All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

parenting, technology

What Parents Can Do to Teach Internet Safety

 

internet safety

The world has changed tremendously.

Decades ago, the word ‘Internet’ did not even exist in the dictionary. Now look at us:  Humanity now seems to need the Internet as much as the very air we breathe.

The birth of the World Wide Web has ushered in a plethora of possibilities. With a simple tap of your Smart Phone you can get access to any information, link up to anyone and become literally anything you wish to be.

However, as much as the internet has a lot of advantages, so does it have its cons.

Nowadays, children barely out of Kindergarten are granted access to the web. They are exposed to all sorts of materials without supervision and sadly most parents remain apathetic to the potential dangers lurking in the online world.

What can parents do to teach their children about internet safety?

Our children are the future.

They are the edifices to our foundations and as such, we owe it not only to them, but also to ourselves to give them a dignified and hopeful future.

In order to protect our kids from the dark aspects of the web, we must ensure that they are Cyber Security aware.

The first thing you need to do is to properly educate your children. Proper communication goes a long way so you will need to enlighten them about the dangers and risks of the online world.

Kids do not do what they are told, but imitate what they see

You cannot expect your children to follow your words of caution if you yourself continue to throw caution to the wind.

All too often, kids do not know how to properly create a safe online environment for themselves because no one has shown them how, so they would rather imitate what they see around them, and as a result, they could fall victim to all sorts of malicious schemes and plots online.

Children who reveal too much information about themselves online could end up being susceptible.  They could be stalked, bullied or worse: Their accounts could be hacked and they could become victims of identity theft.

Sadly, you yourself could unknowingly be teaching your kids to be vulnerable and reckless online.

At a young age, a child’s vulnerability is at its peak: They are easily influenced and ready to absorb information like a sponge.

According to Research, a lot of parents post far too much personal information about themselves and their family online.

This is not only unwise, but could lead to disastrous consequences.

What’s the solution? Practice what you preach!

The first thing you need to do is to work on yourself by educating yourself and engaging in good security practices.

Our kids mirror our behaviors. If they observe their parents taking the proper precautions like instituting rules to eliminating rogue downloads, they will most likely pick up the habit.

As a parent, you must ensure to introduce security concepts to your child and the earlier the better! A five your old is not too young to be taught the basic concepts of cyber security. All you need to do is to enlighten them in the most fun and engaging way possible.

Older children should not be left out. They should be taught to treat cyber security as they would real life security related situations.

Manage your child’s screen time

In order to ensure that your children do not stray you must remain vigilant and monitor their online activities.

Perhaps you could consider limiting the number of devices accessible to them; cut off the gadgets they don’t need.

Now, thanks to the improvement in technology, you can keep tabs on their activities on the phones and computers: Take for instance the Apple IOS devices and some Android tablets which allow restrictions on app usage.

Now, new Models of windows Computers and Apps come with built in parental controls which allow you to limit the amount of computer time each user account has per day and which applications they have access to.

Cyber security awareness isn’t something you could just instill overnight. It is a gradual process that evolves with time and Technology. The best way to stay safe online is to continue to engage in good security practices.

If a child is smart enough to work his/her way around a Smartphone, then he/she is old enough to be educated about cyber security.

college costs

Coping With the Crippling Cost of College

 

cost of college

College can be cripplingly expensive for many families, particularly those with a low income.

Even if we were to put the tuition fees to one side, you still have the rent, living expenses, travel costs and so on to consider… indeed, the prospect of sending kids to college can be a genuine uphill struggle for many families as tackling cost of college isn’t something all families can manage; however, where there’s a will there’s a way and there’s a lot to be said for adopting a state of resourcefulness at times when a lack of resources could otherwise hold you back.

Firstly, it should be noted that if you’re looking for a more frugal way to facilitate a decent college education, the majority of major universities are now offering distance learning as one of their platforms.  These courses can often save a huge amount of money in terms of travel, accommodation and daily living expenses. They also tend to be cheaper tuition fees as the college itself has less overhead to cover in comparison with people physically attending a course.  

That said, college isn’t purely about the educational experience in terms of academic understanding; there’s a lot to be said for the diverse social and experiential side of attending college in addition to the connections and networking opportunities they facilitate.

