Category Archives: college prep

college planning, college prep

Dear High School Junior

high school juniorDear High School Junior,

Your quest for college intensifies this year. Junior year is THE most important year in the college process. It’s the year you focus your energy on college preparation. All the years leading up to this year have prepared you to begin this journey and as an admissions officer once told me, “drive the car”.

Focus on these four tasks this year and enter your senior year prepared to apply to colleges.

Academics

Your junior year is THE most important year as far as college. It’s the junior year transcript that colleges will receive with your application. This is NOT the time to start coasting. Do your best in every class, especially the AP Honors classes. This level of commitment to academics will communicate to colleges that you capable of handling rigorous college courses and have fine-tuned your time management and study skills.

Test prep and study

First–the PSAT is NOT a practice test. It’s your ticket to some substantial scholarship money if you qualify as a finalist. You don’t have to win or be the best; you just have to qualify as a finalist. Most students don’t study for this test so that’s an advantage you will have going into it. If you study, you could be looking at a full-ride at one of the colleges you list on your test. Think carefully before you list a college. Once you do, it’s locked in.

The SAT and ACT are used by colleges to rate you among prospective students. Scoring high on these tests can mean the difference between an offer of admission and a rejection. Study before taking the test. Take advantage of some free test prep even if you feel you don’t need it. Take the practice tests, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and adjust your study accordingly.

College lists and visits

It’s time to start your college lists. Is one college at the top of your radar? Do you want to stay in state or attend a college far from home? These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself when you start your list. Remember to look at all types of colleges: private, state, junior colleges, liberal arts colleges, technical colleges and even career specific colleges like a culinary school. One size college does not fit all. It’s time to explore.

Start visiting colleges–either on your list or nearby to get a feel for campus life. Make some preliminary visits before you start scheduling official visits with the colleges. Talk to students. Explore the area around the college. Once you have a tentative list made, start scheduling visits for tours, meeting with financial aid, and interviewing with admissions. Letting the college know you are coming shows interest in their school. Colleges keep track of these contacts; and when the application is received, they can look at their list and see you have expressed interest.

Finances

Talk with your parents about how they expect you to pay for college. If they are contributing, ask how much they have budgeted for your education. This will help you know what they are prepared to pay and what you will have to contribute to make up the difference. If it’s substantial you should intensify your scholarship search and start working to save money for expenses.

Don’t apply to colleges that are entirely out of your reach if you don’t receive financial aid. It will only lead to disappointment. Investigate how much financial aid the colleges usually provide incoming students. This will help you plan. Remember that the sticker price of a college is not usually what you will pay. Apply to colleges where you are at the top of the applicant pool. This will improve your chances of receiving merit aid.

It’s time to get serious because senior year is just around the corner. Once it hits, you will be writing essays, applying to colleges, and working hard to keep your grades up. If you prepare in advance by completing these four tasks, you will have less stress your senior year.

admissions, college prep, websites

3 Artificial Intelligence Tools to Help with College Prep

 

college prep

Today’s guest post is from GoSchoolWise, a new website offering free tools to help with college prep.

Is this school a good fit for my child? Do we have a balanced college list? How much will college cost us?

If these are the questions you are asking yourself, there is good news. A smart computer called IBM Watson (the computer that beat humans in Jeopardy) is helping answer these questions for thousands of parents this year at GoSchoolWise.com.

GoSchoolWise.com has 3 tools that use sophisticated algorithms to help answer the questions you were wondering. The good news is all these tools are free for high school students and their parents.

College – Personality Fit Tool: The tool has analyzed over 600 US colleges and identified personality traits of students at those schools. 

Example: Some of the personality traits of Georgia Tech students are: Unselfish, Go with the flow, Thoughtful, etc. Some traits for students at Columbia University are: Independent, Change-Agent, Direct etc.

The tool can analyze your child’s essay or Tweets to develop her/his personality traits and identifies their personality fit with each school on your schools list. In addition to campus visits this tool can give you a unique perspective how well your child will fit in at a particular school.

Let us know if you agree with the personality traits of your child by sending a message here.

  1. Admissions Insights: The tool analyzes the schools you are considering applying to and gives you valuable information on the potential acceptance rate based on your child’s gender, and the admissions round you are considering (EA, ED, RD, etc.).

