All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

study abroad, Uncategorized

Why You Should Encourage Your Teen to Study Abroad

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Students who study abroad will often tell you that their experience living in another country changed their lives. Being one of those students myself, I believe them.

Studying abroad has a tremendous number of benefits – both personal and academic. The exposure to a different way of life often serves as a catalyst for students to discover what they are passionate about. It can also immerse them in a foreign language, enhance their resumes, and prepare them to live in a world that is increasingly multicultural.

On a personal level, studying abroad is a great way for students to learn how to adjust to new environments, make new friends and experience a country’s culture firsthand.

If your child is interested in studying abroad, encourage them! As scary as it may be to send them off to another country, the benefits of living and studying in another country are well worth it.

Studying abroad can help your teen:

1. Get a Job

Students can add significant value to their resumes simply by studying abroad. In the competitive market of entry-level jobs, most resumes look more or less the same. The interest in multiculturalism that studying abroad suggests can make your teen’s resume stand out from the pack. It also shows your teen’s ability to adapt to a new environment and take on new and challenging situations – all green flags for potential employers.

2. Learn Another Language

Particularly for students who want to master another language, studying abroad is a great opportunity. Sitting in a classroom and listening to a lecture is one thing, but being immersed in a culture that speaks that language is completely different. Having to learn how to read street signs, ask for certain products in supermarkets, and make small talk with new friends certainly ups the ante for language learning.

3. Meet New People

Studying abroad will undeniably expose your teen to many new people and help open his or her mind to the unfamiliar. Getting comfortable with meeting new people has both professional and personal benefits. It will not only come in handy when meeting new classmates and coworkers, but also help him or her to have a more inclusive and diverse group of friends.

4. Get Inspired

Many students go abroad having only a vague idea (or even no idea whatsoever!) of what career they would like to pursue. Studying abroad can change that. Students often are inspired by something they encounter abroad, like a community project building schools or a behind-the-scenes look at a theatre performance. Sometimes, they simply fall in love with the thrill of traveling. These inspirations can move your teen to pursue a specific career.

Studying abroad is unlike anything else in providing students with a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether your teen spends a semester living in an ancient European city, a year helping to build housing in Africa, or a summer sailing the world, studying abroad will expose him or her to a unique and previously unexplored world.

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Today’s guest blog post is from Polina at University Language Services (@CampusCommons). ULS  specializes in helping students make the most of their college experience with step-by-step guides on how to choose a school, apply to college, and succeed on campus. ULS also offers college scholarships and information for students who want to study abroad. In addition, ULS has provided the translation of academic transcripts, diplomas and personal documents in more than 150 languages since 1983. Connect with ULS on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

college costs, college planning, test prep

Saving time and money with CLEP Tests

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Every college student will spend their first two years of college studying information that they’ve already covered at some point during their four years of high school. Algebra, Biology, U.S. History, Government, and English Composition are all classes the students are already familiar with.

Even if your student wasn’t a straight “A” high school student they are still smart enough to test out of classes that they have already covered. Nothing changes in U.S. History from high school to college. The north still defeats the south in the civil war. George Washington is still the first president.

We send students off to college so they can learn what they need to succeed in the vocation they pursue. But we spend the first half of their studies covering information that they already know.

The answer to this problem is CLEP testing. CLEP stands for (College Level Examination Program). They are 50-120 question tests given by the CollegeBoard which is the same company that issues the SAT. If a student passes a CLEP they are granted college credit as if they had taken the actual class.

There are CLEP tests for 33 subjects and they give students the ability to test out of 30-60 credit hours before even stepping foot in a classroom. Students can study for these tests alongside their current classes or during their summer break. These tests can also be taken while students are in high school.

There are plenty of clep practice tests and questions available to students which give them a great idea of what information would be covered on a CLEP if they took it.

SpeedyPrep also offers a free CLEP eBook which gives numerous tips and tricks of the trade for how to maximize CLEP for your college student.

For a list of colleges that accept CLEP tests as college credit, visit: http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_clep/searchCLEPColleges.jsp

For information about CLEP testing centers, visit: http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_clep/searchCLEPTestCenter.jsp

It’s always best to check with the colleges before you take the tests regarding their CLEP test policy.

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This guest post is by Luke Macias of SpeedyPrep, an online, question-based study system focused on equipping students with all they need to know to prepare for and pass CLEP exams in a variety of subjects.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, Uncategorized

FREE Webinar: Admissions

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How to

STAND OUT

in a College Admissions Office

Author and speaker, Paul Hemphill, will conduct this long-awaited webinar on how a student can get accepted to his or her first-choice college.

