Category Archives: extracurricular activities

When it comes to extracurricular activities, it requires some careful thought and exploration from your student. Picking a volunteer activity is more than just pulling a name out of a hat. The number one criteria for choosing an extracurricular is: pick something that interests you AND stick with it. Of course, there are the obvious: hospitals, local charities, beach clean-up, etc. But what if your teen isn’t interested in any of these options?

Where do you go to find some unknown volunteer opportunities? Here’s a good list of sites that might help you find the best volunteer fit for your college-bound teen:

Hands On Network: With 250 action centers around the country, it’s easy to connect and get started with a volunteer opportunity that fits your schedule and location. Plus, they’ll occasionally partner with corporations like Disney to offer special incentives for volunteering.

Do Something: Focused more on teen activism and engagement with causes, their site offers “Virtual Volunteer” opportunities so you can take action without leaving your couch!

US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Interested in volunteering in our National Parks? For the Smithsonian? Start here. You’ll find a host of ways to volunteer alongside existing government programs. The HUD site also lists opportunities to provide technology access and job training to those who need it on a volunteer basis.

VolunteerMatch: One of the largest online databases for volunteering, where over 71,000 nonprofits have listed local and regional events and projects.

Go Abroad: Want to volunteer on vacation? Fulfill your travel bug and your need to do good at the same time by applying for one of the nearly 6,000 “Volunteer Abroad” opportunities from more than 1,300 organizations around the world.

iParticipate: Follow the stars. Literally. The Entertainment Industry Foundation launched this project with Ashton Kutcher, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Katie Couric (and many others) in a campaign designed to encourage Americans to consider volunteering as an integral part of our national identity.

Serve.Gov: One year old today, this site and associated initiatives were created by the Serve America Act. One of its purposes is to help Americans get back to work by building skills and connections through volunteer opportunities.

Need more ideas? Here’s an article I wrote for TeenLife: 10 Community Service Ideas for College Bound Teens.

Every college expert will tell you that volunteering is an integral part of the high school resume. But remember…one day here and there does not a volunteer make! Consistency over the course of your teen’s high school career shows a level of commitment to the cause and a willingness to give back.

Read Wendy’s post:Pick a Club, But Not Any Club

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

extracurricular activities, websites

TeenLife: Great Resource for Parents and Students

April 1, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer

When I find a resource that is PACKED FULL of information for parents and students, I can’t help but share it. TeenLife.com is just that resource. According to their “About” page:

TeenLife provides the web’s most comprehensive directory of STEM, gap year, pre-college, overnight summer and community service programs for students in grades 7-12. Our print and online content helps teens, parents, and educators make strong enrichment-program decisions.

TeenLife is passionate about teen success. We know that teens who’ve had a range of meaningful outside-the-classroom experiences are more likely to succeed in school, in college, and beyond.

Our mission is to make it simple for teens (along with their parents and educators) to develop a meaningful personal experience portfolio, no matter the makeup of their individual interests, talents and resources.

Let’s face it: today’s teens live a good portion of their lives through the lens of the internet, and under the ever-watchful eyes of parents who worry a great deal about their safety. That’s why it’s more important than ever to require middle and high school students to engage in activities that connect them to real people in the real world, at home or abroad.

Their site is divided into three specific areas:

Programs and resources for teens

TeenLife.com provides parents and students with a list of over 15,000 programs and resources. These are “outside the classroom” opportunities to help students find the ones that best suit their interests and their pocketbook.

The TeenLife blog

The TeenLife blog offers a multitude of posts directed toward teens, college students and parents. The blog is updated daily with relevant topics and extensive information on the college prep process.

TeenLife’s Digital Publications

TeenLife’s FREE digital publications offer a variety of information for parents and students and can be easily read online or printed to make notes and review. The publications include:

Guide to STEM Programs
Life with Teens
Guide to Overnight Summer Programs
Guide to Gap Year
Guide to Special Needs Schools and Programs
Guide to Performing and Visual Arts Colleges
Guide to Finding Jobs and Internships
Guide to College Admissions
Guide to Community Service
Guide to Specialized Schools and Programs

Spend some time on TeenLife.com and browse their articles, their programs and delve into their digital publications. It’s a wealth of information available for parents and college-bound teens.

book reviews, extracurricular activities, Sponsored posts, Uncategorized

The benefits of participating in a high school debate team

December 19, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

The education you have during high school can benefit you in college. This is especially true if you plan to pursue a law degree. There are reasons to make a high school debate team a part of your education.

