admissions, college guidance, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 Tips to help with application stress

October 23, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

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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!

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.

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5 Tips to Help with Application Stress

A study conducted in 2010 of high school and college students found that “five times as many high school and college students are dealing with anxiety as youth of the same age who were studied in the Great Depression era. Students themselves point to everything from pressure to succeed — self-imposed and otherwise — to a fast-paced world that’s only sped up by the technology they love so much.”

If they were to do the same study today, I would imagine they would find the level of stress and pressure students feel has escalated. There is no greater stress than application stress. Every component breeds stress: standardized tests, GPAs, the essay, and even the recommendation letters. It’s no wonder students are feeling the stress when they start the application process.

As a parent, it’s difficult for you to watch the stress levels increase as it gets closer to application time. And when stress levels increase with your student, the family stress goes up as well.

Following are 5 tips to help with application stress:

Preparation prevents panic

I used to tell my kids that I worked best under pressure. It may be true but with the pressure came added stress. As with any task, preparation removes the stress and allows you and your student to avoid the panic that ensues and causes stress.

Get help before you need it

Before senior year, do your research. If you find there are some questions that you need answered or some help with the overwhelming amount of components in the application, get help. Help is available online and a good bit of it is either free or at a minimal cost. There are also other parents who are going through this or have been through it before and are willing to help. Ask for help–don’t flounder around when help is available.

Stay organized

Organization is key when tackling the college application. Look at the college sites and the Common App site for a list of application components. Gather all the necessary documents before starting and keep them in one place (either on the computer or in a folder). Use calendars, to-do lists, and emails to keep all the documents organized. Once your student starts with the application they should be able to complete it easily.

Continue reading Wednesday’s Parent: 5 Tips to help with application stress →

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PrepTalk for students and parents

October 22, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 4 Comments

In today’s world of technology, it’s much easier to connect with colleges and other students. It doesn’t require a plane ride or a car trip to talk with college representatives. Imagine being able to interview before the college visit. Imagine having a college available to ask a question, verify receipt of documents and connect about financial aid.

In a nutshell, PrepTalk has created a virtual, 2-way webcasting platform designed to connect college representatives with prospective students and parents.

For students/parents: One of the most influential factors when determining where to attend college is a live conversation with a college representative. Unfortunately, due to time and budget constraints, a college is only able to visit an average of 500 of the 27,000 high schools in the United States. These high school visits often take place during school hours, making it difficult for parents to be involved. The PrepTalk platform allows colleges to expand their reach by offering virtual, informational webcasts targeted at students and their parents. It also allows colleges to interact with prospective students on a one-one basis, for mentoring and support through the application process.

For colleges: Through the platform, colleges will have the ability to broadcast information about their college, and students will be able to ask questions and interact directly with the college in a live setting. Colleges now have a new tool to interact with prospective students and their parents prior to applications being submitted, and can monitor a student’s level of interaction and interest in a college. The platform allows colleges to educate students that they might not discover otherwise due to budget or accessibility constraints.

Signing up is easy. You can use your Facebook profile or sign up for PrepTalk using an email address. Once you’ve signed up following are the pages you can explore. Take it out for a test drive!

Continue reading PrepTalk for students and parents →

mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: 6 Stressful College Tasks (and how to keep from freaking out)

October 21, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 3 Comments

stress 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).

Following are 6 stressful college tasks and how to keep from freaking out. Yes, freaking out.

The Grades

Grades mean everything. Your student’s GPA is one of the most important components of the college application (if not THE most important). It’s understandable that your kid will stress over receiving B’s instead of A’s on their papers. They know that the college they want to attend looks at grades, classes, and GPA’s carefully before making an offer of admission.

What can you do? Create a positive study environment and don’t add to the pressure. If you see them struggling, get help. Let them know that all you expect from them is they do their best, nothing more.

