Category Archives: Top 10

college planning, Top 10

10 Podcasts for the College-Bound

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podcasts

Who doesn’t love podcasts? It’s the best way to be entertained or educated wherever you are: in the car, at work, at home or waiting at the doctor’s office. There truly is a podcast for every interest. My daughter listens to the History Chicks and has learned a great deal of history while listening. I like to listen to inspirational podcasts that motivate and encourage me.

With all the college information available to parents today, there’s no excuse for being uninformed about the ins and outs of the college process. Podcasts are a great way to stay informed. Here’s a list of my favorites:

The College Essay Guy Podcast

Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.

Prepped and Polished Podcast

Here you’ll find tips and tricks for studying specific subjects and how to prepare for major tests like the SAT and ACT. You’ll also discover valuable insights from local and world-wide educational experts as they discuss poignant topics like “How to Help Teens Reduce Stress” and “Navigating School and Career with Physical and Learning Disabilities”.  Practical tips and shortcuts for students are revealed in episodes like “Vocabulary Memorization Shortcuts for the SAT” and “Google Docs Organization for School”.

The College Prep Podcast

Nationally recognized experts Megan Dorsey and Gretchen Wegner share tips and tricks about creative study strategies, SAT/ACT prep, college applications, essay writing, teen-friendly time management tools, and more. They will also host experts on a number of subjects including scholarships, parenting, test prep, learning differences, NCAA athletics, and more! About the hosts: Megan is a college admissions consultant and test prep guru who helps students and parents plan and prepare for college admission. Gretchen is an academic life coach who helps stressed out students and their families feel smart, confident and ready for the rigors of college without losing their lives to school and studying. Together, they are a one-stop shop for how to survive…and thrive!…during the final approach into higher education.

College Prep Genius

College Prep Genius will teach you all the tips and tricks to ace the SAT and get FREE money for college (no strings attached)! Jean Burk’s program will give you all the inside information on how to get money for college, put together a college transcript, and become a logic-based thinker. Jean will debunk myths and misconceptions, all while providing you all the information on how to stop fearing the SAT.

Inside the Admissions Office: Advice from Former Admissions Officers

Need help navigating the college admissions process? Every other Monday they bring you exclusive interviews with Former Admissions Officers, graduates from top universities, and admissions experts. Each episode will be filled with application tips and first-hand experiences that will help you get into your dream school. Brought to you by InGenius Prep, the world’s largest team of Former Admissions Officers.

Admissions Uncovered – College Applications and Admissions Explained

Two high school seniors and one Columbia freshman explore the black box that is the college application process. They cover topics like handling deferrals, asking for letters of recommendations, the college essay and more.

Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Each week on VoiceAmerica College Coach hosts their internet radio program and podcast, Getting In: A College Coach Conversation. Each week, former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer Elizabeth Heaton leads the discussion on a variety of admissions and college finance topics including: approaching and crafting essays, successfully appealing financial aid decisions, selecting the right college, determining the most effective savings vehicle to help pay for it and more!

Demystifying College Admissions

Julie Kim, a Harvard-graduate college consultant, the founder of Julie Kim Consulting is the host of Demystifying College Admissions. This podcast is designed to inspire high school students to identify their passions, learn all about the most updated college admissions strategies, with guests and experts from all industries! She also dives into mental health so that this podcast will be a healthy, safe, and vulnerable space for all teens and parents.

College Admissions Podcast

Applying for college is more complex and often times more confusing than it used to be. In addition, there are so many resources out there. How do you know which is the right one? The best one? Shouldn’t everyone have access to the best information out there, regardless of price? On this podcast, Mark Hofer and Anna Ren, both independent college consultants, share real and relevant topics in college admissions to provide you with a fresh perspective and truly actionable takeaways that you can use as you prepare to apply for college.

Your College-Bound Kid

Let a college admission expert (Mark) and a mom who’s been through the process (Anika) guide you through the college admission process. Learn key strategies and hear true stories on topics ranging from building the right college list, getting admitted to the colleges on your list; how to pay for college, and even choosing the right career. The podcast combines in depth knowledge and insights about college admissions and college life with a lighthearted, and at times, entertaining style that makes Mark and Anika easy to listen to.

college prep, Top 10

10 College Influencers for Parents to Follow on Twitter

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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)
admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, college visits, mom approved tips, parenting, Top 10

T is for Tuesday, Top 10 and Tips

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top 10 tipsIt’s Tuesday. It’s not hump day. It’s the day before New Years Eve and time to reflect on 2014. And nothing says Tuesday more than Tips. Put it all together and you have Tuesday’s Top 10 Tips from 2014.

