college guidance, parenting

That All-Important Counselor Connection

hs-counselorBefore or at the beginning of your teen’s freshman year, make an appointment to meet with the guidance counselor. This meeting will let the counselor know that you are an involved parent and that you will be taking an active role during your teen’s high school years. It will also serve to establish a relationship between your teen and the counselor which will benefit them in the future as they begin to require more and more help with the college application process.

Here are some questions you should ask at that meeting:

  • What basic academic courses do you recommend for students who want to go to college?
  • How many years of each academic subject does the high school require for graduation?
  • What elective courses do you recommend for college-bound students?
  • Can students who are considering college get special help or tutoring?
  • What activities can students do at home or over the summer to strengthen their preparation for college?
  • What do different colleges (liberal arts, business, technical, community) require in terms of high school grades and SAT or ACT scores?
  • What types of local scholarship opportunities are available?
  • Do you have scholarship applications available in your office for students to look through?

At this meeting you will also be able to, along with the counselor, map out a course plan for your teen. You and your teen will be able to communicate their interests and desires as it relates to college. This will cement in the counselor’s mind the fact that she is dealing with a motivated, goal-oriented teen with a parent that wants to participate in the process.

—>A word of advice here: Let your teen do most of the talking. The last thing you want to do is plow ahead without anyone getting a word in edgewise. This is the perfect time for you to practice “listening”-to both the counselor and your teen. You can certainly ask questions, but don’t appear to be one of those pushy parents that “demands” attention. This will work against your teen in the long run. Let the counselor know you value their advice and guidance. Don’t pretend to have all the answers (even if you think you do). Utilize this time to gather information and begin a 4-year relationship with an invaluable educational professional.

college news

The Times They Are A-changin'

When my daughter entered college, her incoming freshman class was required to purchase an IBM laptop. It was, at that time, state of the art technology. She was attending a business college with a trading room and the laptop was considered a valuable tool in her business education. She didn’t even own a desktop computer at the time. It was quite exciting for her and also impressive that the school would offer a discount and keep the laptop updated with software and hardware updates for the four years while she attended.

iphonehorizontalThe times they are a-changin. Not even 10 years later, another university is blazing a trail with its students. But this time instead of laptops, they are providing their students with an IPhones or an Ipod touch. Abilene Christian University in Texas is the first university in the nation to provide this technology for their incoming freshman. According to ACU’s Chief Information officer:

[Students] will use an iPhone or iPod touch to receive homework alerts, answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors’ offices, and check their meal and account balances – among more than 15 other useful web applications already developed.

Kudos to ACU for recognizing the value of these devices and for allowing their incoming freshmen to benefit from their forward thinking.

Click here to read the entire article.

college costs, scholarships

Scholarship Alert: Essay Contest for 2010 Seniors

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fire-logo1

FIRE’s Freedom in Academia Essay Contest

2009 Awards
One first place winner will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship.
Two second place winners will each receive a $2,500 college scholarship.
Five runners-up will each receive a $1000 college scholarship.

Deadlines
The final day to submit an entry is November 6, 2009. The winners will be announced on December 11, 2009.

FIRE’s Mission
FIRE’s mission is to defend and sustain individual rights at America’s colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience?the essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity. FIRE’s core mission is to protect the unprotected and to educate the public and communities of concerned Americans about the threats to these rights on our campuses and about the means to preserve them.

Click here for all the scholarship details!

extracurricular activities, parenting, Uncategorized

Staying Connected With Your Teen

teenagersIt doesn’t matter how close you were before they entered high school, the tension always mounts and the temptation is to drift apart. It takes a concerted effort on your part to stay in touch with their world. They are naturally moving toward independence and we are naturally grasping to keep them from growing up. And thus begins the ying and yang of parent/teenager relationships.

During high school your teens will experience every form of human emotion: joy, sadness, rejection, fear of failure, excitement, disappointment, heartache, love, and the list goes on and on. Most of the emotions are extreme and always seem like the end of the world to them. It’s hard to convey to them that “this too shall pass” and they will realize as they get older that their life is just beginning.

They are looking ahead to the future while living in the present. Keeping on track and keeping their eyes on the prize (graduation and college) can be challenging. As their parent coach and encourager, and the all-knowing, all-wise adult in their life, it’s up to you to stay connected and help them maintain their focus.

Here are a few of my own tips to help you stay connected with your teen:

Find that time when you can sit with them and listen. This is not easy, because many teens rarely sit still for very long to have a conversation. I would sit in my daughter’s room while she picked out her clothes and dressed to go out. You’ll be amazed at how much information you can gather if you simply listen.

Share something they enjoy. It might not be your choice of activities, but if you share a common interest it gives you something to talk about. An activity as simple as watching their favorite television show with them, or making a trip to the mall to search for the all-important clothing purchase will offer opportunities for you to listen and for them to open up to you about their lives.

Let them make mistakes, but be there when they do. Allowing them to make choices and experience the consequences of those choices will prepare them for those times when you aren’t there to tell them what to do.

Pick your battles. It’s easy as a parent to constantly give advice, even to the point of overly controlling their lives. Save those showdowns for the biggies: drinking, smoking, drugs, and sex. Don’t stress so much over their clothing choices or their hair styles. They are teenagers. They want to fit in. If you’re not always battling them over the small things, they will be more receptive when you do put your foot down.

