January 2024 is waving goodbye and I thought it would be fun to take a look at the top 5 articles (the ones with the most views and engagement) from 2023.
If you missed any of these, now’s your chance!
Continue reading Top 5 Articles of 2023
During the college prep process, communication is key. You and your teen will need to discuss all sorts of topics from school choice, to finances, to college majors, and other college-related topics. Communicating with teenagers can be both rewarding and challenging. You know, as a parent of a teenager, there are times when both of you struggle to communicate.
Here are some tips to help you connect with your teenager:
Continue reading Communicating With Your College-Bound Teenager
My son was an unmotivated student. He skated through high school with average grades and didn’t begin to think about college until the spring of his senior year. He decided he wanted to go to a military academy, and of course, it was too late to meet the requirements for application. Panicking about his future, he made the decision to join the Marines; and believe me, I was not a happy parent. In the end, however, it was a good choice for him.
Entering the realm of college preparation can be an overwhelming journey for many students. Some may find themselves unmotivated, dragging their feet, and questioning whether they are even college material. As parents, it’s essential to recognize this struggle and provide the necessary support and encouragement to help your student unlock their full potential.
Continue reading Motivating an Unmotivated Student Toward the Future
Navigating the college prep journey with your teen is a transformative and sometimes challenging experience. As your teenager embarks on the journey towards higher education, parents need to provide guidance, support, and a nurturing environment. This article aims to offer practical tips and insights on how to navigate this crucial period in your teenager’s life.
Establishing open and honest communication is the foundation for successful parenting during college prep. Encourage your teenager to share their thoughts, concerns, and aspirations. Actively listen and provide a non-judgmental space for them to express themselves. This will foster a strong parent-teenager relationship built on trust.
Continue reading Navigating the College Prep Journey with your Teen
Choosing a college is a significant decision that can shape your student’s future, so it’s crucial to approach it with careful consideration. Here are some key factors to keep in mind when making this important choice:
This is #1 because it comes before your student even starts their college list. It’s essential to have a clear understanding of your budget and how to manage your finances during college. Evaluate the cost of attending each college, including tuition, fees, and living expenses. Research scholarship opportunities, financial aid options, and work-study programs.
Continue reading Choosing a College
Almost half of a school year is behind you. Whether your teen is waiting to hear back from their college choices, or continuing the decision process as they approach senior year, it is helpful to understand and evaluate college size and student population.
The answer to this question is complicated. Size really doesn’t matter as far as the quality of education your child will receive. Some of the best institutions of higher learning have large campuses with enormous student bodies, and some have fewer than 3000 students. What does matter, and always matters, is whether or not the school is a “perfect fit”, after examining a few factors:
Continue reading Does Size Matter (When It Comes to College)?
With the holidays looming ahead, everyone is looking forward to spending time with family and friends; and students are looking forward to a much needed winter break from school. But while on break, every high school senior is most likely scrambling to finalize their college applications. Traditionally, seniors who are applying regular decision are focusing on college application preparation during the break time to get everything together for submission after the holidays. And for every college-bound teen, it’s the end of a long process and the beginning of a long wait to hear from the colleges they have chosen.
Continue reading College Application Preparation-A Holiday Tradition
College preparation does NOT begin during your student’s senior year. It starts in middle school with a discussion about college and decisions related to high school course selection and gets off to a running start their first day of high school. While you might be astonished and astounded by this statement, the truth is if you take it to heart, your student will enter senior year prepared and at the top of the college applicant pool.
These steps will help you and your student have less stress and be less likely to panic due to a lack of preparation when that all-important college application time comes along.
Continue reading Preparing for the College Admissions Process
Most high school seniors use the Common Application to apply to colleges. Since over 1000 schools now use this application, students can apply to multiple schools with one application. That doesn’t mean your student should “phone it in”, however. Taking the Common App seriously is the first step in completing an application that will help you stand out and receive an offer of admission.
Here are ten tips that will help your student ace the Common App this year:
Continue reading 10 Tips to Help with the Common Application
US News, Forbes, USA Today, Princeton Review, and Niche are just a few of the many college rankings available for parents and students to review. Most college experts agree these college rankings should have little weight when choosing a college. But let’s get real for a moment, we all rank everything: from movies, to music, to restaurants, to hotels, to companies. Consumer reports ranks just about everything known to man: appliances, electronics, automobiles, and more. The New York Times Bestseller lists ranks books. Rankings are a part of our lives.
Continue reading Create Your Own College Rankings