Category Archives: test prep

admissions, college guidance, test prep, Uncategorized

Parents Complain About Costly College Advice

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I’ve been reading quite a few articles lately about parents complaining about the cost of college admissions advice, test preparation, and parent counseling. I have to wonder what are these parents expecting? Are they being promised things that the admissions professionsals can’t deliver?

So. I did my research. I found a common thread among the complaints and the promises. The so-called professionals were making promises that they could not guarantee:

  • We guarantee your child will win thousands of dollars in scholarships
  • We promise you that once you use our services, your child will be accepted at an Ivy League College
  • If your child takes our college prep course they will make a perfect score on the SAT test
  • We are the only ones who know the secrets of getting into college

As a parent, it’s your job to investigate before you spend your money. If they make promises that seem impossible to fulfill, then the odds are they can’t guarantee anything. It’s been my experience that only a handful of professionals truly know the admissions process well enough to guide you and your teen. If you choose to pay someone hefty fees to personally guide your teen, make sure they are members of reputable organizations and certified as a college admissions counselor.

According to a recent article in The New York Times:

“When you say things like, ‘We know the secrets of getting in,’ it kind of implies that it’s not the student’s ability,” said Mark H. Sklarow, executive director of the association, in Fairfax, Va. “It suggests that there’s some kind of underground code.”

….admissions officers say that no outsider can truly predict how a particular applicant might fare.

It’s always your choice on how you spend your money. Whether you choose to employ the services of an admissions counselor or you choose to gather all the information yourself and guide your teen yourself. You have to do what’s best for you and your teen. But remember, there are no guarantees. And there is no substitute for hard work, research and preparation.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, financial aid, test prep

Preparing for College: A Helping Hand

The University of Arizona has established two programs to help high school students prepare for the college experience. They are welcoming high school sophomores and seniors to a summer program that provides them with valuable information about the university and about building a foundation to help students succeed once they graduate high school and enter college.

The 2-day senior program is focused around admissions and acquainting students with the various majors available. The week-long sophomore program is focused around teaching students how to build a foundation for academic success.

According to University of Arizona academic advisors:

Minimally, families should be planning for college as early as 8th grade, when many academic decisions with long-term consequences are made. Course planning for the freshman year often begins early to mid-spring semester of the eighth grade year, and it is important that parents and school personnel help young students design a plan for college enrollment beginning then.

This program gives students a helping hand. This program was implemented after a 2007 pilot study showed that “addressing the transition barrier between high school and college was a critical point needed to help raise high school graduation levels and college enrollment”.

Hopefully other colleges will follow suit and implement these transitional programs. A student who is prepared and armed with the tools to succeed will be less likely to enter college overwhelmed and be less likely to drop out or fail.

Read the entire article here.

college guidance, college planning, parenting, test prep

Heads Up…Freshman Parents!

high school juniorsThe beginning of the school year is approaching for new high school freshmen and it’s time to start thinking about college. Yes, that’s right. It’s time to start the college preparation process so that three years down the road you aren’t scrambling to pull it all together. As a parent, your involvement during the high school years will become even more intense as a source of guidance and encouragement.

Freshman parents–>It’s time to sit them down and formulate a plan for the next four years by establishing open communication and discussion. You can do this by talking about their goals, letting them know what is expected of them, and encouraging them to take an active role in their future.

Here are some topics that you might want to discuss with them:

  • The importance of an education and how it will affect their future
  • The goals and dreams you have for them and the goals they have for  themselves
  • Any rules you have regarding study time, curfew and school activities
  • The importance of balance between school and extracurricular activities
  • The classes and activities that will promote their interests and their college aspirations
  • The value of a good reputation, strong character, and leadership
  • Talk about establishing a strong work ethic and how it will benefit them as they pursue a career

It’s also a good idea to meet with their high school counselor early in the year to discuss the 4 year course plan and establish a presence as a concerned parent. You will be amazed at how many parents become less involved with their student’s education when they enter high school. Teachers and administrators will appreciate your involvement and your teen will know that you are still involved in their lives.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT become one of those parents who push and shove and control their teen. It’s a fine line between involvement and control. Be a guide, and an encourager, not a boss or a dictator.

admissions, college costs, college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, financial aid, scholarships, social networks, test prep

U.S. News & World Report-Best Colleges

This is not a commercial plug for this publication. It is however, an explanation of why I believe this is a MUST read for any college-bound teen. There are three options available for your use:

  • The print edition for $9.95
  • The online edition for $14.95
  • The combo package (print and online) for $19.95

If you don’t want to fork over the cost for either of these, you can browse their website and find a wealth of information.

It is my recommendation that you invest in at least the print version of this publication. If you’re in the process of choosing a college or even widdling down some choices, this publication will give you the needed information to make the right choice.

What does it provide?

  1. It is packed with articles about how to choose a college, how to prepare, how to get in, and how to pay for the education.
  2. It provides information about the best colleges concerning tuition, aid packages, student body, room and board cost, email addresses and website information.
  3. There is also explanation on how they determine their rankings based on several key measures of quality: academic reputation, retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance, and alumni giving rate.
  4. It is an invaluable tool for determining past financial aid packages and will help you gauge if applying to a top-tiered college will be affordable based on alumni giving.
  5. Schools vie for the prestige of being in this publication. If a school makes the list, you can be assured that the quality of the education you receive is worth every penny you spend.

And…Since this is such an invaluable tool for college-bound teens and their parents, here’s what I’m going to do:

To qualify for a giveaway of the U.S. News and World Report 2009 Best Colleges, simply sign up for my College Tips Email and post this on Twitter:

@suzanneshaffer is giving away a FREE U.S. News and World Report-Best Colleges 2009 http://tinyurl.com/kk6zg4

I will be choosing a random winner on June 15th. Spread the word to all your friends who have teens heading off to college !

college guidance, test prep

College Test Prep for the rest of us

sat-test-prepLet’s face it. Those students who have some sort of test prep prior to taking the SAT and/or ACT tend to do better. There are always those Type A parents that shell out hundreds and thousands of dollars to get their teens ready for test day. Those programs are available to anyone, but what about the rest of us who can’t afford that added expense because we’re scraping together all our extra pennies saving for college?

Since preparation ALWAYS pays off, here’s some good news on how your teen can do some summer test prep on a limited budget:

  • Check out the SAT and ACT official websites. They have free resources that your teen can use from sample essays, to practice tests, and the SAT question of the day. Signing up for this free email is a great way for your teen to get acquainted with the types of questions on the SAT test.
  • Use the resources available at the library. Many libraries offer FREE prep courses. In addition, you can check out practice tests books.
  • Check out The Princeton Review online. They offer all kinds of FREE practice tools and are offering a NEW SAT Vocabulary challenge for $4.99 for the IPhone and the ITouch.
  • Check out test prep companies in your area. Many of them offer FREE, no obligation tests for students.

If you encourage your teen to take advantage of these preparation tools during the summer, they will be less stressed and more prepared when test day rolls around in the fall.