All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

college guidance, college planning, parenting

Legal rights for college students with disabilities

students with disabilitiesMost college students with disabilities have a strong desire to be treated just like everyone else. They don’t want special treatment or attention that will single them out and make them an oddity amongst their peer group. This is often true whether the disability is obvious, such as paraplegia, blindness, deafness, and so on, or it is one that other students can’t readily identify, including learning disorders like dyslexia and ADD. And yet, college students with disabilities have certain legal rights when it comes to special services provided on campus (although they may vary by state).

These laws are meant to protect those who must live with disabilities from suffering discriminatory treatment, and they also aim to level the playing field so that every student might receive the same opportunities and education. Even if your disabled children aren’t keen to take advantage of laws that pertain to them during their time in college, you should still take the time to do your research and make them aware of the laws out there that protect them and further their interests. We will discuss just a few legal rights that every parent of disabled children should know about before sending them off to college.

The main federal law in place to protect students with disabilities is the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (with amendments made in 2008). The ADA is ostensibly a law to protect any American with a disability from discrimination. It is more commonly referred to for instances of discrimination in the workplace, but there are also sections of the law that protect disabled students from discrimination at all state, local, and private institutions of higher learning. Students are also protected by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; specifically Section 504, which states that any program that receives financial assistance from the federal government is prohibited from discriminating against persons with disabilities.

These laws not only mean that there can be no discrimination in the admissions process, but they also require campuses to provide for reasonable accessibility. This could mean adding ramps or elevators in buildings to accommodate students with disabilities that limit their mobility, or providing sign language translators for students that are deaf and note-takers for those that are visually impaired. However, these laws also apply to students with learning disabilities, which means campuses have to make adjustments for college kids that have issues like reading or math disorders, ADHD, and in some cases emotional problems like anxiety or depression. In these cases, additional services like tutors are provided, or students are allowed additional time to take tests, for example.

Of course, before students can claim these rights they must first be identified as having a qualifying disability. Such a diagnosis can be obtained through trained medical professionals. But if you think your student suffers from a learning disorder, for example, many colleges also provide testing meant to identify issues like dyslexia and dyscalculia (in case you can’t afford outside examination). Once your kids qualify as students with disabilities, they should be eligible for consideration under the law as such, which means any discrimination they encounter during their time on campus is illegal. Although you might not want to hire a leading law firm (like http://www.gullands.com) to go after the school, knowing the legal protections available to your kids can certainly help you to ensure fair treatment during their time in college.

test prep

Top 5 standardized test tips for college-bound students

images-4Standardized tests are no walk in the park – they are designed to ascertain not only your knowledge base, but also your ability to read and comprehend, your capacity to formulate your own thoughts, and your overall preparedness to enter the college arena. Every parent wants their kids to go to college, but those that aren’t willing to take standardized testing seriously are bound to have trouble with these tricky exams.

However, those teens that are set on attending college in order to better themselves will find that the scores they get on the SATs, PSATs, and/or ACTs can greatly influence their college choices. So being prepared is imperative. And here are just a few standardized test tips that will help.

  1. Check your required items. Registering for an exam date and paying your fees are only the beginning of the process when it comes to being prepared. You also need to show up on test day with all the things you’ll need to successfully ace the exam. For example, you’ll need to provide your ID and an admission ticket to gain entrance to the testing facility. And once you’re inside you’d better have the proper supplies on hand, including number 2 pencils and in some cases a calculator (SATs) – don’t forget the batteries. You might also want snacks, since these tests can be rather long, a watch to track your time (no cell phones allowed), and layered clothes in case you get warm or cold.
  2. Get your zzzzs. The absolute worst thing you can do is burn the midnight oil cramming for your upcoming test. Students that take exams on a sleep deficit are likely to have trouble with focus, memory, and comprehension, which means you might read the same sentence three times before you figure out what it says, and even then you won’t be able to remember the answer that you swear you knew a couple of hours ago. So do yourself a favor and go to bed so you can wake up refreshed, rested, and ready to ace the test.
  3. Be thorough and budget time. The biggest mistakes that most students make during standardized tests have to do with timing. If you’re in too much of a hurry, you are likely to misread questions, so take the time to read through each question once slowly to ensure that you catch the meaning the first time around. However, don’t waste time reading through the same question over and over if you don’t get it; move on to complete the questions you know and then come back if you have time left over when you’re done.
  4. Use study guides and sample tests. Studying is an important part of test-taking because it helps you to retain pertinent information. But sample tests go the extra mile by letting you time yourself and helping you to gain an understanding of how the actually test might progress.
  5. Hire a tutor. Once standardized tests have become old hat you may not need a tutor (say for GMAT or LSAT test preparation). But since the SATs (and other entrance exams) are your first rodeo, so to speak, it couldn’t hurt to get a little extra help from the pros, especially since your score on the test will go a long way towards determining which colleges will grant you admission.
college guidance, college planning, financial aid, parenting