Here are topics he will cover:

  • The exact extracurricular activities a student should be engaged in
  • When a student should apply Early Action vs Early Decision
  • Why a student should NOT double-major
  • when visiting a campus, the exact footage you should walk behind your student
  • How many times should your student take the SAT/ACT
  • The only two questions a student needs to ask when visiting a college
  • Why Ivy League colleges can be ignored without guilt
  • What essay topics to avoid and why the college essay will be the easiest to write
  • …and more

Webinar Replay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_98GI9WQJjU

This will be available for 7 Days ONLY!

college visits

The Most Important Questions to ask a Campus Tour Guide

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qiestopmsWhen you are touring a school for the first time, you will have many opportunities to ask questions.  Don’t throw them away by not speaking up; this is your chance to learn the real truth about the campus.  Nobody knows the ins-and-outs of a school better than a student tour guide.  While giving tours of Syracuse University, I’ve heard some interesting questions, and some that were downright strange.  But the worst is when people don’t ask questions at all.  Before you visit, brainstorm and prepare yourself.  Don’t waste your time asking questions like “what’s the student/faculty ratio” or “how many people apply every year.”  The answers to basic questions like these are usually readily available in the school’s online and offline publications.  If you are about to tour a potential school, here are the questions you should ask.

Questions for students to ask:

How is the food? If you have time, try to eat a meal in the dining hall.  You’ll be eating there a lot, so you might want to try it once before you commit to eating whatever they dish out on a daily basis.

Is the weather always like this? It snows a lot at my school (…understatement of the century.)  Most prospective students visit in the spring, though, so I feel the need to tell them that we don’t normally get to walk to class in shorts.  You’ll be there for at least a couple different seasons, so make sure you are prepared.

Where’s the party? Don’t lie, you want to know. It’s okay to ask.

What makes this school unique? Instead of asking the tour guide about his/her “favorite part of college,” be more specific.  All schools have quirks, and it’s important to be aware of them.

Questions for parents to ask:

What’s the best way to travel to/from campus? This question is especially important if you live far away.  Get the inside scoop about nearby airports, bus stops and train stations.  If your child isn’t bring a car to school, it’s also a good idea to start asking around about sharing the driving for holidays and breaks.

How’s the relationship between students and campus security officials? You won’t be around to watch your child’s every move, so be certain that the proper steps are being taken to keep them safe.

Do you like your professors? High school teachers are one thing, but college professors are a totally different breed.  Make sure your child has good ones.

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Today’s guest post was written by Adam Britten. Adam is a senior at Syracuse University majoring in Marketing Management.  Follow him on Twitter @AdamBritten.  Read his previous post on this blog, “Finding a New Home.”

college guidance, college planning, parenting, Uncategorized

Parenting college-bound teens without pushing

 

It’s hard. I know. I’ve been there. You want your kids to have the BEST education available. You want them to want it as much as you do. You see them making some choices that you know they will regret. As hard as you try, you find yourself pressuring them to make the right choice and the battle lines are drawn. They dig their heels in. You dig your heels in. And the tug of war begins.

What’s a parent to do when they feel their college-bound teens are making the wrong choices related to college? Take a deep breath and read these examples (along with my suggestions)–

Your college-bound teen tells you he doesn’t want to go to the college that is hard to get into and is opting for what you consider to be sub par.

Don’t panic or overreact. It’s possible he is scared. Try and ascertain the reasoning behind the decision. Don’t do this by badgering him or constantly asking him why. The best way to figure out what is wrong is to LISTEN. Listen to him talk about his day, about college, about how he feels. If fear is not the reason, perhaps he feels the other college would be a better fit. If that’s the case, do yourself a favor and back off. The worst thing you can do with a teenager is force him into a decision he feels is wrong. Sometimes the best lessons we learn are the ones that come from making our own decisions (right or wrong).

Your college-bound teen tells you that he simply MUST go to Private College A, even though she knows it comes with a high price tag.

Don’t let her bully you into sending her to a college you can’t afford AND one that will require a tremendous amount of student loan debt. Sit her down and explain to her the dangers of graduating in debt. Use the college repayment calculators if you have to. If she truly wants to go to Private College A, she needs to do the work (good grades, good SAT/ACT scores, great essay) to be awarded scholarship/grant money from that college. If not, there are always other options and choices.

Your college-bound teen is not interested in college, deadlines, studying for the SAT or any other path that leads him toward higher education.

If there is one thing I learned with both of my kids (and clients), if they aren’t invested in the college process they won’t be invested in college. Save yourself some time, money and heartache and wait until they are. If not, they can learn from the college of hard knocks–minimum wage jobs are the BEST motivator!

