All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

scholarships

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. 

college planning, organization, parenting, Uncategorized

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.

 

Guest Posts, test prep

Deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT

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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.

college guidance, college housing, Guest Posts, social networks

Using Facebook to Jumpstart your Collegiate Experience

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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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

admissions, Guest Posts

College Application Videos

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In this multimedia age that we live in it should come as no surprise that many colleges are now accepting video applications. This trend has taken off at a number of institutions, but many young students are wondering how exactly to present themselves via video application. Where do you even start?

Most students chose to make the video themselves with the use of their own equipment and some even choose to shoot their video straight off their iPhone. But those who want their video to stand out can go to a video production company for guidance. However your student chooses to shoot the video, there are a number of things they will want to take into consideration when shooting.

  • Make sure they don’t read straight from a poster board. You will want to make sure that they come off as natural and comfortable as possible. Reading straight from a script will achieve nothing for them. Instead, suggest that they make bullet points on a poster board and place it behind the camera. This will serve as a handy tool that can guide them during their presentation.
  • Dress appropriately. There will be no need to pull out the tux or gown for this, but a nice shirt will go a long way. And remind your student to smile!
  • Remind them this isn’t a reality show application. Several students have used their video applications as a tool to showcase their talents such as singing, juggling, what have you. Sure it’s important to come off as unique, but using the entire time to show off talent is a big no-no. Instead, have them talk about some interesting hobbies as a way to show off their uniqueness. Some other topics to discuss could be about family, inspirations, or maybe just a dialogue about college and what they hope to accomplish while there. An advantage of a video application is that the student can decide what to share, so however your child feels that they can best present their originality is the way to go.

The thought of a video application may seem odd to many of you, but the advantages of doing an application through video are numerous. A traditional application doesn’t allow the student an opportunity to truly show off their originality. Also, through a video submission college representatives are able to see how the student looks, sounds, and presents themselves. Video applications are the wave of the future and students need to prepare themselves for the possibility of having to present themselves to college representatives through the use of video.

Four schools are now encouraging students to send videos instead of essays. According to Newsweek about 5-10% of the applications sent to the four schools include videos. The four schools include Tufts, George Mason, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and William and Mary. Some of the videos submitted have gained thousands of views on YouTube.

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Today’s guest post is from Danielle, a resident of Indianapolis who blogs for Professional Intern (http://www.professionalintern.com), a website devoted to reading, literature, writing, and education.

admissions, Guest Posts

What is Diversity? College catalogs say it’s “hot chicks and minorities”

Fraud. Over 75% of college catalogs are fraudulent. Evidence is found in the photos.

How many college catalogs that come in your mailbox include photos of black and Asian students? Nearly all of them.

A study reveals some embarrassing information that has caught colleges with their pants down in the lower regions of fiction. A few examples…

  1. Even when 7.9% of college students are black, college catalogs convey a 12.4% impression.
  2. Colleges are defining diversity – brace yourself – with photographs of students with a different skin color. And you thought diversity of thought was the standard. Always with colleges, appearances trump substance. Because colleges are superb marketing machines, they truly believe that your perceptions are more important than their reality. If photos make you conclude their college is “diverse,” then it’s true.
  3. Colleges justify their misrepresentations as, “What we’re really saying is that you’re welcome here.” Cynics would add, “…although you don’t qualify to be here.”
  4. The old 80/20 rule probably applies: 80% of the truth-in-advertising lies with a little more than 20% of the college catalogs. Translation: to find the truth you have some real digging to do. Do you have the time? The colleges know you don’t.

A student who helped put this study together concluded that the catalogs portray nothing more than “hot chicks and minorities.” Colleges want you to believe they want more male students (who are more apt to drop out, thereby being an economic liability) and minorities (7.9% is a dismal representation of blacks, but it’s a reality colleges accepted a long time ago).

The college catalog photos are now the indicting visuals of college fraud.

Higher education’s most incisive critic, Richard Vetter: “Scholarly preference is becoming less important at the very top schools in terms of admission. Social skills, skin color, athletic aptitude, even sexual preference, are becoming more so, and I think that is a shame.”

Parents are rightfully being forced into this mindset: Buyer beware.

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Today’s guest post was contributed by Paul Hemphill, of PreCollege Prep and also blogging as the Video College Advisor.

Paul produced this video on how to get around diversity in order to get into college.

Paul counsels parents and students on how to have less stress in the college process and pay less by leveraging financial aid. You can find Paul on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. He is also the creator of The College Prep Formula.

college costs, financial aid, Guest Posts

Financing College No Matter What Your Income Level

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If you have kids, then chances are you’ve already thought about college affordability and how or if you’ll be able meet the expenses associated with higher education.

But you shouldn’t allow the worry of college costs to consume your life.  There are many practical and successful ways to pay for college (without drowning in debt) no matter what your income level may be.

