Category Archives: parenting

admissions, college guidance, college planning, parenting

College Admissions Essays

 

According to a recent article in the NY Times–The Choice, the college essay should be looked at like “a first date”. Chad Hemmelgarn, an English teacher at Bexley High School, in Columbus Ohio, said, “It’s kind of like a first date. You’re telling us the stuff that makes you special.” He was speaking as part of a panel at an annual forum in New York sponsored by The College Board.

When you think about it, that’s a great analogy. The essay is a way for you to let the admissions committee get to know you and an opportunity for you to focus on your strengths. Here are some tips that Mr. Hemmelgarn recommends that your teen can use when approaching the essay:

  1. Write some sample essays using actual questions from college applications–Look at the actual college applications for those questions and topics.
  2. Divide the essays into two categories: Why you? and Why us?–Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you (Why you?); Why are you considering our University (Why us?).
  3. Write as many essays as you can for practice–Have them evaluated by a teacher, your parents, and/or your counselor.
  4. Do your research if necessary and always answer the question–The college is looking to find something out about you and ascertain how you will be a good fit for their community of students.
  5. Don’t let your parents write the essay–Admissions counselors can spot those immediately and it’s a good way to have your application put in the “rejection” stack.

As a parent college coach, it’s your responsibility to guide your teen throughout the application process. Offer encouragement and feedback on their essay content. Help them brainstorm about a topic to use. Encourage them to spend some time thinking about what they want colleges to know about them.

And remember: Preparation Prevents Panic!

admissions, college costs, college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, parenting, scholarships, Uncategorized

Would you pay $14,000 to get your teen into Harvard?

college_20moneyTalk about college sticker shock! I just read an article about a company that charges $14,000 for a 4-day Application Bootcamp. The camp sells out every year and boasts a waiting list. The statistics are posted about the students who attend and the results of their admissions applications. The stats are impressive, but I had to ask myself if that price tag was worth the results. Perhaps it is, if your teen’s heart is set on a specific school and you have the cash on hand. But most parents are scrambling just to pay tuition, let alone come up with $14,000 to pay for an application coaching camp.

If you’re one of those parents whose teen wants to be accepted into a top-tiered college or university and you don’t want to drop 14 grand for admissions coaching, what can you do? Will that price tag assure your teen an acceptance letter?

If that cost sends you running in the opposite direction, try this instead:

  1. Start early and stay organized–use a filing system that helps you keep track of awards, activities and deadlines.
  2. Encourage your teen to take challenging courses: AP classes, Honors classes, science and math courses.
  3. Be an effective parent coach by encouraging them to focus on one or two activities in high school and stay involved.
  4. Arm yourself with the right tools and information to help your teen learn about interview questions, essay topics and admissions applications.
  5. Study the college admissions statistics of the colleges that your teen is interested in and use them as a guideline in the college selection process.
  6. And lastly, for a fraction of the $14,000 pricetag, you can purchase the Parents Countdown to College Toolkit which will provide you with all the tools you need to help your teen realize their dream of a college education at the school of their choice.

Granted, there are those parents who can afford and are willing to pay hefty prices for admissions counseling. But the bulk of most parents are on a budget, scrimping and saving to be able to send their kids to college. The Parents Countdown to College Toolkit is an affordable and effective alternative!

admissions, college costs, college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, parenting, scholarships, Uncategorized

Following the Yellow Brick Road

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yellowbrickroadI spent some time today surfing. Not at the beach (I never learned to surf after living on the Gulf for over 30 years). I was surfing around doing some “follow the yellow brick road” path. I like to call it that because one link, leads to another, leads to another and you find an Emerald City at the end! That’s the great thing about following links: you never know where they will take you and what adventures you will have along the way.
These are the jewels I found today. I couldn’t help but pass them along to all my parent readers (and fans!):

http://www.knowhow2go.org/
This is an amazing website for college planning. It’s interactive and tons of fun. It’s not your typical boring college information site. It’s a fun place to start the search for middle schoolers with schedules and tips all the way through high school. Whaz up dudes and dudettes…check this one out! (I know I’m not hip but I try)

http://www.youniversitytv.com
Wow. This is NOT your avearage college tour site. This one has moxy and some genuine off the wall creativity. There are video tours that ROCK, a message board, cool 3D maps, games, career videos and ways to connect with other college students. Check this one out and get in the “mood for college”!
http://www.savingforcollege.com/
I had to plop one in just for the parents. This is the BEST, I said BEST, site for everything you want to know about financing that college education but were afraid to ask. Remember guys: DENIAL is NOT a river in Egypt. Knowledge is power. The more you know the more prepared you will be. So take a deep breath and jump in!
http://www.theclic.net/
As my daughter would say…”cool beans”. This is a site where you can find and be found by colleges, scholarships and other college programs. A GREAT networking site and a place to connect and set up an online presence.

http://globalquad.com/
This site is Twitterific! Yes, I did say that. Keep up with college life on Twitter: students, colleges, faculty, clubs, and more. Stay on top of the latest college and student news via all the great Twitter links. And, there’s an option to “follow all” if you are so possessed. Whew…I’ll just follow…EVERYONE!