Your college-bound teen misses deadlines, panics and comes running to you at the last minute to fix it.

The simplest way I know to avoid missing deadlines, is to get yourself a huge wall calendar and a fat red marker. Put it in a place that they have to pass by every single day. In addition, with all the smartphones and calendar apps available today, missing a deadline should be a thing of the past. At some point (hopefully when they go to college), they will have to fix their own problems. Let them do it now, while they live at home, and it will be easier for them once they are gone. Rescuing your kids all time only makes them into dependent adults and colleges aren’t impressed with those type of students or the parents that come with them.

Your college-bound teen suddenly announces she is not ready for college and wants to take a year off.

First of all, wait. Don’t react. Just listen. Odds are the mood will change with the wind and once all her friends are making college plans, that desire that she once had will kick back in. If not, let her know that it won’t be a “free-ride” year. She will be expected to work and save the money she makes for college.

If you have any questions or personal experiences you would like to share, please leave a comment here and share it with other parents. We learn from each other and from our mistakes and successes!

Disclaimer: These are my “suggestions”. I don’t claim to be a parenting expert, just a parent who has faced these same problems and learned from them. Take my wisdom as you will and realize that every family dynamic is different.

college guidance, college planning, parenting, Uncategorized

Tips for Helping Your College-Bound Teen Reduce Stress

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Is your college-bound teenager feeling stressed about going to college? Let your teen know he or she is not alone; it happens to a lot of college-bound teenagers. Teens feel stressed when they perceive a situation to be difficult, dangerous, or painful. Those going off to college often worry about finding new friends, fitting in with the college crowd, being away from home, getting good grades, and a number of other issues. What can parents do to help? Here are some tips to help your teenagers get rid of stress:

  • Listen: Ask what’s bothering them. Listen and don’t be judgmental. Allow your teenagers to express their opinions.
  • Provide emotional support: By showing your teenagers you care about their feelings, they will feel more connected to you. Don’t criticize or trivialize their stressful feelings. They may seem to be overstressed about about going to college, but remember that teens don’t have the same perspective as adults. Provide reinforcement by giving compliments.
  • Realistic expectations: If part of the stress is due to expectations of grades, be realistic with them about your own expectations of their grades.
  • Support: Encourage teenagers to spend time with friends and relatives who provide positive reinforcement. Friends can help keep your teenager happy and motivated. College students or recent college graduates can be helpful. They can put things in proper perspective and talk about the good times they had while attending college.
  • Be positive: Remind your teenager that these anxious feelings will go away. Encourage your teen to look at the fun aspects of attending college.
  • Teens expressing themselves: Creative activities such as painting, drawing, dancing, and singing reduce tension.
  • Exercise: Exercise releases hormones in the body which lower stress levels. Yoga and meditation relieve stress. Some experts believe sunlight relieves stress. Sunlight is important for the body’s regulation of chemicals, so exercising outdoors is a good option. Also, stressed teens should avoid caffeine drinks.
  • Sleep: Make sure your teen goes to bed early enough to get a good night sleep.
  • Volunteering: Helping other people can help your teen stop worrying about himself.
  • Relaxation: Breathing and muscle relaxation techniques can help your teenager relax.

Stress is a common problem for college-bound teenagers. By addressing the problem and taking action you can help your teenager get rid of stress.

Online Resources

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Brian Jenkins has been writing about a variety topics helpful to college students for BrainTrack since 2008. For more information about BrainTrack, visit our Facebook page.

college costs, college planning, financial aid

Last Night's FREE Webinar

FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED (OR MISSED) THE WEBINAR LAST NIGHT

The recording of last night’s webinar is up. This webinar will remain up until February 1st for viewing.

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Tonight is the night that Paul Hemphill, college cost saving guru and parent advocate, teaches you How to Pay Less for College. As a parent advocate myself I appreciate Paul’s keen insight into the parent’s dilemma–Help! How can I send my kid to college and protect my retirement, assets and not go broke in the process?

A sidenote: You know I wouldn’t steer you wrong. The webinar is FREE. You will learn how to look at financial aid differently and learn how to take charge of the process. PLUS, Paul (just for me) is throwing in an amazing FREE bonus at the end of the webinar that you absolutely don’t want to miss out on.

It’s a win-win for you and an hour of your time that will be well-spent.

To go along with tonight’s webinar, I’ve also posted an article (just to wet your appetite): 10 Tips to Cut College Costs

test prep

Evaluating Test Preparation Options

Today I’m sharing a post from Akil Bello, owner and founder of Bell Curves, LLC, an educational services company in New York. Akil does a great job of explaining the test prep options you have for your college-bound teen. He has graciously allowed me to post his original article from his blog.