This article looks at how to cope with the crippling cost of college, from a ‘making money to fund college’ perspective, but before we go into that it seems pertinent to talk about the concept of making money particularly when it comes to people entering college and the world of work.

Once upon a time, we were told to work hard at school, get a good job, work our way up through the ranks and then retire with a secure financial future ahead of us.  Today, this advice is not only archaic, it’s potentially hazardous to our financial future, as everything has changed since we entered the new digital age of globalisation.

Today, it’s imperative to learn about topics such as personal branding, portfolio careers, side hustles and passive income in order to secure our financial destiny.  There’s been a huge social shift in the way we are making money; and it’s important to become more educated in this growing area of concern.

Whilst an academic education remains valuable it’s important students expand their view of education to incorporate money making and personal marketing concepts.  

There’s a popular saying that states the “more you earn the more you learn”.  This is a sound concept, however, when looking at education from a money making perspective, it should be noted that there are many people that dropout of college and financially surpass their well educated white collar friends by simply selling things on eBay.  

With this in mind, it should be noted that learning is not limited to academic education; indeed, if you were to learn how to invest in property these skills are likely to get you much further in life, on a financial basis, than having a generic degree.  There are some academic courses that are required to enter a particular profession, and these should be considered, but bear in mind, that oftentimes, you’ll find highly educated white collar workers attending weekend seminars on topics such as real estate investing, amazon trading, and digital marketing that are being led by people that didn’t go to college – they just got out there and did it.  

The one thing to bear in mind, when it comes to learning, is to ensure the time and money you put into the course provides a decent return on investment.

Now, let’s take a look at some ways to cope with the crippling cost of college from a money making perspective.  The majority of these tips are going to be focused on the student making money, yet as a parent, there is a great way to consider coping with the burdensome cost of rent.  

As an example, you could get a housing loan and purchase a four bedroom property, near campus, that you can then rent out to other students and make a profit each month on the loan from the rent paid.  This way, you can provide your family with a secure home that is cost neutral and actually goes some way to paying for trips home and so on.

If, however, you feel more inclined to put them to work and have them stand on their own two feet whilst still having enough time and energy to fully focus on their studies, you’ll want to consider these quirky ideas to make additional money whilst studying.

FLIP THRIFT STORE ITEMS ON EBAY

A quite enjoyable way to make money is to treasure hunt around thrift stores and yard sales, looking for items that you know have a strong desire on eBay.  Often, people aren’t aware of the value that’s in amongst the vats of items in thrift stores and with a bit of careful research and rummaging around boxes, you can find some incredible high profit deals.

SELL FREE ITEMS

Lots of people have items that are “free to a good home”, presuming you have the means and manpower to come and pick them up.  

You could simple use eBay, but If you match this with people putting requests in the ‘want to buy’ sections of newspapers and online listings, such as Craigslist this will be the most efficient and reliable way to ensure you are gathering items that you can sell on; after-all, you don’t want to have to rent out a storage unit just to put things nobody wants in storage.  

The most expensive aspect of this set up is having a vehicle large enough to transport the items, but this can pay for itself, if on top of the sale price for the item, you are able to charge a few dollars for delivery to the new customer.

DONATE BLOOD PLASMA

There’s a limit to how much you can make doing this, as there is a restriction to how many times a week you can attend, but typically your time investment would be around three hours per week in order to make $250 to $350 per month.  

Understandably, this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it’s a rewarding way to make money on the basis your blood plasma is necessary to help fuel life saving operations.

BABYSIT

Babysitting can be a great way to make easy money.  

If you’re lucky, in the evening the kids will be asleep most the time which means you’ll get free time in someone’s home to study in a distraction free environment.  There’s no greater feeling than being productive with your studies whilst at the same time, making money from doing very little.

MOW LAWNS

Whilst this is clearly restricted to three seasons of the year, if you were to charge $25 per lawn, and mow ten lawns a week (basically a weekend’s work) you’ll make $250 per week – that’s a $1,000 per month.

The best part of this, is that once you get regular customers, you can build up a monthly ‘round’ of appointments that generates a reliable stream of income; and doesn’t require you constantly getting new customers.

