financial aid, scholarships, Uncategorized

Yes you can (win that scholarship)!

 

yes you canYes you can (win that scholarship)! “Yes you can” are the call words for many motivational speakers, school programs, political campaigns and even song lyricists. The scholarship hunt requires that type of motivation: perseverance, attention to detail, and the desire to succeed. We all know that success requires attention to the goal and focusing on the prize. The scholarship search is no different.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!” That pretty much sums up the search process. Scholarships are the icing on the cake in the college admissions process–get into the right school and fund it with free money. Winning a scholarship to pay for college is every parent’s dream and the scholarship search process is every student’s nightmare. But with a little effort and some good advice on how and where to search, the effort will be worth their time. There is money out there for every type of student and every area of interest. Yes you can (win that scholarship)!

Read about five cliches that apply to the search for scholarship bucks>>

admissions, college planning, websites

A new tool for college admissions

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statfuse college admissionsWhen I come across a product or service that can benefit parents and students during the college admissions process, I like to pass it along. StatFuse.com is a FREE service to help in choosing a college.

Getting into college these days is not as easy as it once was. The process for college admissions has changed over the years and become increasingly difficult. Even though the bar has been raised, admissions to college still are at the forefront of every prospective students mind.
Creating a list of schools to attend and crossing off the list as you get to know these institutions better. StatFuse.com takes all of your information and compares it to the standards your choice colleges have set. Our services can tell if you have what it takes, what you should do next, and maybe find a school that you didn’t even think about.

StatFuse allows students to create a free account where they can calculate their chances to colleges (through the “Chanculator”), find recommendations to colleges, track their progress to specific colleges, and much more. Parents can now plan their students’ future properly with the help of these tools while saving money on applications and other unnecessary fees.

This company was launched by two Southern California students, Jeet Banerjee & Supan Shah (ages 19 & 17) who wanted to help their fellow students solve some of the problems they faced as high schoolers. These young entrepreneurs developed the algorithm and innovative tools offered on the website and are focused on keeping this website free so that it is accessible to all students.

When asking the co-founders what their plans in the future for this company were, they simply said: “Our goal is to let every high school student and parent know about our product and how they can benefit from it.”

While StatFuse is beneficial in the college process, it’s important for parents and students to remember that statistics may predict your chances, but the human factor is also important. Choose your college wisely: using statistics, preferences, academics and future goals.

 

orientation, parenting, Uncategorized

College Parent Orientation Tips

 

parent orientation
Parents gather at the University of Minnesota.

College orientation is upon us and students (and parents) will be attending this all-important event in preparation for college in the fall. What will you learn? Will orientation be able to answer all of your questions? Should you attend? Will this help you with the transition in the fall?

Parent orientation has become an integral part of the student’s transition to college, helping to answer parent concerns. A Q&A from Kathryn Kay, the Director of Orientation and Assistant Director of Student Programs at Georgetown University, provides some great insights and useful tips for parents about their role in their college student’s life.

Follow the link to the interview in the “For Parents” section of Zinch’s High School Blog.

 

college visits

It (the college) doesn’t “feel” right

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family college visitsFamilies often use summer vacations to start the college visit process, take a quick walking tour, and begin to formulate a college list. If you’re a parent of a college-bound teen and visited a college campus, you have undoubtedly heard these words: “it just doesn’t feel right”. Before you say, “that’s ridiculous”, take a deep breath and think about their response. What are they really saying?

They are scared

College, for most students, is scary. They will be leaving home for the first time, on their own, and entering an unfamiliar environment. Driving onto a campus makes it real. Anxiety is a reasonable response.

They feel like they won’t fit in

College is just another environment with other kids and the possibility of not fitting in with other students weighs heavy on their mind. However, one of the important facets of the college visit is to hang out with other students and learn about the campus culture. Be sensitive to this concern.

The campus is not what they envisioned

Most students envision beautiful buildings, lavish student union spaces and gorgeous dorms. If the college you are visiting is not what they envisioned, help your student look past the external and remind them academics should be at the top of the list. But remember that first impressions weigh heavy on their decision and even though they might say, “ok”, they may be crossing it off their list.