Many families labor financially to make ends meet and they feel like it will be impossible for their children to attend a 4-year university.  This simply isn’t the case.  I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but there are ways to send your children to college on just about any level of income.

Saving For College – Reduce Your Debt

Anyone can save money for college; all you need is to remove the excuses from your life.  Starting with financial basics, the best way to begin saving for college is to pay off all your debt (or at least live within your means and be actively involved in a debt payoff plan).  Sound too difficult you say?  That sounds like an excuse to me.

Living with debilitating debt and allowing bills to circle your life like a vulture is a surefire way to live paycheck to paycheck and never have the available funds to save for college.  What I’m trying to say is this:  paying for college isn’t some magical happenstance that you uncover on some random day.  It’s going to take hard work, and in some cases, a change in your financial landscape.

Regardless of your current income level, you have the ability to save for your children’s college fund. You might have to trim your expenses, adjust your spending habits, and redirect your lifestyle in order to free up money for the college fund.  But if you want to send your kids to college without financing 100% of their education with borrowed money, then you’ll have to decide what’s more important.

Think of it like this; if you can scrounge up even $100 a month to save for your child’s college when they’re born, you’ll end up with $21,600 (and that’s without interest or anything).  Sure, that might not pay for 4 years of tuition, room, and board, but it’s definitely a great start.

Saving For College – 529 Plans and Educational Savings Accounts

A 529 Plan is a tax advantaged college savings account designed to encourage families of any income level to save for their children’s education.  529 Plans are “qualified tuition plans” sponsored by states, state agencies, and educational institutions and are authorized by section 529 of the IRS (hence the name 529 Plan).

The encouragement to save for college within a 529 Plan comes in two forms: the ability to save money free from Federal taxes and the ability to receive a deduction on State taxes.  One benefit to a 529 Plan is that anyone, upon creation of the account, can be named the account’s beneficiary, regardless of age.

The 529 Plan is a lot like a Roth IRA for your college savings fund. The savings will grow tax-deferred and any withdrawal is tax-free as long as you use the money withdrawn for qualifying educational expenses.

A Coverdell Educational Savings Account (ESA) is another tax advantaged college savings account which is meant to inspire families to save for future educational expenses.  The difference between an ESA and a 592 Plan is that an ESA’s beneficiary must be a student under the age of 18.

An ESA also has a maximum annual contribution limit of $2000 and the owner of the account has the freedom to choose what types of securities they would like to invest in (stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, etc.).

With both types of college savings accounts, you’ll incur a hefty 10% tax if you withdraw any amount of money from either account and use it for non-education related expenses.

Paying For College – Grants and Scholarships

No matter how much or how little you’re able to save for your child’s college education, you’ll always want to be aware of and informed about college grants and scholarships.  After all, this is free money we’re talking about.

Scholarships are offered by high schools, colleges, and other organizations usually recognizing some sort of educational, athletic, or humanitarian achievement.  Scholarships vary by amount and length. Some are one-time gifts and others are recurring payments made as long as grades and other collegiate performances are maintained.

Information about college scholarships is usually available from your high school, your hometown city hall, and the university you wish to attend.  You can also search for scholarships on the web.  Some of these scholarships may be smaller than a say a university’s alumni scholarship, but $500 here and $1000 there really starts to add up.

Grants are another “free money” option.  The government offers need-based grants to families with a low income.  Other organizations are free to offer grants to students that show academic promise or that meet other requirements.

Paying for College – Financial Aid Student Loans

There are numerous kinds of financial aid and student loan programs available, but these loans should be your last resort when it comes to financing college.  I’m not saying student loans are bad, but financially responsible parents won’t rely solely on borrowed money to fund their children’s college.  As I mentioned earlier, if you save even $100 a month, you can drastically cut the amount of money you need to borrow to send your child to college.

There are Federal Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Plus Loans, and numerous other student loans available from private institutions.  If you qualify, you can apply for subsidized student loans that are basically interest free until you graduate and begin loan repayment.  FAFSA is your Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Final Comments

Jamie Scott from CreditDonkey also reminds you that while “student credit cards are a convenient option to help students pay for short-term small expenses such as groceries,” there are other options available for long-term larger expenses such as tuition.

The bottom line is that you’ll probably use two or three different sources to fund your child’s college expenses.  Don’t give up just because of your low income and don’t think that your high salary will always be there for you.  No matter where your income level is at, research, preparation, and responsibility will go a long way when it comes to saving and paying for college.

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Today’s guest post is from Jamie Scott, social media advocate with CreditDonkey. Jamie helps parents and students prepare for college by evaluating student credit offers. As a parent herself, she knows all too well the concerns most families have about responsible credit usage.