ONLINE OPTIONS

Today, you can even make an income online by being paid to browse websites or answer online questionnaires.  There are many ways to make money online that simply require an internet connection and a laptop. If you have creative skills in the area of web design, for instance, you could check out freelancer.com and get a variety of gigs direct from employers looking for freelance talent.

In summary, college can be cripplingly expensive but where there’s a will there’s a way and with such a vast plethora of money making opportunities available anything is possible.

admissions, college apps, college costs, college planning

Application Tips for Low-Income Families

 

application

Families and students with low-income backgrounds often find going to college a looming task. They don’t know where to start or how to push past the initial idea of college. I’ve compiled some tips & resources that we regularly use with our students to help make the trip to college more affordable. So, let’s just hop into it then!

One of the most expensive parts of applying that we come across first are the application fees. Oh my gosh the fees. Some college applications are free while others can cost upwards of $100. And those are state schools I’m talking about, not Ivy-leagues. So, how do you get around them?

      • Counselors and Advisors.
        Check in with your student’s school. Many schools have college advisors or counselors that have contacts at the schools your student might be considering.
      • ACT Fee Waivers.
        ACT has this nifty little program where they will waive the registration fee for 2 tests if a student qualifies for free or reduced lunch and meets the other qualifications listed on this website. Some states have specific requirements as well for how to utilize these waivers so, I suggest doing a little more research to make sure you qualify.
      • Application Fee Waivers. These are some of the most useful pieces of paper you can come across.
        • Most colleges have their own fee waiver processes they have specifically for low-income applicants. Most of the time you have to provide proof that your student was able to utilize an ACT Fee waiver to take their ACT. (See above for information on this.)
        • The National Association for College Admission Counseling has a fee waiver as well that you can use once the school counselor has signed off on it.
      • Ask.
        If all else fails, call the college admissions office and ask if they provide any assistance. They are used to this question and it will not phase them a bit. If they respond with “I don’t know.” ask to speak to the recruiter for your area. They typically have a little more information available.

    Another expensive part that we don’t often think of is postage. In our district we will mail the applications, supporting documents, and correspondence between the student and the college for them. I would definitely see if your student’s school has this service provided. If this isn’t available to your students, contact the college they are applying to and see if they will accept materials via email or fax.

    Try to save money on your college visits. If you have a student that is interested in 5 or 6 different colleges, it can get expensive to visit them. We always recommend that students visit a college before making a final decision. To help students who can’t afford to visit, some colleges have fly-ins or diversity programs that allow students to learn about a school while staying on campus for a short visit. These programs for high school seniors usually cover part or all of students’ travel costs. There typically aren’t many spots open so, apply early and follow up often.

    The last and most important tip is to complete the FAFSA. I cannot stress this enough. It could be the difference between having school paid for and having to come up with everything out of pocket. In order to complete the FAFSA, you’ll have to create a FSA ID for yourself and your student. Do not lose this. You have to have the same ID every year and if you have other children, you will need it for them when they go to college as well. After completing your FSA ID, make sure your tax information from last year is available and filed. If you didn’t file, you still have to complete the FAFSA. You will go to https://fafsa.ed.gov and complete the form. If you have trouble, your student’s counselor may be able to help.

    I really hope these tips are helpful. There are other sneaky ways to save up for college but, these are the big four that we use regularly. Prepare. Be organized. And  remember that you are working towards a better future for your student.

    ________________________________________________________________________

    Today’s guest post is from Beth Thompson, who currently works at a public school as a college advisor in the Arkansas Delta. Before starting this adventure, she worked in various university career services offices assisting students with their pursuit of a career applicable to their field of study. She is experienced in rural as well as urban job markets and has a deep love for the Arkansas Delta. She has a great, supportive family and two apathetic but cuddly cats. Feel free to visit her at FromApptoCap.

     

scholarships

Get $2500 for College from College Raptor

 

College Raptor

The $2,500 College Raptor Scholarship is open only to those legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory who are 16 years of age or older at the time of application and who are currently enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2019) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning (college, university or trade school).

