All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

admissions, college guidance, college planning, parenting

14 Reasons I became a Parent College Coach

14 reasonsAs I look toward the upcoming year I am incredibly grateful for the connections I have made both with college experts and with parents of college-bound teens. Parents have become more and more involved with their student’s college application process and are looking for the best information available to help them guide and encourage.

As a parent advocate, I work to get you the latest information available to help you make informed college choices and financial aid decisions as the process progresses. Since I am a parent myself and am aware of the obstacles families face during this stressful time, I’m able to share my experiences and help you overcome the stress you may feel.

Here are 14 reasons I became a Parent College Coach:

  1. To share my expertise with other parents
  2. To connect you with other college experts
  3. To help you deal with the college prep stress
  4. To help you find scholarships
  5. To help you with the financial aid process
  6. To offer advice about college visits
  7. To help you avoid being an overly involved helicopter parent
  8. To give you standardized test prep options
  9. To connect parents with other parents
  10. To educate and inform
  11. To give every student who wants to go to college help when needed
  12. To help you get the best value for your buck
  13. To answer questions about the college prep process
  14. To help you guide your student through the college prep process

 

As you can imagine, the internet and social media are flooded with experts, especially in the college field. I bring a unique perspective into the mix because I am not only an expert on the college prep process; I’m also a parent myself. I struggled to help both my children get into college in a time when information was not easily available and school counselors were overwhelmed with parents and students asking for help.

It’s rewarding as I see parents and students cross the finish line and move on to the next phase in their lives. Knowing that I had a small part in the process makes me glad I made the decision to provide parents with the help they need. And as time goes on, I’ve made many good friends!

parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 New Year’s resolutions inspired by my grandson

 

Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

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!

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 pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

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new year's resolutionsIt’s New Year’s Eve and I’m sitting at home babysitting a 3-year old. Our evening consisted of Chinese food, Tom and Jerry cartoons and a little good natured wrestling. I started thinking about the life of a 3-year old and how we all might take a page from his book as the New Year begins and we all begin to think about New Year’s resolutions. I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions but I do see the value in reflecting and changing our perspective.

Based on inspiration from my grandson, this is how I want to start the New Year and how I hope to adjust my “adult” outlook on life.

1. He accepts correction and makes changes based on them

He doesn’t distance himself from you because you discipline him. Instead, he uses the correction to make a change. He remembers that negative actions produce negative responses and the next time he’s tempted to do something inappropriate; he stops and thinks before he acts (most of the time). Imagine the heartache we would save ourselves if we embraced this simple concept of discipline and correction.

2. Every day is a new day filled with possibilities

At the end of every day he can’t wait for tomorrow. He often asks me, “What are we going to do tomorrow?” Even the simplest answer causes him to say, “That might be fun.” Every day is a day to explore and learn and meet new people. He never dreads tomorrow because he knows that he’s going to have so much fun he won’t want it to end. What would happen if we went to bed every night looking forward to tomorrow?

3. The littlest things bring him joy

Wrestling on the couch, watching a new cartoon, playing at the playground or even reading a new book bring him the greatest joy. Laughter is his second language and he uses it freely and unashamedly. It’s not uncommon for him to laugh at the silliest of things and find amusement in something one of the dogs does. When we become adults, we forget to laugh and find the joy in life. For a 3-year old, it’s second nature.

4. He lives for today

My grandson has no concept of time. He’s having a birthday tomorrow (which is 9 months away). He went to his grandmother’s yesterday (which was months ago). Time for him is in the here and now. He looks forward to events with anticipation, but the happenings of today are what consume his life. He’s not bogged down in the past and doesn’t live in the future. He’s happy just to watch a Hot Wheels car go round and round on a track. There is adventure and wonder in every moment of the day.

5. He doesn’t hold a grudge

Three year olds don’t hold grudges. He may remember being hurt, but he doesn’t hold on to the hurt. If you scold him or punish him, it’s over with a hug and an “I’m sorry”. If he does something wrong and apologizes, he expects and should get unconditional forgiveness. Somewhere along the line, adults forget that forgiveness is something we all crave and something we should all give freely.

In 2014, let’s take a page from my grandson’s book. It will help you be a better parent and change the relationship you have with your teenager. Happy New Year!

Head on over to Wendy’s blog:

A Different Approach to New Year’s Resolutions

mom approved tips, organization

Mom-Approved Tips: Staying organized in 2014

 

staying organizedThe New Year is upon us and high school students are gearing up for all types of college-related activities. Juniors and seniors especially are looking toward the upcoming year with anticipation and excitement. There are many tasks to complete and many decisions to be made, but the key to gliding through the process is staying organized.