The best tax breaks for college students

images-3As a parent, you have a lot of knowledge and experience that your kids in college still lack. And when it comes to taxes you are light years ahead of them. Even if you’re not a tax expert of some sort, chances are good that you know the basics, such as when taxes must be filed in order to avoid penalty, how to file an extension (or just that you CAN file an extension), and how to ensure that you get the most money back by maximizing deductions. However, the college students in your family likely have no way of knowing even these simple facts related to their annual income tax filings. So it may fall to you to do your research when it comes to tax breaks for college students so that you can inform them and ensure that they’re getting all the breaks they’re due.

So what are some of the best tax breaks for students? The vast majority won’t be able to take advantage of mortgage interest payments on their side, and many won’t enjoy the advantages that fall under the “married filing jointly” banner. And while some students work freelance during their time on campus to make ends meet, thus earning them the right to deduct business expenses, this situation might not apply to most students. However, there are a few write-offs related to education that could greatly benefit the college students in your family; but they may need to take advantage of some of them quickly in order to ensure that they aren’t over-taxed.

The Lifetime Learning Credit is a good place to begin because it allows students (and/or parents) to claim as much as $2,000 in expenses related to education (on the stipulation that eligible students earn less than $60,000 annually for singles or less than $120,000 for married couples). However, there are a couple of options that may serve them better. For example, the American Opportunity Credit allows students earning a single income of $80,000 or less per year (or $120,000 for married) to claim up to $2,500 a year for the first four years of an undergrad degree, with a maximum refund of $1,000. Qualifying expenses could include tuition, fees, books, and more. Students may also be eligible for tuition and fees deductions of up to $4,000 per year, although this particular credit is slated to expire at the end of 2013, so students should make sure to use it this year if possible.

Finally, students that begin paying off their loans can deduct any interest payments made throughout the course of the tax year. Since most students don’t start paying this bill until they graduate, it may not apply. But for those students willing to put a windfall towards their student loan debt, up to $2,500 in interest payments may be deducted. Students that take a gap year and work abroad may be able to claim a tax rebate when leaving the country. But if they travel abroad through a school-run program they will likely continue to pay tuition to their institution of higher learning stateside, making them eligible for the tax breaks that will give them the best chance to come out ahead financially.

college planning, file storage, organization

Tech essentials for your college-bound student’s dorm room

images-2When you send your student off to college, you will no doubt equip him with the tech essentials you assume he needs. A decent PC or Mac setup for his dorm room is a must so that he can do homework and write papers, and a printer goes along with the package. Of course, you probably also want to provide him with a webcam so that you can stay in touch via video chats on Skype. And for these basic purposes a laptop will work just as well with the added bonus of portability. Plus, your student can save some space by storing it in a drawer when not in use.

But while this type of hardware is certainly handy, it won’t come close to providing for the many technological needs of the modern student. So here are just a few other crucial pieces of tech you might want to consider sending along with your child when he leaves for college.

  1. Clocky Robotic Alarm. If your teen has trouble waking up even when you’re shaking him and pulling off the covers, then you might be a bit nervous about his chances of getting to class on time, making a good impression on his professors, and soaking up all the information he needs to pass his classes. But there is a solution out there that could help: the Clocky Robotic Alarm. This ingenious and dastardly invention is meant to get users up and moving, and it does so by running away with the alarm going off so that anyone who wants it to stop blaring must get up and chase it. Thanks to two wheels and the ability to change direction, this device should help even the deepest of sleepers to get up on time.
  2. Portable hard drive. Most kids are media hounds, soaking up music, books, movies, and TV shows, and since you don’t want them cluttering up their computer hard drive with anything besides classwork, a portable hard drive could provide the solution that lets your student store his favorite movies, his music collection, and even his textbooks in one place for easy recall.
  3. Noise cancelling headphones. Living in close quarters with another student will be made no easier by a roommate that snores or refuses to turn down the volume on a movie. So if your student wants to preserve the peace and catch a few zees in the process, noise cancelling headphones are essential to his sanity.
  4. Smartphone. Aside from the ability to call home, smartphones can provide students with a slew of mobile solutions. This general usefulness could manifest through the ability to set up a WiFi hotspot from anywhere. But students are more likely to enjoy the many amazing apps that allow them to access files saved in cloud storage (like Dropbox), take notes in class (Evernote), and manage their schedule (iStudiez Pro), just for example.
  5. Tablet. There’s really no better tech tool on the market today for the average college student than a tablet. It can act as a multimedia device, allowing your student to download and access movies, music, and even textbooks. It can handle the many tasks associated with computing (file creation, email, even faxes via a service like www.onlinefaxservice.com). And of course, front and rear-facing cameras will let him talk with you face-to-face, as well as capture his time on campus through pictures and videos that will jog his memory in years to come.