Uncategorized

A day in the life of a college student…

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…using a Sony Vaio S Series with the extended battery

7:45AM-Bummer. My alarm goes off and I have this saying stuck in my head: I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now I have gum in my head. I knew it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Yah, my Mom used to read that book to me when I was a kid. I can’t help remembering it when I wake up with dread (I have a final today).

8:00AM-After hitting the snooze and getting an extra ten minutes, I roll out of bed and switch on my laptop. It boots up in seconds (one of the things I love about it) and I’m on Facebook, Twitter and into my email before I hit the bathroom. I leave it on and hit the shower.

8:30AM-Taking a quick look at Evernote, it’s time to power down and head over to Starbucks for a short meeting with my group to work on our final presentation in Marketing Communications. As much as I dread going to school in the summer, I love the fact that a) I get a class out of the way while I’m at home for the summer, b) it flies by, and c) it costs a heck of a lot less than my regular classes at Texas A&M. Anyway, after everyone arrives, we pull up the notes for our presentation and look online at the schedule, noticing we are slated to go 1st  (I hate being first). Since John can’t make the meeting at Starbucks, we use the camera on my laptop and video chat with him regarding some last minute changes in the presentation.

10:30AM– Heading over to the campus library for some study time and a quick review of my notes for the afternoon presentation. I also need to work on the Powerpoint presentation giving it a little spit and polish before we go live. I’m going to turn off the wifi while I’m working and switch the laptop to speed to tweak some graphics and video for the presentation.

12:00PM– Grabbing some lunch before the big presentation at a local deli/coffeehouse. I decided to take my laptop in and use the free wifi to check my email, social media and stream some audio from my favorite radio station online to relax before the stressful afternoon (using my headphones, of course). I switched the laptop wifi back on and changed the performance switch to stamina. Even though I did some heavy duty graphic editing in Photoshop and video editing using Adobe Premiere, I still have plenty of battery life left to use the laptop in class when we give our final presentation. I love the fact that I don’t need to drag the power cord around with me and the laptop is lighter than a textbook, even with the added battery pack. I also noticed that the laptop has a hard drive protection utility that protects the hard drive from damage when it’s moved or shaken. Cool!

1:30PM-Back to campus for my 3:00 Marketing Communications final. Our group is meeting in the library to use a conference room for one final run through. Powerpoint performs seamlessly on the laptop and our slides, along with the video, are awesome. We’re hoping for an A on this project, especially since it’s 40% of our grade. After polishing our presentation and having this amazing laptop to use, I know we’ll hit it out of the ballpark!

2:45PM-Shutting the laptop down to walk over to our classroom and set things up for the presentation.

3:30PM-Our presentation is over and we nailed it. Having this laptop was a godsend (thanks Suzanne!). Everything went smoothly and the added practice time and flexibility of having the laptop helped us to ace this final assignment. I should pay attention to the other presentations, but I decided to log on to Facebook and announce our success!

6:00-Class is over and I have to say our presentation was so much better than all the others. I know the prep time we spent beforehand had a lot to do with it. It’s time to do some celebrating and spend the evening with friends. We’re all pretty stoked about the fact that a) we’re done and b) we nailed the presentation. And imagine this, I still have almost 50% of my battery left!

Since I have the laptop for the rest of the week, I’m going to put it through some serious gaming paces and do some more video editing of my recent sailboarding sessions. My old laptop is slow and bulky so I was happy to get a chance for a “hands on” test drive. Not having to worry about running out of power is a huge plus! Maybe I’ll treat myself to a new Sony Vaio laptop before heading back to A&M—something that’s not only needed but well-deserved after my hard work in class and at my summer internship.

Thanks Suzanne for the test drive AND thanks Sony for such a great product!

(Thanks Ryan for giving us an inside look at your day and taking the laptop through some college student paces!)

Buy a Sony Vaio S Series laptop BEFORE September 17, 2011 and get the sheet battery for extended battery life for only $75 (half off the regular price of $150).

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This post is part of program called “Charged and Ready” by Sony Electronics and Microsoft, where a group of college bloggers have been given a Sony VAIO-S series laptop to test and review.

college guidance, college planning, Guest Posts, parenting

Prepping students for life as a college student

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Parents, you have spent nights up with your kids when they were sick, read over homework assignments, and been a listening ear to their rough days at school. Fast forward to their senior year of high school and now your child is an adult. While no one can turn back the clock, there are several actions you can take now to ensure your child is prepared to smoothly transition to a college student.