The College Visits

Any parent who has been on a college visit with their teen will attest to the emotional roller coaster that often ensues. Your kid may balk at the thought of getting out of the car, cringe at the fact that his/her parents are there along with them, and freak knowing they have an interview scheduled.

What can you do? Take a chill pill before you head out and remember your kid is most likely terrified. This is a huge step for them and emotions are going to play a big part in the visits, even though you might see it as a critical step in the plan. Give them the freedom to express those emotions.

The Standardized Tests

Testing in itself is stressful. But standardized tests are incredibly stressful. It’s a timed test that affects the outcome of offers of admission. Scores are compared with other students and some consider them to be bragging material. A low score means less options for college; a high score opens more doors.

What can you do? Under no circumstances should you nag your student about studying. Help them study. Encourage them to study. Provide tutoring. If the pressure is off, they will do better on the tests. Too much pressure (especially from parents) with students who are stressed already, will affect their ability to focus and relax on test day.

The College Choices

Making decisions is stressful without the added pressure of the impact of this one decision on your kid’s future. They may act calm, cool and collected, but they feel the pressure to make the right college choices. The schools they choose will be evaluating them on their merit and overall success academically.

What can you do? Let them make their own choices. Guide but do not put your foot down and tell them they can only attend your alma mater or a college close to home. They need to make the choice themselves because they will be attending the college for the next four years. If they don’t like it, they won’t be happy and stay when struggles come.

The Money

Money concerns always produce mounds of stress. With the economy in disarray, that stress is compounded when families are trying to pay for college. When deciding on college choices, money should always be a factor. If your student knows what you can afford to contribute and what is expected of them, the stress will be minimal. Keep them in the dark and there could be added stress and disappointment when they apply to a school that is not financially doable.

According to The Princeton Review’s 2013 “College Hopes & Worries Survey”—an annual poll of college applicants and parents of applicants—stress levels are up while cost remains a driving factor in college selection. In fact, 79 percent said the state of the economy has affected their decisions about college—up 4 percent from 2012.

What can you do? Make time to talk about money with your kid. Hoping your student will get a full ride scholarship is not realistic. You need to plan for the worst (little or no aid) and hope for the best (multiple scholarships and merit aid). If the college choices fall into your family’s ability to pay, when the financial aid award arrives it will be a much more pleasant experience. Especially if lack of money to pay does not affect the final decision.

The Waiting

This is probably the most stressful time in your kid’s life, which means it is stressful for the parents as well. One student puts it simply:

Because as decision day draws closer, and the (rather strong) possibility of rejection becomes more and more pronounced, I can’t help but think that my process, that my life, is entirely out of my hands. I know it’s irrational — I know that I’m still the one who will make the ultimate decision, that I’m the one who will decide what my future holds. But that’s my point — I’m not rational anymore. I’m just afraid.

What can you do? Celebrate the accomplishment of applying and provide distractions during the months of waiting. Reiterate that you will be proud of them and no matter what the outcome it’s not the end of the world. Rejection is tough on these teens, but strong parent support can help them see that there are always options available and sometimes disappointments turn into blessings.

The ultimate goal is to have a stress free household and to avoid freaking out. This is probably impossible but keeping the “freaking” to a minimum will help your student reduce their stress. Stay calm and breathe. It will all be over soon.

giveaways

Saturday Giveaway: Parents Countdown to College Crash Course

October 19, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

With competition for college becoming more intense and the college admissions officers looking at each application and analyzing its merits, it makes sense to give your college-bound teen Parents Countdown to College Crash Course ($147 value) to one lucky parent.

