All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

App Tuesday, college planning, college prep

Apps to Make College Prep Easier

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appsMost parents feel their student’s smartphone is an extra appendage. Your student’s entire life is on their phone. They use it to stay in touch with friends (and you if you’re lucky), they use it for homework, for research, for gaming and just about every other task in their lives.

Why not add some beneficial tasks that can help with college prep and even safety? Here are some of my picks for apps that can help your student be more productive and even ease your mind a bit.

Apps to help with writing and research

What high school student doesn’t need to know how to properly annotate a reference source, find a synonym for simple words to spice up their essays, or do some research for term papers?

Apps to help your student with history

Whether you need to reference an article of the Constitution, find out what happened today 100 years ago, or look up some famous speeches, here are some apps that have got you covered.

Apps to help with math questions

Does math homework make you quake in your shoes? It did me. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the widespread availability of apps that today’s high school students have.  These apps should help both you and your student tackle those complicated math problems.

Apps to help your student improve their GPA

Instead of study apps, let’s call these “10 apps to help you get merit-aid scholarships”. Improving your GPA is the best way to qualify for merit aid, and the best way to improve your GPA is to study.

Apps to help with the college essay

One of the most dreaded tasks of the college prep process is writing the essay. Students have problems with essay prompts, being creative, and using proper grammar. As luck would have it, however, there are even essay apps to help with this task.

Apps to help with test prep

A good SAT or ACT score can translate into good merit aid. Your student should take studying seriously. These apps can help make it easier and they are FREE!

Apps to help teach your student about budgeting

A good budgeting app can help college students keep track of their finances and help them find areas where they can cut back. Most budgeting apps can cover the basics—this article will provide you with five budgeting apps that stand out from the crowd and explain how they can help keep a college student’s budget in order.

Apps to help students in critical situations

These apps can help students act during critical situations to go along with the conversations you should have with your soon-to-be college students. These apps won’t solve the problem, but they can help save a life.

For more information on apps that can help you and your student, follow this link for all the articles I’ve written in the past about apps.

college guidance

The Pros and Cons of Moving Away to College

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collegeOne of the biggest decisions a young person has to make is what college to go to. Do you spread your wings and go to a school further out from where you live, or even overseas? Or do you stay home and keep your focus under the watchful eye of your parents? Here are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros: access to the best schools and/ or courses

One of the biggest advantages to moving away to university is to go and study at the best school or course that you can. Different universities are renowned for different things, and if you’re able to get accepted then it makes sense that you’d choose the best school that you can. Do your research, and apply to the schools that offer what you’re looking for with your expected grades. You will receive an instant rejection, or a offer based on you achieving the results you’ve stated.

Cons: homesickness

Even though you’re officially an adult when you go away to university, some students can experience serious homesickness. This can impact your mental health as well as your studies. It’s always worth giving these things a go, you might surprise yourself and with communication these days being so good you can always video call back home. Just be aware that if things get

Pros: learning independence

Going away to university isn’t just about earning a qualification. While of course this is the most important thing, moving to university helps you to learn about yourself as well as improve your education and job prospects. For most young people, moving away to college is the first time they’ve lived away from home. Being away from the security and regulation of your parents home can help you discover more about yourself, it helps you to grow up and learn responsibility since it’s the opportunity to stand on your own two feet. You’ll need to be able to organize your time, your finances, you’ll need to learn how to keep your accommodation clean, your clothes clean, you’ll need to learn to feed yourself. Moving to university is like a crash course in adulthood, and having these skills when you graduate can really set you on a good path for the rest of your life.

Cons: lack of life skills

No young person is going to know it all before moving away, and learning as you go is the key to success. However, some people lack the fundamental skills to make this work in the first place. If you’ve always relied on parents to cook, clean, budget and know none of the basics then going off to a new place can leave you feeling like you’ve been totally thrown in at the deep end. If you know you’re off to college in the future, work on building up some of these skills now. Find a budgeting app that suits you, even if you only have to pay for your own car and phone while you’re living at home it will get you used to managing money. Learn some simple yet healthy budget recipes that could keep you going if you moved away.

organization, websites

An Application to Help Students Stay Organized

Today’s guest post is a from a company called Webjets who offers an organization and productivity tool that can be used by soon-to-be college students and college students. The author,  Vladislav Khaustovich, is a student at ​Penn State College & University

______________________________________________________________________

I decided to write this article to support an outstanding platform that helps people to organize everyday tasks and data and which helps me personally as a college student to work with a big amount of information. The name of the platform is Webjets.