  • Encourage responsibility–While you are still the parent and have an important role in your future college student’s life, promote independence. For example, set boundaries with your child if you will be sending money regularly. Also, determine consequences if your child abuses money that you send such as by not sending additional funds until the next semester. Let your child know that you will be available to listen and offer suggestions, but the ultimate responsibility lies with them. There has to be a balance between being a parent and treating your child as an adult.
  • Encourage your child to avoid getting into debt, when possible–Many students and their families receive financial aid packages that include grants and loans. With this in mind, encourage your child not to incur further debt such as credit card charges or overdraft bank fees. Offer suggestions for your child to save money and establish a budget to cover the expenses that come with the college life. Examples of suggestions would be to work part-time on campus, purchase food at the grocery store, and limiting entertainment expenses.
  • Encourage your child to use the resources available on campus–The college experience is more than attending classes, but will hopefully allow your child to learn new things and meet new people. So, when your child needs help with talking to a professor, dealing with a rude roommate, or finding an internship, advise him or her to seek out the appropriate organizations and individuals for assistance. While you maybe tempted to speak to someone to help your child, keep in mind that ultimate responsibility remains with your child.
  • Encourage your child to maintain balance–Don’t be surprised if your child calls you from college and mentions his or her increased stress levels from classes. Remind your child to seek out attending counseling, participating in fitness courses, eating properly, or taking a brisk walk around campus with friends. Certainly, preparing your child for college will be a time of anxiety for you because you ponder over whether you taught your child and equipped them with the tools necessary for survival in the world. Now is the time to trust yourself that your child is ready to attend college and be available to encourage him or her along the way!

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Today’s guest post is from Ashley Hill, founder of CollegePrep Ready. Ashley brings her knowledge, expertise, and compassion to helping junior and high school students and their families to successfully prepare for college. She founded CollegePrep Ready in July 2010 in response to her personal journey to achieving success in her undergraduate program. She is dedicated to developing an individualized plan of action for every student and family because no two students are alike.

 

social networks

10 Ways my Twitter followers have made me 1000 times more blessed

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This past weekend, I surpassed the 10,000 mark in Twitter followers. For me, that’s a milestone. It wasn’t much more than a year ago that I started my Twitter journey, hoping to leverage its influence when deciding to create my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit. It was fairly new in social media circles and quite honestly, many were skeptical it could be an effective marketing tool.

10,000 followers later I would have to say that Twitter has far exceeded my expectations. Not only has it been an effective marketing tool, but it has put me in contact with other college experts; and thus allowing me to exceed my original purpose and plan for using this social media tool. Say what you want about Facebook; Twitter has opened more doors for me than I could have ever imagined.

Here are 10 ways my Twitter followers have made me 1000 times more blessed:

  1. I have been able to tap into a vast resource of parents. These parents have made me realize that we all share the same journey that is oftentimes frustration but always rewarding. I’ve been able to draw from their expertise, learn from their experiences, and use all of that to make my blog and my parent college coaching more effective and timely.
  2. I have connected with 1000’s of experts in the college arena. I have talked with admissions counselors, college students, college counselors and financial aid advisers. I have gathered all their information and expertise to create a vast network of advice for parents as they navigate the college maze with their teens.
  3. I have made friends who have enriched my life. These friends are in all different areas: college experts, test prep experts, breast cancer survivors, parents, tech experts, and even Manilow fans. They have given me all sorts of encouragement and support.
  4. I have established business connections. These connections have given me credibility and an opportunity to fine tune my expertise. They have also been valuable mentors and coaches regarding my business and its positive progress.
  5. I have had oodles of fun. Yes oodles. I’ve attended chats and laughed as we joked with one another. I’ve had back and forth conversations with other parents and enjoyed learning about their families and their lives.
  6. I have stayed up to date on the latest news and controversial topics. Twitter has been a valuable tool to catch up on the news and be the first to know when news breaks: the crash in the Hudson, the Casey Anthony trial, the capture of Bin Laden and the shootings at Ft. Hood just to name a few.
  7. I have tapped into the best training in social media. This valuable advice has helped me improve my social media presence and keep current on the latest social media tips and tricks. Following people like @chrisbrogan, @marismith, @joelcomm, @barefoot_exec and @mashable have given me a vast wealth of social media tools to expand my online presence.
  8. I have been able to exchange guest posts. Being on Twitter puts me in touch with other experts in my field and enables me to exchange guest posts, thus expanding my internet presence and providing my readers with valuable content.
  9. I have been inspired. It goes without saying that there is a wealth of valuable inspiration on Twitter from parents, life coaches, and even parenting experts. They have inspired me to be productive and encouraged me to pursue my passion.
  10. I have learned more SAT vocabulary words than I care to mention. With followers like @elizabethonline @akilbello and @sheldonwordnerd you can’t help but pick up on those great vocabulary words that everyone needs to improve their communication skills.

Thanks to all my 10,000+ followers for enriching my life and expanding my reach beyond my small little south Texas world. I will never take you for granted AND if there is EVER anything I can do to help promote you and/or your business just shoot me an email or DM me on Twitter. I’m all about paying it forward!

Special thanks to @GreekforMe for suggesting the topic of this blog!