Category Archives: college planning

college guidance, college planning

The College List: 5 Steps to the Perfect List

college list

Whether your student is a freshman or entering the last semester of their junior year, you should be looking ahead towards graduation. The first, and obvious question, should be—what’s next? What will your student do after high school? Will they enter the job market, take a gap year off to decide, enter the military, or will college be their next step?

If college is in their future, the college list should be a priority. All decisions, goals and pursuits will be geared toward receiving an offer of admission from those colleges on that list. Those colleges should be chosen with much thought and planning. Your student’s goal is to first be offered admission, and secondly be awarded aid that will pay for the education.

In order to craft a great college list, you and your student must keep an open mind. With over 4000 institutions of higher learning in this country alone, the obvious choices are not necessarily the best ones. Before you haphazardly throw some names onto the list, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Look at the statistics and rise to the top

The best college is the college that fits your student’s academic and social needs, and at the same time is affordable. The last thing you want is for your student to graduate with debt; and the best way to guarantee the most merit aid is to apply to a college where your student is at the top of the applicant pool. If your student’s grades, scores, and extracurriculars exceed those of the average applicant, a college will be more likely to entice him with merit aid (scholarships and grants).

How do you know where your student falls in the applicant pool? Use sites like College Navigator and College Data to compare your student with current students. Look at the figures for admitted students: what is the average test score, what is the average GPA, how much weight do they place on extracurriculars? If your student’s statistics are above these average amounts, the college will consider them a highly desirable applicant.

Step 2: Consider the unknowns

Most students gravitate toward the known colleges—those with national or state recognition. But there are so many excellent colleges within each state that go unnoticed. These are often smaller private colleges offering excellent liberal arts educations. These colleges have alumni that support them and often provide continued support—translating into scholarships and grants to new students. The larger state university may appear cheaper based on tuition, but the smaller private college will often award more merit aid to entice students.

I recommend parents encourage their students to look into the College That Change Lives . These colleges are built on the premise of “building the knowledge, character and values of young people by introducing them to a personalized and transformative collegiate experience.” Also consider technical colleges like Penn College that combine a liberal arts education with hands-on career training.

Here are some other links to research:

13 of the Most Unique Colleges in America

50 Most Underrated Colleges in America

50 Underrated Colleges Doing Great Things

Step 3: It’s all about the numbers

You might be surprised to know that in addition to all the factors students use to choose a college, there is one they might overlook: statistics. While location, major, campus appeal, and others are certainly important statistics will help you and your student make a more informed college choice.

Why statistics? Statistics will help you determine some of the key factors involved in choosing a college. With statistics you increase the odds of your student being accepted, receiving more financial aid, and graduating on time. You can also determine the class sizes, the freshman retention rate and the odds of finding a job after graduation.

Two good sources for college statistics are College Navigator and College Data. These two resources will help you make an informed college choice. Numbers aren’t everything, but consider these eight important stats when you and your student are looking at schools:

  1. Rankings (simply as a baseline for comparison)
  2. Financial aid percentages
  3. Acceptance rates
  4. Student-to-professor ratios
  5. Freshman retention rates
  6. Graduation rates
  7. Student indebtedness
  8. Percentage of student who are employed after graduation

Step 4: Let the money do the talking

There’s no point in adding a college to the list if it’s unaffordable. Your student will be disappointed if offered admission and the cost makes it impossible for them to attend. Before applying, research the financial aid footprint of every single college on the list. How much aid do they typically give? How much debt does the average student graduate with? Use their net price calculator and determine what it will cost to attend there before applying. If your student is offered admission, there will be no surprises and disappointment if you do your due diligence before the application process begins.

Colleges offering small percentages of financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants should only be considered if you can pay or your student makes applying to scholarships a priority. You can’t count on scholarships or grants, but your student can certainly do everything to position themselves at the top of the applicant pool to receive them.

Step 5: Do a side-by-side comparison

How do you compare colleges once you have a solid list? Your student should develop their own rankings based on their personal choices and priorities. These items might include the obvious items like academics and location, to such unconventional items like Greek life and campus appearance. List all the items on a chart, giving each item a plus (+) or a minus (-) and tally up the scores. The colleges with the highest scores should make the final list. Colleges with lower scores might not make the list or need further evaluation.