Here are just a few tips that should help make 2014 a successful year and keep your student organized during the college prep process:

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Teenagers are infamous for messes; their rooms are no exception. It’s no surprise that you’re more productive when your space is clean and organized. Their floor should not be a filing cabinet. You can help by providing them with the tools they need to stay organized. A study station, filing cabinets, wall calendars should help, along with calendars and to-do lists on their smartphones. When any type of college related correspondence comes in, establish a landing space that will help you locate the information when needed.

Tame the email monster

Students will be bombarded with emails from colleges, scholarship search engines, teachers and admissions officers. Get started early by creating an email address specifically for college correspondence: firstname_lastname@gmail.com. Use this email address for all communication and create folders to organize the incoming and outgoing mail.

Show me the money

If you expect to get financial aid, you need to be organized. From scholarship applications to completing the FAFSA, you have to stay on top of deadlines, forms and requirements. Missing deadlines and leaving out essential information could cost you and your teen substantial savings. Establish an organization system early in high school and the scholarship search will be less stressful.

Put your best foot forward

Recommendation letters and college interviews require planning and preparation. Long before requesting those letters, students should be establishing relationships with teachers and mentors. They should be networking with the college admissions officers and doing background research about each school. These tasks require organization and planning.

Make a list and check it twice

The college search process begins with a list—a list of colleges that your student is considering for application. This list begins by putting together a wish list of majors, locations, college services and activities and of course, financial aid data. Before the applications are filed, make sure every item on the wish list is satisfied and the colleges your student chooses meet all their expectations.

Staying organized is never easy. It requires a list of priorities and a commitment to complete the daily tasks as planned. An organized student is a successful student. Commit to staying organized in 2014.

Uncategorized

Merry Christmas to All!

 

To those of you who faithfully follow my blog, my Twitter feed and my Facebook page (and all the college experts that offer me support), I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. I hope you and your family experience the blessings of Christmas and remove the stress of college prep. It’s a day to count your blessings.

merry christmas

admissions, college prep, parenting

10 Biggest mistakes parents make

 

parent mistakesParents and students are in the thick of the college application process. With more and more parents becoming involved, admissions officers are on the lookout for parents who won’t let their students own the process. That’s not to say that parents should step back and stay uninvolved; students need help and encouragement. They definitely need their parents to partner with them in the application process; but it’s a fine line that many parents simply don’t know how to walk.

Over the past ten years I have heard some stories from admissions officers that would make your hair stand on end: parents who write the student’s essay and try to pass it off as the student’s; parents who ask embarrassing questions during the college tour; and parents who simply won’t let go once the student is at college. Colleges frown upon this type of parent involvement and tend to question whether the student is ready to become an independent college student and adult.

Head over to Zinch to read the 10 biggest mistakes parents make.

mom approved tips, online learning, Sponsored posts, Uncategorized

Mom-Approved Tips: A mother speaks out about online learning

 

online learningAs an educator, I’ve always been a bit wary of online educational programs. Can anything truly replace the interactive learning experience that students get in a traditional classroom, sharing ideas with each other and with their teacher?

Then my son announced that he had enrolled in an online degree program to get his Masters of Library Science degree. I knew that he needed the degree to further his career as a librarian, but I was disappointed that he had decided to enroll in an online program instead of a “real” classroom.

Well, my son proved me wrong. As I watched him go through the accelerated MLS program and earn his degree, I learned that every prejudice I had about online degree programs was unfounded. Here’s what I learned:

Online programs are held to the same academic standards as traditional degree programs

When online programs first launched nearly two decades ago, they were derided for being “buy your degree” programs. Well, times have changed. For professional degree programs, online courses are no longer seen as second-best; they are often the most efficient and effective way to accelerate your education and receive a degree. Online RN to BSN programs, for example, are every bit as rigorous as brick-and-mortar programs, and the nurses they graduate are every bit as capable. Likewise, my son’s MLS program included the same academic high standards as any college course I’ve ever taught.

Students who are apprehensive regarding online degrees should consider the fact that countless schools have started adopting this fairly new method of teaching with excellent results. Once students discover that online programs are held to essentially the same standards as any other institution, they will begin to see the advantages. Students can work hard to achieve countless excellent degrees such as a Master of Arts in Communication, a Master of Business Administration, or even their M.S. in Engineering Management. All the student needs to do is make the first move and sign up.

