With all the tasks involved in college prep it makes sense to take a quick evaluation of your teen’s progress and evaluate college prep monthly. Deadlines will creep up on you, tasks will fall by the wayside, and your teen may drop the ball. By scheduling a monthly evaluation, you and your student will assure that every task and deadline is met, along with providing a time to have a conversation about any concerns you or your teen have during the process.
This is not about avoiding sliding into a rut or fighting senioritis although both are specific reasons for reevaluation. This is concerning a normal and regular college preparation review. The purpose is to ensure students are still on track considering any recent modifications that may have occurred.
A lot can change during a school year that influences testing and college choice, field of study and student qualifications. Even subtle differences can highlight the revisions students need to make. Then families can put the alterations in place to become future habits that will eventually be reexamined, too.
College prep requires parents and students work as a team. Taking the time to evaluate your progress can make the process go smoother and avoid the stress of missed deadlines or college admissions requirements.
The College application season has begun. Students are now feeling the pressure of the college weight on their shoulders, as their future planning starts becoming a reality. But for parents, this may also be an even more stressful time. As a parent, how are you supposed to increase your child’s chances of getting into their top school, and, after that, how will you afford to help pay for the skyrocketing costs of planning and attending a University? I’ve outlined a few key tips that will elevate your child’s application, help you make the college decision and some tips on how you can save costs.
1. College Visits
If you are serious about getting your child into their top school, a college visit is a must. College visits provide students with the opportunity to explore the campus and get a feel for the atmosphere they’ll be entering, and it sometimes offers the chance to interact with students and faculty members. However, the cost of college campuses will add up, so it may behoove families to take advantage of guided virtual reality tours, like those offered bySchooLinks; which hosts tours of over 600 high-ranked colleges, including Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and more.
2. Connect with Admission Officers
This may seem intuitive, but there are countless families who think a college visit is enough. It is important to get in front of an admissions officer if you plan to visit a college campus. Book an appointment with an admissions officer to show that you are interested in attending the college, and ask questions regarding the applications, school, etc. to show your continued interest in the school. You may not always have the time to meet with multiple admissions officers in person, but you can reach them via email or onSchooLinkswhere students can connect and interact with School Admission Officers.
3. Financial Aid
As I mentioned before, getting into a college may seem stressful, but figuring out how you will afford to pay for college is an even bigger headache. The go-to solution for financial aid is filling out the FAFSA form or searching forscholarships, but even when searching for scholarships, students often overlook many scholarships they may be eligible for. Parents should urge their students to start applying to scholarships early on, as early as 9th grade. My best advice for winning scholarships is to apply to multiple small scholarships, amounting to awards of $250-$500. Those scholarships normally have a lower number of applicants are yield a greater chance of winning. For an easy scholarship entry, parents can have their children enter theSchooLinks $5000 Scholarship, which has no application or essay requirement.
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Today’s guest post was provided by SchooLinks, an online free resource to help parents and students organize and plan college application submissions as well as scholarship applications. Students can connect with School Admission Officers, view guided virtual reality tours, or receive help from consultants. Upon joining, students should fill out their profiles completely, with all of their personal and academic information, in order to provide schools with all the important information they require. This will also allow SchooLinks determine which scholarship students are eligible, which makes the list of scholarships to research much more narrow. To get started, create a profile today!
The college interview is your student’s first exposure to what a job interview after graduation will be like. Most students are nervous, just as my daughter was on her first college interview. These questions, and others, will be going through their minds before and during the interview:
What questions will they ask?
How will I answer them?
Will I answer them correctly?
Will I make a good impression?
Will they like me?
The key to approaching a college interview, or any other job interview for that matter, is to prepare in advance. Don’t walk into the interview without a game plan for answering and asking college interview questions.
Here are two articles I wrote for TeenLife Media about the college interview:
Can You Answer These 10 College Interview Questions?
Here is a list of 10 interview questions colleges might ask and suggestions on how to respond. They may not be exactly as worded, but they will fall into one of four categories: questions about your fit with the college, questions about your personality, questions about interests and goals, and broader questions requiring a more thoughtful response.