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter, submit a complete scholarship Application online at the Sponsor’s Website (www.collegeraptor.com/2500scholarship). To be considered an applicant, a person must register with www.CollegeRaptor.com, use the College Search tool and submit a short original, previously unpublished response to one of the scholarship topics. Your written response must be written in English, with correct spelling and grammar. No substitutions of new drafts or corrected pages will be accepted once you have submitted your original Application. Written responses that are obscene, pornographic, libelous or otherwise objectionable will be disqualified. All Applications become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for lost, late, misdirected, or unintelligible Applications. By submitting an Application, you fully and unconditionally accept and agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding.

APPLICATION DEADLIINE:

June 1, 2018 at 11:59 pm Central Time

SELECTION OF POTENTIAL WINNERS:

Sponsor is looking for eligible Applicants who follow directions and submit Applications that are well-written and clearly and creatively address the topic described above. By no later than August 1, 2018, a qualified panel of judges will select one (1) potential winner based on the criteria of GPA (25%), college entrance exam score (either ACT or SAT) (25%) and essay (50%). Sponsor will select at least one (1) of the submitted Applications as the potential Prize Winning Application. In the event of a tie, the potential winner will be the Applicant with the higher score for overall excellence.

AWARD AMOUNT:

One (1) winner will receive a Scholarship Prize in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars and zero cents ($2,500.00). The Scholarship Prize will be in the form of a check made payable directly to the accredited post-secondary institution of higher education attended by the Scholarship Prize Recipient (once the Scholarship Prize Recipient has enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education and submitted proof of enrollment to Sponsor). Scholarship Prize Recipient must submit proof of enrollment on or before 12/31/2019. Scholarship Prize may not be assigned, transferred, or changed, except at the sole discretion of Sponsor.

financial planning, how to

How to Save for College: A Numbers Game

 

save for college

There’s no doubt about it – college is a huge investment for you and your kid. Not only will you need to save up to cover the fees, you will also need to save to cover living costs as well. Many parents start saving when their children are at a very young age, but for many families, this is simply too much financial pressure.

The reality is that for many families beginning to save can only really happen a couple of years in advance when it becomes clear that your kid is heading for a college education. While many colleges offer substantial awards to help you, and student loans are available, if you want to make the most of the opportunity, it is best to save as soon as you can.

College Saving Plans

If you know that your kid will want to go to college in the future setting up a savings plan like a Roth IRA or a 529 College Plan will be a big help later on. There are also several other saving plans you might like to consider. These savings accounts work well because you can contribute any after-tax money and withdraw it tax-free when you are ready to start paying tuition fees.

These plans are also great because family and friends may also contribute funds (though there may be a small charge). This means that over the years, they can give you a helping hand to get your kid to college.

Investments

Investments can vary in risk and type and some may be quick while others are very much as slow burn. However, if you do already have some savings, finding the right investment could see a good return that will give your savings a boost.

Stocks and shares are quite volatile at times but they can be a good option for faster saving. You can also utilize covered calls to make the most of your current investments. You can read more about the basics of covered calls online, but essentially they are a kind of feint that protects your current investments while leaving an opportunity to profit open.

Side Hustling

It might sound terrible, but side hustling is a kind of job you can do in your evenings and weekend to make a little extra cash. There are lots of things you can side hustle and one of the most popular is blogging. All you need to do is pick a topic you find interesting and set up your page. Then, you can partner up with affiliates who will pay to post on your blog. It takes time to set up but can be a very easy side hustle once you get going.

Crafts are another popular side hustle and creating drawn versions of photos is very popular. Plus, if you are already crafting, it makes sense to sell your creations on sites like Etsy to make a small profit.

It’s never too late to start saving and even a few hundred dollars will help more than you think.

Gift ideas, graduation, Sponsored posts, tech gadgets

Searching for the Perfect Graduation Gift? Check Out the New Google Pixelbook

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and the reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card.

google pixelbook

Graduation is just around the corner and parents and family are already thinking about the perfect gift to award their hard-working high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Since tech gifts are always at the top of anyone’s list and your student will certainly need a sparkling new laptop when entering college, here’s an excellent option—the Google Pixelbook.

Not only will your student love the laptop’s versatility, but Pixelbook is the first laptop with the Google Assistant built in. It’s easily accessible via the dedicated Google Assistant key on the keyboard, or by using the “Ok Google” wake word your student is already familiar with. He can even access it using the Pixelbook Pen. Google Assistant will be extremely helpful with research and studying while in college.