Online programs encourage in-class participation

I was worried that my son wouldn’t get to take part in the natural banter that occurs in a traditional classroom, the type of back-and-forth conversation that results in so many “eureka” moments for young learners. Then I watched him contribute to his online program’s forums and chat programs. He wasn’t participating less during his online courses — in fact, just the opposite. Because of the unique nature of the online classroom, my son was actually able to participate more.

During a traditional class session, students are only able to contribute during small portions of the learning period — perhaps 15 minutes every hour depending on the course. During an online course, students carry on continuous conversations via computer which later spill into Facebook chats and Skype sessions. When I saw how much my son was learning from his peers, and how much he was sharing with them in return, I was amused that I ever thought that online programs would inhibit conversation.

Online programs include in-person lab components

“How can you become a librarian without doing hands-on work in a library?” I asked my son. Then he told me about his “lab courses,” which did in fact take place in a university campus library. Similarly, my friend who is getting her BSN had lab courses that took place in hospitals. Online courses do not eliminate the necessary in-person work; the courses simply allow students to complete several coursework components online.

Online programs help students get jobs

I’m a bit embarrassed to say that one of the reasons I was nervous about my son starting an online program was that I was afraid it would not help him get a job. Once again, my fears were unfounded. Online degrees do in fact lead to employment, and having an online degree on the resume does not devalue a candidate. As always, the type of degree you choose helps determine your job opportunities. The US News and World Report recently released a list of top online degrees that lead to good jobs; my BSN friend will be very pleased, as nursing is high on the list.

Online learning is here to stay, and I’m grateful it has done so much to help students further their education. Watching my son earn his degree, I learned a lot about how online courses work, and was pleased to learn that they did an excellent job of preparing him for his current job as a librarian.

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About The Author: This is a guest post by Kyle Johnson. Kyle has been blogging online since her kids were under 10 years old! Kyle likes writing about parenting, family experiences, and education. She has used her hands on experience to provide insight to the life of a parent and a teacher!

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: CollegeWhale.com

2 Comments

 

college whale

According to CollegeWhale.com they have made the scholarship search simple. Most students would disagree but they claim to do this by creating the

Easiest Scholarship Search Ever

No sign up, no registration, and no personal information required. The CollegeWhale.com Easiest Scholarship Search Ever gives you fast and easy access to one of the largest online scholarship databases. Get matched with hundreds of scholarships in just a few simple clicks. Scholarship money for college made simple, period.

It’s a good place to start, but there is much more to searching than answering a few simple questions. Check out the site and peruse their information about financing college and managing college expenses. It will be worth your while.

test prep

Direct Hits Vocabulary–an EARLY Christmas present

 

direct hits vocabularyAn early Christmas present? What’s the catch? There is none. All you have to do is follow the links below and download the book from Amazon for your Kindle. Holiday break is a great time to study for standardized tests and with vocabulary a key component, every student should take advance of this FREE offer.

Today (December 19, 2013) until 11:59. PST the Direct Hits Vocabulary Books will be available for FREE!

The link for the Volume 1, Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT is http://amzn.to/1cz29G8

and for Volume 2, Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary of the SAT  is http://amzn.to/18OYjrh.

Students who already have the very popular paperback version can now add the book to their Kindle device at no charge. Especially if they plan to take a standardized test such as the SAT, PSAT, SSAT, and even the GRE, it can be even easier to build vocabulary skills.

Spread the word, share the post, pin it on Pinterest, and link the post on Facebook.

organization, Sponsored posts

The organizational skills your student will need in college

 

organizationRaising a child is a job full of never ending challenges, and requirements. Beyond discipline and love, a parent needs to offer their children opportunities to prepare for college. The child that is reared with the future in mind is better able to function as an organized adult. Preparing a child to obtain a college education should be a goal of all parents.

In order for a child to be prepared for continuing their education and function as adults, they must have organizational skill sets taught to them. Of all the skills a child will need to attend college, organizational skills rate as being among the most important. An adult child can be smarter than all of the other students in his or her class, but if they are unorganized, they will have difficulties beyond measure.

Stepping Into More Responsibilities Being Better Prepared

When attending college students must follow their educational facilities rules and regulations verbatim. This means they can’t make excuses for not completing homework, showing up late, missing class, or being unorganized. They must be organized and they must function at an adult level, which is fair, after all college aged kids are most often young adults.