The very last question a college interviewer will ask you is, “Do you have any questions?” The questions you ask them can be just as important and can also help you make your final college decision. In the end, it’s not just them choosing to admit you, it’s you choosing to accept their offer of admission.
The 21st century has become a synonym for modernity, advancement, breakthroughs and technology. The era has seen countless changes and transformations which have changed the course of the world. Among all other aspects, education was the one which saw the most massive changes and transformations as it was completely revamped and customized. Actually, it was education as a component which changed the world in the 20th century.
Right from school education to higher education, students now enjoy a more modern and transformed approach in studies.
Education became accessible
Before the 20th century, education was a privilege which was limited to the elite and the rich. Many countries lacked in educational resources and the few that were available to them were not accessible to the masses. In the late 1990’s and the beginning of the 21st century, efforts were started to make education accessible to all.
Organizations such as the United Nations along with many NGOs and governments started special drives and programs to spread education, especially in under developed and developed countries.
Education was made easy
The 20th century also saw the advent and advancement of technology due to which all aspects of human life saw a massive transformation. The new technologies developed new ways to decrease geographical distances. They brought new devices and methods to make education easier and interesting to acquire even with less financial resources.
New resources
Technology blessed education with thousands of new tools. Recording knowledge became a much easier and less time consuming activity and transportation of massive data and information became as easy as carrying a feather. The World Wide Web further enhanced this and made it possible to connect to huge amounts of data from anywhere by anyone.
New fields of study were discovered
Thanks to the newly attained boon of technology, new portals opened for research because of which new studies were discovered. In the last few years, education branched into hundreds of new streams. This further fuelled the advancement of technology and it moved forward with increased speed.
Along with other aspects such as economy, the most important changes came in the health sector as the study of medicine advanced and benefitted everyone.
More career options
The newly discovered fields of knowledge combined with increasing and diversifying businesses created new professions and fuelled new jobs. Students and professionals got a chance to pursue better jobs and explore more careers which matched their interests and aptitudes.
The United Nations started the famous Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) in 2000 along with 70 other nations. One of the 6 goals stated that- one was to provide free and compulsory education for all. Since then, secondary education has considerably spread across many countries and regions where children earlier didn’t have access to even secondary education. According to statistics presented by United Nations, 70 countries have increased their public spending on education. The statistics also states that the number of secondary students has increased more than four times the increase in the number of primary students. New concepts and methods are being tried to spread education and special care and efforts are being made to ensure that girls don’t remain outside the education circle.
However, as impressive as these figures are, challenges still remain in the universalization of education. There are still more than 37 million children out of school and 55% among them are girls. Wars and invasions in certain countries have also affected the process of spreading education. A more practical and united approach is needed to overcome these challenges so that the world sees an era where all its inhabitants are literate and educated.
When I was a young parent, my mother gave me some very wise advice: “pick your battles”. It began with my toddlers and ended up being the best advice she ever gave me with my teenagers. Did we butt heads over hair? No. Did I fight with them over clothing choices? Rarely. Did we argue over college selection? Sometimes. But, for the most part, the college process requires parents to listen, bite your tongue, and pick your college prep battles.
The 2019 List findings are based on the experiences of students who are heading into their first year of college this fall. It shows those in high school share more in common with the 18-year-olds who were born in 1997 than their parents. For example, it notes that these millennials never knew a world without Google, only know Ellis Island as being primarily in New Jersey, and never have licked a postage stamp. As parents span part of two centuries of living history, teens only remember the 21st filled with Harry Potter and wifi, but not Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.
The college process is full of stress-inducing moments stemming from an overloaded schedule, new tasks, looming deadlines, and important decisions. Which college, what to study, and how best to prepare are often at the front of the college prep battle line. It’s difficult for parents and students to be on the same page when their points of view develop from different backgrounds. With insight based on the past, families can focus on keeping communication flowing and finding common ground.
Parents would be wise to consider their student’s mindset and use that knowledge when communicating with them about college prep. Times have certainly changed since you applied to college and your student may not have the same ideas as you do about college choices. Keep an open mind and choose which battles are important and which battles should be avoided.
Today’s guest post is from Ryan Hickey, the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions.
