All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

book reviews

Carpe College! A Review and a Giveaway

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Review and Book Giveaway: Carpe College!It is graduation time and every parent and relative are looking for gifts for graduates. I know, I know. No teenager likes to receive a book for graduation. But, if you’re smart, you can stuff it in a backpack, add it to a duffle bag or stick it in a laptop case or messenger bag. However you choose to gift it, you MUST get them a copy of this book: Carpe College!

It’s not just a gift, it’s an investment in the graduate’s future. And when I say that, I mean this is the BEST book for soon-to-be college students. They may not read it right away, but I guarantee there will be some point in the first few months of college that they will pick it up. Because this book is more than just a book—it’s a guidebook to making the most of a college education. It’s a book written for college students in a language they can understand.

I don’t write in-depth reviews because most of us have little time to read those. What I do like to do is tell you what I liked about the book and what stood out to me. That way, you can easily see its value over other graduation gift books. I mean, “Oh the Places You’ll Go” is great but it’s going to sit on a shelf after they read it once. This book won’t. They will use it as a reference book over the next four years when they feel like they are spinning their wheels, or are frustrated with the major they have chosen, or they can’t seem to fit in, or they have a horrific roommate that is driving them crazy. That’s right, this book covers these topics and so much more!

What I like about Carpe College!

Here it is. A simple list of why I like this book so much:

  • It’s easy to read. So many books go on for page after page discussing one topic.
  • It’s broken up into sections, which makes it easier to find what you are looking for.
  • It’s filled with quotes for inspiration. Who doesn’t like quotes?
  • The section and chapter headings cracked me up: Swinging from the Trapeze at the Country Club, Tempus Fugit (More Latin! You’re Killing Me, Smalls!), The Famous Formula (aka Smells Like Teen Freedom to name a few.
  • It addresses every aspect of college life in a way that students can relate to.
  • The illustrations are cute. Who doesn’t like illustrations?
  • There’s an appendix filled with charts, and planners, and advice from students who have “been there and done that.”
  • The information in it is relevant to today’s college student.

All kidding aside . . . if you just get one book for your graduate, I would recommend this book. And before you pass it along (or after) read it yourself. Or better yet, get your own copy!

Giveaway

If you like what you read and think you might like a copy for your graduate (or another graduate you know) I’ve got good news for you. I’m giving a copy away here on my blog. That’s right—FREE. Your very own copy of Carpe College! by Mike Metzler: a great book by an even greater parent.

All you have to do is follow the directions in the giveaway below. Enter as many times as you want every day. Pass the URL along to your family and friends. And it the end of the giveaway we will draw a winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: CEO Sam Yagan Talks about the MatchMade Scholarship

 

Last week, I posted a blog about the scholarship offering from Match.com: the MatchMade $50,000 Scholarship. This week, I had the opportunity to interview Sam Yagan, the CEO of Match.com. I asked Sam some questions about the scholarship, who is eligible, and how the students can participate. He breaks it down simply in the interview and if you’re one of those parents who met on Match.com, you will want to listen to it. If you’re not and you know a parent who is, pass this along.

I asked him the following questions:

1. Why offer a scholarship for “match made” kids? What prompted you to do this?

2. Can you give us a little information about the scholarship contest?

3. Why did you choose videos instead of essays or other criteria such as GPA, extracurriculars?

4. How can parents help their kids with the videos?

5. How will you be judging the videos?

Social media is going to be an integral part of winning the scholarship so it’s not too early to start talking, chatting, and posting about your student’s entry. Don’t forget–the deadline to submit the video is June 30th. Get started today!

matchmade scholarship

Kids can submit their videos through MatchMade.com.

 This is a sponsored post for Match.com

college health

Sleep Disorders–The Transition to College

 

Sleep disordersPreparing your child for college demands a lot from a parent – there’s so much to think about and always a concern that your child may not cope well with a new environment. If that child happens to have a sleep disorder of some kind, parents can become even more anxious worrying that they will not settle well and that their disorder may be exacerbated as a result. Here are a few tips to help you prepare your child to adjust to college life, and learn to cope with their sleeping disorder without mom or pop.

Some types of sleep disorders

Quality sleep is needed for good health and it can affect mood, hormone levels and weight. Sleep problems therefore impact on the same areas as well as causing tiredness and poor concentration. Common disorders include sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, insomnia, restless legs syndrome and snoring.