Tip #1: Insist your student graduate in 4 years or less

Did you know that at most public universities, only 19 percent of full-time students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years? Even at state flagship universities — selective, research-intensive institutions — only 36 percent of full-time students complete their bachelor’s degree on time.

Nationwide, only 50 of more than 580 public four-year institutions graduate a majority of their full-time students on time. Some of the causes of slow student progress are inability to register for required courses, credits lost in transfer and remediation sequences that do not work. Studying abroad can also contribute to added time and credits lost when abroad. According to a recent report from CompleteCollege.org some students take too few credits per semester to finish on time. The problem is even worse at community colleges, where 5 percent of full-time students earned an associate degree within two years, and 15.9 percent earned a one- to two-year certificate on time.

Read more . . .

Tip #2: Be wise—apply to backup schools (but make sure those schools are ones you want to attend)

Being admitted into your first choice school is a challenge and not a guarantee. No matter how positive you are about your application, no matter how hard you’ve worked to be an ideal applicant, it is important not to assume that gaining admission to your top choice for college is a sure thing. But don’t get dejected or cynical! Here are three ways to increase your chances of being accepted by applying to backup schools.

Read more . . .

Tip #3: It’s never too early to prepare for college

How early is too early to prepare for college? We’ve all seen those movie clips where the parents are agonizing over the right preschool to prepare their kids for the right kindergarten, the right grade school, and the right college preparatory school. These overachieving parents are convinced that college prep begins at birth. They take it to a whole other level elevating college jerseys into full blown college prep. But just how early is too early and how far should parents go when preparing their children for college?

Read more . . .

Tip #4: It matters very little where your student goes to college

Much is debated about college names and prestige, especially among parents. It’s logical that parents want their kids to have the best opportunities available. It’s illogical that they place more value in the name than in the education itself. But so many parents encourage their kids to make illogical college choices. Where you go to college is not as important as you might think.

Read more . . .

Tip #5: Don’t neglect the college visit

A few years ago, I wrote an article for Smart College Visit about the importance of the college visit: Don’t Pick a College Sight Unseen:

As a parent of two kids who attended college, I learned a very valuable lesson: never pick a college sight unseen. The rules that apply to any major purchase are even more important when making the decision to invest thousands of dollars on a college education. You would never buy a car without test-driving it, or move into a home without taking a walk through and getting a home inspection. Based on my experience with both my kids, I can tell you that your teen should never accept admission to a college without getting a feel for the campus and campus life.

 Read more . . .

Tip #6: Know when to hold ‘em; know when to fold ‘em

In just a few short months, your student will be making college decisions by the May 1st deadline. For some families, it’s easy. For others, it’s emotional and gut wrenching. If your student got into their dream college and the money is there, congratulations. If your student was waitlisted, or there’s a financial issue, or they didn’t get an offer of admission to their first choice college it’s time to examine the deck. By doing this, you can help your teen make the best decision.

Read more . . . 

Tip #7: Practice tough love

Parenting is easy if you give into your child’s every whim, never be consistent with discipline, or simply don’t pay attention. Parenting children who strive for excellence in everything requires some tough love. And tough love is not easy; especially when it comes to the raising a motivated, educated, and successful student.

How do you, as a parent, raise a child that’s motivated to strive for excellence where their education is concerned?

Read more . . .

Tip #8: Listen to college podcasts

Every day I grab my trusty iPod and head to the mall to do my 2.5 miles of walking. I hate walking. To me, it’s boring and a waste of my time. However, it’s critical to my health and every day I tell myself it’s just something I have to grin and bear.

But then I discovered podcasts. Not only are they great when exercising, you can listen when you’re cooking dinner, commuting to work on public transportation, eating your lunch, or any other time that you are performing daily tasks and want to make them more productive.

Read more . . .

Tip #9: Don’t ignore the FAFSA

The most important advice I can give parents is: don’t ignore the FAFSA! Many parents are misinformed when it comes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). They believe that they make too much money to qualify for any kind of financial aid—and they decide not to file. That is the worst mistake you can make. I encourage every family of a college-bound senior complete the FAFSA (and complete it before February 1).

Read more . . .