I created the Parents Countdown to College Crash Course because:

College admissions is becoming increasingly competitive
By college’s own admission, the process is entirely subjective
If you wait until senior year, you will in panic mode
Your teen is just one in thousands of college applicants
Without help, you will get lost in the college maze
School counselors simply don’t have the time to advise

What you can expect from my Parents Countdown to College Crash Course:

A step by step guide through the college admissions process—walking you through the process in a way that every parent can understand
Supportive templates and worksheets to help you stay organized and on top of college deadlines
Directions on where to go to find the experts in every facet of the college admissions process—and how to get their help for FREE!
How to help your teen choose the right college—the college that fits him/her perfectly
Tips on how to make your college-bound teen appealing to their top choice college
Everything you ever need to know to understand financial aid and how to leverage that knowledge to your advantage

That’s great you say; but at what cost?

Here’s an excerpt from a recent New York Times article:

No test or licensing is required to offer such services, and there is no way to evaluate the counselors’ often extravagant claims of success or experience. And Ms. Duff’s asking price, though higher than many, is eclipsed by those of competitors who may charge upwards of $40,000 —more than a year’s tuition at many colleges.

Believe me, I couldn’t afford that kind of money when I was helping my kids with the college process, and I’m sure you can’t either.

BUT, if I had found someone that offered everything I needed in one CRASH COURSE for a FRACTION of the cost of those high-priced counselors, I would have JUMPED at the BARGAIN!

For ONE all-inclusive price you will receive:

An Ebook: Parent College Coaching 101 (guiding you through the step by step process of college admissions).
A workbook: with Templates and Worksheets to compliment the instructions in the Ebook.
Expert Link List: clickable links to EVERY expert in the field of college admissions.
Whitepapers: A compilation of my articles and blog posts (categorized) specifically addressing college admission issues.
My Top Website picks: These are sites that are PACKED with FREE information and tips about the college admissions process.

Don’t make the mistake of being unprepared and scrambling around senior year trying to help your college-bound teen apply to colleges. Be a smart parent and prepare in advance. The best time to start with the college prep process is the 8th grade. But if you’re running behind, my Crash Course will help you catch up!
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Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarships Friday: Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

October 18, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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It’s never too early to start applying for scholarships. Today’s feature scholarship is the perfect example. If you have a creative college-bound teen in 7-12 grade this is one scholarship they can apply to early. Wouldn’t it be great to have $10,000 under your belt before they ever enter high school?

Ninety-one years ago, Maurice R. Robinson, the founder of Scholastic Inc., designed the Awards to provide students who are accomplished in the arts with the same honors as their athletic classmates.

scholastic are and writing awards

Today, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the country’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition initiative for creative teens, partnering with over 60 colleges and universities to make more than $8 million in scholarships available to winning high school seniors. Every year, 15 high school seniors win the highest possible honor, the Portfolio Gold Medal, in addition to a $10,000 scholarship. This year, a 16^th Portfolio Gold will be awarded, thanks to the program’s generous donors who provided additional funds in honor of the program’s 90^th year.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards call for submissions is now open and students in grades 7-12 can submit their art and writing for consideration. In doing so, they can join a roster of famous alumni including Andy Warhol, Robert Redford, Sylvia Plath, Zac Posen, and Lena Dunham, all of whom received Scholastic Awards when they were teens. Further details can be found in their call for submissions. Click here to learn the rules, guidelines and submission deadlines for each category.

Guest Posts, test prep, Uncategorized

Last minute study tips for the PSAT

October 17, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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psat

For many high school students, their first big standardized test is the PSAT, which is scheduled for this Saturday across the country. The PSAT is more or less a practice test for the SAT, but with one big distinction; scoring well can get you named as a National Merit Scholar finalist and earn you cash for college. It’s the perfect test to figure out your best strategies for test prep — especially if you’re a sophomore taking it for the first time.

Many students don’t prep for the PSAT like they would for the SAT or ACT. If you’re starting today or just looking to squeeze in a few last minute prep sessions before Saturday’s test, read on for some quick tips and tricks.