 

college guidance, college planning

How do college exams differ from high school exams?

When your kids get to college they’ll no doubt notice a few changes from high school. For one thing, they won’t have to spend seven straight hours a day in class. Depending on how many credits they’re taking they may have several hours in class on a given day, but generally they’ll have breaks in between classes and they can likely schedule their actual class attendance to just two or three days per week. In addition, they may notice a bump in homework. It is estimated that every hour spent in class equates to three hours of homework (including class work, study time, research, essays, and so on). But what can your students expect on the exam front? How will their tests and finals at the college level compare to those they took in high school?

In general, students can expect that college exams are going to be more difficult in general, and there are a couple of reasons why. The main reason is that college exams tend to demand more thought than the average true/false or multiple choice type of test that high school students are accustomed to. No doubt there will be some amount of multiple choice just to get through the rote learning portion of the testing process, but most college exams also include sections for short answers (usually expected to be anywhere from one sentence to a paragraph in length) as well as essays (which may be up to a page in length).

images-1Although the majority of high school students are familiar with the essay writing process, they may not be entirely prepared for the pressure of writing under a strict time limit. In some cases the final exam will be nothing but essay questions, or students will have to turn in a 5-10 page paper that they’ve been working on all semester. Either can come as a shock to the high school grad that is unprepared.

The other difference is a little more difficult to categorize. Professors at the college level not only expect students to portray a greater depth of knowledge, gathered from lectures (and labs, if applicable), reading, and supplemental materials, but they also want to see independent thought. This means that students can’t get away with simply regurgitating knowledge if they want any hope of getting a passing grade, much less an A. They must demonstrate their knowledge of the course materials in such a way that the professor sees that they understand what they have learned and that they can go beyond what has been taught in order to find some sort of insight, whether it relates to their own lives, to history, or life in general, for example.

Kids today tend to harbor an attitude of entitlement brought on by the instant gratification of a “click here and you shall receive” mentality. As a result, their experience in college may provide them with a rude awakening when they learn that they actually have to work for their grade. However, by preparing them for the changes that they’re bound to face when it comes to homework and especially testing, you can help to ensure that they head to campus with a strong work ethic so that they can buckle down and ace every exam.

college guidance, parenting

Eating disorders as students enter college

 

images

When your kids leave home to head off to the ivory tower of learning, you probably have many fears about what may befall them now that you’re not around on a daily basis to keep them safe and ensure that they’re taking care of themselves. You might worry that they’ll party too much with their new friends at the expense of attending classes and doing their homework. And for that matter, they could fall in with the wrong element on the friend front. Then there are all of the stresses that will be heaped upon them with the responsibility of managing their own schedule and the anxieties that come with a new living situation and new social groups.

Of course, you’ll probably also wonder if they’re eating right. But amongst all these fears, you may never even consider the potential for your kids to develop an eating disorder. And yet, it’s not entirely uncommon for new college students to fall into bad habits where their diets are concerned, and this can easily lead to eating disorders.

It is estimated that many students suffer from disordered eating–they fail to eat on a regular schedule or that they do not consume a balanced diet, or often, both. But eating disorders are a much more severe permutation of this basic concept. Even still, approximately 10-20% of female college students are thought to suffer from clinical eating disorders while somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-10% of males go down the same path. This is a rather alarming statistic when you consider that the percentages of people with eating disorders amongst the general public are much lower (according to statistics from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication). So what makes entering college a trigger for eating disorders for such a large number of students?

What you need to understand about serious eating disorders is that they are rarely linked to some kind of digestive issue. Rather they are psychological in nature. What motivates people to binge, purge, or starve themselves is often a psychological stressor (or several). When people feel that their lives are out of control and that there is little they can do to relieve their stress, they may turn to the one thing they can control, their diet, as a way to regain some measure of authority in their own lives. Even if that means they are skipping meals or vomiting up nearly everything they consume. In rare cases, body dysmorphia of some kind may be at the root of the problem. But since college represents a hugely stressful time in the lives of most young people, chances are good that the environment and the situation play a major role in the onset of eating disorders.