Children and adolescents require a minimum of nine hours of sleep per night. This means that sleep problems and a lack of sleep can have negative effects on your child’s performance at college, including during extracurricular activities and on their social relationships. While snoring does not seem like a serious problem, except perhaps for a sleep partner, habitual snoring does in fact have an adverse effect on the quality of sleep of the person who snores. Nightmares, night terrors and sleepwalking are among many disruptive disorders known as parasomnias. When sleep apnea is a problem, the child’s breathing becomes disrupted regularly during sleep and they may experience restless nights, fatigue during the day and poor concentration, which of course makes it difficult for them to study effectively.

Continue reading Sleep Disorders–The Transition to College →

Guest Posts, study abroad

Consider Studying or Volunteering Abroad This Summer

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studying abroadFor many teens, it can be tempting to spend summers off from school hanging out with friends, sleeping in well past noon, and doing a whole lot of, well, nothing. And while it’s true that some downtime for your growing kids is absolutely necessary – two and a half months of doing nothing but lounging around is maybe not the healthiest option.

Encouraging your teens to get out and have some worthy, productive summer experiences is super important – for you, and for them. This is especially true if your teen is hoping to go to college, and possibly even win a scholarship or two. After all, what’s going to look better to a college admissions board – months of sitting around at home, or a worthwhile volunteer abroad program?

There are many different summer activities out there for high school students, but one of the best, and most beneficial, is the option of studying or volunteering abroad. High school study abroad has been on the rise for a few years now, and there are many reasons why:

1) Foreign language proficiency is an incredibly important skill to have in today’s world. And because younger students learn faster than college-aged students, your teen is more than likely going to be able to soak up another language pretty fast – giving him or her one awesomely marketable skill for the future.

2) Study abroad looks wonderful on college applications and resumes. Because it’s possible to earn college credit or community service hours while abroad, your child’s abroad experience will signal to college admissions counselors that he or she takes academics seriously. In addition, study abroad really helps imbue students with vital global leadership skills and a more balanced, worldly perspective – talk about a great resume-booster!

3) While abroad, your teen will receive a much richer education than a normal classroom would provide. Study abroad programs offer a chance to learn about a country’s language, history, and culture – while living in that country! This kind of in-depth, culturally-enriching education will be invaluable to your teen.

4) Gain good contacts and networking prospects for the future. You never know who you’ll meet when you seize an opportunity like the chance to study or volunteer abroad. Other than gaining good skills for a future job (it’s not that far off!), it’s entirely probable that your child could make some worthy connections for the future – and possibly even score a potential summer internship or employment opportunity.

5) Studying abroad is an amazing experience. Your teen will undoubtedly achieve new levels of maturity, focus, and tolerance while abroad – being immersed in a foreign culture just has a way of doing that to you. And, of course, study abroad is a wonderfully fun experience!

Just as an added bonus: high school study abroad doesn’t have to be expensive! Many programs offer scholarships, financial aid, or fundraising guides. So, start encouraging your teen to get out in the world and have a life-changing abroad experience!

 

admissions, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: No Regrets

 

no regrets

No regrets. You know the feeling. It creeps up in the pit of your stomach after you’ve made a difficult decision. Life deals us many difficult decisions—the college choice is perhaps the first of many. After you send that acceptance off, especially if you had multiple offers, it’s common to wonder if the college you chose is indeed the best college for you.

We all have regrets

My daughter will tell you that after accepting an offer from her second choice college she had regrets. Was it a good idea to move so far away from home? Was the college going to provide her with a well-rounded education? After choosing a small college over a larger one, was it the best choice for her? She will also tell you that even though it wasn’t her first choice, she does not regret making the decision and is incredibly glad she chose the college she did.

Regrets aren’t productive

Embrace the decision and move forward. You can’t change the decisions you make, but you can make the most of them. Instead of worrying about your decision, decide to own it and plan for the future. Why waste your time regretting when you can spend your time looking forward?

“It’s better to have a whole bunch of “oh wells” than a life of ‘what ifs’ “

I love this quote. So many people choose not to decide because they fear making the wrong decision. I like to say there are no wrong decisions, only different paths. We often learn and grow from the decisions we make, even if the outcome isn’t what we anticipated. Life tends to throw us some curve balls every now and then.

