This week, it’s my privilege to be interviewed by Power Women Magazine about my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit and college preparation. If you have any questions about college preparation or have wondered about the content of my Toolkit, tune in LIVE:
All posts by Suzanne Shaffer
America’s Best Colleges? Ask China what they think.
With all the talk this week about the latest U.S. News and World Reports rankings of America’s Best Colleges, I thought it might be nice to put it all into perspective. I’m afraid, as usual, we have gotten a little too big for our britches in this country and our higher education system is suffering. According to a recent article in the Washington Post, America’s global rank in college completion is slipping.
Wendy David-Gaines (POCS Mom) adds some additional insight into the college ranking craze with her recent post about global college rankings.
Here’s a look at how China compares and what they are doing to lead the globe in education:
Created by: Online University Rankings
High school seniors gear up for college
Fall is in the air (at least in most parts of the country) and seniors are gearing up for a busy year of college-related activities. To help parents and students stay organized and on top of the college to-do-lists, I’m sharing my senior list from my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit and Parents Crash Course.
My good friend and colleague Paul Hemphill has another take on the senior “to-do-list” (3 Things High Seniors should do early) that you will also want to share with your college-bound teens.
FALL
- Continue to follow a rigorous program of study and verify that your course plan is consistent with college admissions criteria. Keep tabs on your GPA and your class rank; double check your transcript for any errors.
- Start collecting recommendation letters. Gather any that were done over the summer and if you need to add additional ones, ask for them early when school begins.
- If you need to take admissions tests again, register for and take the SAT and/or ACT and SAT Subject tests. Fill in the proper codes for each college to assure they receive your test scores.
- Lock in your college choices and visit any on your list that you haven’t already checked out.
- If you are applying to a military academy make sure your file is current and in the possession of the person from whom you are seeking the nomination.
- If you are seeking an athletic scholarship, send a copy of your game schedule to the appropriate coaches; ask your high school coaches to help with contact names.
- Finalize portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent to send with your college admissions application.
- If you are going to apply for early decision or early action, be sure to submit application materials by the deadline.
WINTER
- Gather all the data for the FAFSA and encourage your parents to complete income tax returns early so that you can file in January. Complete the CSS/Profile as well if necessary.
- Continue your scholarship search process focusing on those for 12th grade students. Request any college specific scholarship applications and apply.
- Apply to the colleges that you have chosen and assure proper completion of each application package.
- Verify that your mid-year transcript has been sent to the colleges to which you have applied. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Follow up and verify that the colleges receive the transcript.
- Review your SAR Report for accuracy and submit corrections if necessary.
- If any college requests additional materials or forms send them promptly and verify they are received.
- Apply for State Financial aid which may require additional forms.
SPRING
- Plan to take AP Exams. Check with your colleges and verify that once the tests are taken you will receive college credit.
- Compare college award letters and financial aid packages. Contact the school’s financial aid office if you have questions about your award. If you would like to dispute your award due to extenuating circumstances, follow the guidelines outlined in the toolkit.
- Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll and talk with students, professors and admissions advisers to help you make your final decision.
- Complete any loan paperwork if you will need to take out parent or student loans.
- Make your final decision and notify the college you will be attending, along with the colleges you will be declining admission. (Remember: there are students on wait lists that will be waiting for spots to open. So be respectful and notify ALL schools of your decision).
- Accept or decline your financial aid awards in writing. You have the option to accept all or part of the aid awarded.
SUMMER.
- Attend Freshman Orientation and gather information regarding your course offerings to begin searching for textbook offers and deals.
- Write thank you notes to the people who recommended you and thank them for taking the time to write those recommendation letters.
- Apply for a summer job and save that money for college expenses.
- If Federal Work Study is part of your package it’s your responsibility to secure a job and follow up with the financial aid office when you arrive on campus.
Print the list–email it to your teenager–post it on the frig for easy reference. It will help remind YOU and your college-bound teen that senior year is NOT the time for senioritis to kick in.
Zinch’s New Facebook App…and more!
Zinch is all about using the latest and greatest social media tools to connect with students. Their presence on Twitter and Facebook has gotten the word out about their EASY, BREEZY scholarship tools and contests. They use those amazing tools to help students connect with colleges and colleges connect with students.
I love what Zinch says about Zinch:
What is Zinch?
That is the question.
We hook students up with scholarships
Based on our comprehensive student profile, we can match students to any scholarship out there. Students tell us who they are…and we hook them up with scholarships that matter.
We hook students up with colleges & grad schools
Zinch allows students to learn about, get recruited by, and interact with more than colleges and universities from all over the world. And it happens on a platform that students embrace – the web.
We make the process fun
The admissions process is very stressful. We know. So we let students connect with other students who are going through the same frustration, struggles and pains as they are. Hopefully that way the process can be a little bit easier.
It’s no surprise that they have now branched out with a Facebook application allowing students to amp up their profiles and enter their weekly scholarship ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Since so many students are on Facebook, it’s an excellent way to reach more students for their $1000 weekly scholarship giveaway.And here’s another great upgrade to Zinch’s already amazing student profile section. Students can have others post recommendations within their profile, giving them even greater exposure and flexibility. It’s a WIN WIN for students AND colleges!