    The tool also recommends other schools your daughter or son should consider as well as checks if you are in compliance with the Early application policy such as Restrictive Early Action or Single-Choice Early Action for different schools.

    In addition to a bunch of other admissions insights, the tool beautifully lays out the schools on a US map (with school pictures) for you to visualize how far your young one is considering going.
  2. Financial Insights: The tool takes your family income and uses historical data as well as factors in the financial aid families with similar income received, predicts the total annual cost of attendance for your child. This can be valuable information to help you understand how much college can cost your family.

You really thought this post will end without giving you any bonus tools and features.

Well guess what we have…

3 Bonus tools/features: SchoolWise also has additional tools/features to help families. Some of the other noteworthy features are:

  1. College Admissions News: College Admissions news and updates from around the web are curated with the help of IBM Watson. The news feed keeps families updated on the latest admissions advice and developments.
  2. Academic Index: Looking to apply to Ivy League school? You should check out the Academic Index (AI) Calculator. AI is a score between 60 – 240 used by Ivy League schools to score the academic achievement of an applicant. The score is highly correlated to acceptance rates. Even though Academic Index is not a secret anymore, but the Ivy League universities and other highly selective colleges are hush-hush about its use.
  3. Schools Pages: Each 4-year college has a beautiful schools page, with pretty images, videos, and interactive tools. One example is the gender diversity tool, which shows the class mosaic. Also, check out the notable alumni and the key recruiting companies section for each school. Some school page examples are: Harvard University, MIT, College of William and Mary.
admissions, college prep, parenting, podcasts

College-What I Know Now That I Didn’t Know Then

5 Comments

 

college

Today my daughter turns 35. It seems like yesterday we were visiting and applying to colleges. Since then, she graduated with a Bachelors and a Masters in Marketing. She has two wonderful boys and the life she always hoped for.

From the time she was small, she dreamed of going to college in Boston. It’s a mystery why she chose that city. We had never visited there. The only tie she had to it was from a movie that mentioned Boston University. I say this to make a point—college was always in her future. She worked hard during high school and got the grades and multiple scholarships to attend college in Boston.

But if I knew then what I know now, we would have done things differently.

Establish a relationship with your high school counselor early

High school counselors are invaluable resources for scholarships, college information, volunteer opportunities and as a reference. My daughter barely knew her counselor and when we needed help, it was a struggle. A relationship would have made things so much easier.

Use all four years of high school to get ready for college

We waited until senior year to start preparing for college. Needless to say, it was a train wreck. Between all her senior activities, trying to visit colleges, testing, applying for scholarships, and applying to colleges we were both stressed and irritable. Some of those tasks can be done before senior year, even during freshman year. Plan ahead.

Study for the PSAT

My daughter did not study for the PSAT. We had no idea what was at stake with this test. If she had studied, she could have qualified as a National Merit semi-finalist and finalist. This would have meant full-ride scholarships and more at numerous colleges throughout the country.

Visit every college you apply to

This was a tough lesson to learn. My daughter applied to numerous colleges without visiting. After being awarded a full-ride scholarship at one of them, we visited. She immediately hated the campus and the entire college setting. It was disappointing for me, as a parent knowing this college would have meant no debt. But it would have been worse if she had gone there and dropped out freshman year.

Spend time writing and rewriting the college essay

The essay is your best chance to give the colleges a picture of who you are. There are so many available essay coaches online and free essay help available. I wish we had taken advantage of those opportunities.

Don’t apply to colleges that aren’t within your financial reach

When my daughter received an acceptance from her dream college without any financial aid we knew it was impossible for her to attend. We were anticipating scholarship money to assist us but when it didn’t come through, she was devastated. Do your homework and look at the colleges financial aid profiles. If they award a small percentage of aid and you can’t afford it without it, don’t apply.

Apply early to get the best financial aid

The early bird gets the worm with financial aid. My daughter applied regular admission and her dream college had already dispersed aid by the time they received her application. If I had known then what I know now, she would have applied for early decision.

Start applying for scholarships early

We waited until senior year to apply for scholarships. It was a struggle working all the senior activities in and finding time to apply for scholarships. There are scholarships for all ages—start early.

