty, but the doctor may not have to pay that fine. Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California Davis, said the main question about this case is whether or not Texas courts can force judgements in New York courts. Ziegler said the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution states, 'When one state's courts reach a final decision the other state's courts have to respect it, but that's not true in every single circumstance.' New York, and other states, passed 'shield laws' to protect their residents from either civil or criminal consequences based on offering abortion and other reproductive healthcare. Texas will have to go to federal court to get an answer, Ziegler said. 'There's definitely a feeling I think when it comes to abortion pills in Texas of people in the pro-life or anti-abortion movement trying a whole bunch of strategies to see what works because to date, nothing has. To date, even though Texas obviously has some of the strongest abortion bans in the nation, there hasn't been much success in shutting down access to abortion pills,' Ziegler explained. She said the Supreme Court is more 'anxious' forcing one state to honor another state's judgements when it involves something that either is a criminal penalty or civil law equivalent. As an example, she said if the state of California sued a Texas resident for owning a handgun because it's against their laws, the Supreme Court would most likely not force Texas courts to comply with that judgement. But, she did explain the Supreme Court has said it is different if a private citizen is suing another private citizen, and could be a more successful path at enforcing this anti-abortion pill bill. However, New York does have 'clawback' laws that would allow a private citizen to countersue for interfering with their rights, creating an even more tricky legal issue. 'Whatever happens it's going to be a mess,' Ziegler said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
State officials release thousands of critical fish species after 50-year-long absence: 'This is history'
Once abundant in California's Central Valley, the Sacramento perch was driven out of its native waters 50 years ago by disruptions to its natural habitat. Thanks to a state pilot project, though, the fish is making a long-overdue comeback, CBS reported earlier this month, as 3,000 young perch were stocked in the pond at Granite Regional Park. "This is history, returning the Sacramento perch to Sacramento where it was so numerous once upon a time," California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Peter Tira told CBS. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The Sacramento perch has an unusual conservation status. Though rare in its natural habitat, it has been successfully introduced into lakes and ponds across Western states. Lynette Williams Duman, a doctoral candidate, and Mason Rogers, a staff biologist, of the University of California Davis described the perch's expatriation as "a story of hope in an era that desperately needs it." As Duman and Rogers noted, the changes to the perch's environment are irreversible, but the situation is far from hopeless. It may not be viable to fully restore the environment the Sacramento perch once thrived in, but there is still a great deal that can be done regarding environmental reconciliation. Such efforts are an important way to combat biodiversity loss caused by environmental degradation. In addition to contributing to human needs such as food, fuel, and shelter, a vibrant ecosystem provides key services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and climate regulation. Community-led efforts such as this show that not only can big changes start locally, but they can also be enjoyable for all. The Sacramento perch offers good sport for anglers, and its high tolerance for alkaline conditions and fluctuating temperatures makes it a perfect candidate to be stocked in cold waters that other sportfish cannot tolerate. As the aptly named CDFW scientist Mark Fish put it, "They're just a really cool fish that everybody seems to get excited about." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
