Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Why go to college?

 

why go to collegeWith all the college prep advice, parents rarely ask the question: Should my kids go to college? Parents should never assume that college is the best path for every kid. Today I’m going to examine and discuss five good reasons to go to college.

College is an expensive and competitive undertaking. The decision to attend should be a thoughtful one. If your child is leaning toward higher education after high school, here are five good reasons to answer the question–Why go to college?

1. To get an education in a rigorous academic environment

College, like anything, is what you choose to get out of it. If you attend class, challenge yourself academically, and explore new interests it can be worthwhile. But, if you skip class, take easy courses, and skate by with the bare minimum of work, it’s not worth your while.

2. To prepare for a career and gain earning potential

A college degree today does not guarantee a job upon graduation. But with some research and proper planning, that degree can increase earning potential over a lifetime. The job market is highly competitive now and a degree in a career that is in high demand can set you apart from the pack. A new study recently released by the Pew Research Group, found those with a college degree now make $17,500 more per year than those without — a wage gap that’s doubled in recent decades. Those without a degree are four times more likely to be unemployed.

3. To pursue a passion

College is a good place to pursue an academic passion. If you know what excites you and know what needs to be done to achieve it, college can help you reach your goal. In this case, the college choice is even more important because you want to find a school that caters to your passion; be it acting, writing, art, politics or even social media.

4. To discover who you are and what you want in life

It may seem like college is an expensive way to find yourself. But coupled with the benefits of academics and experiences while attending, it’s an excellent place to explore interests and find what you want to do in life. Not every student knows when they enter college what they want to do, and for these students, it’s an opportunity to expand horizons and find their passion.

5. To develop a network of friends and contacts

After college, graduates will be entering the job market. The contacts and friends you meet while in college will offer you networking opportunities that will help you in your job search. Alumni, fellow students, and faculty can all help with professional contacts and job opportunities.

Any one of these is a good reason to go to college. But all five of them means your student is ready to take the plunge into the college world

Uncategorized

Scholarship Friday: Minority Scholarships

 

minority scholarshipsYour cultural heritage, your sex, and your sexual orientation could end up paying for your college education. There are scholarships and grants that are reserved for specific minority groups. You don’t need to be a first generation immigrant to qualify for these scholarships; you just have to prove that you are indeed a member of the minority to qualify for the awards.

Some minority groups that receive scholarships for college include:

  • African American
  • Hispanic
  • Native American
  • Asian
  • Women
  • Multi-racial or multicultural
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT)

If you are a member of a minority group, work with the financial aid professionals at your school, to ensure your minority scholarship search is exhaustive. Talk to your counselor and ask her if she knows of any scholarships that might be available locally for your specific minority. Individual minority scholarship awards range from a few-hundred to several-thousand dollars annually.

For an exhaustive list of minority scholarships with links to their applications, you can visit CollegeScholarships.org.

parenting, Uncategorized, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: When Just Say NO Is Not Enough

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just say noIf you or your child has been in the public school system in the last 30 years you’re familiar with the phrase–just say no. From first grade on, those words have been pounded into the heads of kids giving them an answer to anyone who offers them drugs or any other form of abuse. It’s not the answer sometimes that’s important, as much as the attitude behind the response.

Research shows that kids who have a good relationship with their parents are less likely to pursue a life of abuse. The drug awareness programs give parents some guidelines they say will help. They instruct parents to do several things and lead us to believe that if we follow those rules, our kids are less likely to succumb to peer pressure.

Their suggestions have merit. But the bottom line is that most kids, no matter how strong they appear or how great their relationship is with their parents, are going to find themselves in a situation where just saying “no” is not enough. Just saying “no” will be met with teasing, pressure, and even ridicule. It’s your job as a parent to prepare them for that moment.

Educate your kids about abuse.

You should be the one to give your kids all the information they receive about the consequences of drug use. Don’t use scare tactics. That never works. There’s not one kid alive who actually believes that if he tries a drug once, it will kill him; although, it can and has in many instances. They see themselves as invincible. Give them facts. If you’ve done your job and they trust you, they will listen and when the time comes, remember what you’ve said.

Prepare them for the worst case scenario.

Tell them it’s going to happen. Give them some suggestions on how to handle the situation. Assure them that no matter what happens, you will be there for them. You want them to tell you everything; no matter what decision they choose to make. Let them know they can call you, anytime, day or night, to come and rescue them and you will be there in a heartbeat.