Appeal the award letter and ask for more money

With several full-ride scholarship offers we could have used them to ask for more aid from her first and second choice college. We didn’t ask for more money from any of the colleges and we didn’t appeal any of her awards. It was a huge financial mistake.

Only apply for federal student loans and know your repayment options

We followed this advice in college, but when she decided to get her master’s degree, she took out private student loans. These loans, combined with her federal loans, put a financial burden on her after graduating. It was difficult to pay them back early in her career and she had to file deferments several times, extending the time and interest on the loans. She made the mistake of not investigating repayment amounts before signing for those loans.

Roommate issues can be the worst part of college

I had no idea the drama that would ensue with college roommates. There were tears, anger, frustration and cries to come home early. If she would have discussed these issues with the RA or dealt with the conflict early, it would have saved both of us a ton of heartache.

As you can see, I’ve learned quite a bit since her college years. If you have a question about any of this advice or any other college-related question, feel free to leave a comment. We parents have to stick together.

college prep, Top 10

10 College Influencers for Parents to Follow on Twitter

2 Comments

 

twitter

If you’re a parent of a college-bound teen, you most likely feel overwhelmed. Where do you go for advice? How do you find the information you need to help? Where do you find support during the college prep process?

These 10 college influencers on Twitter (and a few others) can help you solve the problem. Follow them, ask questions and find all the information you need to go confidently through the college prep process. And it goes without saying, don’t forget to follow me! (@SuzanneShaffer):

  1. @Jodiokun

Jodi is not only a bestselling author, speaker, entrepreneur and creator of #CollegeCash, she is a parent’s friend. She doles out free financial aid advice n Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on the blogs she contributes to. Ask a question of Jodi, and you’ll get an answer.

2. Road2College

Trustworthy information, resources, & an independent voice to educate families on the world of college life, admissions & financing. Provides useful information on paying for college, choosing a college, and free webinars regularly.

  1. GetCollege

Seth doesn’t mince words. He is an independent college counselor and using his platform, The College Whisperer, he tells it like it is. He informs parents about how colleges take advantage of you, how they should view rankings, and how to find the best fit college for their student. Follow him and you will get the unabashed truth about college prep.

  1. Higherscores

If your teen needs help with standardized test prep, Lauren is the place to go. She provides parents and students test prep information on her #CollegeChecklist podcast, on Twitter and on Facebook Live. Ask a question about the SAT or ACT? Lauren has the answer. Need some free practice tests? She’s got you covered. She is a rock star in this field.

  1. CollegeEssayGuy

Ethan studied screenwriting in college. He knows how to tell a story. He uses this technique to help students with their college essays. If your student is looking for essay examples, he provides them (along with critique) on his website. He has a “pay as you can” option for his essay online course. Follow him on Twitter and get tips on essay prompts and essay topics. If you’re tired of nagging, prodding, pushing and poking your student to work on the essay, hook him or her up with Ethan.

  1. Aidscholarship

Monica rocks when it comes to scholarship advice. She helped her son win scholarships to pay for his entire education. She even wrote an ebook to help parents do the same. She says scholarship advice on Smart College Visit as “The Scholarship Mom” and is constantly updating parents and students via Pinterest and Facebook about current available scholarships. If you need someone that “gets” the fact that you need money to pay for college, follow Monica.

7. TeenLife

A treasure trove of articles to help you with applying to college, financial aid, extracurriculars, community service and also resources for summer programs for your high school student.

  1. CLDorman84

Chad is the high school athlete’s best friend. If your student is an athlete hoping to be recruited or play college sports, Chad has you covered. He knows all the ins and outs of college athletic recruiting and can help your student throughout the process. He can help with college prep guidance and personalize it for your athlete. Chad’s the man!

  1. Admissions411

Jessica helps parents and students through the college admissions process. She is an independent college counselor with extensive experience in college admissions offices. One of my favorite aspects of her blog, JLVConsulting, is her extensive lists of scholarships each month along with their deadlines. It’s a great free resource for students who are searching for scholarships.

  1. HarlanCohen

Harlan was the first to speak directly to parents of college-bound and current college students through his best selling book, “The Naked Roommate”. He asks the tough questions, provides parents with answers, and gives online counseling to parents and students about adjusting and transitioning to college.