Tip #10: Teach your teens the value of money

Before you send your teens off to college, they need to learn about the value of money. Ideally, it starts at an early age; but if you haven’t started, there’s no time like the present!

When your children are away at college they are going to be responsible for their own spending (and saving). There will be offers galore from credit card companies because college students are their biggest target market. If they hook them while in college it usually means they have them for the rest of their lives.

Read more . . .

Top 10

Top 10 Activities for College-Bound Juniors

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top 10With all the talk about senior to-do-lists and the excitement around the college offers and graduation, it’s easy to forget about the juniors. When it comes right down to it, this should be when juniors amp up their game in anticipation of the fall and senior year. It’s time to start now!

Here are my top 10 activities for college-bound juniors:

  1. Research colleges–If your junior hasn’t started already, it’s time to get down and dirty and start researching colleges. Make a list of “have tos” and start there. Use sites like CollegeData.com to narrow down the choices and look at some of the statistics about each of the colleges that interest them.
  2. Visit campuses–Even if you haven’t tied down your choices, visit some college campuses. Spring is a great time to visit colleges, and if you can’t travel far, find one in your neck of the woods and check it out. You would be surprised at how visits tend to shape the choice.
  3. Take the SAT/ACT–Spring SAT and ACT tests are just around the corner. Register and take them now. If your student isn’t pleased with the scores, that will leave them time to study over the summer and retake them early in the fall before your student begins their college applications.
  4. Choose the right classes for next year–It’s time to start surveying the courses for next year. Encourage your student to take as many AP classes as they can handle and consider dual credit courses as well. College look positively on students who take strenuous course loads. And the added bonus it these classes can help your student get credit for college level courses—saving you tons of money in the long run.
  5. Search for scholarships–Junior year is the time to focus, focus, focus on scholarship searches. Most of the scholarship s for seniors already have applications available for next year. Budget some time each day for your student to do the searches, and it’s perfectly acceptable for you to help. Remember, however, to help motivate them to search when you have the money talk with them about college expenses and student debt.
  6. Connect with your high school counselor–The high school counselor will be responsible for some of the application process and you want them to know your student when they are sending letters of recommendation and transcripts to the colleges. I often say this and some counselors have disagreed, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil and your student needs to be squeaky to the point of annoyance.
  7. Keep your grades up–Junior year is the grades that EA and ED college choices will see when you apply. It’s the most important year for your student as far as grades are concerned. Waiting until senior year to buckle down will not have much effect on the GPA.
  8. Get organized–Organization is the key to surviving senior year communication and deadlines. Set aside a landing zone for college related work and information, create a college calendar, and get an email for college communication only (firstnamlastname@gmail.com).
  9. Attend information sessions when campuses send representatives–Colleges will send representatives to high schools during the spring to connect with students. Make sure your student stays in contact with the counselor so they will know when those sessions occur—and encourage them to attend.
  10. Stay involved–Whatever your student is doing now as far as extracurricular activities, don’t stop. Colleges like to see consistency and commitment. Giving up before senior year won’t paint a positive picture. It may be hard as the new school year begins, but it’s critical for the big picture.

Junior year is when parents start having conversations with their students about career goals, college choices, course choices and financing the college education. Start now and you won’t be caught overwhelmed when school begins in the fall.

admissions, Top 10

Top 10 Activities for Winter Break

 

winter breakThanksgiving is upon us and that means winter break is quickly approaching. Even though it may be just a few weeks, college-bound students should take advantage of their time and use it for some college prep activities. Seniors especially can’t afford to waste precious time with application deadlines approaching with the new year.

Here’s my top 10 activities for winter break:

1. Search for scholarships

No matter what grade your student is in, spending time on scholarship searches should be their top priority during winter break. Set aside just a few hours every day to research and hunt for them.

2. Read

Never stop reading. Get ahead of the recommended reading for the spring semester or read some books that you never seem to have time to read. Reading increases your vocabulary and improvers your comprehension skills which helps you on standardized tests.

3. Prepare for the FAFSA

If you’re student is a senior, this is the perfect time to prepare for the FAFSA that becomes available on January 1st for the upcoming fall semester. Remember: the early bird gets the worm and those who complete the FAFSA early are more likely to snag some of those merit aid scholarships and grant dollars.

4. Make an information gathering college visit

Winter break is a good time for college-bound teens to visit a college—any college. You can walk around campus and get a feel for what college life will be like. Since students will be on break as well, this visit should be for information gathering only.

