Hot Topics! AI in Admissions, The Future of Work, and Career Preparedness…where is it all going?

By Liz Benson, Throughline Guidance

Last week the annual Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)

conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland, where presenters, panelist, and attendees

dove into these very hot topics. IECA is one of the nation’s leading organizations

supporting college admissions and its annual gathering brings together expert college

counseling professionals, college admissions leaders, career specialists, and many

others whose mission is to help guide our high schoolers as they journey to college. I

came away hopeful about the future for our students!

We are all hearing about the momentous changes society is undergoing: AI, ever-more

competitive college admissions, and the decline in entry-level jobs to name a few. But

what is not making the headlines are the ways colleges are evolving to support

student outcomes, including graduating career-ready students with the knowledge,

skills, and connections needed to launch into a first job and set a career path.

Forward-thinking universities* we heard from last week are delivering active learning

opportunities:

 Hands-on learning opportunities starting in 1st or 2nd year

 Partnerships with local institutions for internships or co-ops (e.g., corporations,

government, non-profits)

 Career centers that plug in with students as early as their freshman year

 Early and sustained access to faculty and research, most frequently at small- to mid-sized colleges

College curriculum is being reshaped to offer:

 Interdisciplinary learning for deep knowledge in a primary field and knowledge and

skills in secondary areas that complement and enhance

 Development of AI understanding, ethics, and skills…and seeing AI as a tool, not an

end in-and-of itself

 The ability to analyze, think critically, and find the meaning within projects and

research

These approaches will equip students with deeper understanding of their subject area

and connections across disciplines. Plus, students can demonstrate to employers they

have knowledge and experience to contribute on day 1.

Two other key topics stood out:

1. The competitive admissions landscape.

Yes, college admissions is as competitive as ever. But every Admissions officer who

spoke emphasized the same thing:

We want a student’s application to show us who they are beyond the numbers. Their extracurriculars and essays do just this. And we can tell when AI did the writing.

Authenticity matters. Finding their own voice is what we help students seek during our

counseling process!

2. The fourth industrial revolution (“4IR”) is underway.

It was fascinating to hear a professional career counselor talk about the Fourth

Industrial Revolution, aka “4IR”. AI and technology are the tools leading to a new

industrial landscape. It is worth taking a look at Ann Nakaska’s (BA, MEd) articles on

the future of careers:

The fourth industrial revolution is a combination of the physical, digital, and biological

worlds. When we combine these worlds, we develop work in the following areas:

o digital, which includes artificial intelligence, the internet of things, big data,

blockchain, cloud computing, augmented reality, and virtual reality

o physical, which includes robotics, 3D printing and autonomous vehicles

o biological, which includes neurotechnology, genetics, bioprinting and synthetic

biology**

Take away!

Change can be scary. When society goes through large shifts, the future can feel

particularly uncertain. We are here to help our students find their unique talents and

paths and to navigate the steps onto the road ahead. Things may seem overwhelming

but we take it one step at a time! The future is brighter than it may feel!

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*Carnegie-Mellon, MIT, Swarthmore, Lafayette College, The George Washington University,

Johns Hopkins, American University, William & Mary, Ohio State, University of Maryland,

College of New Jersey, Elon University, The College of Wooster, College of the Holy Cross,

Gettysburg College, University of Vermont, Towson University

**The Way Forward: Career Opportunities of the Future

As head of Throughline’s high school program, Liz is passionate about serving students navigating the major crossroad of completing high school and discovering their bright futures. Liz works as a counselor supporting students through the college discovery and application journey. She strives to help all students thrive with personal guidance in strengthening academics, exploring extracurriculars, and tackling the often-stressful application essay process.

With a career journey as a high school science teacher and then in a variety of corporate roles in strategic partnerships and business development with major companies in Silicon Valley, Liz brings a breadth of experience to share with students. Before joining Throughline Guidance, she also ran her own college counseling practice in the Bay Area and is an admissions reader for the University of California - Santa Cruz. Liz graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Biology and holds a certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley. When not spending time with her students, Liz loves exploring hiking trails and volunteering in the local community.