Additional college influencers:

In addition to these personal accounts on Twitter, you should also follow these other accounts as well:

  • Mybigfuture-The College Board’s Twitter account.
  • Commonapp-The Common App’s Twitter account
  • Fafsa-The FAFSA Twitter account
  • Giftofcollege-Gift of College’s Twitter account (A company that helps parents save for college)
  • SallieMae-Sallie Mae’s Twitter Account (student loans and college financing)
  • Appily– Appily’s Twiter account (scholarship searches and college info)
college prep, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Middle School Student . . .

middle school student

It’s time for a serious talk. As a middle school student, you might think that college is far away in the distance and you will think about it when you’re in high school. But nothing could be further from the truth. In middle school you’re on the launching pad–preparing for takeoff. If you are serious about college-and a national survey says 92% of middle schoolers are—there’s no time like the present to get in the college mindset.

With this in mind, ask yourself these questions:

What are my goals?

How do your interests translate into a college and career plan? Do you have any career aspirations at this point or are you still keeping your options open? Even though you might not know yet, you can begin to formulate a plan to find out. Volunteer or shadow someone with a career that interests you. If you have hobbies, how will that translate into a career goal or college major? While in middle school, set your sights on the future and set some easily attainable goals.

Am I serious about my grades?

Academic success is a crucial factor in a college application. While colleges don’t look at middle school grades, good grades allow you to sign up for advanced courses in high school. If you aren’t serious in middle school, it’s going to be hard to change that pattern in high school. Commit to excellence in every class. This commitment will pay off when you enter high school and start applying to college.

Do I have a good study plan?

You need good time management and study skills to succeed in high school and college. Middle school is the perfect environment to focus on good study habits. Set up a study space, agree on a study schedule, and gather the necessary study materials before school begins. When school starts, get help if needed and communicate with your parents if you are struggling so they can make arrangements for a tutor. Don’t wait until you are drowning to ask for help.

Am I taking the right courses to prepare for college?

The courses you take in middle school will prepare you for high school. Take math and science courses that prepare you for advanced courses in high school. In addition, take English every year, as many history classes as possible, any computer courses that are offered, and foreign language electives. If you are interested in music, sports, or art, middle school is the time to explore those interests. In order to take the advanced courses in high school that colleges require, prepare for those in middle school.

Am I organized or is my room a disaster area?

The floor in your room is not a filing cabinet or a landing zone. Start now by developing good organizational habits. There will be scholarship applications, college information, standardized test information, school calendars, and more. Practicing good habits in middle school will prepare you for all the information you will receive in high school.

Am I reading?

Everyone reads, but is reading a priority? Reading is the best preparation for standardized testing and high school reading assignments. Reading also improves vocabulary and writing skills. Get your family involved by reading the same book and having a discussion or adding vocabulary words to the family dinner discussion. Summer is the best time to dive in to a summer reading program.

Am I involved in extracurricular activities?

Middle school is the perfect time to start exploring extracurriculars. Once you find one that interests you, you can carry it on into high school. Colleges look for consistency in this area and if you find your interest in middle school, you can begin your high school years focused and committed to that one activity.

How do I plan to pay for college?

Paying for college shouldn’t be your parents’ sole responsibility. There’s no time like the present to start applying for scholarships. There are scholarships for all ages and if you get a head start now, that free money will add up. Start asking for money for gifts and special occasions and add it to a 529 savings plan that your parents can set up for you. You don’t have to be legal age to work. Spend summers babysitting, mowing lawns, pet sitting and any other job that young teenagers can do. Add that to your savings account.

Research shows that students who are financially invested in the cost of their degree are more successful in college. Don’t rely solely on your parents to pay—make it your goal to contribute.

Have I visited any colleges?

It’s never too early to visit colleges. You don’t have to be a prospective student to visit. Plan some nearby college visits. It can be a family affair; even a mini-vacation. Early college visits will help you get accustomed to the college environment and a feel for what college life is like.

Are my friends motivated toward this same goal?