A Debate Team Will Help You Learn Communication Skills

When you work in the legal field, you need to know how to communicate effectively. The best way to prepare for success is to learn these skills in high school. There is no better way to learn effective communication skills than by participating on a debate team.

Debate requires you to think clearly and carefully before you speak. You will learn to formulate your thoughts, and know in advance what you want to say. You will learn to be logical and rational. These skills will help you communicate in an effective manner.

Your Education Can Help You Learn To Focus On Facts

When debate is part of your education, you will learn to separate emotions and opinions from facts. You will be able to approach each topic you debate from a logical perspective. These skills will be useful in the classroom, and in your future career.

Debate Will Help You Gain Confidence In Yourself

Confidence is an important part of your education. Not only is confidence essential to a successful career, it can also make your life better when you are in college.

A person who has confidence in himself is more likely to resist negative peer pressure. If your fellow students drink, use drugs, or engage in other harmful activities, the self-confidence you develop from participating in the debate team can make it easier for you to make the right choices. You will know you do not have to follow the crowd, or engage in behaviors that are not in your best interest.

When debate is included in your education, it can also help your social life. As socializing is an important part of the college experience, self-confidence can help you make friends. When you are self-assured, you will be the kind of person other students will like.

You Can Become Goal-Oriented From Your Debate Team Experiences

Even if you are still in high school, gaining the most from your education requires you to be goal-oriented. When you practice for a debate, you will have goals in mind. When you know what you want to accomplish, it is the first step toward accomplishing the goal. This is a habit you can carry with you into college, and into your future.

Debate Makes Education Fun

While debate is serious, it is something you will enjoy. From learning about new topics to interacting with other students, it will be an enjoyable part of your overall education.

However, you will also find an activity can be fun and serious at the same time. While you will take many classes and participate in other activities in high school, the debate team is one in which you will have a good time.

Your education is your foundation for the future. Nearly every decision you make today will affect your future in some way. When you are planning the courses you will take, and the extra-curricular activities you want to participate in, make sure the debate team is on your list.

The debate team can provide a head-start to a successful career. It can benefit you throughout your college years, and when you enter the workforce. Equally important, it is something you will thoroughly enjoy. It can provide many benefits and opportunities that you cannot afford to miss. The debate team should definitely be part of your high school plans.

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Author Bio

Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he describes the benefits of being involved with a debate team and aims to encourage further study with a Champlain College Masters in Criminal Law.

extracurricular activities, how to

How to be a high school entrepreneur (and wow colleges)

November 14, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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Back in the day, in order to get accepted into a great school, all you needed to do was make excellent grades and do really well on the standardized tests. Kind of makes you chuckle doesn’t it, because you can easily imagine your own grandparents saying something like that (“Back in my day…”) before they told your parents to do what they did and get a job? Gramps wasn’t trying to be mean or unsupportive; he was just conveying the reality of his time: that going to college wasn’t a given or even a possibility for the majority of the country back then.

Fortunately, the opportunities to receive a higher education are more available to many more people in this day and age. At the same time, that hopeful picture from yesterday of simply doing well in high school is no longer the case because colleges and universities have such a pool of superlative candidates from which to pull that they are much more selective to whom they choose to extend acceptance letters.

Maybe the old timers were on to something: in order to separate themselves from the pack of wannabe college students, your kid may need to take a lesson from the past…and show his or her vision for the future. But merely getting a job isn’t going to cut it, because lots of kids have to work through high school and have jobs on their resumes. What most of them don’t have, however, is a successful entrepreneurial endeavor and legit business experience under their belts.

Here are some creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school that can improve your student’s impression on college admissions officers and have a profound positive impact on their lives from this point forward.

Think Green

Evolving yet another ‘oldie but goodie’ involves starting a landscaping or lawn care business. And with the rising costs of education, starting a “green” business in high school can prove extremely helpful for providing some of the green to pay for college.

Remember that businesses do not need to be large, complicated, or full of employees in order to be successful. All you need is the upper hand in supply and demand: identify a product that you can offer to the consumers at a profit.

Yards and residential lawns abound and someone has to maintain them. And since the largest aspect of yard work is the labor, as long as your kid can invest the time – without the grades suffering, that is – the majority of the income is straight profit.

And to address the grades issue, by developing a self-sustaining repeat business model, once the initial legwork of generating a clientele base is over, your entrepreneur can spend more time making sure their academics are in order.

Finally, an outdoor business involves the purchase of tools and machinery that are a one-time investment but can be reused over and over on each client’s property. And here’s a plus–they can continue the business while attending college.