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When people say “test prep,” what they mean varies greatly, and it’s usually limited to what they did themselves or what they’ve heard of. As part of this blog, we hope to provide a bit more insight into some of the options for test preparation. Our team has blogged quite a bit about free prep resources (check out our two most popular post on test prep here and here), so it’s high time we devote a little space to the commercial products.

First, let’s establish why you should consider using commercial preparation programs: expertise. While you can prepare on your own, if you work with a good test prep company you avail yourself of their expertise and thus usually save yourself a lot of time or money, or both. It’s just like hiring a professional for anything; you can probably do it yourself, but maybe not as quickly and probably not as well. That established, let’s get to the matter at hand.

There are three typical ways to prepare for the SAT (and this applies to most other test as well, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SSAT, ISEE, ACT, MCAT, etc): tutors, courses, or self-study. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, and you should carefully assess which method works best for you. Here are a few key factors to consider when choosing a person or company to work with.

Courses

This is by far the most common approach to test preparation. Courses offer the best balance between time and money, since they are typically more efficient than studying on your own (since you have the help of an instructor to answer questions), and they are cheaper than a tutor (but provide professional instruction). Preparation courses come in many different sizes and shapes, and you should be sure to compare all characteristics before making a decision. The courses I’m discussing here are commercial courses offered by companies that specialize in test preparation (not a course offered at a college or by a HS teacher). The factors that generally impact learning most are:

  • Instructional hours
    Instructional hours refers to the actual time spent getting instruction, and does not include time spent taking diagnostic or practice tests. Some courses have as few as 12 hours and some have as many as 40, but the market average tends to be around 20 hours. Generally speaking, more is better.
  • Teaching method and focus
    Each company has its own teaching methodology and focus, with some companies focusing on teaching strategies or “tricks,” and others focusing on teaching content. Understanding the teaching method that will work best for you will enable you to choose the best company for you to work with. In general, students scoring at the extreme ends of the scoring scale will benefit more from content-based instruction.
  • Class Size
    As in most educational settings, smaller class size typically allows for greater personal attention, and for test preparation, which requires many non-intuitive strategies, greater personal attention will allow for more effective learning environments. Typical classes will range from 15 – 25 students.
  • Diagnostic Testing
    Research and experience have shown that the greatest improvements are achieved by students who not only learn the content of the test and practice testing strategies but who also take several timed full-length practice tests under simulated testing conditions (not at home while eating dinner) in order to become comfortable with the test setting and procedures.

Tutors

Because tutors offer the opportunity for individualized instruction and focused review, tutoring tends to achieve the greatest improvement for students. Tutoring also offers the greatest flexibility of scheduling and location. A good tutor will be flexible, accessible, personable, proactive, and responsive.  Many people claim to be SAT tutors yet have little experience working with the SAT other than the fact that they took it years ago to gain admission to college. Keep in mind that a person’s score only tells you how well they performed, not how well they will teach others (check out this post for more info)! It is important to know as much as you can about the history, training, and qualifications of any tutor you work with. A few key factors when choosing a tutor are:

  • Experience
    If you choose to hire a tutor it’s important that you hire someone with the experience to assess problem areas and recommend effective strategies for overcoming those problem areas. A tutor with limited experience or training will be less likely to understand the nuances of the test and student performance.
  • Curriculum
    A good tutor also will provide a comprehensive curriculum and lesson plan. Tutoring should consist of more than simple Q&A, and should be structured, planned, and focused.
  • Diagnostic testing
    A good tutor will provide opportunities for diagnostic testing and evaluation of those results to help guide and revise preparation, and improve your performance and skill set. There is really no substitute for taking simulated full-length practice tests.

Books, Video, and Online Study Aids

Online and offline study aids come in as much variety as do tutors and classes. Included instructional content ranges from books or online written instruction to video or interactive lessons. When evaluating what preparation works best for you, consider the format of the instructional content, the amount of included paper-based practice, and amount of included live supporte. Other major factors to evaluate are:

  • Style of presentation
    When choosing self-study material be sure to compare various styles of writing and presentation. Does having a cartoon character teach you math annoy or amuse you? Will watching a moving pencil while listening to a voice over engage or upset you?
  • Depth of instruction
    Since self-study material rarely includes the opportunity to ask questions, the instructional content must be complete and clear. Check out samples of 2 or 3 topics before buying to see whether you can follow the way it’s written and understand how to apply the strategies and information provided.
  • Practice versus Preparation
    Look for a fairly even balance between preparation material (instructional content) and practice content. To properly prepare for the test you must have some of each, since neither alone will usually get you the great score improvement you want or need.