What will your student like?

First of all, your student will love the sleek design of this high performance Chromebook. At just 10.3mm, Pixelbook is Google’s thinnest laptop ever. The lightweight design makes it easily portable, which is extremely appealing to students who will be carrying it from classroom to classroom.

In addition to its lightweight design, its versatility will be appealing to any student. The 360 degree touchscreen will adjust to whatever he is doing either in or out of class. He can sketch or edit photos with the Pixelbook Pen, take notes in class, and stay productive with GSuite apps like Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail. During his downtime, he can enjoy on or offline access to movies and TV shows using apps like Google Play Movies and YouTube Red.

Every student values speed and dependability when it comes to a laptop. Pixelbook’s ready to go at a moment’s notice. It starts up in under ten seconds, stays fast, and has a fast-charging, all-day battery that gives your student up to ten hours of usage from a single charge.

google pixelbook graduation

What will you like?

With Chrome OS, your student will always have the latest security with software that automatically updates in the background. You can rest assured that your student’s information will be protected as he goes online. This will give you peace of mind.

In addition, your student can set the laptop to automatically backup, alleviating you of the worry that he will lose any important or critical documents or treasured photos stored on his computer.

What you need to know

Now that you have the “skinny” on this great graduation gift, here are a few things you need to know:

  • The Pixelbook Pen is sold as a separate accessory, and is subject to availability.
  • Auto-updates and auto-backup require an internet connection.
  • Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Charging time requires a battery to be at least 5% charged, the device to be inactive, and use of included charger. Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Actual results may vary.

Purchase before April 7 and receive $100 off the cost of the laptop when purchasing from Best Buy.

essays

How Important is the College Application Essay?

essay

Not everyone chooses to go to college, but those that do typically earn more over their working lifetime, as well as enjoy better career choices. There is clearly a lot to be gained by applying to college, but there is also a lot to lose if you don’t get a place at the college of your choice. Whether you dream of going to Stanford or UCLA, a personal statement essay is a well-documented part of the college application process.

Colleges can be highly competitive, especially if you want to go to an Ivy league college or select university. Of course, it goes without saying that you will need top grades to get into one of the most prestigious colleges, but top grades are not always enough.

It’s a Competitive World

The best colleges are always massively oversubscribed. Last year, 34,295 students applied to Harvard University. Only 2,023 were accepted, which is 5.9% of applicants. Your chances of success are higher if you apply to a state university, as competition is lower, especially on less popular courses. With top grades, you stand a good chance of being accepted at a state university, but nevertheless, an application essay still counts.

Back in 2014, a report published in Time Magazine saying that application essays, despite conventional wisdom saying otherwise, were not nearly as important as students (and their parents) believed. However, by the end of the article – and after reviewing all available evidence and data – the reporters concluded that essays could be enough to salvage a sub-standard application.

Essays Make a Difference

So, if your grades are mediocre and you lack anything special, an outstanding essay could be enough to swing the admissions officer over to your side of the table. It is also worth pointing out that most admissions officers love reading application essays. Whereas an application form offers very little information other than facts and figures, a great essay speaks volumes about the applicant.

An application essay is your chance to offer the admission officer insights into why you want to go to college, who you are, what your influences are, and anything else that makes your application stand out in a sea of generic applications. You might not have top grades, outstanding sporting ability, or come from an underrepresented minority group, but a brilliant essay could earn you a place at a great college.

Writing the Perfect Essay

It should go without saying, but some students miss this point: always read the essay guidelines before you start writing. Different colleges have different requirements for their Common Application Essay. Some colleges ask that you answer questions; others demand a 650-word essay.

Think before you write. Plan what you want to say and try to come up with a topic or angle that offers valuable insights into who you are and why the college should offer you a place. Naturally, you should think twice before you pay for essay writing services. Plenty of students use essay writing services to produce term papers, but it’s a high-risk strategy. Paying an online essay writing service to produce your college application is not advisable. For one thing, the essay could be plagiarised, and for another, it won’t be a genuine reflection of you, the student, apart from suggesting you have dubious morals, which is not what any college admissions officer wants to see in a prospective student.