After May 1st decision deadlines have come and gone, leave the regrets behind and look toward future possibilities.

Read Wendy’s post: 3 Steps Forward, Leaving Regrets Behind

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

App Tuesday

App Tuesday: 10 Textbook Apps

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textbook appsAny college kid or soon-to-be college kid needs an arsenal of textbook apps to help them shop for the best bargains, find the free ebooks and textbooks, and sell and trade when the semester ends. These apps should fit the ticket. But don’t wait until the fall of freshman year to download them. There’s no time like the present to create a folder and start adding these 10 textbook apps to your mobile devices.

1. BigWords

Nobody likes shopping for textbooks at the college bookstore.BigWords operates by the premise that students prefer to shop for textbooks on smaller and smaller computers in the palms of their hands and like to shop using their smartphone or tablets. They claim to help students about $1,000 annually on average.

2. Chegg

Chegg brings you millions of textbooks and solutions packed into one glorious app! Rent textbooks, get instant access (when available), and read eTextbooks on your iPhone, iPad or iPod and Android devices. The app allows students to easily search for textbooks by title, author, ISBN or by scanning a barcode. Rent or buy physical textbooks and while the book is on the way, get 7-day FREE instant access to the eTextbook to get started on classwork immediately.

3. Kno

Experience your same books, only smarter. The Kno™ app, now a part of Intel® Education, enhances the learning experience by bringing content, from one of the largest eTextbook catalogs in the industry, to life with interactive features that drive student engagement, and learning success in the classroom. The added features allow students to synchronize all content and notes across all devices. With over 70 features, Kno allows students to create flashcards, search for answers within the books instantly, watch videos and bring external content into the books.

4. CourseSmart

The CourseSmart eTextbooks app is a perfect complement to a CourseSmart eTextbook subscription. Students can benefit from the advantages of mobile learning–leaving their backpacks and laptops behind. The key features include: access to eTextbooks for quick reference, a keyword search to help locate information, synchronized notes and highlights along with a true digital equifalent of your textbook.

5. BuyBackTextbooks

This app makes selling back your old books & textbooks both fun & profitable. How it works is this; simply install the app and then grab some books you want to sell. With the app you can easily scan the barcode on the back on the book, once it beeps their system goes to work. In a matter of seconds you’ll see how much each store will pay for the book.

6. Cash4Books

Sell used books and college textbooks with the Cash4Books.net app. Scan book barcodes and get instant Cash4Books price quotes from anywhere. Have your books shipped to them for free and get fast cash back. Get a free quote on any book or textbook.

7. Half.com

eBay’s app helps students quickly find great deals on textbooks (and more fun stuff of course) heading into the school year. It’s the second eBay app to integrate barcode scanning technology and allows users to scan the barcodes on items to find the best deals on textbooks, DVDs, video games and more. The app provides Half.com buyers access to over 80 million active listings from more than 700,000 sellers. Half.com also uses the “Buying Wizard”. Based on the user’s criteria for item condition and seller feedback, the Buying Wizard identifies the lowest cost items and shipping discounts (if applicable) to help shoppers get the best deals on Half.com.

8. CampusBooks

With the free CampusBooks apps, everything you love about CampusBooks.com’s powerful money-saving search engine and price-comparison tool is now with you on the go! Wherever you are, you’re just a few touches away from finding the best deals when buying and selling textbooks. The app finds the cheapest books when buying, gets the highest prices when selling, in-app barcode scanning, and uses GPS tracking technology to display local results.

9. Yuzu

Yuzu™ by Barnes & Noble lets you organize, read, and annotate your textbooks right in the palm of your hand—making the experience of learning simple, gratifying, and much easier on your back. Go to the Yuzu store to find your textbooks and download them to your iPad®. You can also access them using an internet-connected Mac or Windows PC. That way, you’ll be able to follow along in class on your iPad and pick up where you left off on your home computer or even in the campus computer lab.

10. Kindle

The Kindle app is optimized for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, giving users the ability to read Kindle books, newspapers, magazines, textbooks and PDFs on a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. You’ll have access to over 1,000,000 books in the Kindle Store plus hundreds of newspapers and magazines. Skip the campus bookstore and search for the best book bargains on Amazon.

