Exploring College Choices: Kazue McGregor

“There may be fewer directly arts-related jobs, but in a world of algorithmic sameness, the quirky perspectives that might have made these creatives the odd folks out in high school can make them refreshingly distinctive, authentic voices in job interviews.

Along with creativity, employers value analytical thinking, project-oriented scrappiness, versatility, flexibility, entrepreneurship, teamwork, communication prowess, resilience, and deadline reliability. Beyond their specialized skills, many arts graduates have such “core” or “durable” skills as well as the narrative know-how to highlight them…”

Arts Grads Are Doing Just Fine, Actually With AI driving algorithmic sameness, these students often have skills and creative perspectives that set them apart.

Many experts agree there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to standardized test requirements versus test-optional policies.

Elite colleges are returning to the SAT and ACT. Will others follow? Top-ranked colleges and the Trump administration are embracing the exams, but that doesn’t mean test-optional policies are falling out of favor everywhere.

“The California Labor & Workforce Development Agency today announced the launch of the AI-Ready California pilot, a micro-credential program designed to provide universal AI literacy education across the state.

The AI-Ready California initiative offers an accessible, online learning experience built around two interconnected learning dimensions:

Civics & Responsibility – Participants learn to use AI safely and responsibly, with emphasis on privacy, data protection, and appropriate use.

Career & Workforce Readiness – Learners gain practical skills to leverage AI for productivity, job-seeking, and long-term adaptability in an AI-augmented labor market. “

California launches first-in-nation AI literacy micro-credential program | LWDA State of California

If you or someone you know is applying to college, AXS Companion is a free and valuable tool to help you complete your Common Application

https://www.axscompanion.org/

https://pressbooks.pub/theaxscompanion/

Rice expands signature financial aid program, offering free tuition to families earning up to $200,000 Rice has announced a major expansion of the Rice Investment, its signature financial aid program, offering free tuition to students from families earning up to $200,000 annually.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted Tuesday to eliminate higher tuition rates for students with out-of-state residency.

Regents voted unanimously in favor of the change, but final approval will not occur until November, when regents vote on tuition rates for the 2027-28 school year.

University of Alaska regents move to eliminate out-of-state tuition rates University finance officials said the move will not cost the school much money, but might attract more students from other states.

7 ways college admissions season is changing this year The process has been disrupted by the pandemic, shifting testing policies, the Supreme Court, federal investigations … the list goes on. But there is good news.

Starting in fall 2027, the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will grade all first-year students as pass/no credit for their first semester, joining other institutions such as Johns Hopkins, Goucher and Swarthmore.

Among other goals, the pilot program is designed to encourage students to “explore a subject that may not come easily to them or take a course in a new field without the fear that a low grade may have long-term consequences.”

UMich College Shifts to P/NC Grading for First-Year Students Starting in fall 2027, the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will grade all first-year students as pass/no credit for their first semester. Students will still receive grades and instructor feedback on their coursework, but the grades will not count toward their...

“The two-day, digital NextGen Uniform Bar Exam, which has been in development since 2018, is set to debut in 10 smaller jurisdictions…..By July 2028, nearly every state in the country—including California, Florida and Texas—will have replaced the current bar exam with the NextGen Bar Exam.

Instead of physical test sheets, students will take it all on computers. The new exam will take nine hours over a day and a half to complete, rather than 12 hours over two days. And instead of requiring candidates to memorize mountains of legal doctrine, it is more focused on testing practical lawyering skills.”

The New Bar Exam Is Here The National Council of Bar Examiners has spent eight years developing a new law-licensure exam, which debuts this month. Compared to the old exam, it’s a much better reflection of what it’s like to practice law, the legal community says.

Thanks to Melissa Mieyr at Infoquest for sharing this important post.

• A temporary driver’s license is not valid.

• There is a limited window, only a few minutes, for a flagged student to provide ID verification once it is requested; the Department of Education has not specified exactly how long that window is.

• Students only get one chance to complete this. If verification is not provided within that time limit, they cannot just log back in later or the next day to try again. The student will then have to get their identity cleared up individually with each college they are applying to.

𝗙𝗔𝗙𝗦𝗔 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆

The Department of Education is now screening every FAFSA application for fraud in real time. If your student gets flagged, they will need to verify their identity with a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID (like a driver's license, state ID, or passport) using a smartphone or tablet camera; a student ID card does NOT count.

IDs can take time to get. Do not wait until it is time to complete the FAFSA.

Do this today:
✅ Check your student's ID—is it valid and unexpired?
✅ If not, start that process now
✅ Questions about your family's specific situation? Reach out to InfoQuest or talk to your school counselor

Aid delayed is aid your student may miss out on.