By following these five steps, your student can create a strong college list of colleges that fit them academically, socially and financially. You might discover some hidden gems while navigating the search, just as my daughter did (and fell in love!).

college guidance, college planning

The College List: 10 Choice Criteria

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10 choice criteria

There are over 4000 four-year colleges in the United States and another 1900 community colleges. Choosing a college can be overwhelming if you don’t narrow down the choices with this simple list of basic criteria. Once you’ve narrowed down the college list, you can get more selective and specific with your final choices.

Here is a list of 10 choice criteria to consider:

  • Your study preferences—Are they more comfortable in a structured class or do you excel doing independent study? Do you require academic challenge or prefer in-class time with little or no additional study?
  • Money—Your budget plays a huge factor in the decision process. If your budget is tight, will you consider student loans? And if so, will an expensive private university be worth the debt?
  • Size—Do you want small class size or does it matter? Does being part of a large student body appeal to you or would they prefer a small college atmosphere?
  • Location—Do you want to go away to college or stay close by so you can live at home? Are you looking for a cultural experience that a big city offers or a down home experience provided by a small town college?
  • Extracurriculars—Are you set on joining a sorority or a fraternity? Are these offered at the colleges you are considering? Are there other activities that you feel are crucial to having a positive college experience (i.e. working on a campus newspaper, participating in intramural sports, studying abroad)?
  • Academics—Is there a specific major you are interested in or will a liberal arts degree do? Not every university offers the same academic disciplines.
  • Career focus—Do you want to study the culinary arts or fashion design? Consider a school that offers these types of specialized degrees.
  • Sports—Does the school have a huge sports program or do sports play little impact in your decision?
  • Competitive vs Non-competitive—Do you have the resume that will ensure acceptance in a competitive college like Stanford or Penn State? Or do you have a strong academic showing that would send you to the top of the list at a non-competitive college and qualify you for a full scholarship?
  • Specialized programs—Do you want to work in the stock market? Does the school offer a trading room? What about internships, undergraduate research, service learning, and even specialized senior capstone projects (integrating and synthesizing what you have learned).

Juniors should be focusing on college visits and start working on their list. Seniors should review this list and prepare to start their college applications.

college guidance, college planning, college prep

The College List: 3 Fit Criteria

COLLEGE LIST

All the experts have advice on how many schools to apply to: some say 7, some say 10 and others say the more you apply to the better your chances. For me, the number isn’t as important as the content. A good college list needs to be well thought out and researched.

A good college list should have three “fit” criteria: financial fit, academic fit, and emotional fit. Once your student has a tentative list, ask if they have all three criteria before finalizing the list.

Financial Fit

Does the college fit into your family’s budget? If it doesn’t fit financially, cross it off the list. While you should never consider a college solely based on the sticker price, you should certainly examine what will happen if your student is accepted and doesn’t receive any financial aid. Remember when factoring in   cost, don’t forget about the add-ons. They can add up and have a substantial effect on your budget.

Academic Fit

Does the college fit into your student’s academic aspirations? This might seem like a no-brainer, but the education is a key factor in attending college. Cross the college off the list if it doesn’t fit into your student’s academic learning style. For instance, is your student looking for smaller class sizes and strong relationships with his professors? A larger university won’t offer this.

Emotional fit

Can your student see himself attending college there? When he visited the campus, did it “feel” right and did he have a rapport with the students he came in contact with? You might think college shouldn’t be an emotional decision, but it is. After all, they will be spending at least four years of their lives there. If they don’t fit into the social climate they will be miserable.

Where does your student fit?

Another thing to consider is positioning. Is your student positioned well with the other applicants, especially if you are looking for merit aid. Are their scores, grades, and achievements good enough to put them at the top of the applicant pool?