 

mom approved tips, parenting

Mom-Approved Tips: Graduation Anxiety

 

graduationMay means graduation. You may be thinking about gifts for graduates. But there is so much more to think about. Your student will be graduating—but you are too. You’re graduating from years of college prep. For most parents it starts early—thinking and planning for their college education. When they are born, you think you have all the time in the world. This month, that time has flown by and you can’t believe they will be leaving soon for college. And the anxiety over losing your baby begins.

Have you done enough to prepare them for adulthood?

We all ask that question. And even when they are grown, it’s going to whirl through our minds from time to time. Parenthood has its challenges and throughout the 18 years or more that they are with us, we’re bound to struggle and wonder if we did everything we could do to teach them independence, consequences, and moral values. You may not feel like you did, but kids are like sponges. They soak up everything they see. They hear everything they say. And they will use it when you least expect it.

What will you do with yourself?

After years of shuffling them to school, sports, working on homework, and most recently spending every waking moment on college prep, what will you do with all this free time? If this is your only child, you’re going to feel lost. If it’s not, the other kids will absorb your time—don’t ask me how but it happens. If this is your last one and you’re facing an empty nest, be prepared to grieve. It’s going to happen; embrace it. Then, as with all grief, it will pass and it’s time for you to readjust your priorities. It’s time to ask yourself this question: What do “I” want? For 18 years or more it’s been all about them; now it’s time for it to be all about you!

How will they survive without you?

How will they remember to do their homework, wash their hands, clean their rooms, and get up in time for class? What will they eat and when will they eat? Will they get enough rest and concentrate on their health? Will they make friends easily? Will they succumb to peer pressure?

You’ve been their lifejacket for the last 18 years. It’s time for them to swim, and possibly sink, on their own. Trust that you have taught them well and if they do start to struggle or fail, they will work it out as all adults must do. It’s scary standing on the sidelines but it’s time to remind yourself that they will be fine without you.

Isn’t that our goal from the day they are born? We just didn’t think it would come so soon. Wipe the tears, celebrate their achievement, and look ahead to the future. It’s going to be an exciting era—for both you and your kids.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Introducing the MatchMade Scholarship

 

matchmade scholarshipIn today’s world of college finances, student loans, and high dollar tuition, parents are searching for ways to reduce out of pocket expenses with scholarships. Many scholarships available to students are simply for high school seniors. Some are only available to current college students. And others are restricted to a small demographic of the population.

Here’s a unique scholarship opportunity for a specific demographic-children or step-children of Match.com matches. According to Match.com, more than one million babies have been made by Match.com connections. To celebrate these connections, they are introducing the MatchMade Scholarship.

What do I “love” about the MatchMade scholarship?

  • It’s eligible to a large demographic and age group (13-20).
  • It’s a yearly scholarship which means your kids can reapply each year from 13-20.
  • It’s a large award-$50,000 to the Grand Prize Winner and $5000 to the parents for a MatchMade getaway.
  • It’s not an essay.
  • It’s a video.
  • The 10 finalists are picked by Match.com, then the public decides by using video sharing.

What are the details and how can your child enter?

  • Those who enter must be between the ages of 13-20.
  • They must be born to parents who met or re-married through Match.com.
  • They must submit a 1-2 minute video telling about their parents love story.

What are the important dates to remember?

  • The scholarship contest began May 5th and goes through June 30th; kids can submit their videos through MatchMade.com.
  • In July, Match.com picks the finalists.
  • On August 18th, the finalists are announced and begin sharing their videos to the public.
  • On September 1st, the video with the highest number of video shares takes home the grand prize.

The finalists will be picked by choosing the videos that are the most creative and heartfelt, telling their parents love story. Each story is unique and each family has its own social network to begin sharing the video once it’s made using the #MatchMade hashtag.

Need some inspiration, watch this video: What Happens When You Ask Kids about Life and Love?

Did you meet through Match.com? Do you know parents who did and have eligible children? Spread the word to your social networks and start the buzz about the #MatchMade Scholarship. Visit MatchMade.com to enter and find out more about the scholarship.

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This is a sponsored post for Match.com

 

tech gadgets, technology

Best Laptops, Gadgets and Software for College Students

 

laptopsIt’s the classic parent dilemma – your son or daughter has just been accepted to college and needs some technology to take with them. It can be an exciting time full of adventure, however you feel it’s also important for them to manage their workload and maintain their studies.