Friends are a huge factor in college aspirations. Consequently, start now by choosing those friends who are committed to academics and focused on future goals. When you and your friends are like-minded, you can encourage one another and motivate each other toward success. The wrong friends can certainly have a negative effect on your middle school experience.

It’s hard to look ahead four years and imagine graduating from high school. But, take it from a parent of two college graduates, the time will fly by. You can enter your senior year prepared and confident that you have planned for that inevitable day or you can be one of those students who starts panicking before graduation, knowing he has no plan or goal for the future. It’s entirely up to you.

Plan for the future but enjoy the journey!

college prep, parenting

Get Ready for College: It’s Going to be a Bumpy Ride!

 

ready for college

Your child going away to college is likely to bring a mixture of emotions. You might be proud, upset and overwhelmed all at one time. So, you need to make sure you prepare and plan to help them (and yourself) through it. Here are some tips that might help you get ready for college:

Accommodations

One of the key things you need to think about when it comes to college life is accommodations. Where will your student live while attending college? Will he live in the dorm? Will he live off campus? Will he live at home and commute? You should sit down and discuss his options. Once you decide, act quickly. On campus housing goes quickly, so be prepared to sign up as soon as your student accepts an offer of admission. If your student is living off campus, investigate options early. Housing off campus also fills up quickly.

Finances

Paying for college and tuition fees will be a huge expense. If you want your child to go to a good school, it’s going to cost you. Many parents like to start saving when they’re children are born, and will set up a college fund. But, you also need to be aware of the fact that this might not always be possible. In some scenarios, you’re not going to have the money saved, and this is when you need financial support. This is where things like AES loans come in handy. Make sure you assess everything as a family and decide on the best loan for your child’s education and future.

Nerves

Everyone is going to have nerves in this sort of scenario. You may be nervous about what the future holds for your child. But, think about how nervous they are going to be as they’ll actually be going through it! It’s important to try to remain calm and to be there to offer advice. Your child is going to have questions for you, and will look to you for support. It’s up to you to calm their nerves (and your own) by offering advice and support. Being nervous is natural with any big life change, and this is something you need to make sure you address.

Make Sure They’re Happy

It’s important to make sure your child is happy with this upcoming chapter in their life. You need to make sure that college is something they want to do. It’s crucial that they’re in the best possible frame of mind, so you need to keep an eye out for any pre-college anxiety. Going away to college is a big step in life and something they need to adapt to. And the only way of ensuring that is to make sure they are perfectly placed to enjoy everything college life offers.

When your child is going off to college, there are going to be a lot of things to address. And, as the parent, you should take responsibility for many of them. You have to make sure that you help your child choose the right college and major. And you need to make sure you address issues of finances and accommodations. If you can focus on these, your child’s transition to college should be smooth.

college prep, parenting

Helping Students to Actively Participate at College

 

college

The college experience is – mostly – about learning. But when you look at the graduates that excel in their careers, they have something else in common other than good grades. The vast majority were active participants at their colleges. They got involved in many areas, made connections, and it gave them a more solid foundation to embrace life’s challenges.

The big question is, how can you teach your child to embrace college life in the same manner? Given that participating more can have such a positive effect, it’s something every parent should consider. The good news is that you can ready your children from an early age, and we’re going to reveal some excellent ideas for you right now. Let’s get started!

Extracurricular activities

Giving your child a great school education is vital, of course. But, you should also get them involved with extracurricular activities – as many as possible. It could be sports, or music, or drama – or a combination of each of them. There are many benefits. They will develop their confidence, learn how to be a team player, and there’s a positive social impact, too. Plus, it will get them used to learning new skills outside of the classroom environment. When it comes to college, they will be ready to involve themselves in all kinds of groups, from political debating to deep sea diving. It’s all there for them to experience – you just have to give them the confidence to branch out. 

Fundraising and community work

Most parents get involved with fundraising and community events for their children’s school. However, it’s a necessity, of course. Parent volunteers raise money for all kinds of things, from contributing to school trip costs to paying for new classroom desks. But, why not give your kids the opportunity to get involved, too? Colleges, just like schools, are communities. And preparing your kids to be involved with the school community will give them the experience they need to do the same at college. It readies them for participation and helps them understand the benefits of being a key player.