Smart start ups for entrepreneurs

Some ideas for smart start-ups include products like:

Gardens: Whether they build raised bed gardens with lengths of lumber or improve an existing garden’s curb appeal with a lattice surround, the basics are the same. They’ll need a truck for hauling supplies and a creative eye to set their designs apart from other professional landscapers.
Fences: If they don’t necessarily have green thumbs, they can still make green by investing sweat equity in putting up fences for residential properties. Another option for “staff” that can cut down the project time exponentially is hiring their friends to help put up the fences.
Paint: If the inside world is more their speed, beginning entrepreneurs can still make bank by starting a painting company. And they can further narrow down their focus by deciding whether they want to specialize in residential or commercial buildings and basic surface painting or artistic detailing with painted murals.

*Tip: Develop a website to drum up business and convey to a prospective college an awareness of technology’s ever-increasing role in modern business practices.

Notes for Newbies

Make sure your kid keeps meticulous records related to:

Business Plan: This will speak volumes to an admissions officer in terms of your candidate’s ability to conceptualize a workable business model.
Financial Records: In addition to keeping money issues straight with clients, keeping detailed records with finances makes it easy to convey the financial success of your entrepreneur’s business.
Portfolio: A picture is worth a thousand words, and since an admissions representative can’t do site visits, being able to present them with a professional looking portfolio will give them a visual of what your kid is capable of.

What are some other creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school?

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Today’s guest blogger, Chris Long, is a store associate at a Chicago-area Home Depot. Chris is a frequent contributor on lumber and wood topics for the Home Depot website. He also writes on fencing, garden and other outdoor project tips to homeowners.

extracurricular activities, Uncategorized

Wednesday’s Parent: Adding the extras

September 18, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

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Paul Hemphill, a successful college counselor and the Video College Advisor knows the importance of extracurriculars:

“Getting into college is now all about presentation. As a student you’re like a little brown box with thousands in front of you and behind you and you all look the same. You need to put a ribbon around your little brown box. Ribbonize your sameness!”

How your student packages himself will make the difference and that difference could be all about the extras—the ribbon on the box is your student’s extra activities outside the realm of academics. As I have said often, it’s not a pumped up list of activities to stack the resume. It’s the extras that set your student apart from other applicants and culminate with an offer of admission.

What are the extras?

Extras, or extracurricular activities, are what students occupy their time with outside of studying and taking tests. These activities can be school sponsored activities, community service, church sponsored service, a part-time job, or even personal hobbies and talents. The list is endless but it should represent who your student’s goals and interests.

Why are the extras important?

Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. Colleges aren’t looking for students who bury their faces in books, hide out in their dorm rooms, and hibernate in the library. They need students who will contribute to their student population and participate in activities on campus. A student with hobbies and interests, communicate organization skills and multi-tasking qualities—both of these are needed with the added difficulty and challenges in college.

How do students determine which extras to choose?

Here’s where you can help—encourage them to participate in activities that interest them. Pushing them to run for student council or campaign for school president if this is not their area of interest will not end well. You know your student better than anyone else. What interests them? What do they like to do? What types of sports are they involved in? Do they like to serve others at church or in the community? Asking these questions will help you guide your student as they determine their interests.

How do students package the extras?

Consistency is key when approaching extracurriculars. College admissions officers can spot a stacked resume a mile away. When they see a student who has done the same activities for four years they take notice. And when they see an unusual activity, the application goes to the top of the pile quickly. This is a ribbon on the brown box. Starting and maintaining a small business while in high school, participating in local politics and training guide dogs are examples of these “outside of the box” activities.

The extras are just the beginning of your student’s life of discovery. These extras shape their academic futures and their future careers. Knowing what they want will help them stay on track in college and find a job in their area of interest after graduation.

As always, Wendy (POCSMom) adds her expertise and her unique perspective on adding the extras–don’t miss her take on the topic!

extracurricular activities

The debate over extracurriculars

August 16, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

When your teenager enters high school they are told from day one that they NEED extracurriculars to get into college. Parents nag them about it. Counselors and teachers lecture them about their importance. Most of the advice they receive, however, neglects to mention one crucial point: padding the resume with activities does not impress college admissions officers. They can spot this tactic when they see it and it gives a negative impression on the application.

How should you approach extracurriculars? With planned purpose. Begin freshman year by examining your likes and dislikes and trying out some activities. You don’t need a long list; just a few that you enjoy and are willing to commit to for four years. Think outside the box and remember that all activities don’t need to be school related. One student gained admission and a scholarship because an admissions officer that his hobby of raising carrier pigeons was unique. The possibilities are endless based on your interests.