As you can easily see, there’s more to refining a college list than picking a college with Greek life or college sports rankings. It’s a place your student will call home and he needs to feel comfortable there. Once you’ve determined if the college has all three criteria, add it to the list. It’s a keeper!

college guidance, college planning, college prep

7 College Statistics to Use When Choosing a School

college statistics

I’m not really a math geek, but I do like to look at the statistics. Statistics are more than just numbers on a page; they tell a story. College statistics can tell you a story about the college your son or daughter is applying to.

Even though applying to college is an emotional decision, it’s important for parents to help students look beyond the emotions. Students use factors like sports teams, campus appeal, Greek life and more. While these factors should help your student choose the right college, it’s also a good idea to factor in the numbers.

Two good sources for college statistics are College Navigator and College Data. These two resources will help you make an informed college choice. Numbers aren’t everything, but consider these seven important stats when you and your student are looking at schools:

1. Financial aid percentages

If your student needs financial aid to attend college, these statistics are important. How much aid a college awards to its students is reported and tabulated each year. If your student needs financial aid, a college with a low percentage of merit aid might be eliminated from your list. Use the figures to help you refine your list.

2. Acceptance rates

There are many fine colleges that give credence to hard work and commitment. College truly is for everyone. If your student is an average student, don’t despair. Look for the colleges that will recognize potential and see your child as a viable applicant. Look for colleges with high acceptance rates. Better yet, look for the colleges where your child would be a top applicant in the applicant pool. This translates into more merit aid in the financial aid package.

3. Student-to-professor ratio

If your student has trouble focusing in class, is intimidated by large crowds, and needs more personal instruction to be academically successful, a large state university might not be a good fit. There are plenty of small liberal arts colleges with great academic records and majors. When my daughter was choosing a college, our decision was highly dependent on this factor alone. Once we found colleges that had low professor-to-student ratios, we were able to look at other key factors in making the decision.

4. Freshman retention rate

As many as one in three first-year students don’t make it back for sophomore year. The reasons run the gamut from family problems and loneliness to academic struggles and a lack of money. If schools you’re considering have a low freshman retention rate, there’s a reason. Some colleges do a great job of taking care of their freshmen; some don’t.

5. Graduation rate

Did you know that graduation rates differ wildly? About 400,000 students drop out of college each year. When you research the college, look up their graduation rates. Low rates could be a red flag. Graduation rates don’t necessarily determine the quality of a degree. Yet students who start college but don’t finish are typically no better off professionally and financially than those who never even started, and in some cases, if they took on debt, might be worse off.

6. Average indebtedness

Even if students graduate, it’s no guarantee they will secure jobs; at least not one that will pay enough to cover too much student loan debt. If the average student indebtedness is high, and your student needs financial aid, this college might not make the final list.

7. Percentage of students employed after graduation

If your student graduates and can’t find a job, it’s going to be a tough road ahead. Colleges with a strong alumni network and active career centers will have a high percentage of employment after graduation. Colleges with a high percentage of unemployed graduates should be avoided by students who need to incur high student loan debt.

*Portions of this article were written for TeenLife.com

college planning, college prep, Guest Posts

A New Platform to Help Plan Your Student’s High School Journey

new platform

Being an involved parent is crucial to your child’s success, especially as they explore the world of possibilities in high school. Not surprisingly, many kids don’t understand this; they want to do everything on their own.

A new platform, spikeview, helps parents prompt meaningful conversations about interests and potential career tracks, in part by showing the big picture with the various explorations and steps in their journey so far. By making kids be a key stakeholder in navigating their journey through high school and into their dream college, spikeview helps with planning early and often to avoid unnecessary panic. Beyond just a well organized, secure,  portfolio, teens are encouraged to build a network with others, take on leadership opportunities in interest-based online groups, and find opportunities (like internships, jobs, and high quality classes, tutors, career counselors, and summer programs) to strengthen their college application. 

 Here are 3 unique ways you can support your teens’ journey!

Drive Interest Aligned Discussions

Nothing is more off putting to a budding independent high-schooler then pushing all those amazing activities and experiences that YOU believe are so good for them.  While you may be right, you might need to consider how those opportunities fit into the overall interests of the student. Looking at a snapshot view of their experience and interests and discussing why those are so valuable or exciting for them will establish trust and open them up  to the possibility of considering other opportunities.  This enables a “data-driven” conversation which tends to  be more objective and palatable to a teens. We love the “My Story” visualizing tool that does the job and is a fun way to acknowledge your teens efforts. 