We hope this helps you make the best decision possible when choosing your preparation. If you have questions or comments please post them below, we’d love to hear from you! And of course, we think we offer the best preparation available for most people and encourage you to come to one of our free SAT, GMAT, or LSAT information sessions to learn more or to sign up for one of our courses!

college costs, parenting, Real College Guide

Smart Spending (and saving) for college students

It’s never too early to teach our kids to spend smart and save. If you get them in the habit before they go off to college, it’s much easier for them to see the value once they are away from home. Today’s post by Real College Guide gives us some good ways to teach our kids to save, even if they aren’t in college yet!

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Being a college student used to mean eating three packs of ramen noodles a day and biking around campus because gassing up your 1985 Chevy was too expensive. Whether you work a part-time job or get an allowance from your parents, you can learn some key concepts to saving and spending wisely — now and after college.

Smart Spending
There are plenty of ways to save a few bucks every day. Dr. Dick Verrone, personal-finance professor for the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, has these penny-pinching tips:

  • Order water. Don’t get soft drinks when you’re eating out. Why pay $2 for 150 soda calories? Also, Verrone says, “Never order orange juice.” OJ is extremely overpriced at restaurants, and most of the time it’s from concentrate.
  • Limit your pocket cash. When going out on the town, take a 20-spot, and leave your cards at home. You’ll be forced to keep your tab under $20.
  • Buy quality clothing items. They may be a little more expensive, but they’ll last longer. Verrone also definitely approves of outlet shopping. But before making purchases, think: Do I need this? If not, don’t buy it!
  • Switch your prescriptions. Change your name-brand medications to generic ones. You can usually save about $20 per med this way.

Clipping “Coups”
OK, most college students don’t have easy access to a daily paper or coupon flyer, so how do you save with coupons and special discounts?

  • Look online. If you’re going to the sporting-goods store, for example, type the name of the store into the search engine, along with the words coupon codes. Lots of websites track down discount codes for online shopping, as well as printable coupons for buying items in-store.
  • Sign up for discount alerts via text. Some campuses have local text-message discount services — check at your student center or information desk. (Of course, this is not a good idea if you don’t have an unlimited cell-phone plan.) Mike Meyer, a UNCW senior, is signed up for deals in North Carolina at CouponstoYourPhone.com. “Every Monday, I get a coupon-text for one of my favorite restaurants,” he says. “It’s awesome.”
  • Purchase a coupon book. These books pack hundreds of coupons, usually for buy-one-get-one-free offers. They’re worth the $25 (if you buy one from a campus organization’s fund-raiser) or even $35 (available online at Entertainment.com) after just a few uses.

Long-term Saving
Verrone recommends getting into the habit of saving now to set yourself up for an easier financial situation after graduation. “Make the amount small enough so you can do it,” he says, such as saving $5 per week or $10 each month.

  • Set up an automatic transfer. Most large banking institutions, such as Bank of America or Wachovia, will let you set up transfers between linked checking and savings accounts. Meyer has $30 a month transferred. “That’s how I saved money for spring break freshman year,” he says.
  • Start an individual retirement account. No, you’re not too young! This is the time to do it. “Once you’ve accumulated $200 to $300, open a Roth IRA and continue to fund it every month from your savings,” advises Verrone. Even if you continue to only save that $10 per month, you’ll be accumulating real money for the future.
  • Watch your money grow. Let your savings work for you by investing in mutual funds with low expenses and superior performance records, suggests Verrone. Consult a financial adviser at your bank for more information.
  • Consider an online banking service. Having an online bank can be a good outlet for putting away large sums of money that you can still access without penalties (unlike with an IRA). Online banks usually provide higher interest rates, although transfers take two to three business days. Meyer has a savings account with INGDirect and loves it: “A two-day transfer is more of a commitment, so I have to really think about it before I make that decision.”

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This article was written by Ocean Gildee for The Real College Guide and is made available to Parents Countdown to College Coach through a partnership with The Real College Guide.

Uncategorized

Kaplan-FREE NOOKbooks

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Parents–I wanted to pass this offer along because it’s FREE!

We’re pleased to announce that we’re offering over 130 NOOKbook titles from Kaplan Publishing for FREE through January 17. You’ll find a wide range of Kaplan’s indispensable test prep books for PSAT, AP, SAT and more. Plus we’re offering other great general interest titles like Math for Moms and Dads and Write For Life. These NOOKbook editions are compatible with our award-winning NOOK and NOOKcolor e-Readers, our free e-Textbook application NOOKstudy, as well as our NOOK apps for iPad, iPhone, Android and PC.

Find the full offering of over 130 FREE Kaplan titles here.