Take a Practice Test

The PSAT takes about 2 hours from start to finish. If you’ve never sat for an exam of that length, going through a practice exam can accomplish three things. First, it will give you confidence that you can actually sit for the complete test and get through the entire exam. Second, it will give you a sense of areas you can make quick improvements on. For example, you may discover that you aren’t getting through all of the math questions, or that you’re rusty on some aspects of the geometry but are racing through the algebra. Third and finally, it will get you familiar with the test structure. Remember that the PSAT has the exact same structure on every single test; only the questions change.

Brush Up on What You Don’t Know

Now that you’ve taken a test and identified areas for improvement, drill down on those areas. Don’t waste time reviewing every topic covered on the test since undoubtedly you’re zipping through some questions without an issue. If you’re struggling with Algebra, spend time getting Algebra help and reviewing factoring and quadratics, instead of using your valuable last minute study time reviewing geometry concepts.

Develop a Strategy For Skipping Questions

Figure out when you’re going to skip questions, and when you’re going to guess. According to the College Board (who administers the PSAT), “Students can earn an above-average score by getting only half the questions right and omitting answers for the rest of the questions.” Random guessing won’t help you earn a great score, but if you can narrow your answer choices down to two answers, it’s worth it to guess (you’ll lose ¼ point for every wrong answer). Give yourself a time window for answering tough questions; you won’t benefit from spending 5 minutes on question you inevitably get wrong. If you’re struggling to figure out how to tackle a question in the first 15 seconds and don’t have an inkling of how to solve it, move on; you can always come back later.

Don’t Stress Too Much

Remember that the PSAT is a practice test (except for the National Merit qualification). It won’t determine the rest of your life and stressing out too much won’t help you much anyway. Make sure you eat a healthy dinner the night before, get a good night’s sleep, and then eat a healthy breakfast the morning of. If you can, get some exercise the day before as well (working out can aid in brain function).

The PSAT is the first of many standardized tests — SATs, ACTs, APs, placement tests — that you’ll encounter in your life. And for the most part, this is one of the few exams whose outcome is not all that important. Use this as an opportunity to build up good test-taking strategies that you can apply not only to the PSAT, but to other standardized tests as you come across them in the future.

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Today’s guest blogger, Laura Oppenheimer, works for InstaEDU, the online tutoring company that offers online PSAT test prep and tutoring.

college visits, Uncategorized, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: College Visits from the Trenches

October 16, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

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Autumn leaves signal the beginning of fall (for those lucky enough to live in a state where the leaves change color) and the beginning of college visits. For juniors it’s time to start the process. For seniors, it’s time to visit again and narrow down the college list. What better way to kick off the season than to give some “past parent” experiential advice and draw from the stories I’ve heard from others. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee and exhale. You’re in for a wild ride.

You’re going on a nice visit to some colleges. You’ve done your homework and you’ve planned several within driving distance of each other. You’re proud of yourself and you know that your kid is going to fall in love with at least one of them. You’re all decked out for the college tours (dressed to not get noticed or embarrass him) and you’re ready to listen and let your kid ask the questions. Sounds like a perfect trip–adventure and information gathering all at the same time.

But your kid forgot to read the notes. He’s nonchalant about the whole thing and acts disinterested in the car as you are driving towards the first college. What happens after this disrupts your mojo and you begin to wonder if an alien isn’t inhabiting your kid’s body.

The skeptic

Before you even get out 0f the car your kid announces that he’s just not feeling it. Don’t even attempt to decipher what that means because it’s impossible to understand. You’ve driven (or flown) to go to a college he had on a list and now he’s just not feeling it. Bench your anger, take a deep breath and get out of the car. You’ve come all this way and you’re going to visit the college. In the best of worlds he will get out with you. In the worst of worlds he’ll stay in the car. There’s not much you can do with an obstinate teenager; it’s best to move on.

The architect

And yet another alien appears. You’re walking around campus and your kid announces that he doesn’t like how it looks. Never mind that he’s not going to college for the buildings or the landscaping. He’s going for the academics. But for some reason his blinders aren’t allowing him to see anything but the buildings and no amount of pointing out the pluses is going to change his mind.