Don’t forget that extracurriculars are only one part of the college application. Don’t spend so much time focusing on them that you neglect academics and test prep. A well balanced student possesses all the qualities necessary to impress the college admissions officers.

college guidance, college planning, dorm life, extracurricular activities, greek life, parenting

Getting involved in campus life

March 6, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

Most parents, if asked, would cite academics as the priority when it comes to the focus for their college-age kids. After all, you are paying for an education that will eventually lead to a job and an independent life (or so you hope). And yet, the time your students spend on campus will offer many more opportunities for education than those that can be found in a book. Without your help and guidance, they will have to navigate the waters of social interaction on their own, learning how to form lasting relationships (both personal and professional). And the best way to do this is to get involved in campus life. So if you want your kids to get the most out of their college experience, it’s important that you encourage them to come out of their shell and participate in something other than their chosen curriculum.

Of course you’re not going to tell them to get out and party, but there are certainly merits to joining fraternities and sororities. Greek life has developed a bad reputation for beer-guzzling shindigs, so you might not think it’s right for the college-bound kids in your family. But the truth is that there’s a lot to recommend life in these houses. For one thing, the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood that exist in the Greek system will give your students instant substitute families, allowing them a place to belong throughout their collegiate experience, not to mention a network of contacts to call upon after graduation. In addition, houses are often required to participate in both campus events and charitable activities, which can only help your student to get involved, and perhaps learn something about the value of compassion and philanthropy. They also require a minimum GPA.

Then again, fraternities and sororities don’t comprise the only means for students to get involved, although they may be one of the most valuable. You could also encourage your kids to join campus clubs, and there are many avenues to choose from. Sports are one great way for students to be thrust into the college experience, since they not only provide an instant group of friends by way of teammates, but they also ensure attendance at a number of campus events. Even traditionally solo sports like running or cycling can be done with friends or campus groups.

There are also clubs that cater to academic pursuits (math club, AV, creative writing, etc.), hobbies, religious groups, or even political affiliations or agendas. The point is that no matter what your kids are interested in, there are probably like-minded students on campus, and if a specific group isn’t available, your student could start one. How about a weekly movie club to screen the classics, or a club that tests new video games and then blogs their reviews?

While keeping your “nose in the books” is admirable (you can compare textbooks here to find the best prices) and studying is important, having a social life is also important. You should pause for a moment and think about how they stand to benefit from a more rounded campus experience. Students that get involved and make friends will gain, in addition to an education, a support network that can help them get jobs and get by in life once they leave college. A well-rounded student is a happy and successful student.

college planning, extracurricular activities

Summer Activities to Prepare for College

May 13, 2011 Suzanne Shaffer

Nowadays, grades are not enough to impress colleges. Universities seek well rounded students who have the potential to contribute positively to their school and society. Students preparing for college should engage in different activities that will set themselves apart from the crowd. As students are always busy with papers and exams during the school year, summer is a great time for them to participate in activities that will impress colleges.

Volunteer Work

Caring for the Community

Volunteer service is a great way for high school students to show colleges they care about their communities and want to make a positive impact on society. Volunteering is also indicative of a student’s interests and personality traits. For example, tutoring elementary school kids, working in hospitals, and cleaning public parks suggests a student is compassionate and dedicated.

Work Experience

Community service is also a way to explore career options and potential majors. Volunteering allows students to obtain hands on experience in a professional field and develop work skills, such as discipline and teamwork.

Paid Work

Exploring Career Options

Like volunteer work, a summer job or an internship is a great way to explore different careers and develop traits that colleges look favorably upon. There are many internships available for high school students in research firms and major businesses. These are opportunities to network and see what the work field is like. A summer job is also a great way to develop work and financial responsibility. Whether it is at a major company or at a grocery store, a summer job will teach high students how to talk and act around employers and customers. This shows colleges that a student is a hard worker, dedicated, and willing to learn.

Saving up for School

A summer job can also help pay for school expenses, such as tuition, textbooks, and rent. While financial aid is available in the form of loans, scholarships, and grants, every penny counts.

Test Preparation and College Visits

Although it is summer, high school students should not forget about their academics. Summer is a prime time to enroll in test preparation courses for the SAT and/or ACT. This is also the time for students to research universities and see which schools would be a good fit for them. Colleges also host campus visits during the summer for potential students. This is the best way to learn about different campuses, talk with admissions staff, and explore what kind of programs are offered at a certain school. Universities also take note of high school students who attend their college visits and contact their staff; such dedication and curiosity always looks great on a college application.