Finding a supportive online community, and tapping new opportunities

new platform

Let’s face it, it is hard to be the parent of a teenager. Whether you have one or multiple kids, each is different and each has unique interests and hobbies. While we are always bombarded with camps, classes, online programs, it is not easy to find good quality opportunities that will interest your teen and will be worth the expense. It takes a lot of time to find the right fit opportunities and maybe requires you to ask other community parents. But, what if based on your kids’ past experiences and interests, you could see specific opportunities that helped magnify their impact, explore other  avenues they may not have considered previously, or strengthen their college application?  What if you could create and participate in discussions with other parents in the same situation as you, or those with older kids who have learned some of the harder lessons. What if you could get access to good quality content and opportunities that actually align to their interest. What if you could see students and parent reviews to help you decide? Think of how much time you would save, and discover something that will truly resonate. Easily create your teens profile and let the auto-discovery save you some time. 

Preparation prevents panic and panic prevents progress

For this generation of teens, technology and media play a large role. Kids enjoy using media, digital content socializing through online platforms. They are not as interested in boxes full of photos , certificates or badges sitting in the garage that make up their experiences. So why not become a part of their world as a parent, and even better, use a medium that is fun, ubiquitous, and permanent. Help kids digitally organize their assets, and give them control of who gets to see what aspect of their data.  Once uploaded into the secure spikeview cloud, you can decide what to share using custom views tailored to each opportunity or interaction. It can be polished and professional for applying for an internship, or casual and  fun when reaching out to an online club. It can cover all your achievements, or showcase just one of them. The profile can be built over time with all types of experiences, achievements, thighs they are proud of.  This can serve as a digital journey book across all phases of life and an invaluable shared asset between you and your teens. Best of all, parents can rest easy knowing that the default setting on spikeview is privacy. 

With all the blood, sweat, and tears we put into them, it is almost criminal that all the planning for camps, internships, and classes, all the effort in polling other parents for the best coach or tutor, all the time invested in weekend games, and all the endless drives to and from activities – is forgotten within a few weeks, with nothing at all to show for it. What’s more, in most cases, the kids themselves don’t remember these critical building blocks of their life within a few years, losing the key formative steps, friendships, and memories that could make for an engaging, compelling life story. Rather than panicking looking at a last-minute sparse “brag sheet” to prepare for college admissions essays, these small nuggets instill confidence and make all the difference between getting into your dream college and opening a thin envelope. 

admissions, college planning, college prep, pandemic

Advice from College Admissions to This Year’s College Applicants

college admissions

Due to the pandemic, the college admissions system has been forced to adapt.

Last year’s group of graduating high school seniors and soon-to-be college freshman, could not visit colleges due to the nationwide response of sheltering at home to flatten the curve.

In addition, students dealt with problems regarding standardized testing online causing many colleges to eliminate or pause standardized testing requirements. Students will have limited access to traditional extracurricular and volunteer opportunities. In addition, sports programs have been shortened or eliminated at many high schools.

Parents and students are wondering how all these changes will affect the college admissions environment and will it change what colleges expect from this year’s crop of future students.

To answer these questions, The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Making Caring Common project coordinated with admissions leaders to detail what exactly should be considered in the application process during the school year ahead. After interviewing 315 college admissions professionals, they published a joint statement:

“As admission and enrollment leaders, we recognize that we and the institutions we represent send signals that can shape students’ priorities and experiences throughout high school. This collective statement seeks to clarify what we value in applicants during this time of COVID-19. We are keenly aware that students across the country and the world are experiencing many uncertainties and challenges. We primarily wish to underscore our commitment to equity and to encourage in students self-care, balance, meaningful learning, and care for others.”

These admissions leaders emphasized that students should communicate if and how the coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted them, including if they have not had access to the internet or a quiet place to study or if they have had increased family responsibilities such as taking care of sick relatives, supervising younger siblings or working to provide family income.