The critic

You’re walking around campus and your kid announces that the students don’t seem friendly. Mind you he’s probably not even spoken to any of them and it’s a good bet he didn’t like the tour guide. Don’t try to convince him otherwise because the more you say, the less likely he’ll come around. Just wait until a cute girl approaches him. He’ll change his tune quickly.

The panic-stricken

You get back into the car after your last visit and he announces, “I’m not sure I want to go to college”. Don’t panic. He’s just realized the whole thing is real and he’s terrified. Give him some time to think it through and tomorrow he’ll most likely change his mind again. The worst thing you can do is draw a hard line in the sand now because his feelings are likely to go up and down like a roller coaster over the next few months (or years).

What’s a parent to do?

Even though your kid wants you to treat him as an adult, he’s still a teenager. His emotions are all over the place and this next step in his life is frightening. Remember that college is largely an emotional decision and you should expect that emotions will play into that decision. When the dust settles and the emotions clear, he will make a decision based on all the factors, including his campus visits. After all, you don’t want him to attend a college he just isn’t feeling and you don’t want him to make a decision and leave out the emotional factor. He’s going to spend the next four years of his life at this school. It will become his second home and it’s important that he likes where he is.

Before the college visits start resolve to be flexible. Your lives will be less stressful and the college application experience will be more exciting. And in the end, your kid will move on to the next phase in his life–college.

For another look at college visits, check out Wendy’s blog: Collegecation.

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A new college comparison tool-Abacus 100

October 15, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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As I’ve said before, determining college costs is key to making a wise college choice. Comparing college costs should be simple, but it’s not. You have to factor in so many variables: tuition, room and board, books, living expenses, travel expenses, and even miscellaneous costs. Don’t forget, when comparing colleges, to factor in the less obvious costs.

Thankfully, though, parents and students can compare the basic costs and expenses before shelling out the often large application fees. Why go to a college you can’t afford? Why apply to a college only to get accepted and disheartened when you look at the families finances and find out it’s just not possible based on the financial aid award? It just makes sense to take a look at costs before applying using a college comparison tool.

How do you compare costs?

You can make a physical list and visit the college websites and use their net cost calculator. Or you can go to one place and get comparisons of the colleges you are considering–one stop shopping so to speak! That’s why CollegeAbacus.com created the Abacus100, permitting personalized comparisons of the top 100 universities and top 100 colleges, as determined by U.S. News. This service, which costs the same as Harvard’s application fee, is now offered alongside College Abacus’ free net price search tool, which allows comparisons of up to three schools’ costs simultaneously.

Their personalized net price calculations incorporate likely financial aid, cost of living and other considerations absent from tuition. Federal law now requires colleges and universities to post net-price calculators on their websites. Complying with the letter of the law, but defying the spirit, many schools bury their net-price calculators in little-trafficked corners of their sites.

How does Abacus 100 work?

Relying on information directly from over 4,000 schools themselves, College Abacus aims to end the tradition of students and families applying to schools without knowing whether they can afford to attend. College Abacus relies solely on data provided by the schools themselves, permitting students to compare school-created cost estimates with ease.

Interested? Watch the short video and try it out for FREE. Enter up to three schools and see how the program works. You might be surprised at the information gathering process and you also might be surprised at the great colleges which will fit into your budget.

If you like what you see and want to compare up to 100 colleges and universities, College Abacus has provided me with a 20% discount code: COLLEGECASH. Take advantage of this GREAT offer!

Why study or improve your level of English?

October 15, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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Further to our recent article highlighting the benefits of studying a foreign language, we thought it logical to next discuss the importance of learning English. It is after all, the most widely used language today, both socially and in the working world. It is hardly surprising then, that a high level of English is highly sought after by employers in an increasingly competitive and international work market. As a native English speaker, be it in the US, UK or Australia for example, it is often easy to take for granted our English speaking and writing capabilities. Is your fluency in English as good as it could or should be? As for non-native speakers, English is most commonly studied as a second language. Education systems around the world now place greater emphasis on the teaching and learning of English from an early age, not just as a subsidiary subject, but as essential as mathematics or science. This article will seek to answer some of the most important issues when it comes to studying English, and to hopefully convince you that it´s never too late to get out those books and start learning something new!