I first learned about Webjets from my former supervisor at Starta Accelerator where I did an internship and where Webjets was accepted as one of the most promising startup companies  from Europe.

webjets

Here are the features that make Webjets unique:

Ability to see all the tasks at once

The first thing that caught my attention in this application was its simplicity and the ability to retrieve information quickly. I have always been looking for this kind of platform where I could create tasks and find them right away after opening the platform. It’s something difficult to do when it comes to all kinds of calendars and task managers. You have to scroll them up and down, search for a required piece of information among tons of others, and click many different buttons. Annoying stuff… While all these applications pretend to be simple, Webjets is just built to be simple.

webjets

I started using Webjets as a tool to write down my everyday tasks and what I liked about thisplatform is that when I log in, I instantaneously see all my tasks in one place. I can embrace them all in once without the need to scroll, click, and swipe anything else. It’s similar to using a physical whiteboard. Still, the whiteboard is limited by its dimensions while Webjets is not.

Organizing collected information in a convenient way

Usually, it takes a good amount of time to collect and organize the information for any college project. Webjets makes both processes simpler. For example, let’s assume you’re working on a project which goal is to explain major movements in modern art and you decide to use Microsoft Word for this purpose. You start writing down the information and at some point, you realize that you have too many links and way too much information in your Word document (and it happens all the times). You start reorganizing the information by copying, deleting, pasting and erasing stuff. You go to links that you pasted into your document and try to paraphrase the information and then to paste the new, reorganized pieces of information in your document. It consumes a lot of time. You get tired quickly. In Webjets, everything is much simpler. You can drag pieces of information all around the board. You can view a short summary of the links that you decide to include in your project. You can also show and hide automatic images associated with these links to make the navigation simpler.

 

Make to-do lists and save important information really fast

For many students, college life is like: “Wow, this stuff is so interesting, I’d love to go deeper, but there is still so much work to do.” Webjets is a good solution when it comes to creating to-do lists. For example, you can create a number of different boards and assign each of them to the courses you take. When you encounter any important or interesting information in the course that you would like to review later, you can quickly create a note or drop a link in Webjets to make sure everything is under your informational control.

webjets

There are tons of other ways how Webjets may be used, but what I’ve mentioned above are just those features that I found helpful for myself.

In the end, I want to thank Webjets team for its understanding and responsiveness. Besides numerous questions that I kept asking the people from Webjets, I was also surprised by how quickly they fixed the issue that seemed annoying to me. I just sent them a message on Facebook and they fixed it in the next few days.

I encourage everyone who is still using calendars, task managers, and all kinds of note-taking apps to go to Webjets and see how this amazing app can make your life easier!

study abroad

Studying Abroad Checklist

studying abroadGoing to college can be daunting enough, but when you are moving to an entirely new country to study, it can be even more overwhelming. Nevertheless, this is an experience to be excited about… the chance to meet new people, explore a new place and embrace a new culture!

In fact, it is an opportunity a greater number of students are taking advantage of. Students are actually the fastest growing expat group, and this is a trend that is only set to continue. Statistics show that approximately 4.3 million students are currently enrolled in a college or university that is outside of their home country.

Are you going to be one of these numbers? If so, there are several things you need to take into consideration before your big move. So, let’s take a look at this studying abroad checklist:

Healthcare

One of the important things you need to consider is healthcare. You may be blessed with a good public health system in your home country, yet this does not mean that the country you are moving to will have a high standard of care. And, even if they do, you may not have access to it. This is why it is so important to take out an international health insurance policy before moving abroad. You will receive access to the best treatments and care with global medical insurance. Of course, do your research carefully to make sure the policy covers everything you need and is available for the country you are moving to. Even though something is labeled as ‘worldwide’ there could be some exceptions.