Speak to your tutors if you don’t know where to start, but your best bet is to describe your life and make the admissions officer understand just how important a place at this college means to you. Be honest, be genuine, and don’t be boastful. It could earn you that place you so desperately want.  

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admissions, editorial, parenting

It’s Time for a Wake-Up Call for Parents (and Students) about College

 

college

The college system is rigged. It’s time for parents (and students) to wake up and smell the coffee. Colleges are businesses and it’s their business to lure your student in, inflate their application numbers, and decrease the percentage of acceptances. It’s a simple tactic used in every business: make it more difficult to obtain and everybody wants it. These elite colleges have sold this view of success to most parents and students—”Get into one of our colleges and you’re guaranteed a great job after graduation, a wonderful life, and success.” It’s a bunch of bunk!

Applying to these colleges carries a steep price, and it’s not just when you get the tuition bill. The cold hard facts are that a small percentage of the best students get offered admission to these colleges. When your above average student who isn’t at the top of the applicant pool puts all his hopes and dreams into an offer of admission and the odds aren’t stacked in his favor, you and your family are in for some devastating weeks and months of disappointment.

In a statistical article discussing demonstrated interest in higher education from Social Assurity, Barnard College’s enrollment statistics were revealed:

Congratulations to the 1,088 students accepted to Barnard College’s Class of 2022. You are part of the most selective class in Barnard’s history. Barnard chose you from 7,897 applicants for an effective acceptance rate of 13.7%.

Barnard’s acceptance rate has dropped precipitously over the past four years. Twenty-four percent of applicants were admitted to the class of 2018, 20 percent to the class of 2019, 16 percent to the class of 2020, 15.4 percent to the class of 2021, and now 13.7 percent to the class of 2022.

Why do we allow our students to be used in this way? Why is it so important that they attend an elite university? Because for so many years, parents and students have believed the lie that says, “where you go to college determines who you will be.” And nothing, absolutely nothing, could be further from the truth. Where you go is NOT who you will be.

What your student does with the education he receives will determine his success or failure. It won’t be determined by the name at the top of their diploma or the name on the sweatshirt they wear for the next four years. The reality is there are thousands of excellent colleges who provide a superior education. These colleges change lives. These colleges provide students with degrees that work. These colleges provide large amounts of financial aid to all their students. These colleges give students opportunities to serve as they learn. They don’t have elite names on their buildings. But your student will receive a quality education at an affordable price.

Why would you want anything less for your student? Why would a parent make a decision to go into debt, encourage their student to go into debt, and destroy their retirement to send their student to one of these elite colleges? But it happens every single day as the colleges rejoice and applaud their efforts to milk parents out of a small fortune to educate (or often not educate) their student.

I hear these stories every day. “My student was valedictorian and he didn’t get into any of the Ivies.” “My student had a strong GPA, high test scores, strong leadership and community involvement and she didn’t get into one of the colleges she applied to. What did she do wrong?” It’s not the quality of the student, it’s the quality and the substance of the college list. They applied to the WRONG colleges!

Your college list can make or break the admission results. Apply to the wrong schools and your student will either not get accepted or get accepted and not offered any financial aid. It’s a guaranteed result. If you want this to happen to your student, populate their list with elite colleges. Apply ED to one of them and sit back and wait for the disappointment. It will most surely happen. If you want a different result, take a different course of action.

Lynn O’Shaughnessy, a college and financial aid expert, agrees and lays it all out for parents in her recent article: Getting Rejected From Elite Universities. Do yourself (and your student) a favor and read it. Do this before fall of senior year. Follow her advice (and mine) and expand your college list. Do the research. Choose the colleges that offer the best aid, the best education, and might not be on anyone’s radar. Employers don’t care where you went to college. They care that you got an education that prepares you for the work force.

Guest Posts, social networks

Defanging Social Media

 social media

Do college admissions officers check prospective students’ social media feeds?

Yes, some do.

As a parent of a teenage boy or girl, should I panic?

No.

According to Kaplan Test Prep’s latest college admissions survey, about 35 percent of admissions officers check social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And of course, some report finding little nuggets of gold—the applicant who started a business with her mother—and some nuggets of less than gold—the applicant bragging about their partying exploits.