The cold hard truth is that those “feelings” are sometimes justified, often irrational, and perfectly normal. Nancy Berk, in her book College Bound and Gagged, sums it up:

So what’s the solution [to their anxiety]? The easiest one is to respect the illogical teen refusal. After all, some claim if he is miserable at first sight, he will be miserable for four years if you force the issue. Do I agree? No, but have you ever tried to pull a 6 foot tall 17-year old out of a parked car and make him follow you around campus? This is when gentle threats, reasonable bribes, and guilt (“Do something for me for a change!”) come in handy.

Preparing for those moments of vocal, outward resistance will help you deal with this type of behavior. And when all else fails, give them some time to ponder their decision and help them see that multiple visits, even if they aren’t “feeling” it, will help them make the final college decision. Or, as Nancy says, resort to bribery.

P.S. For more parent tips about the college admissions process, check out Zinch’s High School Blog, and click on the For Parents tab at the top of the page.

 

tech gadgets, technology, Uncategorized

25 Apps for the College-Bound Student

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college-bound appsIn today’s smartphone, tablet world, apps rule. Teens (and their parents) are looking for the best apps to help them organize, study, and find accurate information about colleges. After doing research over multiple websites, I’ve compiled a list of 25 apps for the college-bound student (and their parents!).

In no particular order, they are as follows:

1. Essay Starter-$.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/essay-starter/id593023126?mt=

(iPad)

Be inspired! Writing is easy when you have easy access and control of your sources. Automatic footnotes let you stop worrying about references and just write. Split screen mode lets you open and read multiple PDF files, and take notes at the same time.

2. Quad2Quad-FREE

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quad2quad-college-visit-planner/id520573900?mt=8

(iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

Quad2Quad’s mobile app takes the hassle out of college visit planning. Quad2Quad is a virtual travel assistant, mining, curating and assembling the most important college data for the user. Quad2Quad enables families to plan college visits without spending hours combing multiple college web sites.

3. Edupath SAT Prep & College Search-FREE

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/edupath-sat-prep-college-search/id569529148?ls=1&mt=8

(iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

Edupath SAT Prep and College Search is like two apps in one. The free College Explorer lets you browse 1300 colleges to find the right fit. The adaptive SAT Training is optimized for short sessions so you can use it anytime, anywhere, for just $40/month.

4. College Visits-FREE

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/college-visits/id436274357?mt=8

(iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

With the Welcome to College CollegeVisits iPhone App, you’ll get the ability to rate, take notes, and upload photos in real time or on the trip home. All of the information and photos sync with your account on WelcometoCollege.com.

5. Find Colleges-FREE

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-colleges/id347654402?mt=8

(iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

The Find Colleges search application makes it easy to search for information about U.S. colleges and universities. Developed by ThinkEducationUSA.com, this innovative app enables browsing by video, majors, size and tuition, or by state. This unique multimedia app features video profiles for some schools. It also provides web links as well as the ability to request more information directly from a school.

Continue reading 25 Apps for the College-Bound Student →

test prep

Christmas in July-A FREE Direct Hits Vocabulary eBook

 

direct hits vocabulary bookFREE? What’s the catch? There is none. All you have to do is follow the link below and download the book. Summer is a great time to study for standardized tests and with vocabulary a key component, every student should take advance of this FREE offer.

From Tuesday, July 9, at 12:01 a.m. PST through Wednesday, July 10, 11:59 p.m. PST the Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT eBook will be available for FREE!

Click here for the free download http://amzn.to/ZazhwT

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

This is also a great way to share the Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT eBook with friends. We all need to increase our word capital!

 

study abroad

Teaching Abroad after Graduation

 

Continuing with my recent theme this summer of studying abroad, here’s a guest post from Sean Lords. After obtaining degrees in English Literature and English Secondary Education, Sean Lords packed up his bags and left to Seoul, South Korea where he lived for three years teaching English abroad. Sean has since returned to the States and is currently at work on his Master’s degree.