Visa

Depending on where you are going to study, it is likely that you will require a student visa to be allowed in the country legally for the full duration of your university or college course. Fortunately, there are a lot of universities that will help you with this process if you are applying for an undergraduate degree. Yet this is not always the case. So contact the nearest embassy of the country you wish to study in to find out more. There are various things you will need in order to be granted a student visa, such as valid passport, a return ticket for your journey home once your studies have concluded, proof of funds and a university letter of approval.

University Preparation

You need to do some preparation in terms of the university itself and the course you are going to study. What textbooks and materials do you need? What style of essay writing is used there? If you are unfamiliar with the style, you can easily find tips for writing college essays online. You should also find out about the facilities at the university, how you apply to stay on campus, and any other important pieces of information that can assist you and help you to feel more comfortable. There are often Facebook groups and other social media platforms that are used to connect new students, so it is worth looking into these.

Finances  

Last but not least, you should consider your finances carefully. How are you going to carry your money? You definitely shouldn’t keep it in cash. But, local banks will charge you a fee every time you draw money out in your new location. Consider opening a student account in your home country or new location, if possible. You should be able to find bank accounts suited to your unique situation. Student overdrafts with no interest are often available. You do need to be mindful, though, as you will be charged interest once you are no longer a student. You can also make savings by acquiring an International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This can be used all over the world.

As you can see, there is a lot that needs to be considered if you are planning on moving to another country to study. While this may seem daunting, there is no need to panic. The more prepared you are, the easier everything will be. So it is always better to do as much research as soon as possible. You can also make sure you do not have too many tasks to do once you get there by sorting out your reading materials, health insurance, bank account and such like in advance, if possible.

college guidance, college planning, college prep, extracurricular activities, financial aid, financial planning, organization, scholarships

Getting In to Your First Choice College

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first choiceWhile many students are busy packing their bags and getting ready to leave for their first year at college, still others are working on their applications for the next round of admissions. Of course, if your child fits the latter category, it’s likely that they already have a college in mind that they wish to attend. Happily, by reading the post below you can find out about the tactics that will help them get into their first choice. Keep reading to discover more.

Address any study or subject issues

Number one of the list tactics is dealing with grades, as this is the base level that a college application will address. Happily, this is something that you can definitely help your child with, without micromanaging them as well. Firstly, it’s vital that you take a keen interest in their progress with their studies, without being overbearing and demanding.

Then, if they or their teachers flag up an issue on a particular topic, it will be much easier to address this constructively. It may be that your child is struggling with a specific subject, or that something is going on in their life that creating a distraction for them. However, as long as you are able to have an honest two-way conversation, you will ultimately be able to get them the support or help they need to ensure that their grades remain on target to get into the college of their choice.

Help your child to present a rounded application

Please do remember though that while grades are essential for college, they are not the only thing that the application board with be looking at. In fact, lately, there has been a definite move towards reviewing the whole person and looking at their extracurricular activities as well as their academic ones.

What this means is that you can quickly help your child by encouraging them to engage in activities outside of the home. These may include sports such as basketball, football, and athletics, as well as getting them involved in community projects like food banks, reading programs, and soup kitchens. Even having a part-time job, or getting some work experience in a firm that is related to their studies can go a long way to helping them stand out amounts all the other candidates. Something that can help them secure that much-needed place in their first choice school.

Seek additional help

It’s also wise to remember as a parent that there is plenty of help out there both for you and your child when it comes to making a successful college application. First off there is lots of advice online that can take you through the process step by step, and also help you hone your child’s particular application documents.

Although, if your child is aiming at one of the top schools in the country it can be helpful to approach specialists like Ivy Select admission consulting for some additional help. After all, as they have been through the process of being accepted to an ivy league college, they are the best people to know all the little tips and tweaks to make to your child’s application for the best chance of them getting into their first choice.