Check out this profile http://www.zinch.com/musicqueendebi19#endorsement_36478876 to see how the new feature works.
Zinch is on top of what students and colleges need to connect during the admissions process; and their scholarship opportunities provide a means for EVERY student to apply and possibly win. Zinch deserves an A++ in my book!
College without internships…
…is like cereal without milk, chocolate without peanut butter, and the perfect dress without the perfect shoes!
Seriously though, with all the competition in college for jobs after graduation, you can’t afford to ignore the importance of an internship. We are also recognizing the fact that an internship in high school might be the perfect springboard to help your student pick a major, a college, and eventually a career.
Matthew Zinman, creator of Internship Success, a program created to help students make the most of their internships and provide employers with prepared interns, is offering my readers (and friends) first dibs on a federal grant subsidy. The grant provides a $100 credit toward’s Matthew’s online Career Preparation Certification (CPC) and professional skills training course at InternshipSuccess.com.
The grant provides for 250 registrants to reduce the course fee by more than half. So I invite you (and others you may let know) to use one or more of these credits now available for both the individual and group registration (use “DOLgrant” in the course credit code): http://www.internshipsuccess.com/Register.aspx
Those who take advantage will find this step-by-step course to be very comprehensive. It has three hours of self-paced instruction and 70+ supplemental career-support downloads for students and other job-seekers to get the right internship, gain the most meaningful experience and perform at their best to EARN employment.
In short, this is what isn’t learned in class.
Matthew reminds us, “A college degree is no longer sufficient for graduates to access the current job market. I’ve made it my life’s work to make internships matter and afford those every opportunity to succeed because I firmly believe there is no substitute for experience.”
If you have a student in college, know a college student, or are an employer who uses interns, take advantage of this AMAZING OFFER.
How Students Can Graduate from College Debt Free
Here’s some advice from Ellie Kay, America’s family financial expert, geared specifically toward parents about how to help their students graduate from college debt-free. As we all know, student debt is a major problem for recent graduates across the country. Currently the total student loan debt in America exceeds 1 trillion dollars! It can be difficult to graduate debt free, but if you have the right advice and common sense it can be done!
Hearing from a financial expert is great, but hearing from a parent who has been able to apply wise financial advice and help her kids graduate debt-free is even better!
Snag a $10,000 Prize from Adobe
How does your student use their imagination?
How do they say what they love, what they do, who they are?
How do they express themselves?
THE ADOBE IMAGINATION CHALLENGE
Adobe is looking for examples of unique self-expression, individualism and creativity using their Adobe Creative Suite 5.5. Your student can download a FREE trial and create anything using the Suite and upload it to their Imagination Gallery.
Their imagination might include:
A belief- An illustration
- A poem
- A composite photo
- A poster
- An engineering plan
- A slogan
- A house design
- A video
- A greenspace plan
- A short story
- A cartoon
- A dream
The possibilities are endless!
Adobe will be awarding a $10,000 prize during three separate entry periods AND a daily $50 winner each day throughout the contest period. You don’t have to enter the contest to win the daily prize.
Entries are being accepted starting TODAY!
Imagine snagging a $10,000 prize for college…just by your student expressing their creativity using Adobe Creative Suite 5.5.
Back to School Resources for parents and students
My favorite lines from “You’ve Got Mail” are:
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
Newly sharpened pencils always remind me of back to school days. And when fall comes around, I think about that movie (mostly wishing I were in New York in the fall!); but it also reminds of the promise and expectation of a new school year.
Armed with the right online tools, parents and students can face the new year with anticipation and promise. Having the right tools can mean the difference between organization and frustration. These tools would help students succeed as they enter college. Here are some excellent links that I shared with my newsletter subscribers today that I thought you might find helpful:
42 digital resources for students and parents
http://mashable.com/2011/08/16/back-to-school-student-tech/
7 Great online resources for students
http://www.jobacle.com/blog/7-great-online-resources-for-students.html
Coolest Free Online Resources for Students
http://www.radicalparenting.com/2008/04/17/coolest-free-online-resources-for-students/
9 Hot Web Tools for Students
http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/497
Educational Quiz Games, Homework Help
http://quizhub.com/quiz/quizhub.cfm
How to find great apps
http://theonlinemom.com/secondary.asp?id=1952&t=how-to-find-great-apps
How to get free books online
http://theonlinemom.com/secondary.asp?id=1949&t=how-to-get-free-books-online
25 Amazing web tools students can’t live without
http://listofonlinecolleges.org/2011/25-amazing-web-tools-online-college-students-cant-live-without/
Here’s hoping you and your student have a fabulous school year as you look toward college preparation and the future.
Deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT
Getting ready to apply for college can be nerve-racking at best, terrifying at worst. Perhaps one of the most daunting obstacles between you and your dream school is the dreaded standardized test. There are two standardized tests that are accepted by almost every university: the SAT and the ACT. Choosing which of these two tests is right for your skills and study habits can increase your likelihood of scoring high enough for the top universities as well as make the standardized testing process much less stressful.