Staying connected with your teen can be challenging, but the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. When your teen turns to you and finally says, “thanks Mom” or “thanks Dad”, it’s all worth it!

college guidance, college planning, parenting, Uncategorized

The 3 P's-Preparation Prevents Panic

I hate to admit it, but I’ve always been a procrastinator. It’s not one of my most admirable traits and oftentimes it results in some rather stressful moments. I’ve made every attempt to learn from my past mistakes, but old habits tend to die hard.

When I feel the urge to procrastinate, I remind myself of this simple montra: Preparation Prevents Panic. It applies to every area of our lives, especially as you navigate the college maze of information, forms, applications, and deadlines.

Preparation is the key to not only surviving, but remaining unstressed during the next four years. If you follow these simple guidelines, you won’t panic during your college-bound teen’s senior year.

  • Save everything-Keep essays, announcements, awards, report cards, and any records that might pertain to their college profile resume.
  • Watch the deadlines–Get yourself a “write-on” calendar and keep abreast of upcoming deadlines for scholarships and college testing.
  • Stay involved-Don’t expect your teen to keep abreast of everything on their own. They will be busy and need your help staying on-track and focused.
  • Stay organized-Keep all your college-related records in one place.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions-If you have questions about anything related to the college process ask your teen’s counselor, do some internet research, or you can always post a question here and I’ll do my best to get you a quick and helpful answer.

If you keep these suggestions in mind, you won’t be tempted to procrastinate which will result in panic.

Say it with me: Preparation Prevents Panic!

college costs, scholarships

$10,000 Parent Answer Sweepstakes!

Start your Scholarship Search now and you could win $10,000!*

Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search database has over 3 million scholarships worth over $16 billion. Register and set up a profile for your child today to get a personalized list of scholarship opportunities that match your child’s unique background. Start now.

And just by registering, you will automatically be entered in our annual $10,000 Parent Answer Sweepstakes!*

Start using Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search and you could find free money to pay for your child’s education today.

What have you got to lose? Register and you’re automatically entered. Plus, you’ll get some scholarship matches in the process. A win-win!

college costs, scholarships

What Can You Do? Scholarship Video Contest

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filmakingIs your college-bound teen a budding videographer or filmaker? The Campaign for Disability Employment is sponsoring a video contest for a $1500 Scholarship. The contest asks applicants to make a video on best practices within the workplace that allow every employee the opportunity to contribute, specifically fellow co-workers with a disability.

This is a perfect opportunity for your creative teen to use that creativity and win a scholarship. Since there’s no age limit, anyone can create a video and upload it for submission.

The deadline is July 15, 2009, so don’t procrastinate and encourage your teen to get their creative juices flowing!

Click here for rules and entry information.

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 costs, extracurricular activities, scholarships

Scholarship Q & A

2 Comments

Question: Is it worth my time to apply for scholarships?

It is if you want FREE money. Because that’s what scholarships are: FREE money. The key is to apply for those scholarships that “fit” you. Each scholarship is looking for students with specific qualities. If you meet those, you’ll have a much better chance of winning the scholarship.

Question: I’m not the best student. Is there a scholarship out there for me?

Absolutely. Many scholarships aren’t based on grades, but on specific criteria. Many are essay contests. Many are based on heritage or affiliation. Many are based on specific talents or abilities. So even though you’re not a “straight A” student, there are scholarships out there that would be a perfect fit for you.

Question: Do I  have to have a long list of extracurricular activities to win a scholarship?

The great thing about scholarships is that you can distinguish yourself by being focused on a particular activity. It’s not how many you have, but what you have spent your time on during your teen years. If you communicate your strengths (such as working all throughout high school), you won’t need a long list of activities.

Question: Are all scholarships the same?

Absolutely not. Scholarships are as varied as people. There are scholarships for academics, writing, inventing, music, lineage, creativity, geographic residence, and the list goes on and on. As I said previously, finding the ones that “fit” is the key to success.

Question: What is the easiest way to find out about scholarships?

Go online to scholarship sites (you can find some on my TOOLS page) and register. Ask your counselor. Visit your local library reference desk.

Sign up for me FREE Ebook for many other suggestions!

college costs, scholarships

Scholarship Alert!

FastwebNo time to waste! Here’s a scholarship opportunity for 17-18 year olds. $500 will pay for any number of college expenses.

What: This contest asks you to answer one simple question in 250-350 words: “What’s the best way a student can manage their money in current economic times?” Judged by FastWeb’s own Financial Aid Guru, Mark Kantrowitz.

How Much: Two winners, $500 each.

Dates: Contest begins May 25, 2009 and ends June 22—no entries will be accepted after Monday June 22, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. central time.

Winners Announced: June 29 on FastWeb. Winning essays will be featured on the site!

Who’s eligible: If you’re 17 or 18 years old, have a 2.0 GPA and up, and are enrolled full time in a high school or an accredited college/university, you’re eligible. In fact, just to make it fair, we’ll select one winner from the 2.0-2.99 GPA range and the other from the 3.0 – 4.0 range. Regardless of your GPA, there’s no reason NOT to enter!

Who’s footing the bill: This contest is sponsored by FastWeb and Bank of America. How to Enter: Email your essay on the topic: “What’s the best way a student can manage their money in current economic times?” to EssayContest@FastWeb.com.

Helping parents with all aspects of college prep