To sum it up, they will value five aspects in the upcoming admissions year: self-care; academic work; service and contributions to others; family contributions; and extracurricular and summer activities.

Following are the specific explanations provided for parents and students from the college admissions professionals outlined in their statement:

Self-care.

Self-care is of high importance, especially in times of crisis. We recognize that many students, economically struggling and facing losses and hardships of countless kinds, are simply seeking to get by. We also recognize that this time is stressful and demanding for a wide range of students for many different reasons. We encourage all students to be gentle with themselves during this time.

Academic work.

Your academic engagement and work during this time matters to us, but given the circumstances of many families, we recognize that you may face obstacles to academic work. We will assess your academic achievements in the context of these obstacles. In addition, we will assess your academic achievements mainly based on your academic performance before and after this pandemic. No student will be disadvantaged because of a change in commitments or a change in plans because of this outbreak, their school’s decisions about transcripts, the absence of AP or IB tests, their lack of access to standardized tests (although many of the colleges represented here don’t require these tests), or their inability to visit campus. We will also view students in the context of the curriculum, academic resources, and supports available to them.

Service and contributions to others.

We value contributions to one’s communities for those who are in a position to provide these contributions. We recognize that while many students are not in this position because of stresses and demands, other students are looking for opportunities to be engaged and make a difference. This pandemic has created a huge array of needs, whether for tutoring, contact tracing, support for senior citizens, or assistance with food delivery. We view responding to these needs as one valuable way that students can spend their time during this pandemic.

We also value forms of contribution that are unrelated to this pandemic, such as working to register voters, protect the environment, combat racial injustice and inequities or stop online harassment among peers. Our interest is not in whether students created a new project or demonstrated leadership during this period. We, emphatically, do not seek to create a competitive public service “Olympics” in response to this pandemic. What matters to us is whether students’ contribution or service is authentic and meaningful to them and to others, whether that contribution is writing regular notes to frontline workers or checking in with neighbors who are isolated.

We will assess these contributions and service in the context of the obstacles students are facing. We also care about what students have learned from their contributions to others about themselves, their communities, and/or their country (Please see Turning the Tide for additional information about the kinds of contributions and service we value). No student will be disadvantaged during this time who is not in a position to provide these contributions. We will review these students for admissions in terms of other aspects of their applications.

Family contributions.

Far too often there is a misperception that high-profile, brief forms of service tend to “count” in admissions while family contributions—which are often deeper and more time-consuming and demanding—do not. Many students may be supervising younger siblings, for example, or caring for sick relatives or working to provide family income, and we recognize that these responsibilities may have increased during these times. We view substantial family contributions as very important, and we encourage students to report them in their applications. It will only positively impact the review of their application during this time.

Extracurricular and summer activities.

No student will be disadvantaged for not engaging in extracurricular activities. We also understand that many plans for summer have been impacted by this pandemic, and students will not be disadvantaged for lost possibilities for involvement. Potential internship opportunities, summer jobs, camp experiences, classes, and other types of meaningful engagement have been cancelled or altered. We have never had specific expectations for any one type of extracurricular activity or summer experience and realize that each student’s circumstances allow for different opportunities. We have always considered work or family responsibilities as valuable ways of spending one’s time, and this is especially true at this time.

careers, college planning, Uncategorized

CareerS: What IS a Utility Engineer?

utility engineer

Making the most of a college degree requires a knowledge of the career path your student will be pursuing. This post is one of many I have provided to help parents and students make an informed college major choice.

Utility engineers are highly specialized professionals who usually work with public utilities that provide gas, water, power or sewer services to communities. Most utility engineers have a background in mechanical or civil engineering.

Utility engineering consultants work on how to improve the delivery of utility services to homes and businesses. They often are employed in public works activities that offer new utility services to communities. Utility engineers also work to improve current services with new technology and best practices.