Communication

Not all kids are natural communicators. The trouble is that if your children can’t communicate or ask questions in class, they won’t get the most out of their education. It’s nothing to do with being shy, or introverted – although, clearly, this will have an impact of sorts. It’s more about teaching your children the value of asking questions, and helping them be more confident to speak out. So, try giving your child lessons in one of the performing arts – music or drama, for example. Even dancing can help kids overcome shyness. As a result, it will help them feel good about speaking up in class, and will put them on the road to becoming an active classroom participant.  

There you have it – three strategies you can use to encourage more participation at college. Embracing college life has so many benefits for your kids, and it is essential that you can give them the skills they need. As you can see, it doesn’t take all that much to give them that helping hand!

 

admissions, college guidance, college prep

Straight Talk on College Admissions from 21 Experts

 

college admissions

It’s important for parents to stay informed about the college admissions process. Fortunately, there are so many opportunities for you to gather valuable information without leaving home or paying for expensive college prep advice. Sonia Lal, M.Ed., a former Harvard interviewer and founder of Ivy League Potential LLC. organized the telesummit “Your Child’s Best Future: How to get your child into a top college and set for a happy successful life!”

Parents, students and educators concerned about college admissions are invited to attend the online summit “Your Child’s Best Future” to hear valuable advice from thought leaders and experts in the field. This free summit is open to all and can be accessed by signing up at yourchildsbestfuture.com.

The telesummit begins July 7 and concludes July 28, with a new interview every day of the event. Discussions focus on preparing students to gain admission to top schools, but will also cover related topics like financial aid, essay writing tips and personal development. The guest speaker list includes representatives from tutoring companies, time management consultants, essay writing advisors and financial aid experts.

Mike Williams, president of the David Allen Company, is one of the guests on the summit. His company teaches an advanced time-management strategy detailed in the book “Getting Things Done”. Visitors will also hear from Lisa Strasman, president of NCSA Athletic Recruiting, as well as Joanna Graham, director of academics at Veritas Prep. Graham read over 9000 applications while on the admissions committee at Georgetown University.

The summit is designed to share effective strategies, tips and advice that high school students can use when applying to college. It also addresses standardized testing and financial planning so that students incur less debt while studying in college.

Education is one of the biggest issues facing the nation in the years ahead, so it is essential for both parents and students to have access to accurate information and resources. Listeners can benefit from practical advice on all aspects of college admissions or focus on the topics most relevant to their concerns.

_____________________________

About Your Child’s Best Future Telesummit 

The telesummit is hosted by Sonia Lal, M.Ed., a former Harvard interviewer and founder of Ivy League Potential LLC. She organized the telesummit “Your Child’s Best Future: How to get your child into a top college and set for a happy successful life!” to help parents and students successfully navigate the college admissions process. Lal loves helping high school students learn more about themselves and encourages them to pursue their passion.

college prep, Guest Posts, organization

Three Tips for Time Efficiency

 

This article was originally posted at TheOldSchool.cool by Mr. Jim Whiddon, CEO and founder of The Old School, established to help young men and women gain wisdom and understanding in our day. 

time management

1.     The Traffic Light System

A few years ago, my company implemented a simple system of time management with the goal of freeing up more time for profitable activities which we generally defined as “face-to-face” client interaction. In the business arena, more time in front of customers and prospective customers means a healthier bottom line. Administrative activities – while important – can adversely affect revenue generation. (For students, concentrated study is the most profitable activity.)

The “Traffic Light System” involves carefully reviewing a hard copy of your daily schedule and colored in time blocks as either wasted (“red”), necessary, but non-revenue generating, such as meetings, planning or other administrative tasks (“yellow”), or face-to-face, including any type of customer communication – telephone, email, handwritten cards, etc. (“green”).

The result of this simple exercise was quite revealing for our company. We discovered, on average, that we were losing about 30% of our time to red activities! By reallocating even a portion of this poorly spent time to green activities, we could add enormously to the bottom line (or to your GPA).

This revelation did not result in an onerous new program; only a simple time reallocation. Simply by identifying the opportunities, we were able to dramatically improve our time management skills. Again, how did we do it?  We just looked.

