Are you in the process of preparing your student for year one of college? This is an exacting time but it’s also important to ensure that you do take the right steps here. That way, you can guarantee that your student thrives and is able to maximize their potential during this critical first year.
Continue reading 6 Things Your Student Needs in College
I’m somewhat sentimental about these posts. I shared them with Wendy David-Gaines each week, but this past year, Wendy lost her battle with ovarian cancer. She was not only “college smart” but had a tremendous sense of humor. She was positive, energetic, and saw life as an exciting journey. I miss these collaborations and I miss her wit and wisdom.
These five posts are the “best of the best” and offer parents some top-notch tips college prep tips.
Wednesday’s Parent: Scholarships With Strings Attached
Everyone knows that you must do something to win a scholarship: write an essay, complete an application, or simply enter. Scholarships won’t give you money for nothing. Some scholarship sponsors ask for more, and these are scholarships with strings attached to the award.
Wednesday’s Parent: College Prep Peer Pressure
Last month, I was speaking with an interviewer about college prep peer pressure in the context of how it relates to the stress factor. Parents need to factor in peer pressure when they think about how your student will react to it, how it will affect his college choice, and how the stress surrounding it can affect his emotional health.
Wednesday’s Parent: Talking to Your Kids About Financing College
As their parent, it’s up to you to make sure they don’t fall prey to debt that they cannot repay after graduation. Before they ever accept an offer of admission, you need to talk to them about financing college. In my Parents Countdown to College Crash Course I call it “the money talk”.
Wednesday’s Parent: 6 Emotional College Prep Tasks
It’s no surprise the middle name of college-bound teens is “stress”. According to a recent survey, 76 percent of college-bound students say they are stressed. If you live with one, you’re stressed too; and not just you, but your family as well. Granted, there are plenty of reasons to be stressed. And plenty of reasons why it’s impossible to avoid feeling stress (try as you might). Add to the stress emotional teenagers and parents and you have volatile home environment.
Wednesday’s Parent: Cultivate the Counselor Relationship
You would be surprised at the amount of material that comes across your high school counselor’s desk: from scholarship opportunities, to college admissions counselor recommendation requests, to leadership positions, to volunteer opportunities. Making friends with your counselor may well be the most important and valuable relationship your teen cultivates during high school.
My heart is heavy today because we have lost a colleague and a friend, Wendy David-Gaines. She passed away yesterday after a long, hard-fought battle with ovarian cancer. She helped thousands of parents face life before and after college with her book, Parents of College Students Survival Stories. She and I collaborated each week on Wednesday’s Parent, giving advice for parents from two different perspectives. We co-hosted one week a month on #CampusChat sharing advice and helping parents.
She gave her time, her advice, her talent and for me, her friendship. She was a true parent advocate. She helped countless parents on Twitter and Facebook deal with college-related problems with little or no reward for her expertise.
Wendy would never say she was a victim of ovarian cancer and never craved the spotlight. She was an advocate for early detection, a fighter who searched for anything and everything that might help her overcome this disease, and someone who valued life and her family above all else. She will be missed.
If you are so inclined, please give to this worthwhile cause and leave a comment if you were a “cyber” friend of Wendy or she was of help to you along your college journey. I’m sure her family would love to know how she touched your life.
In my book, anything that saves you money on college is a good investment of your student’s time and your financial resources. Dual enrollment can not only prepare your student for college level courses, but can save you money on college. These courses are offered in conjunction with local colleges and students can take both high school courses and college courses at the same time.
According to Wendy David-Gaines, the Long Island College Prep Examiner and POCSMom, dual enrollment courses offer huge benefits:
Taking these rigorous classes when students do well can demonstrate students are college-ready, making them more attractive applicants for admission. How well the concept of dual enrollment works to cut costs and time to college completion depends on if these credits will be credited toward a college degree.
According to the College Board, the average cost of college tuition is as follows:
| Type of College | Average Published Yearly Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|
| Public Two-Year College (in-district students) | $3,347 |
| Public Four-Year College (in-state students) | $9,139 |
| Public Four-Year College (out-of-state students) | $22,958 |
| Private Four-Year College | $31,231 |
Breaking that down:
These numbers are based on published tuition costs, not what students actually end up paying out of their own pockets. There can be a big difference between those two numbers, thanks to financial aid.