Though many movies portray college as one big party, for most students it is not. Attending college means accepting responsibilities unlike any they have ever had to face. Many students must get full or part time jobs, others must keep their grades above the soaring level in order to qualify for scholarships and grants. Being taught to be organized at a young age obviously better prepares students for the real world.

How to Teach Kids to Be Organized

As many parents already know, children tend to mimic their parents habits and behaviors. Trying to teach a child to be organized if living in an unorganized lifestyle is next to impossible. The first step in teaching children to be organized at a young age is to be organized as parents. Taking control over a messy home, paying bills on time, and keeping the junk drawer from overflowing are all positive influences a child will notice.

Parents that are organized can better teach their children to be organized. Parents having a messy desk and those who are always late for appointments and deadlines can teach a child to become disorganized themselves. It is obvious that maintaining a normal everyday life in an organized manner can speak volumes to a child. Purchasing organizational tools such as folders, calendars, dry erase boards, cork boards, and other organizational tools for children can be a big help in teaching them to get and stay organized.

It’s the Little Things That Teach The Most

By helping kids become organized and rewarding them for doing so goes a long ways towards preparing them for a college education. The child who completes homework on time and keeps their school related materials and bedrooms neat and tidy tend to fare better in college. This of course may require a small investment in the tools they need, and the time it takes to teach them, but it will pay off.

A college student will be responsible for keeping track of several courses, and all of the work required of them. They will likely have to juggle a job in between studying and doing homework. In addition they will also have to organize their schedules, keep their dorm room or apartment clean along with paying their own bills on time and shopping for food and clothes. The organized college student will be able to tackle the overwhelming new challenges they will face while getting a college education.

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Author Bio

Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he explains how to prepare a student for college and aims to encourage further study with a project management masters degree.

 

 

social networks, Sponsored posts

How social media can impact youth in the future

 

social mediaSocial media is a virtual community or network where people communicate, create and share ideas and information, and interact in many other ways. As the popularity and use of social media grows, the world has witnessed its impact not only on social life, but also in business. Increasingly, internet users are spending more time on social media sites than on other websites.

The development of many types of mobile devices with browsing capabilities has further contributed to the overall time spent on social media. Social media has massive advantages, such as:

  1. It allows interaction between people who would never have interacted or encountered each other.
  2. It gives people the opportunity to give opinions and receive opinions from a wide array of sources.
  3. Social media has made event organization easier; since all one needs to do is post the details of the event and all friends will see.
  4. Businesses are employing social media marketing to boost sales and maximize profits.
  5. People use social media to network and find jobs.
  6. Social media is useful in shaping people’s opinion.
  7. Social media is fun.

Although social media has many benefits, there are certain disadvantages associated with it. Research has shown that in addition to providing privacy issues and affecting personal relationships, it can have a negative impact on higher education enrollment success as well as future job prospectus.

Impact of Social Media on Job Prospectus

It is very important for high school and college students to be aware that the information they share on social media may negatively affect their future. A survey of American young adults revealed that 29% of them believe that a comment, certain personal information and photo they have posted may compromise their current and future career prospectus.

Today, a very large percentage of employers are using social media as an integral part of screening all prospective employees. According to research findings, about 13% of employers turned down candidates who lied about their experience and qualifications, 11% rejected candidates based on inappropriate comments, photos or negative comments about a previous employer, while about 10% rejected candidates who posted content or photos of them using drugs.

According to the Huffington Post, an MP turned down an application from a student, based on a foul mouthed tweet the student had posted. The digital footprint one leaves behind can tell a lot about a person, so everyone, and in particular students, should take care of what they put out there.

Impact of Social Media on University and College Enrollment

High school students should realize that it is an offense to engage in any behavior or activity, including social media activity, which brings the university into shame or disgrace. College and university admissions professionals may use an applicant’s social media content in order to gauge the applicant’s social authority, personality and ability to influence others negatively.

Social media has reached near saturation levels, and students are sharing nearly all aspects of their lives. High school students are using social media to interact, seek information about colleges, and communicate with the outside world. This reliance on social media has a direct impact on admission, with websites such as Facebook, Campus Buddy, and College Prowler being increasingly used.

It is therefore important for high school and college students to learn about the basic social media privacy settings and to protect themselves from negative perceptions. Before posting any photograph, making a negative comment or posting any other negative content, students should realize that anything on the public domain could have an impact on their future. Students should take precaution by deleting any past negative posts, photos or comments. Another solution would be to close their existing accounts and to open new ones.

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Author Bio

Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes the importance of online awareness and aims to encourage further study with a masters in organizational development.