A Note from the Senior Director 

Dear friends, 

As another campaign season comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the incredible dedication, creativity, and care shown by educators, counselors, and volunteers across the ACAC network. Each year, you help learners take one of the most meaningful steps in their educational journey, and this year has been no exception. From inspiring #WhyApply Day celebrations to the many college application events across the country, your work continues to open doors and expand opportunities for countless students.

It’s a wonderful time to pause and celebrate these moments of success as this year comes to an end. Take time to acknowledge your accomplishments, large and small. Whether you helped a first-generation student submit their first application, guided a classroom through essay-writing workshops, or simply provided encouragement to a student who needed it, those moments matter deeply.

I also encourage you to share your stories, highlights, and favorite memories from this season on your social channels. Your stories not only celebrate your students and communities but also inspire others who are doing this vital work. Together, we can bring light and hope into the holiday season and carry that spirit forward into the new year.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to learners and their futures. The impact of your efforts continues far beyond application season, and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the year ahead.

With gratitude,  
Lisa Sommer King, senior director

College Essay Guy: Essential College Counseling Books

By: Ethan Sawyer, founder, College Essay Guy

As the days grow shorter and the pace begins to soften, the upcoming winter break can be a valuable time for reflection and quiet professional renewal. In partnering with ACAC, I have a thoughtful resource to share that can support you during this lull and help you step into the new year with renewed energy and purpose. On my blog, “Essential College Counseling Books,” you’ll find a curated list of books for college-counseling professionals that explores everything from the college search and application process to broader themes of student development and equity.

If you happen to find a few spare moments over the break or simply want to build your own reading list for January, these titles offer inspiration, insight, and practical tools that will directly support your work helping students apply to college. Below are three recommended picks, each from a different focus area, to consider adding to your shelf (or your digital library) ahead of the new semester.

• Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni
  Focus: College Search and Mindset
  This title challenges the assumption that prestige defines destiny, reminding students and the adults who support them that success is shaped more by engagement and opportunity than by school name alone.

• The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together by Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark
  Focus: Application Process and Family Engagement
  This guide provides a clear, family-friendly look at the college admission process and how counselors can help manage anxiety, align expectations, and keep students centered on their own lives.

• The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students by Anthony Abraham Jack
  Focus: Equity and Student Experience
  For those working to support first-generation or underrepresented students, this book provides vital context about the hurdles that persist even after admission and how we can better design supports.

I hope one (or two!) of these books find their way into your reading list. Whether curled up with a warm drink, using a quiet afternoon to reflect, or planning how to increase access and momentum in the new year, investing in your continued knowledge helps your students more than you think.

Prefer listening to reading over the holiday break? The College Essay Guy Podcast covers a wide range of topics for students, parents, and counselors, including:

• What Colleges Want (Parts 1-9): Check out this deep dive into the factors that colleges deem important and the State of College Admissions report.
• Inside the Personal Statement Process (Parts 1-3) — Follow Alisha, a current high school senior, as she brainstorms, revises, and reflects her way to an authentic essay.
• Navigating College Applications with AI — My advice, based on what colleges (and the Common App) are saying right now.
• Admission Nutrients Series — Six conversations exploring the “essential ingredients” for a balanced, fulfilling college journey.
• Authoring Your Life — A reminder that the personal statement is about much more than getting into college.

Here’s to a restful break and an even stronger spring for your students.

Tools, Timing, and Teamwork: Supporting Juniors’ Postsecondary Endeavors 

By: Trevor McCray, Ph.D., program director, Center for Impact and Learning, ACT

Every student’s path after high school looks different; some are still discovering what excites them most, while others are exploring college majors, skilled trades, military service, or direct entry into the workforce. Beginning this journey in junior year, rather than waiting until senior year, gives students the time and space to make informed decisions without the pressure of looming deadlines. Early engagement allows them to take advantage of testing opportunities, financial aid resources, academic planning, and career exploration. As ACAC host site coordinators, spring is the ideal time to ensure that all juniors, regardless of background, learning style, or postsecondary goals, feel seen, supported, and prepared for life after graduation. Below are a few ways you can help foster a culture of exploration, confidence, and readiness within your school or district.

Encourage Exploration, Reflection, and Celebration

Launch the semester with activities that help students explore who they are as learners and individuals, using tools like personality or learning-style inventories to identify strengths and preferences, whether hands-on, creative, or analytical. Guide them to connect these insights to potential college environments or career pathways (MyACT). Culminate this exploration with a College Match Day, where students celebrate and share colleges, programs, or apprenticeships that align with their goals and identities, affirming that success comes in many forms. (To learn more, ACAC will host a College Match Day webinar on January 27, 2026).