Thankfully technology can now make this process easier, more fluid and fun at the same time! Following is a list of the best laptops, gadgets and software for college students.

The Best Laptops

There are hundreds of laptops to choose from and it can be difficult to select the most appropriate and practical. Here are some of the top choices:

Asus T100 Transformer Book

This hybrid laptop offers both a 10.1” multi-touch detachable HD screen as well as 32 GB storage and complimentary MS Office Home and Student 2013. The detachable screen converts into a tablet – suited to taking notes or playing games.

Apple Macbook Pro Retina Display

This high spec laptop features a compact 13.3” screen – ideal for studies on the go. It features 8GB ram, 256 GB hard drive and an Intel dual core i5 processor making it perfect for art and design students looking to run powerful programs and applications. Its retina display and anti-glare make it ideal for reading e-books or watching movies while on long journeys too.

Acer Chromebook

The Chromebook is the ideal travel partner when it comes to keeping on top of work. It is light and features a portable 11.6” screen, 16 GB hard drive and 2 GB ram. Its low price makes it perfect for taking to class and your son or daughter won’t have to spend time worrying about it getting lost or stolen!

The Best Apps/ Software

There are some great apps and software on the market that take the hassle out of organizing your kid’s work schedule.

Simplemind

This app is great for visualizing your ideas on the move – save important ideas and develop them further, creating simple mind maps or spider diagrams.

Dropbox

This is the essential travel app for all students on the move! Dropbox allows for wireless backup of work in the cloud network, there is also access to work anywhere with a computer and network connection!

iStudiezPro

This clever app aids organization on the go in a quick, stress-free manner – color code schedules, create reminders and set up a work timetable. This app is perfect for ensuring your child manages their workload succinctly while they are away.

The Best Gadgets

There are plenty of gadgets available on the market that will make attending classes and studying abroad a less stressful experience for both children and parents too!

Toshiba Store Basics 500 GB External Hard Drive

This portable, external hard drive is compact, light and hosts bags of storage space, all for a reasonable price!

Hudl 7” 16GB Wi-Fi Android Tablet

The compact Hudl offers real value for money allowing kids to keep in touch with emails while on the go, take some photos of their college life, or simply watch a film.

Sandisk Cruzer Edge 16 GB USB Flash Drive

This keychain flash drive has enough storage to hold plenty of work, and is extremely portable meaning work is always at hand regardless of carrying around a laptop.

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Author bio: Alex is a dad and journalist who loves trying out the latest technological gadgets for both work and play.

parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Mother’s Day, Smother Day

 

mother's daySunday is Mother’s Day and it’s time for those of us who have sacrificed, loved, cared for and smothered our kids to be honored. Yes. I said smothered. Some mothers have mastered this technique so well that their kids don’t have a clue how to deal with failure, disappointment, and pain.

Do you relate to this type of mother? My daughter does. She says it’s going to be her—right down to making sure her kids are the center of her universe and vice versa. We laugh about it, but her boys might not think it’s so funny.

So in an effort to help all those teens (and mothers) from celebrating another smother day, I’ve compiled my list of tell-tale smothering signs.

You might be a smotherer if . . .

  • You incessantly text your teen during school to ask about __________ (you fill in the blank).
  • You go on the college visit with them and ask questions about campus security on the walking tour.
  • You send ________ (fill in the blank) to admissions officers to butter them up; and call to ask if they received them.
  • You show up at school unannounced with __________________ (fill in the blank), embarrassing them in front of their peers.
  • You call the coach because your teen didn’t make the team.
  • You spend the night in his dorm room for the first week of school.
  • You move close to campus so that you can be available.
  • You drive hundreds of miles to college to deliver _________________ (fill in the blank) because she called and said she “had to have it”.
  • You fill out their college application for them (because they can’t possibly do it on their own).
  • You call the mother of the son who broke up with your daughter to ask why he did it.

Are these extreme? For some, yes. But all of these are true stories, based on talking with parents and admissions counselors. Is it hard to believe? Probably not in today’s world of over parenting. If you see yourself in any of these scenarios it might be time to join our support group of smotherers: Hi, my name is Suzanne, and I’m a smotherer!

Happy Mother’s (Smother) Day!

Read Wendy’s post: Embracing your almost adult children on Mother’s Day

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.