But she also points out the pitfalls:
The pitfall is not all colleges accept credits earned at other schools. Students should check with schools on their college list to find out if any credits earned in high school will be accepted.
As you can see, enrolling in these courses in high school, can net substantial savings when paying for college. But before your student considers these courses, investigate the colleges that interest them and verify they accept these courses as college credit.
With all the news about students graduating without job prospects, parents and students are researching alternatives to traditional higher education. One alternative is a career college. What would that look like? It would be a college that focuses on the career along with the degree–a career focused college.
One such college is Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This college marries a liberal arts education with preparing students for a career after graduation by providing hands on career experience while attending. Students learn to weld, work on airplanes, construct houses, work on automobiles, and much more. Each career path offers a balance between education and career preparation. For more information on Penn College, check out my series: Degrees That Work on my blog.
Another college would be Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Northeastern offers a Co-op program: an educational program in which you alternate semesters of academic study with semesters of full-time employment in positions related to your academic and/or career interests in the U.S. or globally. Northeastern explains, “We do this through our experiential learning model which is, simply put, learning by doing. While experiential learning can and does happen in classroom, lab and studio situations, it is much more powerful and robust when students have opportunities to use their knowledge and practice their skills in authentic, real-world situations”.
When searching for colleges, consider a career focused college that focus on preparing students for careers after graduation.
Read Wendy’s post: College and Career Game Plan
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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.
When I was a young parent, my mother gave me some very wise advice: “pick your battles”. It began with my toddlers and ended up being the best advice she ever gave me with my teenagers. Did we butt heads over hair? No. Did I fight with them over clothing choices? Rarely. Did we argue over college selection? Sometimes. But, for the most part, the college process requires parents to listen, bite your tongue, and pick your college prep battles.
Long Island College Prep Examiner and POCSMom, Wendy David-Gaines drives home the issue when she cites a Beloit College 2019 Mindset List:
The 2019 List findings are based on the experiences of students who are heading into their first year of college this fall. It shows those in high school share more in common with the 18-year-olds who were born in 1997 than their parents. For example, it notes that these millennials never knew a world without Google, only know Ellis Island as being primarily in New Jersey, and never have licked a postage stamp. As parents span part of two centuries of living history, teens only remember the 21st filled with Harry Potter and wifi, but not Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.
The college process is full of stress-inducing moments stemming from an overloaded schedule, new tasks, looming deadlines, and important decisions. Which college, what to study, and how best to prepare are often at the front of the college prep battle line. It’s difficult for parents and students to be on the same page when their points of view develop from different backgrounds. With insight based on the past, families can focus on keeping communication flowing and finding common ground.
Parents would be wise to consider their student’s mindset and use that knowledge when communicating with them about college prep. Times have certainly changed since you applied to college and your student may not have the same ideas as you do about college choices. Keep an open mind and choose which battles are important and which battles should be avoided.
For more tips on picking your battles, read Wendy’s post: Parents, pick your college prep battles
Marketing your student to colleges is more than a list of activities and accomplishments on a high school resume. As I have noted previously, colleges look for consistency in extracurriculars. They also look for students who stand out on their college application. The best way to stand out is to take a soft skill (something your student is good at), and translate it into expertise.
According to Wendy David-Gaines, Long Island College Prep Examiner and POCSMom, students can use those skills to demonstrate expert ability, even though they might see those skills as hobbies or interests. Once those skills are identified, it’s time to show expert knowledge:
To show off expert knowledge, write a blog with tips, photos and/or videos. Tutor someone, teach a class at a local library, or organize a club event. Contact the local newspaper for coverage featuring a volunteer project, art showing at a local museum, free performance at a school, child care or senior center.
Becoming an expert will make your student stand out in college applications, scholarship applications and eventually in the job market. It’s all about the marketing and giving colleges, scholarship judges, and employers something that makes your student stand out among a sea of applicants.
For more ideas and information on how to take a soft skill and turn it into expertise, read Wendy’s post:
I often told my kids, “I work best under pressure”. It was merely my excuse for procrastination: an unhealthy habit that plagues me to this day. I may work best when I know a deadline is approaching, but waiting until the last minute causes untold stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, both my children have adopted that philosophy and it has followed them through school and into adulthood. It’s something I wish I had never taught them.
