Category Archives: Zinch posts

admissions, Zinch posts

Making the Final College Decision

 

college decision
photo from Zinch at MoreThanATestScore.com

May is quickly approaching. In just 20 short days your student will be required to choose which college they will be attending. For many, the choice is easy–they received an offer of admission from their first choice college. Or is it? Are there things you should consider? And what if your student didn’t receive an offer of admission from her first choice college? What are her options? How can she choose the right school for her and be happy? And here’s a kicker–what if she received an offer of admission to her dream college, but the money to pay for it just isn’t there?

All these questions, and more are answered in an article I wrote for Zinch about weighing your college options before making your final college decision. Following are the topics covered:

    1. Compare the financial differences
    2. Discuss the decision with others
    3. Ask questions
    4. Consider factors unrelated to the education
    5. Delve further into academics
    6. Explore the campus
    7. Make a pro/con list

The college your student attends is an important decision. Before you mail off that card to a college or accept online, you should weigh your options.

Read all the tips in Zinch’s article:

Weighing Your College Options

 

admissions, financial aid, Zinch posts

College Decisions To-Do List

 

college decisions
-photo courtesy of Zinch

For seniors, the New Year brings those long-awaited college decisions: deferred, accepted, rejected, and wait listed. One knowledgeable college counselor once told me, “I don’t like to call these letters of acceptance. I use the term—offers of admission.”

As a parent, I like that distinction. This alternative wording makes it easier to stomach those not-so-pleasant responses and help your college-bound teen work through the gamut of emotions that come when decisions arrive.

Your student may be the one receiving these communications from the colleges, but you feel every emotion they do from failure to excitement and everything in between. But unless you understand what each term means, it’s hard to know how to help your student (and yourself) with appropriate responses and proper action.

When the letters from the colleges (or online notifications) arrive, your student will receive one of four responses: deferred, wait-listed, rejected (declined admission) or accepted (offered admission). Once you understand these terms, you can determine what your response should be and how you need to take action.

Read more from Zinch: You’ve Heard from the Colleges–Now What?

college planning, parenting, Zinch posts

Back to School mistakes you should avoid

 

back to schoolBack to school brings excitement and anticipation for most students. But this is a new year and a new environment with new challenges. This can lead to frustration and apathy after a few weeks of classes, homework and tests. The last thing your student needs is to start the year off in a slump. The first few weeks set the tone for the entire school year, which makes it important to avoid some common back to school  mistakes.

Procrastination is certainly at the top of the list: putting off homework, waiting until the last minute, and neglecting to stay on top of deadlines. Students who find themselves buried in homework sometimes throw up their hands in frustration and don’t do it. New schedules, new campuses, new classrooms and new teachers can raise your student’s frustration level.

Avoiding these back to school mistakes can start the year off on a positive note and help your student focus on what’s important: academics and the college prep process.

Hop on over to Zinch’s high school blog to see a comprehensive list of the biggest back to school mistakes you must avoid.