And with each Kaplan report, headlines scream the obvious while offering the obvious in terms of suggestions to parents for managing their child’s social media presence and brand. One writer, a corporate CEO, implores parents to undertake a sophisticated social media PR campaign complete with professional photography, oversite of all posts to assure alignment with strategic messaging and college application materials, website with weekly blog posts and videos, engage in search engine optimization practices, and use strategic social handles and email addresses.

No wonder parents and kids are so stressed out.

The fact is, there are ways to leverage social media that:

  1. Reduces stress rather than increases anxiety
  2. Demonstrates your child’s unique value to a college or university
  3. Levels the playing field and gives him or her an edge

In the following, we will help defang stress, leverage social media as an ally, and offer suggestions for innovatively using social media to level the playing field and give your child an edge that extends well beyond college admissions.

Defanging Stress

There are already too many sources of stress if you are a parent of a teen or an actual teenager. Social media as it relates to college admissions shouldn’t be one of them.

First, let’s put things in perspective. Did you start a business with your child? Does your child post photos on Facebook of him or her drinking and bragging about skipping school?

If the answer to both is no, you fall somewhere within normal. Social media, as are smartphones, is ubiquitous in the culture, especially for teens. And most teens post silly, gossipy things, things they are proud of, and things they think make them look cool or funny to their friends. Therefore, admissions counselors that look through applicants’ social media feeds know what teenagers are like. They work with them all day long.

What they look for in social media is a fuller picture of who that kid is. Is there positive information that didn’t make it into the essay or onto the Common App? Is there a clear warning sign that this kid is not college ready? Or are they like every other teenager in the country?

Second, while 35 percent of admissions officers routinely check social media, 65 percent do not. For example, the University of Vermont does not check social media as a matter of policy. Further, the depth that the 35 percenters go to investigate social media is unclear.

Third, you and your teen can take a few simple steps to make his or her social media presence an ally that demonstrates his or her value rather than looking like every other teen in the country. Understanding this piece of the college admissions puzzle will go a long way toward easing stress because you go from I know social media is important to I can do something about it without too much effort.

Social Media as Ally

  1. Be Generous, Authentic and Open

Think of applying to college as the convergence of a few different communication channels. There’s the application, essay, letters of recommendation, a letter from you the parent, test scores, and transcript. Social media and links to online content—awards, important life and educational experiences, what s/he is proud of, diversity of friends, etc.—can powerfully demonstrate your child’s unique value.

Make it easy for admissions to find this content.

Openness also helps establish authenticity, which helps establish trust. Visiting the college, doing an entrance interview, application materials, and your letter about your child helps establish a relationship, but creates a partial picture. Access to social media and other online content helps admissions see your child in a way that is authentic and holistic rather than scripted and prepared.

  1. Do Some Pruning

The summer before filling out and sending applications, go through your child’s social media presence with him or her. If there are posts that are unflattering or run counter to the image you want to present to college admissions, remove it.

Teens love going through their social media with their parents and will see this as a bonding experience.

Just kidding.

They will resist. Show them how off-color posts can damage their ability to get into college (and move out of the house into a dorm) and always play to their aspirational nature. They may not show it, but they want to succeed and build a life of their own.

When evaluating questionable posts and content ask you and your teen:

  • Would I say this to my entire family?
  • Does it detract from making me look college ready?
  • Does it attract negative attention or honest discussion?

Also, look for and add likes and references in the About You sections that show his or her interests, friendships, virtues, etc. Delete those that run counter to the image you want to project.

Last, did you tour the school? Did you post negative comments and photos? Delete.

One more thing. Don’t overdo it. Too much pruning will make the content look curated by mom and dad, which means inauthentic and untrue.

  1. Plant a Few Flowers

While pruning, make sure the image of your child is complete. Is your son or daughter into painting, photography, music, acting, etc. If so, post these to Instagram or Facebook and provide links to the admissions staff.

Make sure you include organizations that your child belongs as well as any noteworthy roles in and outside of school.

Be careful not to add too much all at once. Tweets are a prime example because admissions will see that they your child posted them within a tight timeframe, and this undermines authenticity.