Explore financial aid and scholarship options

Lastly, it is important to remember that it may be finance and scholarship issues that are standing in the way of your child getting into their first choice college. In fact, as university fees have risen so sharply in recent times, it is widespread for students to pick the more economically viable options, rather than where they genuinely want to go.

Luckily you can assist your child in dealing with this, by going through the costs of their course with them, and showing them what sort of budget they will be working on. You can even help them by demonstrating how this will affect their income when they are qualified and have to pay any loans back.

It’s obviously also important to openly discuss how much, if any financial help you will be providing to them, and not leave them guessing. After all, this may have a significant impact on whether they end up applying for the genuine first choice or not.

Lastly, it’s crucial that you also go over the options for scholarships with your child as well, and make sure that they understand these entirely before they make their applications. After all, the can be complicated and confusing and they may even need to start working on things like their grades or other requirements before it gets to application time. Something that you can support them with and that can ultimately help them get into their first choice college.

parenting

Is Your Student Showing Signs of Bullying?

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bullyingAs a parent, many things will cause you worry and sleepless nights. When our kids are tiny, we worry about whether they are safe in their crib, whether they are getting enough milk and if they are warm enough. As they get older though, the things that you worry about change. You send them off to school in a jumper and assume that they’ll be able to keep themselves warm and fed. But, there are new things to worry about. You’ll spend time wondering how they are settling in, if they’ve got friends, how they are coping with their workload and if they are trying their best.

One of the big things that we worry about as parents of school-aged children, whether they are 5 or 20, is bullying. Bullying has always been a problem, and the world of social media seems to have only made it worse and given the bullies a new form of attack. While kids will always get into the odd tussle or argument, bullying is something very different. See how Dr. Jerry Jellig responded to bullying and take a look at these signs that all parents should be watching out for.

School Avoidance

All kids have the occasional day when they don’t want to go to school. Even those that normally love going have days when they don’t feel like it, when they are worried about a class or assignment, or when they just want to do something else. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

But, when it starts to become more than this, when they never want to go to school, never talk about their day and start making excuses to stay at home it can be the sign of a more serious issue.

Change of Personality

Mood swings and personality changes in themselves aren’t always a problem. This can be another typical sign of a child growing up. Especially teenagers or those approaching the teen years. It’s also normal to notice mood swings after a holiday when returning to school is making them tired, and they are struggling to return to a routine.

But, if these mood swings are dramatic, and their personality seems completely different around school times, then keep an eye on it. It could be a sign that something is worrying them. Change in appetite is another thing to watch out for.

Poor Sleeping Patterns

You’ll know yourself that when you are feeling anxious or worried, you struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Your child might well be the same. If they are being bullied or worried about school, you may find that they seem much tidier than usual, as they are worrying late into the night.

Weight Loss

A lack of sleep and change in appetite isn’t always obvious, especially if your child is older, stays up later and doesn’t always eat with you. But, weight loss can be a sure sign, especially if it’s sudden and unrelated to exercise.

If you are concerned that your child is being bullied, speak to them. Listen to what they are telling you, without guiding or pushing them, and they speak to their teachers or staff at school as soon as you can.

academics, careers, college majors

How to Motivate Your Student Towards STEM

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STEMSome children fall in love with science right away – while others don’t. When your student has shown an interest in the field, you’re suddenly facing a fine balancing act of encouraging their interest without being pushy.

The joy of discovering the world of science should come from within themselves, of course, but a slight encouragement from their parents has never hurt anyone either.

Here is a handful of ways on how you can do exactly this in order to further their interest and make sure that their understanding continues to expand. That way, you know you’re doing a good job without pushing your own interest on your student.

Talk about science at home

Their interests will often be triggered in their own homes and usually because their parents also have an interest in the field. This means that the conversations come naturally and you’re likely to talk about the latest discoveries around the dinner table – but what if you’re not in the field yourself?

When your student is showing an interest in something you know very little about, it can be hard to know where to even start. It’s a good idea to have a look at a STEAM program, for example, and talk to their science teacher about what you can do to encourage their interest.