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Today’s guest post is by Louise Baker. Louise blogs about getting an online degree at Zen College Life. Her most recent post looked at the best medical coding and billing schools.

college planning, extracurricular activities, Uncategorized

bragTAG – Students, Parents and Guidance Counselors Unite!

February 21, 2011 Suzanne Shaffer 10 Comments

One evening at our kitchen table, we were thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to share all our childrens’ great high school moments with colleges in the hope of getting them accepted?” And so bragTAG was born. A simple and effective tool to bring your high school child’s college application to life!

We decided to develop bragTAG on the Facebook platform, because that is where the high school children are. You know how much time they spend there – why not coax them into doing something GOOD while they’re there! Read on for an exclusive discount code for Parent’s Countdown to College Coach blog readers…

Using bragTAG, students/parents create multi-media representations of individual high school achievements – we call these bragTAGs. For example, that tremendous touchdown or perfect ballet performance can now be shown to college admissions counselors using videos, photos and journal (text) entries.

Throughout the high school career, bragTAG is absolutely free to use! When the student/parent is ready to apply to colleges, “bragTAGs” are then compiled into customized one page, multi-media resumes and forwarded to college admissions counselors (we suggest users have a relationship established prior to sending).

Individual bragTAG detail example with comment

Because our own very first question in the development process was, “How do we keep this secure?”, we decided to make sure bragSHEETs weren’t published in any way on Facebook. You can share individual bragTAGs on Facebook if you elect to, but bragSHEETs can only be forwarded to others. That bragSHEET is assembled on the fly, using our own secure cloud-based servers – and only assembled when viewed. In other words, bragSHEETS do not exist until college admissions/guidance counselors/teachers/coaches click on the link you’ve sent. Our servers then assemble the requested bragSHEET for viewing.

Complete bragSHEET (Resume) with multi-media photos, pop up videos and journal entries

Only persons with the link can see the personal info, and those that are viewing your bragSHEET do not have to be logged onto Facebook, or even have a Facebook account. Colleges will not see your child’s private Facebook profile! (You didn’t really want them to see those high school dance and party pictures, did you?).

There are several ways to use the bragTAG application. Send a copy of a bragSHEET to high school teachers whom you are asking to write your letters of recommendation – so they know more about you, and write a fantastic well-informed letter. You can send a bragSHEET to your school counselor, who can then recommend colleges based on your interests – or even help you edit bragSHEETs for the colleges you’re applying to. You may want to create customized bragSHEETs for each college you apply to, based on your research (or your independent coach’s research) into what a particular college is looking for!

So – students, parents and counselors unite – and work toward getting accepted at the college of your choice!

As an added bonus, we’ve created a discount code for Parents Countdown to College Coach readers! The first five readers to comment below will receive a code from bragTAG for UNLIMITED bragSHEET submissions (a $24.99 value). We’ll email the code to you as soon as we receive your contact info!

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Thanks to bragTAG for providing us with this guest post about their product. Find out more on the bragTAG Facebook Fan Page, or the bragTAG College Bound Blog and good luck in your college admissions search!

college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, parenting

My kids need to volunteer…HELP!

June 8, 2010 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

A mother on Facebook a few weeks ago asked for some volunteer suggestions from the Facebook community. Of course, there are the obvious: hospitals, local charities, beach clean-up, etc. But what if your teen isn’t interested in any of these options? If they aren’t interested, odds are they won’t stay with it.

Where do you go to find some unknown volunteer opportunities? Thanks to WhatGives.com and Chris Noble, here’s a good list of sites that might help you find the best volunteer fit for your college-bound teen:

Do Something: Focused more on teen activism and engagement with causes, their site offers “Virtual Volunteer” opportunities so you can take action without leaving your couch!

VolunteerMatch: One of the largest online databases for volunteering, where over 71,000 nonprofits have listed local and regional events and projects.

Every college expert will tell you that volunteering is an integral part of the high school resume. Summer is the BEST time to start on that volunteer journey. But remember…one day here and there does not a volunteer make! Consistency over the course of your teen’s high school career shows a level of commitment to the cause and a willingness to give back.

If you liked this, you might also like to read:

Summertime is Volunteer Time

My Top 10 Summer Activities

Parenting for College

Category Archives: extracurricular activities

Wednesday’s Parent: An Extracurricular Match Made in Heaven