__________________

teaching abroadAs more and more college graduates struggle to find relevant work here in the United States, the prospect of packing up and teaching overseas for a year sounds increasingly appealing.  With the opportunity to both pay off student loan and add a sizable amount to any savings account, a teaching contract overseas can do wonders for your financial situation as well as expose you to a variety of different cultures and people.  But not all ESL jobs are created equal.  Some countries pay noticeably higher wages than others, while other countries offer significantly more time off.

Getting a firm understanding of how many people are actively teaching abroad is a little tricky.  As it stands now, there are no official numbers that state X amount of people are currently employed in an ESL setting.  However, there are some facts and figures out there that do shed some light on the most popular destinations (at least according to Google inquiries).  The following is a list of the top 15 searched countries for those wishing to teach English.

Continue reading Teaching Abroad after Graduation →

study abroad

Study Abroad? Do your research!

 

study abroadThe experience of travel is immeasurable. Whether your college student dreams of backpacking through Europe after graduation or wants to study abroad, immersion in another country and culture provides unparalleled rewards. Exploring cultures and discovering diverse ways of life can equip a young person with esteemed life skills and unique perspectives.

Study Abroad Interest & Direction

If your son or daughter wants to study abroad through the university, he or she should meet with the college’s study abroad advisor or academic advisor. A school advisor is qualified and equipped to help interested students understand various the policies. The student’s major will be taken into account so that a study abroad program can enhance a specific academic plan. Ohio University, for example, hosts a study abroad fair where students can learn about traveling opportunities. On OU’s website, students can visit the Education Abroad page to request an online application form, check out walk-in advising, gather info about orientation and link to its studying abroad Facebook page.

Continue reading Study Abroad? Do your research! →

Uncategorized

With freedom comes responsibility

 

4th of JulyToday is the day that our nation celebrates freedom and remembers the struggle and sacrifices our forefathers made for independence. Every year in Boston, they read the Declaration of Independence from the balcony of the Old State House. It’s a life-changing experience to be there for that reading.

Freedom is something we all crave. It’s a natural born right. It’s what our kids look forward to after high school graduation: freedom from parental control and supervision. But with freedom comes responsibility. We are responsible for our choices, our decisions and the paths we take. Teach your kids this truth before they leave home for college.

Have a happy 4th of July with your family and celebrate freedom!

admissions, parenting

Are helicopter parents getting a bad rap?

 

helicopter parentIt’s no surprise. Colleges and universities view today’s breed of college parent with some disdain. They see us as interfering in our student’s lives and overly involved in the college admissions process. If you compare us to the parents of 20 years ago, you might draw the same conclusion. We’ve been given the following names: helicopter parents, snow plow parents, and bulldozer parents. These nicknames have emerged over the last few years viewing parents as “the enemy”.

But are these characterizations really accurate? One school administrator thinks otherwise. Beth Moriarty, Director of Residence Life and Housing at Bridgewater State University and adjunct faculty member in the Student Affairs Counseling Program believes that it is time to change our views on parental involvement. In a recent post, she prefaced her argument:

K-12 literature supports the premise that parents who are involved in their students’ education, have students who are more likely to succeed both academically and socially. Additional research states that parents who are involved have students who are less likely to participate in at-risk alcohol and drug behavior. Research on first-generation, low income, and minority students suggests that parental involvement can increase the likelihood of students in these groups persisting to graduation. With this being said, perhaps we should embrace parents as partners, rather than fearing them as the enemy.

It’s a fact that some parents do get overly involved in their student’s life. But saying that all parents are helicopter parents is wrong. Our roles as parents have changed and evolved over the years. Today’s parents are invested in their student’s educational future and success. With competition among students more prevalent than ever before, encouragement and support can often translate into over-involvement. How do we help university officials see that parenting can be viewed in a positive light? Should parents be embraced as partners and should the colleges help parents embrace that role?

Take a few minutes and read the complete content of Ms. Moriarity’s post and comment here if you agree or disagree. I would love to hear your thoughts.