What is the solution to avoid procrastination in school and in life? Organization.
With college prep, it’s all about the deadlines. Deadlines are a procrastinator’s downfall. Waiting until the last minute to find the form that needs to be in by midnight, or registering for the standardized test late, can add stress to an already stressful situation.
According to Wendy David-Gaines, POCSMom and Long Island College Prep Examiner, starting the year off right with an organization goal is key:
Parents and students can join together to avoid tarnishing the fresh start transition offers. They can begin with the soft skill of organization. It will be easier to prioritize, keep track, and follow through with their to-do list.
Read Wendy’s “lightbulb” moment post and start the year off right–procrastinate no more!
The skill to set up your fresh start for success
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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.
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.
School has started for most high school students and for their parents. Yes, I said parents too. They go back to school and we become chauffeurs, coaches, ports in the storm, listening ears and punching bags. College prep adds a whole new level of frustration and stress to the four high school years. A typical day in the life of a college-bound parent might include:
Every parent knows the importance of standardized tests. Most students revolt when it comes to studying for them. It’s a daily battle trying to get them to study or even look at vocabulary words. Those that do, reap the rewards. Those that don’t, settle for average scores. The hard part of this parenting issue is to find a motivation and use it.
This will happen; more times than you care to count. With so many activities, responsibilities and deadlines related to college admissions, things are bound to fall through the cracks. Don’t always rescue them. Find a reminder system that works: text messaging, shared calendar apps, or a huge wall calendar in a place in the house that everyone can see.
Battles will ensue. Doors will slam. Words will fly. You will find yourself looking forward to the day when none of these things are a part of your life. It might be only for an instant, but it will happen.
Just as quickly as you wish they were gone, you will dread the day you drop them off for college. You can’t prepare for that moment, but you can cherish every moment of their high school years; even the bad ones. Once they leave, the house will be quiet again and you will miss those slamming doors.
During all four years of high school, scholarship searching should be a part of your student’s life. It’s boring, monotonous and not fun. It ranks right up there with studying and they will avoid it like the plague. The only way you can motivate them is to make them understand that scholarship searching is related to being able to attend college. Money = opportunity and their job while in high school is to search for scholarships.
This is not an adequate filing system for college material. This is the way important papers are lost and deadlines are missed. At the start of high school, establish a “college landing zone” for everything college related. Once your student knows to make this a priority, you should be able to minimize those treasure hunts.
Stress will be your middle name for the next four years. You can minimize the stress by staying organized, planning ahead, and communicating with one another.
Questions will arise during college prep and you will need answers. Lucky for you, there are many experts willing to help. Look on social media, ask your high school counselor or even hire and independent counselor. Tonight’s Back-to-School panel on #CampusChat should answer some of your questions and if you have more, contact the experts on Twitter after the chat. They will be happy to help.
This last one came from one of my readers (thanks Renee!)
Does your son need to retake a class? Does your daughter need an additional math class? Don’t rely on counselors to keep track of your child’s progress. Parents and students have to monitor their own progress toward college and not be afraid to ask questions and request changes when things don’t look right.
Read Wendy’s post: College Prep Back to School Tips
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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 that tonight Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. Our Back-to-School Panel of experts will be giving tips to parents about all phases of college prep.
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.
The new school year is beginning and high school seniors will be making that difficult choice: choosing a college. It’s certainly a process of eliminating the unaffordable ones, the ones that are either too far away or too close to home, and the ones that simply don’t interest your student. But before applying to college, there is a #1 question you should ask your student.
What is the first question you ask your student before he applies to college? Here are a few standard inquiries:
and the ever popular, What do you want to be?
But are these the best questions to ask when applying to college? Should your student be thinking beyond the obvious and delve deeper into what they expect to get from their education?
So many students enter college without a goal or purpose. This can end up costing parents money and added years of college attendance. You can’t, of course, expect every 18-year old to know what they want to do after graduation, but you can guide them on the right path.
POCSMom and Long Island College Prep Examiner Wendy David-Gaines sheds some insight into the question you SHOULD be asking your college bound student. Once you read it, you will say DUH! It makes perfect sense!
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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.
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.