Promote Inclusive College Fit Conversations

When discussing college fit, emphasize that it’s about more than academics. Encourage students to consider campus culture, support services, accessibility, affordability, and sense of belonging. Invite local campus representatives or student organization leaders to speak with your students, virtually or in person, to share their experiences. Help students understand that “fit” means finding a school that supports their growth and learning style, not just one that matches their GPA or test scores. Here’s a helpful ACAC College Research Worksheet to assist with implementing this strategy.

Introduce “College Essay Guy” Resources

College Essay Guy provides free tools and exercises that empower students to tell their stories authentically. Encourage students to start journaling or exploring essay prompts this spring; it’s a meaningful way to connect reflection with readiness. These resources work well for visual, verbal, and reflective learners alike.

Offer Financial and Future Planning Tools

Help students and families understand financial options early by offering sessions on scholarships, state aid, FAFSA timelines, and key federal policies. Use written guides, visuals, and small-group discussions to support different learning styles. Consider hosting a mini college orientation that walks families through reading financial aid award letters and comparing college costs—giving them a realistic view of the process beyond the FAFSA. The K20 Center’s Quest and Game-Based Learning tools can also make financial literacy and college planning more interactive and engaging for students.

Empower Summer Readiness

Before the semester ends, provide students with a checklist that offers flexible options for continued growth, such as:

• Visiting colleges virtually or in person and exploring financial options to support future goals.
• Drafting personal statement essays using College Essay Guy’s free writing resources.
• Building resumes or digital portfolios that highlight personal strengths and accomplishments.
• Participating in summer enrichment programs, volunteer opportunities, or informational interviews with professionals in their fields of interest.

When counselors can affirm every student’s unique learning style, students gain confidence in knowing they, too, can excel at whatever they put their mind to. It’s an early celebration of identity, growth, and possibility for each student as the next era of their life begins, and one era comes to an end. Every junior deserves to see a future where their way of learning and interests are valued and be prepared to step into that future.

Webinar: College Match Day: Supporting high school juniors in making informed college decisions

High school juniors are often overlooked in the college access process — but their junior year is a pivotal time to explore options and make informed decisions.

Join ACAC to learn about College Match Day, a new initiative that helps high school juniors understand college match and fit, build balanced college lists, and prepare for senior-year applications.

By holding activities during the school day, College Match Day ensures that all students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, such as low-income families, students of color, or first-generation college students, can participate in meaningful college exploration.

Hear from counselors from Augusta Senior High School (Kentucky), Godwin Heights High School (Michigan), and El Toro High School (California) as they share their experiences implementing College Match Day and the impact it’s had on their students.

Register to attend at 12:00 p.m., ET/9:00 a.m., PT on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, here.

Webinar: Understanding Federal Student Loan Changes

With major updates to federal student loan policies newly launched, it’s more important than ever for high school students and their families to stay informed. Whether learners are applying to college this year or planning ahead, this one-hour webinar will break down the latest changes to the federal student loan system and help them prepare for what’s coming next.

Participants will learn about:

• What recent and upcoming changes to federal student loans mean for their family.
• How FAFSA updates and new repayment plans could impact their financial aid strategy.
• Key deadlines and action items for learners applying for aid this year.
• Tips for comparing college costs and borrowing wisely.
• What rising seniors and juniors should be doing now to stay ahead.

Be sure to share the full webinar with learners and their families. 

Building a Scholarship Database: Strategies for Counselors

As scholarship season ramps up, counselors are often the first point of contact for students and families eager to find financial support for college. But keeping track of hundreds of deadlines, eligibility requirements, and award amounts can quickly become overwhelming.
Creating and maintaining a living scholarship database that evolves throughout the year can help counselors streamline the process, ensure equitable access, and make it easier for students to find opportunities that fit their goals.  

Read ACT’s recent blog for strategies to help you build, organize, and maintain an effective scholarship database.  

ACT Impact and Giving Report

ACT’s commitment to expanding opportunity continues to guide all that we do, from supporting learners through college application events to reducing financial barriers and investing directly in communities. Our new Impact and Giving Report highlights the reach of that work, including support for 477,712 learners through ACAC, 210,810 learners through the ACT Fee Waiver Program, 27 ACT Scholars, and grants to 54 organizations nationwide.

We invite you to explore the full report to see how these programs are helping learners access the pathways that fit their goals and move confidently toward their futures.

Your Voice Matters: ACAC Newsletter Poll

To ensure we meet your needs and provide you with the information, stories, and resources you need to feel supported and to support learners at your school, we’d love to hear from you about how ACAC is doing. 

Complete the brief survey here.