Keep the lines of communication open.

Make sure your kids know they can tell you anything, and they won’t be judged. Kids tend to keep things from their parents; that’s just part of being a kid. Let them know that, no matter what they do, you will love them. You may not love their behavior, but everyone makes mistakes. Everyone messes up and does things they are ashamed of. Make it easy for them to tell you about those bad choices, so you can help them make the right ones the next time.

Before they leave for college have a conversation.

Your kids have listened to everything you have told them over the years. But this is a time to remind them that they have options. Talk about the drinking culture on campus. Discuss the “hooking up” culture and sexual abuse. Bring up the subject of drug abuse. You may need to do a little research before you tackle this conversation because your kids are aware, or have been confronted, with abuse throughout high school.

What do you do if the worst happens?

Consider this scenario and prepare yourself for a response. Your daughter goes to a fraternity party. It goes without saying that there is going to be underage drinking and drug use. (If you don’t face this fact, you are in denial). Someone brings Ecstasy to the party and is passing it out freely. If you’ve done your job as a parent, she knows what Ecstasy does to her brain and how it affects her body. The girl that’s willing to share is her best friend. She tells her that it’s supposed to make you feel “all warm inside” and tells her no one will know. She tells her that by the time she gets home, the high will have worn off and if she doesn’t like it, she doesn’t ever have to do it again. She reminds her that you can’t judge if you haven’t tried it. So against all the knowledge you’ve given her about the effects of drugs, she takes the pill. Then, in a conversation about college and how she’s doing, she tells you what she did.

Be prepared for a response. Just saying “no”, wasn’t enough. She’s going to need an understanding parent who doesn’t judge, but reminds her there are consequences to every decision. This is an opportunity for a life lesson. You may not be able to be with her 24/7 but your words will be. The next time, she will hopefully think twice about making such a dangerous decision.

For more parenting tips, read Wendy’s blog: 7 Deadly Sins, Teen Style
mom approved tips, parenting, Uncategorized

Mom-Approved Tips: Teach Your Kids the Value of Money

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money

Before you send your kids 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 kids 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.

My parents never taught me these lessons and I wish they had. I never did chores, had to save for anything I wanted, or learned how to use credit wisely. I have to admit I didn’t do the best in this area of parenting either. But I have learned over the years that if you neglect these lessons, your kids will suffer.

Following are just a few tips to help you teach your kids the value of money:

Establish chores

You can get them accustomed to chores at an early age, providing an allowance based on their age and the amount of chores they do. They should know how to do their own laundry, clean bathrooms, and cook meals. Not only will you be teaching them that hard work produces reward, but these skills will serve them well when they are living on their own.

Teach them to earn what they want

If a child works to earn something, they value it more. If you want to buy them a car, purchase a used one that needs repair and teach them to work on the repairs themselves. If they want a large ticket item, encourage them to get a part-time job and earn the money to pay for it. Save the gifts for Christmas and birthdays. Once they learn this simple truth, it will be much easier to explain to them that you expect them to contribute financially to their college education.

Explain the difference between wants and needs

This is a valuable lesson they will carry with them into adulthood. Today’s kids are accustomed to instant gratification; but saving for something teaches them that just because they want something, it doesn’t mean they need it. If they are committed to save for it, they will re-examine whether or not they truly need it. When they are away at college, this will be the first question they ask themselves before pulling out an easily obtained credit card.

Encourage giving

Giving to others will show kids how to bless others when they are blessed. Finding people in need will give than an appreciation for their own blessings and cause them to re-evaluate those “things” that they find so important in lieu of saving to help others.

Teach them to save

Putting money away in a piggy bank or savings account teaches them to save for future purchases. When they learn this, you are teaching them to plan for the future and this should follow them into adulthood.

Always remember that kids mirror their parents’ behaviors. If they see you frivolously spending and raking up credit card debt, they will follow your example when they go off to college.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships, Uncategorized

Scholarship Friday: Scholarships You Will Love

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scholarships you love
photo courtesy of Zinch

Roses are red,

Violets are blue

Check out these scholarships

And snag some college funds too!