5. Volunteer

The holidays are the perfect time to volunteer. There are many charities that need help and would be grateful for your help. Community service teaches you to care for others and give back to your community.

6. Work

Winter break is a great time to take on a part-time job and add some dollars to your college fund. Retail hires extensively during the holidays and often will let you work as many hours as you are available.

7. De-stress

With all the pressure at school and the pressure that revolves around the college search process, take some time to relax and unwind. Once you de-stress you will be refreshed and ready to get back at it the first of the year.

8. Cross of some items on your to-do list

You are bound to have a list of to-do items related to your college search and or applications. Spend some time during the break working on the list. The more you get done now, the less you will have to do when you return to school.

9. Spend (productive) time on social media

The key word here is “productive”. While you’re on Twitter and Facebook, do some scholarship searches and make some college contacts. Research college Facebook pages and Twitter accounts and while you’re at it sign up on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is now focusing on adding student profiles and it’s a great place to network and meet professionals affiliated with the colleges you are interested in attending.

10. Write in a journal

You’re going to be writing essays, thank you letters, and papers. Writing in a journal helps you improve your writing skills while writing your feelings and thoughts down on paper. Use these entries as essay topics for college and scholarship applications.

 

admissions, Top 10

Top 10 Ways to ruin your college admissions chances

 

college admissionsIt’s not a done deal until it’s a done deal. Your teen has work to do—their college applications. It’s a tough road and one that can be finalized with offers of admission or rejection letters. It’s not a task to be taken lightly and it will require all their hard work and stamina the beginning of their senior year. If done right and taken seriously, your teen’s hopes (and yours) will be realized.

But, if they commit the following fatal errors, their hopes could be dashed and offers of admission might be a pipedream.

1. Spout off on social media
A recent article in the NY Times, a student attended an information session with a college and began tweeting negatively using their hashtag. What happened? They ultimately didn’t offer her admission; not based on the twitter posts but based on the fact her application wasn’t up to their specifications. But if it had been, she would not have been offered admission. In  recent telephone survey by Kaplan Test Prep, of 381 college admissions officers who answered a telephone questionnaire this year, 31 percent said they had visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them — a five-percentage-point increase from last year. More crucially for those trying to get into college, 30 percent of the admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects.
2. Lie on your application
This should be a no-brainer but students in this competitive admission environment are tempted to say just about anything to pump up their resume for the application. Liars never win and if a college finds out you have lied on your application they will wonder if you will be dishonest academically.
3. Neglect standardized test prep
Less than 20% of students prepare for the SAT and/or ACT. You can move ahead of the crowd with just a little preparation. Standardized test scores weigh heavy in your application and stellar ones mean admission and scholarships.

4. Be frivolous about your grades
The GPA is a definitive part of the application. Not focusing on grades during high school and hoping to bring them up before your senior year can be costly. It starts your freshman year and builds up as the years go by. Once you enter your senior year, your GPA is set in stone and very little can be done to improve it.

5. Don’t devote time to your application essay
The application essay tells colleges who you are and why they should consider you for admission. If you don’t take the time to tell them about yourself they won’t have a reason to add you to their student body. It’s the one part of the application that you can make personal.

6. Don’t take the admissions interview seriously
Show in holey jeans and a dirty t-shirt and you might as well kiss that college goodbye. This is like a job interview. The impression you make will be implanted in their minds when they receive your application. Make it your best, not your worst.

7. Sit on your couch and do nothing
Offers of admission aren’t going to land in your lap. If you think once you become a senior you can just apply somewhere and get accepted, you’re wrong. There are thousands of other students who take the process seriously.
8. Skate through senior year after you’ve applied
It’s not uncommon for colleges to reject offers of admission after they receive your final transcript. Senioritis can’t hit a college applicant. Even after the application is complete and the acceptance letter has arrived, you need to remain focused academically.

9. Use a tasteless email address
Make a bad impression by emailing an admissions officer with tasteless email addresses. You know what they are. Use firstnamelastname@gmail.com. It’s easy for them to remember and it gives the impression that you are serious about the process.

10. Ignore deadlines
Late means late. There are no second chances. Miss a deadline and miss an opportunity. If you can’t follow instructions and meet the deadlines, how can you be expected to hand in your assignments on time in college? It’s simple math.

Bottom line—don’t let your student make these mistakes. It could mean living at home after graduation working at a minimum wage job while their friends head off to college. That should produce fear in the heart of any teenager!