2.     Schedule in time blocks

I had a plastic running watch for at least two decades after college. Even after I stopped running every day, I kept wearing it because of the timer feature it had.  I would constantly set a countdown for finishing a task. I took some ridicule for this from my “cooler” friends, but it worked well for me.

You are no doubt familiar with the mantra of “a goal without a deadline is just a dream.” It is generally applied to long-range planning goals. By scheduling time blocks throughout the day, you are applying this principle of “working to a deadline” on short-term basis as well.  This technique will provide higher percentages of efficiency in the completion of your daily “things-to-do” list.

For example, if you arrive at your workplace at 8:00 a.m. and have a 12:30 lunch meeting, the four-and-a-half hours can be broken into three time blocks of 90 minutes each. By then looking at your prioritized list of tasks, you can evaluate which tasks fit into each 90-minute segment. It is fine to “re-block” the time segments if you get things done in less time than you planned for (which will happen often after you implement this simple tip). And instead of using the old plastic running watch – your smartphone, tablet or laptop all have the countdown feature available and the graphics are outstanding.

If you are a student, use the time block method to segment your study time. This assists you in prioritizing the more difficult or time urgent subjects instead of leaving them for last – as is always the temptation. I estimate this simple tip will add a quarter to a half point to your GPA.

Finally, wait until the end of each time block to check texts and emails. Not only will the attention to organized segments of time help you manage your tasks more efficiently, but avoiding these every-other-minute distractions could do more for your production at work or school than anything else.

3.     GMAD (not ASAP)

The generic answer to the question, “When do you need it?” is most often, “As soon as possible,” or “ASAP” for short. This is not a good answer if you want to get things done efficiently because no one really knows what ASAP means. It is not definitive, and because it is so over-used, it actually loses its meaning of urgency.

A better answer is “Give Me a Deadline.” For short, “GMAD”¹ serves to create a specific day and time that all parties can understand. When you are assigned a task, by asking for the “GMAD”, you are saying “Give me a specific day and time when this is needed.”  This will make planning easier and you will get a lot more done as well. Try it!

“Habits, like trees, are strengthened by age.” –J.C. Ryle

college prep, Wednesdays parent

The Best of Wednesday’s Parent College Prep Tips

 

college prep tips

I’m somewhat sentimental about these posts. I shared them with Wendy David-Gaines each week, but this past year, Wendy lost her battle with ovarian cancer. She was not only “college smart” but had a tremendous sense of humor. She was positive, energetic, and saw life as an exciting journey. I miss these collaborations and I miss her wit and wisdom.

These five posts are the “best of the best” and offer parents some top-notch tips college prep tips.

Wednesday’s Parent: Scholarships With Strings Attached

Everyone knows that you must do something to win a scholarship: write an essay, complete an application, or simply enter. Scholarships won’t give you money for nothing. Some scholarship sponsors ask for more, and these are scholarships with strings attached to the award.

Wednesday’s Parent: College Prep Peer Pressure

Last month, I was speaking with an interviewer about college prep peer pressure in the context of how it relates to the stress factor. Parents need to factor in peer pressure when they think about how your student will react to it, how it will affect his college choice, and how the stress surrounding it can affect his emotional health.

Wednesday’s Parent: Talking to Your Kids About Financing College

As their parent, it’s up to you to make sure they don’t fall prey to debt that they cannot repay after graduation. Before they ever accept an offer of admission, you need to talk to them about financing college. In my Parents Countdown to College Crash Course I call it “the money talk”.

Wednesday’s Parent: 6 Emotional College Prep Tasks

It’s no surprise the middle name of college-bound teens is “stress”. According to a recent survey, 76 percent of college-bound students say they are stressed. If you live with one, you’re stressed too; and not just you, but your family as well. Granted, there are plenty of reasons to be stressed. And plenty of reasons why it’s impossible to avoid feeling stress (try as you might). Add to the stress emotional teenagers and parents and you have volatile home environment.

Wednesday’s Parent: Cultivate the Counselor Relationship

You would be surprised at the amount of material that comes across your high school counselor’s desk: from scholarship opportunities, to college admissions counselor recommendation requests, to leadership positions, to volunteer opportunities. Making friends with your counselor may well be the most important and valuable relationship your teen cultivates during high school.