As a parent, you may have bigger fears concerning your student than whether or not you should send them off with a years’ supply of granola bars, vitamin supplements, and proteinex. But don’t overlook the signs and symptoms of an eating disorders (significant weight loss or gain, obsession with food, exercise, isolation, unwillingness to eat in front of others, and so on). This type of condition can be even more harmful than the partying you’re probably worried about – it can even be deadly.

Since you never stop parenting, pay close attention to any of these signs and prevent your student from going down a path that will ultimately affect their health.

admissions, college planning, essays

5 tips for writing college essays

UnknownSeniors are welcoming offers of admission; high school juniors are gearing up for college applications in the fall. They have begun college visits, crafting a list of colleges they are interested in attending, and looking toward completing those applications.

A key part of the application is the college essay. This task causes much stress among students (and even parents) desiring to craft the best possible essay to make the best possible impression on admissions. As with any task, however, knowing some tips and applying those tips can help relieve some of the stress.

Here are 5 tips for writing college essays:

1. Give yourself plenty of time

This is the number one tip for writing a successful college essay–start now! Waiting until the last minute will cause you to produce shoddy work. Begin early so that you can craft a work you will be proud to attach to your application. Once the essay is out of the way, you can concentrate on the rest of the application.

2. Be truthful

There is no need to embellish your achievements or exaggerate your accomplishments. Honesty is a character trait that admissions officers look for in an applicant. They can spot embellishments easily in an essay and wonder what else you are stretching the truth about.

3. Make it personal

Talk about what you love and find a way to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Admissions officers want to know who you are and what you can contribute to their college student body. The essay is an opportunity for them to see you beyond the test scores and the GPA.

4. Stick to the point

Don’t ramble to increase your word count. Say what you need to say and stick to the point. The longer the essay, the less interested the reader becomes. Remember they have many essays to read and you need to capture their interest and keep it.

5. Proofread and proofread again

This does not mean spellcheck only. Look at your use of punctuation and other good writing mechanics. Spell names properly. Ask teachers, parents and friends to read the essay. Many times they can find errors that you do not see. While you can find sites that offer online essay writing and custom essays, remember this should be YOUR work and presented from YOUR point of view.

Bottom line

The essay is your chance to shine. You should use it as an opportunity to help the college get to know you; and see you apart from the facts, figures and statistics you present about yourself.

Don’t hesitate to read more about online essay writing with EssayLib.com – professional service that is always ready to help students with college essays.

 

campus security

More on campus safety

Regarding the last post on campus safety, FindTheData.com offers a free to use reference and comparison utility for parents and students.  You can use the search filters on the left to filter by institution name, location, school type, total students, total crime, and major individual crimes.  The individual crime filter lets you know how many reported cases of major crimes occurred in a given year, such as murder, forcible rape, aggravated assault, robbery, and burglary.

campus safety

However, it’s important to note that these are crimes that have been reported on campus.  It’s also useful knowing the crime rate statistics for the city that the college is located in as well.

college guidance, college planning

5 Ways for college-bound students to relieve stress

imagesFeeling stressed in those hectic teen years is the most natural thing in the world, but that doesn’t make it any less disheartening. College-bound students are preparing to make many significant life changes, and that can make this a frightening time of life. There are many ways to deal with this kind of stress, some more healthy than others. Consider these five ways to relieve stress and prepare yourself for the future in the best possible ways.