Frame My Future Scholarship Contest - Click here to go to framemyfuture.com and find out about $6,000 in scholarship awards!

No “yellow brick road” search would be complete without unearthing a scholarship. And this one is a great one. Here is how you enter to win…Submit a creation that shares with us what you want to achieve in your personal and professional life after college. Your entry can be a photograph, collage, poem, drawing, painting, graphic design piece, short typed explanation, or anything YOU can create in an image! Your entry should communicate: This is how I “Frame My Future.”

That ends my search for today. I think I can safely say I found the “Emerald City” because every one of those links can take your teen closer to their dream of a college education.

But right now, I’m OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD!

admissions, college guidance, college planning, parenting, social networks, test prep, Uncategorized

Back to School: Time to get Organized

back to schoolSchool has begun for most of the country and parents are getting back in the routine: morning breakfasts, packing lunches, dropping off at school, chauffeuring their kids for after-school activities, and attending teacher conferences and  PTA meetings in the evening.  Believe it or not, I miss those days. But what I don’t miss is all the chaos. And with teenagers, there is always chaos.

The only way to survive that chaos is to formulate an organization plan. Start by making a resolution to streamline the paperwork the minute it comes home: student guidelines, school manuals, meeting announcements, homework assignments, and any papers that require a parent signature.

There are several “landing” places that we all use: the kitchen table, our teen’s bedroom floor, our kids backpacks, and somewhere  in our car.  These all cause us much heartache later as we scramble around at 7:30 am for the required permission slip  as we are running out the door.

Resolve NOW to have a place for every school related piece of paper that makes its way into your home.

  1. Create a simple filing system using a crate, a box, or file cabinet with school related tabs and folders.
  2. Get yourself a large write on calendar for school activities.
  3. Set up a special “landing” place with a magnet board or bulletin board to keep the papers requiring parent signatures visible.
  4. Encourage your teen to participate in the process by emptying their backpack every afternoon of all important papers.

Before you know it they will be receiving notices of college fairs, booklets with SAT/ACT information, announcements from counselors about scholarship opportunities, and notices of college information nights at PTA meetings. Starting the process early when school begins will get you moving in a positive direction and prevent chaos in the mornings as you walk out the door.

And remember: Preparation Prevents Panic!

college costs, college planning, parenting

Saving for College

529-college-savings-plansSo many parents ask me the best way to save for college. Since every family is different, and their financial situation is unique it’s difficult to give a generic answer. But one thing is certain: saving will reduce your financial burden when your teen enters college. And as a responsible parent, you should plan for this expense, just like you plan for retirement.

Many experts agree these are the two best ways to save:

An Education Savings Account or Education IRA–This allows you to save $2,000 (after tax) per year, per child. Plus, this grows tax free! If you start when your child is born and save $2,000 a year for 18 years, you would only invest $36,000. However, at 12% growth, your child could have $126,000 for college!

A 529 College Savings Plan–Look for a 529 plan that allows YOU to control what funds are in the account. Do not choose a 529 plan that freezes your options or automatically changes your investments based on the age of your child.

Both of these options offer tax savings.

If you want to see how much you should begin saving, use this easy College Costs Calculator. But, be prepared for college sticker shock. Looking at it on paper can be quite sobering.

Here are two great sites that will help educate you and your family about saving for college.

SavingforCollege.com

Finaid.org

Spend some time reading all the information because all the answers can be found on these two sites. Once you know the facts about college savings you will be able to make an informed decision.

It’s never too late to start saving. And remember…Preparation Prevents Panic!

college guidance, college planning, parenting

Back to School Party

momrnCome and join me tomorrow at 1p.m. central time for a Back to School Party with another mom, MomRN Tamara Walker. Tune in early at 12 p.m. for some other great back to school tips and giveaways.

MomRN will be giving away a Parents Countdown to College Toolkit ($147 value) to some lucky listener so you won’t want to miss this!

Meet you on the call or on the web! Just click the link below to join in.

MomRN’s Back to School Party

college guidance, college planning, parenting

What type of Parent College Coach are you?

 

 

parent communicationsEach of us has a unique personality that will influence the way we coach our teens. The key is to find yourself, recognize your weaknesses, identify your strengths and adapt to provide your college-bound teen with the best coaching possible.

The “let me do it for you” parent

Always remember, the college search and application process is a teen project. You can help, but don’t do it all for them. They need to be involved and when those admissions letters arrive they will own that accomplishment.

The “over-anxious” parent

Knowledge is power-if you have the tools and know the facts you’re anxiety will decrease and you will be less likely to pass that along to your teen.

The “pushy” parent

The best way to handle your over-achiever personality is through organization. If you work with your teen to get them organized and they are aware of the deadlines, you won’t have to be that pushy parent.

The “my dreams are your dreams” parent

The quickest way to ensure failure in college is to send your teen off to a place where they feel pressured to succeed at something they never truly wanted to pursue. If you have unfulfilled dreams, find something you can pursue yourself that will satisfy that passion; and encourage your teen to walk their own path.