It may seem like everyone you know is boasting about how their child effortlessly juggles advanced classes with guitar lessons, volunteering at the senior home, and learning Cantonese. It’s enough to give you a complex about whether or not your teen can even compete when applying for colleges.
Well, fear not. Here are five things you can do to ensure your own student’s trajectory is on the fast track toward college acceptance while preparing your teen for college.
1. It’s okay to put all your eggs in one or two baskets.
The Rushmore syndrome of encouraging your child to join every club in sight results in a student that seems like a jack of all trades and master of none. Admissions committees are no longer fooled by a student who suddenly seems to be interested in 30 different projects the summer before junior year. Instead, focus on your child’s specific interest and let them actually achieve a level of proficiency. It is much more important to demonstrate genuine skill and commitment. Also, it often leads to a solid topic for an application essay.
2. Leadership is better than variety.
On a similar note, by applying meaningfully to just one or two extracurricular projects, a student can begin to build a level of responsibility. This kind of maturity is something colleges particularly look for in applicants.
3. Looking for something to add fast? Volunteer!
Community service is not only a great way to help others, it can help your teen too. If you feel like something is missing in your child’s transcript, volunteering can be a low-level commitment addition. Also, it is generally relatively easy to gain a leadership position quickly in a volunteer setting just by showing some initiative.
4. What are you going to do with your life?
Specific career goals post-graduation can differentiate your child from other applicants. Make sure you have a conversation about this and keep in mind that this goal is not something that goes on any permanent record. The larger idea of presenting oneself as forward-thinking in an application gives your teen the desirable aura of confidence in their direction. Maybe your daughter wants to be a veterinarian—check to see if it’s possible for her to shadow a local vet. Again, it’s not imperative that he or she actually adheres to this once they get into college, put admissions committees like to see that kind of drive.
5. Be true to your school
A great way to stand out in your applications is to know exactly what you want in a university. One important metric that colleges use to compare to each other is called “yield ratio”—that’s the number of students that accept admission after it is offered. Schools like to feel wanted, and therefore one of the best ways to prepare your teen is to help identify exactly what he or she is looking for in a school and then narrow down choices to ideal places. This requires a little research and some tough decisions. It also means trying to make an official visit, if possible.
Don’t feel tempted to nudge your student into another program just because it might look good on a transcript. Like everything else, honesty is the best policy. It all boils down to specifics. If your child can demonstrate commitment and leadership in one subject that makes them focus on a future academic goal that can be linked to a particular university program, that is superlative application fodder. No need to know a word of Cantonese.
About the Author
Ryan Hickey is the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.
If a private university or college is in your future, the Common App is your one-way ticket. You’ve got one shot at a winning application, and Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy, is here to help!
Using the Secrets of Screenwriting to Write Your Personal Statement is his five-part webinar series for students and counselors that runs Oct. 12-16.
In just five days, you’ll finish your:
First draft of your Common App main statement
Activities list
Additional info section
Plus you’ll get tons of tips and step-by-step help to conquer the Common App.
Marketing your student to colleges is more than a list of activities and accomplishments on a high school resume. As I have noted previously, colleges look for consistency in extracurriculars. They also look for students who stand out on their college application. The best way to stand out is to take a soft skill (something your student is good at), and translate it into expertise.
According to Wendy David-Gaines, Long Island College Prep Examinerand POCSMom, students can use those skills to demonstrate expert ability, even though they might see those skills as hobbies or interests. Once those skills are identified, it’s time to show expert knowledge:
To show off expert knowledge, write a blog with tips, photos and/or videos. Tutor someone, teach a class at a local library, or organize a club event. Contact the local newspaper for coverage featuring a volunteer project, art showing at a local museum, free performance at a school, child care or senior center.
Becoming an expert will make your student stand out in college applications, scholarship applications and eventually in the job market. It’s all about the marketing and giving colleges, scholarship judges, and employers something that makes your student stand out among a sea of applicants.
For more ideas and information on how to take a soft skill and turn it into expertise, read Wendy’s post:
Writing the ever-important college essay can, at first, seem intimidating and challenging. But remember, this is the key to whether or not you’ll be accepted to college, so it’s important to put your best foot forward. Writing the application essay is your time to shine, but it doesn’t mean you should feel nervous. We’ve put together a few tips to help ease the pain of writing your college essay.