The Benefits

Okay so we´ve already touched on this, but why else should you learn English? In simple terms, English is a truly global language. Let´s have a look at the figures… According to the British Council, English is the first language of approximately 375 million, while it is believed that around 750 million speak it as foreign language. One in four of the world´s population has at least a basic command of the language, and this is growing.

Of course there are benefits attached with learning any language, as discussed in our previous article. Specific to English however, it allows native speakers to consolidate and improve their current level, and perhaps even lead to a future career in English teaching. After all, the demand for such profession is huge and often lucrative. Nowadays it is not just enough to write in your CV “Fluent in English”. Employers want proof. For assistance in gaining an English qualification, you can take an IELTS course at an English language school in England. Such courses are also recommendable for those learning English as a second language, as visiting and learning in an English-speaking country (where better than London, England?) is one of the best things you can do to improve your fluency. This brings us neatly on to…

Continue reading Why study or improve your level of English? →

mom approved tips, Uncategorized

Mom-Approved Tips: The Truth about College

October 14, 2013 Suzanne Shaffer

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During our student’s senior year of high school we live in a bubble. All sights are set on one goal—getting into college. Students and parents focus on college selection, college applications, financial aid forms, and then we wait. We wait for the offers of admission to come pouring in and then we compare financial aid packages and help them pack their bags for college.

But wait. Is it really that simple? Hardly. Most parents would say it’s anything but simple; it takes work, commitment and perseverance on both parts—parents and students. Before your student sends off those applications, you should know the truth about college.

Acceptance doesn’t mean graduation

Did you know that graduation rates differ wildly from school to school. About 400,000 students drop out of college each year. When you research the college, look up their graduation rates. Low rates could send up a red flag. True, graduation rates don’t determine the quality of a degree. Yet students who start college but don’t finish are typically no better off than those who never even started, and in some cases might be worse off, if they took on debt.

I owe, I owe, so off to work I go (if they can find a job)

Even if your student graduates, it’s no guarantee they will secure a job; at least not one that will pay enough to cover too much student loan debt. Having that conversation about college costs should be a priority before they apply.

According to the College Board and other statistical resources student loan debt among graduates is at an all-time high:

•As of Quarter 1 in 2012, the average student loan balance for all age groups is $24,301. About one-quarter of borrowers owe more than $28,000; 10% of borrowers owe more than $54,000; 3% owe more than $100,000; and less than 1%, or 167,000 people, owe more than $200,000.

•In 2010‑11, about 57% of public four‑year college students graduated with debt. They had borrowed an average of $23,800 (in 2011 dollars). About two‑thirds of those earning bachelor’s degrees from private nonprofit institutions had debt averaging $29,900.

Be cautious about student loans and if at all possible avoid them.

Will they stay, or will they go?

As many as one in three first-year students don’t make it back for sophomore year. The reasons run the gamut from family problems and loneliness to academic struggles and a lack of money. If schools you’re considering have a low freshman retention rate, you’ll want to ask the admissions office why. Some colleges do a great job of taking care of their freshmen; some don’t. That’s why it’s important to look at these rates when making college choices.

It’s a jungle out there

Even if you and your student do everything right, there’s going to be bumps in the road. They will call complaining of roommates, homesickness, and frustration with their classes. The best thing to do is listen and know that most times, those complaints get less and less and they eventually cease after they have settled in. Don’t be surprised if this happens to your bright, self-sufficient independent student. Just one word of advice—fight the urge to rescue them. It’s time they learn to fight their own battles.

Parenting for College