The first step in deciding which standardized test to take is checking the requirements for every school you are interested in. Although most schools will accept either test, a few schools will only accept one or the other, so this is something you need to check on before making a decision. Some top universities will require up to three SAT Subject Tests (SAT II) if you choose the SAT route. For the ACT, the test is offered in two versions: with writing and without. The only difference is an extra section requiring you to write an essay. Many top schools will require that you take the test with writing, which is something to check before signing up for your test.
The SAT and the ACT have a few organizational differences. The SAT tests math, reading, and English. This test consists of ten sections that are a mix of these three categories in a random order. The SAT always has one section that does not count towards your score. The ACT tests math, reading, English, and science. It consists of four sections that are always presented in the same order: 1.) English, 2.) Math, 3.) Reading, 4.) Science. The science section is essentially a reading comprehension section that requires basic knowledge of scientific vocabulary, experiment procedure, and understanding graphs and charts.
The SAT is an aptitude test, meaning that it is testing ability, rather than learned information. The ACT is more of an achievement test, meaning that it is testing information that must have been learned. An example of this difference is the math section of the two respective tests. The math sections on the SAT contain a formula sheet with every formula you could possibly need. The ACT has no formula sheet, so formulas need to be studied and memorized. This difference is reflected in the types of questions asked. The SAT math is much more likely to ask math questions that test logic, questions where you will be required to “figure out” what the question is asking. The ACT math is more likely to ask questions you would find on a math test at school, questions that become easy if you took the time to learn your trigonometry formulas.
Due to the differences between the two tests, it is beneficial to pick the test that will be the best fit for you. The ACT is a better pick for someone that has had a strong academic career in high school. If you have completed Algebra II and Trig, you are at least familiar with all of the math concepts on the ACT. If you have already taken Pre-Calculus or Calculus, than you are already adept at anything you will encounter on the ACT math. Similarly, if you have done well in science classes in high school, than you are already practiced in everything you will need to know for the ACT science section. If you have not taken a strong math and science course load, than the SAT will probably be a better option for you. To do well on the ACT, you need to have memorized math and science concepts and formulas, which is fairly easy if you have a strong background in math and science. If this is not the case, than the SAT is probably better for you, because you would waste time memorizing formulas for the ACT that could be better spent working on practice problems.
Whichever test you decide to take, there is no better way to prepare than taking practice tests. Take as many practice tests as you possibly can. This not only familiarizes you with the types of questions you will see on the test, but also prepares you for working under time limits. On both tests, the time constraints are difficult. Taking practice tests helps you to get faster at doing problems, so that you can finish more of the problems when you take the actual test. It may be wise to take practice tests of both the SAT and the ACT to see which one you do better on. Taking a real version of both of the tests is also not a bad idea. If you think you can do well on both, it looks good to take both tests.
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Today’s guest post is by Michelle Synhorst, an SAT Tutor with Parliament Tutors in Houston, TX.
Using Facebook to Jumpstart your Collegiate Experience
As parents, you may not quite completely understand the utility of Facebook. Even when I was in high school, I thought that the friends of mine who were on the earlier social networks like My Space were just plain silly. However, when I matriculated to pursue an undergraduate degree, Facebook was just starting to take off throughout the world, and I cannot begin to describe how using the social network made inserting myself into a vibrant social world so much easier. If your child is on the cusp of going to college for the first time, here are a few useful ways to employ Facebook and make that college transition easier.
- Find people who will be living in your dorm. As soon as you get that letter informing you which building and room you will be living in, you can be sure that there has already been a Facebook group created with your dorm’s name on it. Running a search of your dorm building is a great way to find people who may already live there, find the roommate your school selected for you, and it’s also fun to become friends and begin chatting with other matriculating freshmen who are just as excited as you are.
- Find housing and furniture if you are no longer living on campus. If you do not intend on living on campus your first year, or if you have completed your first year and want to try moving off-campus, Facebook is a great way to find both new roommates, a new house or apartment for lease, and some cheap used furniture. Facebook Marketplace is helpful, but sometimes just looking through college groups or friends’ and acquaintances status can be just as effective. The way I found my off-campus living and roommates was simple. I scrolled through my news feed, randomly found that an acquaintance had found a 3 bedroom apartment but needed one more housemate. After a few days I was living in a wonderful apartment with two friends. That beats going through a realtor to find off-campus living!
- Keep up with events happening on campus. If you join a group that is associated with your school, or if you “like” your university’s official page, then often you will be updated on your news feed if any interesting events happen on campus. This way, you don’t have to rely on fliers or word-of-mouth to attend events where you can have fun, be involved with your campus community, and meet new people.
- Join study groups. Once you’ve begun to get in the swing of things academically, it will be likely that someone in a few of your classes will have started a Facebook group for that class. If so, joining it, or starting a group yourself, can reap many benefits. For one, you can organize study groups more easily, you can discuss class material in a forum format, and you can borrow notes or books if you happen to miss class.
These are just a handful of ways that you can use Facebook to enhance your first few weeks and months in college. Remember, Facebook was founded by college students for college students. If you use Facebook for anything, use it to become more acquainted with your college and fellow students.
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This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for online classes. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.