There are so many science-based games for students as well, by the way, and just the fact that you want to encourage the curiosity and thirst for knowledge in them without having any experience in the field yourself shows that you’re on the right path.

Encouraging curiosity

This brings us to the next point; the great thing about science is that it’s all about making sense of the world. That means that you don’t have to have the answer to each question they have and should instead try to make them think about an answer themselves.

This will help them to develop their own science skills as well, by the way, and you can show an interest without having too much understanding by encouraging them to explain their thoughts to you.

Try to avoid correcting them if they should say something that you know is incorrect, though, and help them to further their critical thinking by coming to the right conclusion themselves.

If they, for example, state that everything that is heavy will sink, you can try to guide them in the right direction by asking if they’ve ever seen anything heavy that may float – and which heavy things they know that sinks.

These are just a few of the ways you can help your science-minded student to understand a bit more of the world and develop their thirst for knowledge. Go for walks outside and talk about the things around you, and you’re doing a lot to give your child a great foundation.

college guidance, college majors, college planning

How to Choose the Right College Courses

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college coursesIf you are thinking about choosing your next college courses, you will need to make sure that you are not making a mistake that will cost you time and money. While online education is generally cheaper and more flexible than campus-based programs, you will have to be diligent and check out the accreditation level and quality of the degree before you sign up and part with your money. Below you will find a few tips on how to find the right course for your career goals.

Read Online Reviews

If you are interested in a course, you might want to read online reviews. There are plenty of college students blogging about their experience with the teachers and the course material, you just have to find their publications. Alternatively, you can read feedback on popular review sites and social media pages to find out whether or not the course curriculum is for you.

Test Drive Courses

In case you are still undecided which course to sign up for, you can test drive university courses. You might sign up for a free trial online and check out the quality of support provided for clients and find out whether or not you will be able to cope. You can find out how much coursework you will get each term and how complicated the exams are before you commit to completing a course.

Check Out Industry Growth

In case you are looking for further education to improve your employability, you will need to do your research and find out the rate your chosen industry is predicted to grow in the next few years. If your future role is going to be replaced by artificial intelligence, you might be better off choosing another route now instead of trying to change your career further down the line.

Build On Your Current Skills

It might also be a good idea to save time and money, choosing a future course that gives you credit for your previous courses. This will allow you to complete the course faster and gain a qualification so you can start your career. You might have a hospitality business and want to get a masters in hotel management degree  so you can secure a management position and improve your chances of advancing your career.

Know Your Limitations

It is crucial that you consider the time and energy you have to complete your course. If you are working part or full time, you will need to improve your time management skills. You might now think that you can study during the night, but if you don’t get enough sleep, your work and your college assignments will suffer, not to mention your health and wellbeing.

Making an informed decision about your college course is important to get a good job and a secure career. Consider your existing qualifications, your free time, your other commitments, and the industry growth predictions, so you can avoid spending time and money on courses you will not benefit from.

 

college planning, parenting

Why Apply for Financial Aid?

financial aidFinancial aid can be a confusing part of the college application process. Even if you can afford to pay for college, it’s a good idea to learn what aid is available and apply for it. You aren’t obligated to accept it, but most students qualify for some form of aid and, if it’s available, why not use it?

What is financial aid?

Financial aid is intended to make up the difference between what your family can afford to pay and what college actually costs. With college tuition rising rapidly, more than half of the students currently enrolled in college receive some sort of financial aid to help pay for college. The system is based on the premise that anyone should be able to attend college, regardless of financial circumstances. However, students and their families are expected to contribute to the extent that they are able.

There are two types of aid: need-based, and non need-based. Need-based aid includes grants and scholarships that are issued based on the family’s ability to contribute to education costs. Non-need-based aid is allocated solely based on availability, not need.

There are three main types of financial aid: grants and scholarships, loans and work study.

What is “free” money?

Not all aid is equal and the best aid is the aid you don’t have to pay back. It’s like getting a huge coupon of savings to use for your college education.

What types of education loans are available?

Not all college loans are equal.