Zinch gathered together a short list of scholarships with deadlines in February and March. Sign up for an account and you can access all the pertinent scholarship information and apply through their site. And here’s a plus–if you win the scholarship Zinch will match your award up to $1000. I can’t think of a better reason to use their scholarship match and application service.

Check out Zinch’s list of Scholarships You’re Sure to Love

parenting, Uncategorized, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: These Tactics Won’t Spur Action

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college prep actionI tell so many people I work best under pressure. It’s not an excuse; it’s a fact. As you can imagine though, it’s stressful. Chasing deadlines may work when you’re self-employed, but it’s not a habit you want your college-bound teen to adopt. Every teen, unfortunately, procrastinates. It’s a part of their nature; and the college prep process on top of other life activities lends itself to procrastination.

Knowing that all teens (and some parents) procrastinate, what should you avoid when trying to motivate them to action during the college prep process.

Don’t be a bad example

We all know that our kids mirror us and our actions. If you college-bound teen sees you putting things off, procrastinating on tasks, and ignoring things that need to be done, why should they take action themselves? If you want you teen to tackle tasks as they become available and submit applications and forms before the deadline, model that behavior.

Don’t be a nag

Nagging never works with a teenager (and rarely works with a spouse). At some point they learn to tune you out. By the time they become teenagers all they hear is “blah, blah, blah”.

Don’t do it for them

Many parents get so tired of begging and nagging, that they opt to do it themselves. They complete the applications, write the essays, answer emails and take care of all the college related tasks. Yes, it happens; and colleges know when a parent is “helping” with the process.

Don’t lay on the guilt

Every parent uses the guilt tactic. Guilt will do more damage than motivate. If your teen begins to feel that they can never please you, it affects their self esteem. And they will stop trying because they feel whatever they do it’s not enough to please you.

Don’t jam it down their throat

There is a fine line between helping and encouraging and forcing your teen to do things. If your teen is not exhibiting any interest in test prep, college searches, scholarship searches and applications, perhaps there is a reason that needs to be addressed. Forcing them to write an essay will not produce a successful result. Making them apply to college when they don’t want to go will only cause bigger problems in the future.

You know your teen and you know what motivates them. Don’t use these tactics that rarely produce effective results.

Conversely, read Wendy’s blog on what you CAN do to motivate them to action.

 

college visits, how to, Uncategorized

How to Demonstrate Interest in a College

 

demonstrate interestBelieve it or not colleges want to know you are interested in attending. This interest will have an effect on their offers of admission. If they give you a coveted “accepted” slot, it only makes sense that those slots will go to the students who demonstrate interest. They are selling a service and they want interested customers, not casual shoppers.

Even if you can’t visit campus due to travel restraints, don’t despair. There are other ways you can demonstrate interest in a college.

Scheduled High School Visits

Colleges visit high schools. The ones in your area or state will be more likely to visit and connect with students and if you’re interested, this is an excellent place to meet the college representatives. It’s the old “put a face to a name” philosophy that works to your advantage when they are sifting through application packets.

College Fairs

Most cities have college fairs where colleges send their representatives to connect with students. Don’t just walk by the tables and collect their brochures and booklets. Speak with someone and fill out a card with your information. They see thousands of students during this fair and this face to face opportunity should not be neglected.

If you don’t have a college fair close by, consider attending CollegeWeekLive’s college fairs. These fairs are conducted entirely online and attended by college representatives. You can connect using your computer’s webcam and ask any questions you might have. It’s the next best thing to a local college fair.

Campus Visits

There is no better place to connect than during a campus visit. Make it official by signing up for a tour on the college’s website. Once you’re there, schedule an interview with an admissions officer and a financial aid officer. Talk to them about your interest in their college and ask any questions you might have at the time.

Social Media

Social media makes it easier than ever to connect with colleges and their representatives. You can follow them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, connect with them on LinkedIn, and follow their Pinterest and Instagram accounts. Demonstrate genuine interest and contribute to the conversations; but don’t flood their accounts with replies and questions. In this case, less is more.