Common utility engineer tasks include:

  • Devise plans, designs, and operations for utility systems, including gas, water, and sewage systems.
  • Identify and resolve any failures of utility systems and oversee preventative maintenance.
  • Direct utility project groups and offer guidance on how to install or improve utility systems
  • Gather data on utility processes, monitor utility system effectiveness and material usage.
  • Manage construction projects involving utilities, devise utility project scope, specifications, and budgets.

During times when there are utility outages, utility engineers are engaged in directing and managing work crews to restore services as quickly as possible.

Utility engineers also are involved in boosting service quality by reducing service interruptions. This is done by enhancing infrastructure and working to reduce any existing problems. For these types of projects, the utility engineer works in planning and execution.

Example of a Utility Engineer Project

For example, a utility engineer may determine that a plot of land with dozens of old trees is a high risk to power lines. He or she will design a project to run electric cabling underground or to reinforce current aerial lines and electric poles. He or she would collaborate with work crews to ensure these utility projects are properly carried out and thoroughly inspected for effectiveness and safety.

As a utility engineer, you may work on many different types of projects for different entities. Some may work for a city that is designing a new energy distribution grid. These utility engineers may act as consultants to provide guidance on the power requirements of a growing urban area. Others might work at smaller utilities that keep power going in all buildings, and also work in installing backup electrical generators for any power outages.

Some utility engineers also work at manufacturing plants and job sites outdoors overseeing the construction of electrical turbines and other types of equipment that produce power.

Utility engineers work on infrastructure projects that are vital to the continuing growth and viability of our society, and therefore are engaged in work of great importance.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Navigating College During COVID-19

covid-19

It’s a new world; especially in college admissions. What we did last year at this time has been obliterated by the coronavirus. Future college students (upcoming seniors) will have to adapt. Current college students are faced with all sorts of dilemmas.

Just for parents, I’ve compiled some of the articles I’ve found about navigating college during COVID-19. I hope you find them helpful for you and your student.

Future college students

Applying to College during COVID-19

Amy Romm Lockard of Dovetail College Consulting in Portland, Oregon works with high school students nationwide to look at careers, majors, colleges and other post-secondary options as well as all the pieces in between (testing, financial aid, teacher recommendations, scholarship applications and more).

Amy has been writing for CollegiateParent about admissions for a while now and we are so thankful for her contributions, and for her insights and warmth which you can see in this recent video interview, College Admissions During COVID-19: A CollegiateParent Conversation.

We’ve compiled highlights from our conversation with Amy — read on to catch her best tips for high school seniors applying to college this fall. 

High School Juniors and the Pandemic

High school juniors may be wondering how the pandemic will affect their college plans. Your student may be asking: 

  • How is this virus going to affect my future college application? 
  • Are these abridged AP exams going to count? 
  • I worked so hard this year, took a rigorous curriculum, but now how can this pass/fail grading highlight my improved grades? 
  • My prestigious summer program was just canceled—what can I do for the next several months? 
  • With all the seniors currently asking for gap years, will this mean there will be fewer spaces in future years?”

We can’t know the future, but we can deal with what we know now. As time progresses, the options will change, but for now, here is some helpful information.

How Covid Impacts Rising High School Seniors

We looked at the kinds of challenges and changes that rising high school seniors may face this fall.

Here’s what we found.

All schools that return to on-campus learning will have new procedures in place for keeping students and staff healthy. That includes whatever the state mandates for the number of students allowed in buildings, mask use, how far apart they can sit, where they can eat, hand-washing routines, changes in how clubs and extracurricular activities are handled, and whether sports are played and can be attended. 

Class of 2021 College Admissions: What College Officials Want You to Know

Collaborating with the Making Caring Common project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, college admissions professionals have jointly issued “Care Counts in Crisis: College Admissions Deans Respond to COVID-19.” The statement focuses on five points students need to keep in mind this year: Self-care, academics, service, families, and extracurricular activities.

COVID College Search: Tours, Student Panels, and Fairs In Your PJs

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, rising high school seniors would likely be spending some time during the summer and fall visiting prospective colleges, attending college fairs, or meeting with college recruiters who visit their high schools. But what about now? As you might expect, researching college options for the Class of 2021 just got very interesting! Let’s take a look at what some of these formerly typical activities might look like this year. It’s the COVID college search year!