Be Your Authentic Self
The most important thing you can do when writing is to be yourself. Don’t write what you think an admissions officer would want to read; it could come off as contrived and inauthentic. Instead, use your own voice in the way you would normally speak. Moreover, don’t discount proper grammar and punctuation, but it should sound conversational to some degree; as if you were talking to a friend.
An easy way to sound original is to write from your personal account; this helps the words flow much easier because only you can write from your own experiences. Documenting your own narrative sounds much more authentic to an admissions officer because your unique understanding tends to stand out and sound more passionate. It’s easy to tell the difference between a genuine essay and one that’s not
Once you’ve written a rough draft, have someone who knows you well—like a teacher, parent or friend—read through to make sure the writing matches your voice. They can give you honest feedback and help keep you on track with your writing. Plus, having an extra set of eyes read your work will help you find mistakes you might have otherwise missed.
Get Organized
A good starting point for writing your essay is to come up with an outline detailing important points you’d like to make. Keep it to a few topics and, of course, remember to answer the initial prompt. Once you’ve got the basic outline, its time to start writing. At this point, it’s best to let your ideas flow and to get everything on paper. It’s much easier to edit your work than to struggle to come up with the right thing to say. Keep your writing focused; you don’t want it to look like a resume that covers everything you’ve accomplished up to this point. You want to keep the admissions officer engaged, so focusing on a few topics rather than many is more effective. This is also your chance to showcase your writing skills, keeping on topic and being succinct will look much better to an admissions officer than an essay that rambles.
Alternative Applications
There are a few colleges that have started accepting video applications in place of the traditional essay. In the video, admissions are looking to see your personality and who you are as a student, and the video is a chance to be a bit more creative than you could with a written essay. The website ZeeMee.com is solely for students to upload videos and send them to colleges. They can create a profile that covers their skills and interests, as well as share their videos. Users can even endorse others for their skills, much like one would on LinkedIn.
If you plan on applying to multiple colleges and the thought of writing a new essay each time is a bit overwhelming, you can also check out the Common Application. This site allows you to upload one essay and fill out one application to send to many different colleges—saving you time and headache from completing several applications. A single essay might be best if writing is not your strong suit. Bonus: the site offers guidance and support for students applying to college.
Admissions officers are looking for students who can bring something new to the table. They want to see who you are and what kind of student you may become while attending their school. It can’t be emphasized enough to be yourself when writing your entrance essay. This is your chance to show the university you are an individual who has unique ideas and a passion for learning. Take this opportunity to talk about your interests and excitement about continuing your education. You may just find that acceptance letter waiting for you in the mail.
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About the author:Jessica Gibbs studied Apparel Merchandising and Communications/Journalism at Colorado State University. She is currently a guest writer for CollegeFocus, a website dedicated to helping students deal with the challenges of college, including housing, finance, style, health, relationships, and transferring from a community college to a four-year university.
You can learn more about CollegeFocus on Twitter and Facebook.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards—the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition initiative for creative teens—are now accepting submissions for the 2016 program year with new scholarship opportunities provided by Neiman Marcus, The Herb Block Foundation and RBC Capital Markets.
For 93 years, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have identified the early promise of some of our nation’s most accomplished visionaries including alumni Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath and more recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen and Lena Dunham. Each year, exhibition, publication and scholarship opportunities are made available to students in grades 7–12 honored through the program for their original creative work in 29 categories ranging from architecture, photography and poetry to painting, video game design and more—with opportunities expanding each year.
These awards don’t just apply to seniors–7th through 12th graders are eligible to apply.
New to the 2016 program year:
A special Editorial Cartoon category sponsored by TheHerb Block Foundation to promote awareness of the editorial cartoon medium and provide three young artists with $1,000 scholarships for their outstanding work;
The Neiman Marcus Fashion Award and The Neiman Marcus Jewelry Award to provide one artist in each category with $1,000 scholarships; and
The RBC Flaunt It Award to provide two $1,000 scholarships to students whose work showcases and celebrates individual differences.
For all the details read the the full press release with the link for the contest information.
Marketing your student to colleges is more than a list of activities and accomplishments on a high school resume. As I have noted previously, 