  1. Maintain a Healthy Diet
    Eating healthy is more important than you’d imagine. Good life begins with good food because you are, after all, what you eat. If you’re eating healthy, your body will be well nourished and you’ll have the energy you need to deal with all of life’s obstacles. A diet of junk food will leave you feeling sluggish and sap your motivation, causing problems to pile up. Many students try to offset this lack of energy with lots of sugar and caffeine, which can disrupt their sleep cycles and lead them to become even more exhausted. Start relieving your stress naturally by eating healthy.
  2. Exercise Regularly
    Sometimes the best way to deal with stress in your life is to find an outlet for your pent up energy, and exercise is the best way to let off steam. Exercising regularly will help you stay fit, work negative energy out of your body, and release endorphins to promote a natural sense of well-being. When stress seems to be piling up to impossibly high levels, sometimes the best thing to do is hit the gym or go for a jog to clear your head.
  3. Manage Time Effectively
    One of the biggest stress-related problems for college bound students is time management. If you don’t know how to manage your time effectively, you won’t be able to deal with the challenges that come up in your life in a timely fashion. Start using a daily planner to keep track of important assignments. Prioritize your activities to make the best use of the limited time you have every day. Soon you’ll realize that there are enough hours in the day–you just need to learn how to use them.
  4. Cultivate a Hobby
    We all know what happens when life is all work and no play. Take a break from your studies and worries every once in a while to cultivate a hobby. If you don’t have something in your life that makes you happy, your life is going to be infinitely more stressful. Read your favorite books, paint, participate in a sport, listen to your favorite Conor Maynard songs–whatever it is that makes you happy. Find a hobby that you enjoy and try to make time for it every day.
  5. Be Positive About the Future
    Worrying about the future is natural, but it doesn’t do you any good. The future is always going to be there, and it will always be uncertain. The best thing you can do is pursue something that brings out your passion, and do so positively. Be confident in your choices and chase your dreams. You’ll find that life has a way of working itself out when you apply yourself; so work hard, be positive, and try not to worry about the future.

Always remember my motto–preparation prevents panic.

parenting, tutoring

InstaEDU-Online tutors anytime, anywhere

instaedu

Why was InstaEDU created and who are the creators?

InstaEDU was created to solve two big problems with the traditional private tutoring industry. First, while not every student needs an hour of tutoring every Tuesday from 3-4 p.m., every single student knows what it’s like to get stuff on a tough subject and need a little extra help. And second, private tutoring is prohibitively expensive for many students; in some parts of the country, tutors charge more than $100 per hour, making it difficult for many families and college students to afford. As a result, InstaEDU was launched to make high quality, one-on-one online tutoring accessible to anyone with an Internet connection and a desire to learn — regardless of time of day or if you planned ahead. The company was founded by Alison Johnston, her brother Dan Johnston, and a friend Joey Shurtleff in late 2011; all three went to Stanford University.

Is InstaEDU expensive?

Not at all. Every new student on InstaEDU gets to try the service out for free. After that, tutoring starts at just $24/hour, and it’s billed by the minute. So, if you only need help for a few minutes, you can pay just a few dollars. But if you want to work with your tutor for an hour or more, we want to make sure it’s affordable, too!

How does it work?

Students come to InstaEDU and let us know what subject they need help with. From there, we can get them connected with a tutor from a top college in under a minute. Here’s how it works: When tutors sign up with us, we require them to register with either Facebook chat or GChat. Once they do that, our service can tell when they’re online. So when a student comes to us looking for help with a specific subject, we can send chat messages to tutors who are both experts in that subject and online. If a tutor is available, they simply click on a link to take the lesson.

Beyond our on-demand service, we also know that many students like working with the same tutor on a regular basis — they want the traditional hour per week with a tutor they connect with. We also offer the option to message and set up lessons with tutors. This can be especially useful for students in college who need help with more advanced subjects and want to find a tutor who knows, for example, college-level organic chemistry.

What type of tutoring do you offer?

All of InstaEDU’s tutoring is done online in our collaborative lesson space (it has a whiteboard and document uploader with editing). Students can choose to use video chat, audio chat or text chat — it’s totally up to them. In terms of subjects, we cover all high school subjects and most college level subjects as well. Literally everything from basic algebra to advanced econometrics.

How do you vet your tutors and who are they?

All of InstaEDU’s tutors are either current students at, or recent graduates of top colleges like Stanford, Harvard and MIT. When they apply, we require them to sign up with Facebook — that’s how we can verify they’re associated with the school they say they are. We also have them  do an interview where they tell us about past tutoring and teaching experience, which is required to work with us. After every session, students also have the option to rate their tutors, so it’s easy to see if a tutor isn’t doing a great job; if that’s the case, we’ll determine if they’re a good fit for InstaEDU or work with them to resolve any issues.

How can parents use this service for their high school and college students?

We frequently see parents come to InstaEDU looking for a tutor to work with their student[s]. With high school students, parents can set up an account for their child, and then from the parent account it’s simple to manage payments and scheduling. All the student needs to do is show up for his or her lesson. With parents of college students, what we’ll see is parents turning to InstaEDU when their college student is in over his or her head in a tough course or needs help with a paper. Just like with the high school students, parents can manage the payment aspect of the account so the only thing the student needs to focus on is their lesson.

Is it easy to get started using InstaEDU?

Absolutely. We give every new student on InstaEDU a free trial so they can see how the service works and make sure it’s a good fit. All that’s needed beyond that is an Internet connection and a desire to learn.

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