There are two types of government-based loans: subsidized and unsubsidized. Subsidized loans have lower interest rates and are awarded based on the student’s financial need with interest deferred until after graduation. Unsubsidized loans are awarded without regard to financial need with interest payments beginning immediately and regular payments due after graduation.

What is work study?

The Federal Work-Study Program provides a method for college students to earn funds to be used toward their education. The program is based on financial need and students must be accepted into the program to qualify which is determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.

What is the FAFSA and do I need to file it?

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and you should apply if you want any chance to receive federal and state student grants, work study, loans or merit-based aid. If you don’t complete the FAFSA, you can’t apply for student loans. Colleges also use these figures when determining financial aid eligibility for grants and scholarships. Plus, many states use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for their aid.

The FAFSA is available on Oct. 1 of every year and you should complete it as close to that date as possible in the fall of your senior year. Aid is dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis. The sooner you apply, the more likely you will receive a portion of the financial aid pie.

What is the EFC?

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is how much money your family is expected to contribute to your college education for one year. Typically, the lower your EFC, the more financial aid you will receive. Factors such as family size, number of family members in college, family savings, and current earnings (information you provide on the FAFSA) are used to calculate this figure. Once your FAFSA is processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) with your official EFC figure.

You can calculate your EFC by visiting FinAid.org.

What is an award letter and how do you use it?

As the offers of admission arrive from colleges, the financial aid award letters will follow. They can be confusing and vague. Added to the confusion is that every award letter is different, making it hard to easily compare them side by side.

Thankfully, there are tools available and information to help you look at these letters for what they are: the college’s pitch for you to accept their offer of admission. You are in control of this process and you hold the cards. It’s your decision to accept or reject their offer based on the amount of aid they are willing to give you. Money, in this situation, is everything.

If a college wants you to attend, they will back it up with money. No money means their offer is probably based on filling a quota and expecting you will decline to attend. And you should. Who wants to attend a college that doesn’t value you as a student?

For details on the types of free money, educational loans, how colleges use the financial award letter to hide their agenda, read the original full article I wrote at TeenLife Media:  A Beginner’s Guide to Financial Aid and How to Get It.

college planning, parenting

Are Your Pressuring Your Child Too Much to Study?

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studyCollege is a very important decision. It could affect your child for the rest of their lives and it could even mean the difference between them getting the job of their dreams and not. Of course, as a parent you may feel pressure here as well because you only want the best for your child and you also want them to do well. The last thing that you want however is to put additional pressure on them because if you do then you may end up doing more harm than good and this is something that you will want to avoid.

You Criticize Too Much

If you find that you criticize more than you praise then this is a clear sign that you are putting too much pressure on them. A lot of parents tend to ignore a lot of positive behavior because they don’t think that their kids need praise for being good because they need to be pressured so that they can be great. This is not the case at all, so if you know that your child is putting in the work, don’t be afraid to reward them. Take them out shopping, or even grab a coffee and catch up on news that revolves around something other than college. When you do this, you can give them a break and you can also show them that you support them regardless. After all, the last thing that you want is for your child to feel as though if they fail, that your love for them will disappear.

Micromanaging

If you are a high-pressure parent then you may find that you micromanage your child when they are trying to study. You may ensure that they are doing everything right and you may even go above and beyond when it comes to getting them study resources. Although at times, there may be nothing wrong with this, you do need to make sure that you are letting them study by themselves. If you don’t then they may find it hard to study alone when they go to university and when they are away from home, this is the last thing that you need.

You Believe Every Situation Is Going to Alter their Life

If you find that you are constantly telling your child that nearly every situation is do-or-die then this can cause you major issues. You don’t need to tell your child that this is their one-shot and you don’t need to put them under any more pressure than they are already under. This is especially the case for gifted and talented students and the main reason for this is because they already understand the consequences of their actions. They are also already aware of their potential and what they could go on to achieve, so you don’t need to keep reminding them that every time they get a lower score on a test, that they are compromising their own chances. After all, this may not even be true, because there are so many resources out there designed to help those who do score badly on tests, to re-try or even take an alternative route.