The “I’ll think about that tomorrow” parent

The problem with this philosophy is that it won’t work with deadlines, and the college maze is all about the deadlines. Preparation and organization are keys to overcoming procrastination. Thinking about it tomorrow will only lead to frustration, disappointment, and regret.

The “uninvolved” parent

It’s great to expect them to be responsible, but you and I both know that teenagers will be teenagers. Their minds and lives are headed in hundreds of different directions and staying on task can sometimes be inconceivable. It’s your goal to steer them back on course and help them reach their final goal.

The best case scenario:

The “well-balanced” parent

The well-balanced parent utilizes the best organizational tools to help their college-bound teen stay focused and on track. This is the type of parent coach we should all strive to become. You balance coaching, encouragement and guidance with information gathering, organization and goal setting. Your teen does not stress about deadlines because you have sat down together and created a calendar of upcoming scholarship applications, college entrance tests, activities, and school related events. You and your teen are confident and aware of the course you have set together and assured that because you are prepared and organized, the end result will be that your teen is able to reach their goals of college acceptance. You have planned ahead concerning the financial process and have utilized all the tools available to assure an impressive financial aid award package from the colleges where applications are submitted. You coach without pushing, pressuring or stressing out and your teen knows that they have your support and can look to you for positive feedback.

Which type of parent college coach are you?

college guidance, college planning, extracurricular activities, parenting, social networks

Parents of High School Freshmen: It's time to view your course options

high-school-courses-thumb7673077The U.S. Department of Education has compiled a list of courses for the college-bound student that is recommended by higher education associations and guidance counselors. These courses are specifically recommended for students that want to attend a four-year college. Even if your teen is leaning toward community college, junior college, or a technical college, they should still consider these courses. They provide the preparation necessary for all types of postsecondary education. Although academic requirements differ among colleges, the admissions requirements listed below are typical for four-year colleges. The specific classes listed here are examples of the types of courses students can take.

English–4 Years  (American Literature, English Composition, English Literature, World Literature (many schools offer English I, II, III and IV which combines all these within the yearly offerings)

Mathematics–3-4 Years   (Algebra I, Algebra II, Calculus, Geometry, Precalculus, Trigonometry)

History/Geography–2-3 years  (Civics, Geography, U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, World Cultures, World Geography)

Science–2-4 years (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Marine Science)

Visual/Performing Arts–1 year (Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Band, Orchestra)

Foreign Language–2-4 years

Challenging Electives–1-3 years  (Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Psychology, Statistics)

Mathematical skills and scientific concepts and skills learned in challenging math classes are used in many disciplines outside of these specific courses.

Traditional English courses will help students improve their reading comprehension and also their writing skills and vocabulary. All of these skills are part of the SAT and ACT college aptitude tests.

History and geography help your teen better understand their society as well as other societies and governments around the world. Learning from history is a valuable tool in teaching your teen that there are consequences to all of our actions.

Encourage your teen to participate in the arts disciplines (visual or performing). Studies show that students who do often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts also give them a richer understanding of history, science, literature and math, as well as helping to spur their creativity and ignite their passion. Many college admissions staff view participation in the arts as a valuable experience that broadens student’s understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

college costs, college guidance, extracurricular activities, parenting, social networks, test prep, Uncategorized

Parents Countdown to College Toolkit

toolkit-box1It’s official! I’m taking early bird orders for my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit. Save 30% off the final price if you order now. The toolkit will be available September 1st.

Click HERE to find out what is included and HERE to go directly to the order page.

college guidance, parenting

That All-Important Counselor Connection

hs-counselorBefore or at the beginning of your teen’s freshman year, make an appointment to meet with the guidance counselor. This meeting will let the counselor know that you are an involved parent and that you will be taking an active role during your teen’s high school years. It will also serve to establish a relationship between your teen and the counselor which will benefit them in the future as they begin to require more and more help with the college application process.

Here are some questions you should ask at that meeting:

  • What basic academic courses do you recommend for students who want to go to college?
  • How many years of each academic subject does the high school require for graduation?
  • What elective courses do you recommend for college-bound students?
  • Can students who are considering college get special help or tutoring?
  • What activities can students do at home or over the summer to strengthen their preparation for college?
  • What do different colleges (liberal arts, business, technical, community) require in terms of high school grades and SAT or ACT scores?
  • What types of local scholarship opportunities are available?
  • Do you have scholarship applications available in your office for students to look through?

At this meeting you will also be able to, along with the counselor, map out a course plan for your teen. You and your teen will be able to communicate their interests and desires as it relates to college. This will cement in the counselor’s mind the fact that she is dealing with a motivated, goal-oriented teen with a parent that wants to participate in the process.

—>A word of advice here: Let your teen do most of the talking. The last thing you want to do is plow ahead without anyone getting a word in edgewise. This is the perfect time for you to practice “listening”-to both the counselor and your teen. You can certainly ask questions, but don’t appear to be one of those pushy parents that “demands” attention. This will work against your teen in the long run. Let the counselor know you value their advice and guidance. Don’t pretend to have all the answers (even if you think you do). Utilize this time to gather information and begin a 4-year relationship with an invaluable educational professional.