Current college students

Will Students Be Safe on Campus This Fall?

As college move-in day approaches, parents around the country have understandable concerns about online vs. in-person instruction.

Many parents wonder if the quality of instruction will be the same if classes are conducted remotely, and if it’s worth the high cost of tuition they’re paying.

Parents are also expressing anxiety about student safety — both health safety because of the pandemic and physical safety in communities where protests and violence continue. Unlike the decision about how classes will be held, your student may have a choice about whether to return to campus or study from home (unless their school has closed all residential facilities or is permitting only certain grades to return).

If you’re still up in the air about this, or just want to prepare your student as well as possible for a safe and healthy fall semester, here are some things to know and talk about.

COVID-19s Impact on College Students This Fall

We looked at the kinds of challenges and changes that entering freshmen and current college students may face this fall.

Here’s what we found.

All schools that return to on-campus learning will have new procedures in place for keeping students and staff healthy.

That includes whatever the state mandates for the number of students allowed in buildings, mask use, how far apart they can sit, where they can eat, handwashing routines, changes in how clubs and extracurricular activities are handled, and whether sports are played and can be attended. 

Find Money for College During the Pandemic

COVID-19 has impacted many families financially — including their ability to pay for college. What may have been a positive financial outlook in the fall of 2019, when students applied and accepted admission, has changed dramatically for many families with the nationwide shutdowns and changes in employment.

Student athletes have been hit hard as many colleges are cutting programs to save money and stay afloat. Needless to say, athletes aren’t the only students who are impacted. Many students who’d planned to use family funds to pay for college are now faced with financial hardship and left wondering how they will be able to afford college. Families are being forced to get creative and look for funds in the form of scholarships and grants if they wish to avoid borrowing to pay for college.

If you find you are short on funds to pay for college, use these tactics before you decide to take out loans.

COVID-19: 5 Things That Will Be Different on Campus This Year   

The elbow bump. It’s a thing!

As freshmen and upperclassmen start thinking (dreaming?) about heading to college this fall. They’re going to be packing more supplies than usual, however. What will be different on campus this year, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic? Maybe more elbow bumps than hugs! Here are five things you may not have thought of. Make some preparations if possible!

Both high school and college students

Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Families of High School and College Students

In one of the most challenging periods in the last century, the Coronavirus has roiled healthcare systems and everyday life, with citizens wondering what the ramifications are for society and their everyday lives.

While public health and government officials are providing their expertise to the specifics of health and everyday life, high school students, college students, and their parents face special complexities in managing their finances and their college experiences.

college planning, parenting, Uncategorized

Parenting for College in Today’s World

parenting for college

How do school administrators describe today’s parent?

Has it become so bad that school administrators (from grade school to college) have to label us (helicopter parent, bulldozer parent, snowplow parent)? Apparently, it has. When it comes right down to it, we should realize that this type of behavior only hurts the student. Of course, the student may not see the harm. After all, their parent is rescuing them from difficult situations in life. But in the long run, it hurts their quest for independence and causes strife within the family.

Let’s take a look at some of these parenting styles and ask yourself how they can hinder your student’s growth toward independence and influence your parenting for college.

The Helicopter Parent

A helicopter parent hovers over their child. They keep tabs on their every move, text them 24 hours a day and have tracking apps on their smartphones to keep track of their child’s location at all times. Helicopter parents are ready to swoop in at a moment’s notice to help their child in any situation. Forgot their lunch—they take off at lunch to bring it to them. Forgot to bring a permission slip—they drop everything and bring it to them. Forgot to register for the SAT—no, problem; we’ll pay the late fee. Receive a text or non-emergency call during a meeting—they drop everything to respond. Overslept for school—they write a note to explain the tardiness.

The Snowplow Parent

The snowplow parent goes beyond the hovering. They clear paths for their children and plow any obstacle that stands in the way of their happiness. Their children never learn how to advocate for themselves and head off to college to get lost in a sea of problems. As they get older, it’s harder for them to resolve conflict and overcome adversity. Honestly, I have to admit I did this with my daughter. The good news—I knew when to stop. The bad news—I did it much too long.