Think Differently to Gain an Edge

Most people—parents, social media advisors, etc.—only view social media, as it relates to college admissions, as a reputation management tool, or threat. However, some parents and students are finding unique, innovative ways to use social media as an opportunity to gather information and identify strategies to give their kids an edge.

We’ve heard numerous stories where a kid has leveraged their social media presence for valuable internships, specialized tutoring, and all manner of means to gain a competitive advantage. The best part, each of these kids was following a passion rather than forced to take on yet another unwanted responsibility.

For example, a Christmas Day 2017 New York Times piece told the story of Eli Reiter, a young man struggling with his academic future. While scrolling through Reddit, he noticed a post from a tutor near his home who helped the best and brightest prep school students prepare for the SAT and ACT. Through Reddit, Eli and the tutor could safely communicate through text, which led to informal help and then tutoring at a reduced cost.

The tutor helped Eli increase his SAT scores, which played a role in his acceptance by a well-respected college. There are two lessons here:

  1. A social media platform gave Eli access to a mentor who helped change Eli’s life.
  2. Access to this mentor leveled the playing field for Eli and gave him an advantage. For reduced cost, Eli received the same tutoring as elite prep school students, which leveled the playing field. And because he received help from a tutor of this quality, he gained an advantage most students do not have.

One other example is helpful. Social media are immensely powerful networking platforms with myriad college admissions possibilities. One of these is the opportunity for your child to seek out professionals working in your son or daughter’s prospective area of undergraduate and graduate study and career path. He or she can also find professionals with degrees from the colleges and universities they plan to apply to.

This then gives your child the ability to interview their future-self based on any pathway they are considering. This will help them find the right fit between institution, area of study, and career path before even sending out an application.

Your child can also include these relationships and learning in their application and essay. It may even lead to an internship opportunity or letter of recommendation.

Further, this information will help the college-bound thrive once they get to college and then enter the world of work. According to research by ACT (the organization that offers the ACT assessment tests), “The fit between a students’ interests and their college majors are important in understanding and predicting student outcomes.” And, according to Gallup, 36 percent of adults regret their field of study and 28 percent regret the college or university they attended.

Parent and student innovators are thinking differently about learning and the role social media can play. This is why we are writing our book, Gig Education: How to reduce stress, outsmart Harvard, and help your kids build amazing lives. We want to help kids and parents think different.

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Today’s guest post is co-authored by Jay Bakhru and James Buchanan. Jay and James are currently working on a book titled: Gig Education: How to reduce stress, outsmart Harvard, and help your kids build amazing lives.

college visits

Spring College Visits Aren’t Just for Juniors

college visits

Students and their families usually begin visiting colleges in the spring of junior year of high school. But should families start sooner? What are the benefits of making preliminary college visits during freshman or sophomore years of high school?

These are simply informal college visits that include a walk around campus, a visit to the school library, or a stroll through the campus bookstore. It’s easy to fit a brief college tour into your family spring vacation.

Why, however, should you consider doing this?

To get a feel for the college environment.

It’s a proven fact that picking a college is an emotional choice. Yes, students evaluate colleges based on academics, but mostly their choice is based on a “feeling.” By making preliminary college visits, students get a feel for the college environment, the buildings, the layout, the students and everything that makes a college. It helps to prepare students for junior year when they start touring must-see colleges on their college lists.

To start a list of college likes and dislikes.

Believe it or not, the look and the surrounding environment of a campus is important to most students. Does your student favor a sprawling campus with hills and historic buildings or a bustling campus in the middle of a large metropolitan area? Is the idea of a smaller campus interesting? Or is your student craving the excitement a large state university campus? Students can’t know the answer to any of these questions without visiting different types of campuses.

To experience campus life first-hand.

There’s nothing like watching students congregate on the green space for an impromptu game of football. Or seeing students walking between classes having discussions and getting to know one another. Or piling into the dining hall for a meal and some conversation. The list goes on and on. You can’t get that experience by viewing a website or looking at a brochure. You only get it by visiting a campus in person.

To read more reasons why preliminary visits make sense for your freshman or sophomore student, you can read my original article here at TeenLife Magazine: Why Freshmen and Sophomores Should Visit College Campuses.