When application decision time rolls around you should have established yourself as an interested candidate. College admissions officers should be able to look at their records and see that you demonstrated interest. Some will remember your face, look back on your interview and be able to recall any conversations they had with you during the  admissions process. You will trump anyone who hasn’t expressed interest and was simply a casual shopper.

study tools, Uncategorized

Flashcards: An Effective Study Tool

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flashcardsStudents are always looking for more effective ways to study and parents want to help when possible. Two students, Michael Bollinger and Max Holnaicher “are using technology to take an age-old learning method – flashcards — and bring it into the 21st century,” says Microsoft’s dailyedventures.com. With SAT and ACT tests approaching, CardKiwi.com flashcards could be a valuable resource when used to study vocabulary and math formulas.

FreeTech4Teachers.com : “Card Kiwi is a flashcard service whose appeal is its simplicity. Flashcards on Card Kiwi are text only. As you flip through your flashcards you rate your understanding by simply clicking thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs sideways. Card Kiwi will show you the cards that you rate with a thumbs down or thumbs sideways more often than the others until you’re using the thumbs up on every card in your set.”

“Spaced repetition works, increasing knowledge retention by up to 50 %,” says B. Price Kerfoot, an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. What are the advantages of spaced repetition? “In fact, in one memory study, students who used spaced repetition learning techniques were found to have outperformed other students in over 95% of cases (Cepeda et al, 2008).“

To summarize: using cardkiwi students will save time (they can share the work of creating flashcards with their friends) and significantly improve their recall rates. The application is so simple to use, they even have kids in grade 2 using it.

Watch this simple video that explains how it works and your student can join for FREE and begin using it immediately.

parenting, Uncategorized

Wednesday’s Parent: Are You a Control Freak?

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Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

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!

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.

__________________________________

control freakAre you a control freak? I am. And there are times when it’s not pretty, especially where my kids are concerned. That tendency was no more apparent than when we were in the midst of college prep. I learned quickly, however, that my tendency to be in control of the process made my kids pull back and sit on the sidelines while I did all the work.

As a parent, it’s hard not to take control, especially if we have opinions and concerns about the choices they are making. But before you are labeled by your kids and their friends as “THAT” mom or dad, take a deep breath, and ask yourself these questions.

Do you want the added drama?

Teenagers are the epitome of drama. Controlling their campus visits, their college interviews, the counselor meetings and every other activity related to the college process is going to add to the drama. High school is not supposed to be a continuous battle and you can’t enjoy this time if you are battling over control.

Do you want your kids to second guess every decision they make?

Controlling parents raise insecure kids. Your kids need to know that you trust them and stand with them in their decisions. It’s a given they will make some bad ones, but that’s the way they learn about choices and consequences. They will make mistakes but fearing failure because they have a controlling parent will cripple them.

Do you want to raise a dependent adult?

If you control every decision, every choice and everything they do, they are going to have a hard time living on their own. You will begin to notice that they can’t make a move without you and your approval. It’s not an ideal situation, especially when they leave for college. Expect a call early during their first semester asking to come home.

Do you want your kid’s accomplishments to be their own and not yours?

It starts with doing homework for them when they don’t understand and moves on to completing their science projects. Before you know it you’re picking the college they will attend and completing their college application. Their accomplishments become clouded by the fact that they did nothing on their own.

You can avoid being a control freak by practicing these parenting techniques:

  • Teach them responsibility.
  • Help them with organization.
  • Guide them when making decisions.
  • Remember you are raising an independent adult.
  • Let them fail and help them learn from their mistakes.

It seems simple but the very nature of parenting makes it difficult to reign in the control monster, especially when they are making life-changing decisions. But you can do it if you never forget that since they took their first breath, they have been moving toward independence. They may have grown up too fast but you can’t stop the process, only hinder it. Don’t be a control freak.

For some more tips on how to stop controlling your teens, check out Wendy’s blog

financial aid, Uncategorized

An In-Depth Look at the FAFSA

 

fafsa filing
Photo courtesy of Zinch.com

Yes. It’s that time in the college prep process–FAFSA time! If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that you can’t ignore the FAFSA, there are good reasons to file, and who fills out the FAFSA. As far as I’m concerned, your application is not complete without this financial aid form.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) became publicly available January 1st. For those new to the process, it is an annual form that is completed by current and prospective college students to determine eligibility for federal financial aid.

While filing your FAFSA is considered the Step #1 for those in need of financial aid, it can often seem like an intimidating task to undertake.  One of the biggest hurdles to approaching this form is understanding what materials are needed beforehand to prepare for filing.

Taking a deeper look, Zinch gives a list of the absolute must-haves to file the FAFSA.