The Bulldozer Parent

A bulldozer parent is one who is involved in their child’s life, especially in school. This type of parent calls the teacher to complain about a grade they feel is undeserved. As their kids get older, they call the admissions office to plead their college-bound teen’s case for admittance. Bulldozer parents bulldoze their way into their kid’s lives. If their kids get into trouble, they are right there waiting to bail them out and make excuses.

Evaluate and adjust

Be honest. Haven’t you been guilty of some of these? As with any problem you have to want to stop. You have to examine your parenting style and decide whether or not you are helping or hindering your kids. And once you determine the problem you should make an effort to correct it. Back off a bit, give your kids some space, and allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.

Always remember that an independent adult will be a functioning adult and a happier adult. You may say now you don’t want them to grow up, but when they are asking for your help at 30 you will be sorry you encouraged their dependence.

It’s no surprise that parents have become so involved in their kids’ lives that school administrators have begun to label us; helicopter parent, snow plow parent, and bulldozer parent. But it can’t all be bad; after all, parents are actually involved. Is this a bad thing? As with anything there are extremes. And it’s possible that a few bad parenting experiences have shed a negative light on all of us.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of helicopter parenting:

Parents who are involved tend to have academically successful students.

Studies show kids who have parents that stay involved from Kindergarten to 12th grade are more likely to excel academically. Why? Involved parents help students with studies, organization and make sure they do their assignments. They also stay on top of grades and can recognize any problems that may require extra help.

Parents who are involved have students who are less likely to participate in at-risk behaviors.

Students whose parents are involved in their lives are going to find it harder to participate in at-risk behaviors. Why? Parents who know their kid’s friends, encourage activities at home, and encourage their kids to participate in after school activities help the kids learn responsibility and commitment. They have little time to get into trouble.

Parents who are invested financially and encourage their students to invest financially have students who take their education seriously.

College is a large financial commitment. When parents commit to invest, and insist that their student invest, the student will be more likely to see the value of that investment. That translates into academic success and a successful college education.

My mother used to say, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.” I think that is the best way to look at helicopter parenting. Embrace the good things about this type of parenting and avoid the behaviors that cause educators to label us.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Use This Admissions secret When Applying to College

admissions secret

Many college experts offer advice on how to get into college. They recommend stellar standardized test scores, a killer college essay, a high GPA, and strong extracurriculars. While all those application components are important, did you know that there an admissions secret students can use to increase their admission chances by 40 percent!

Data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling show there is a powerful tool students can use to improve their admission chances: demonstrated interest.

Students who visit a college before they apply, are up to 40 percent more likely to be admitted than students who do not visit or show demonstrated interest, the data says.

Why does demonstrated interest matter?

For colleges, it’s difficult to know which applicants are really interested in attending. Due to the ease of the Common Application, students can apply to multiple colleges at once. Students often believe that applying to more colleges will increase their chances of getting accepted.

When a college receives your application, admission officers look for ways to determine whether you will accept their offer of admission. Since all colleges have quotas to fill and determine their admission offers based on percentages of acceptance, showing interest lets them know you will likely accept their offer. As they see it, why offer admission to someone who isn’t interested when there is someone who is likely to accept?

How do you find the colleges that place a strong interest on this?

Which colleges want your student to show them some love? You don’t have to guess. You can use a tool like Collegedata.com to determine if a college uses demonstrated interest in its admission decision. The colleges are asked to rate 19 admission factors by using these four categories: very important, important, considered, and not considered. Each year, colleges are surveyed and this data is used to compile the information on its website.

To access the data, you simply search for the college, click on the Admissions tab, and scroll down to the Selection of Students heading. Then you can see the importance a college places on a student’s level of interest. Harvard, for example, lists this as “not considered.” In comparison, the United States Naval Academy, lists it as “very important.”

Every college is different so it’s important to check before applying to determine whether a college visit or another demonstration of interest is warranted.

To learn how your student can demonstrate interest for a college, read my article at TeenLife.com.