college costs, college guidance, college majors, college planning

How to Find the Best College Bargains

May 3, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

In today’s world, we are all looking for bargains. How much can I save on this purchase? Is there a coupon for that item? The college decision process should be no different. You never want to pay full sticker price on a car, and you shouldn’t pay full sticker price for the college education. Here are just a few money saving tips on how to find the best college bargains.

Use online information to find the most generous colleges.

You can start your search by looking at the colleges who are generous with their financial aid by meeting the highest percentage of financial need. How do you find those colleges? It’s simpler than you might think. You can research them at the College Board’s site: Big Future. You need to follow the box at the bottom of the page that says “Find Colleges” and click the search button.

For a step-by-step guide, you can read The College Solutions Blog with photos of each step and how to use the tool.

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college planning, gap year, parenting

What Parents Need to Know About a Gap Year

April 22, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

I want to take a gap year before I go to college” are some of the most feared words by parents. What do we fear? We fear they won’t want to go back to school after being off for a year. We fear they will lie around the house, watch TV and play video games. We fear they aren’t thinking clearly and have no idea what they are saying. And for those competitive parents, it’s not what they planned.

Don’t fear the gap year. Not every student is ready for college after high school. Some simply aren’t mature enough, and others simply don’t know where they want to go or what they want to study. And if this is the case, would you want to spend thousands of dollars on college if it meant they dropped out their first semester? Of course you wouldn’t want to do that.

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career colleges, careers, college majors

Preparing for a Future Career by Choosing the Right Courses in College

April 18, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

Some students find that choosing a career can be a complicated process. If your student is about to graduate from high school and heading off to college, they should be armed with the best college courses to take to prepare for a future career. Let’s take a look at some of the options:

1. Biology

Biology degree programs expose students to the plants, animals, people, and thus the ecosystems in which they thrive. For anyone with a general interest in science, a biology program offers many opportunities. This will help you get into more specific areas of study that you might not have considered before. Biology classes also tend to be very hands-on and attract people with natural problem-solving skills.

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Alternatives to College, college guidance, college planning, parenting

No Thank You: Keep Your Unsolicited Advice to Yourself

April 13, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

I spend a good deal of time talking about preparing your student for college and offering good college advice. But believe it or not, that’s not my total focus. My focus is helping parents help their child find the best path after high school graduation.

It’s because of this focus, I was happy to read a post on Grown and Flown today called: Dear Friends and Family, Please Keep Your Snarky Opinions About My Teen’s College Choice to Yourself.

If you’re on Facebook (where most of us moms hang out) you’ve probably come across posts from proud parents announcing their high school senior’s college plans. Hiding in the shadows (and they shouldn’t be) are those parents whose senior chose to take a different path after graduation.

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extracurricular activities, parenting, summer programs

Fighting Summer Boredom

April 12, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

Summer is approaching and you can look forward to hearing, “I’m bored”. My grandsons say this at least once a day and I’m sure your teenager has uttered these words as well.

Here are some suggestions to help keep them busy over the summer while using the time to promote learning and family togetherness.

Use extracurricular activities

Enrolling your student in a summer program or signing them up for a few classes during the summer break can help keep them occupied. This will also give them a chance to socialize and make new friends. If your child is not interested in any formal extracurricular activities, there are still plenty of options for keeping them busy.

For example, you can encourage them to start a garden, join a sports team, or take up a new hobby. There are also many fun DIY projects that kids can do around the house or in the yard. Encouraging your teenager to be creative and engage in positive activities will help prevent boredom during the summer break.

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college prep, essays, Guest Posts, parenting

Supporting Your College-Bound Student Without Going Crazy

April 12, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

Today’s guest post is from Brad Schiller, an MIT graduate, as well as the CEO and Co-Founder of Prompt, the world’s most respected and fastest-growing college essay coaching and feedback company.

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There is a secret to successfully helping your student with their college essays.

Before we get to it, we have 4 questions you should consider to help alert you to pitfalls that often plague parents who “just want to help” during college application season.

But before we even get to those questions, let’s begin with the bottom line: the best thing a parent can do for their college-bound student is to be loving, supportive, and simply there for them. And that’s not easy.

Applying to colleges is stressful and often emotionally draining. As college essay coaches, we see this all the time. Make it your top priority not to correct grammar, improve writing, or get your kid into a “better” school, but to make this year as good as it can be for you and your teen.

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college costs, college planning, Guest Posts

5 Changes Parents Should Make When Paying for College

April 11, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

Your children are going to college. You may think it will be easy because you’ve been saving for it. But seeing the college fee structure, you’ll know it will not be easy. Coming out of the stress-induced fog might help you manage the costs.

Here are five things you can do to help you on this journey of paying for college:

Understand your financial situation

Now that your child is off to college, as parents, you’re now left with taking care of the expenses like tuition, housing, and school supplies. Sitting down and looking into your finances is step one for parents. The next step is to make a budget, reevaluate your finances, and look into every savings account because the college costs are now added to your other expenses.

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college planning, parenting

Are You a Mother or a Smotherer?

April 8, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

If you are a mother of a college-bound teen, it’s easy to become a smotherer. After all, there are deadlines that need nagging. There are scholarships that must be applied to. There are battles to fight and recommendations to be secured. It’s impossible to expect your young teenager to handle these matters on their own. They need help. They have always needed help.

But, and I say this will all humility, it’s hard to let go and let them handle these things on their own.

Being a mother is one of the hardest jobs you will ever have. You want your teenager to become independent but you worry they never will. What if they fail? What if they forget to do something that’s important? What if they are hurt or rejected? It’s in our nature as mothers to fix things and help them avoid anything that would be painful. Some mothers have mastered this technique so well that their kids don’t have a clue how to deal with failure, disappointment, and pain.

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college prep, parenting

How to Motivate Your Student to Study

March 31, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer

As your child gets older, they will have to learn how to take on more responsibility. They will have to learn how to get their homework done and they will also need to be able to rely on other students for support. How can you motivate your student to study?

As a parent, it is vital that you have an active role to play when it comes to your child’s studying, but at the same time, you should be trying to avoid forcing them to do it. If you do force them, then you may find that you end up demotivating them and this is the last thing you want.

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college housing, college planning, dorm life, parenting, surviving college

5 Ways to Prepare Your Teen for Living Away from Home

March 31, 2022 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

As teens grow into young adults, their horizons begin to expand. They begin to explore their interests more, make new friends, and think about leaving the nest. As they head to college, there are skills they will need even if they live in a dorm. If they live off campus, these skills will be even more valuable. It’s important to prepare your teen for independent living.

Here are five ways you can help your prepare your teen for living away from home.

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Parenting for College

How to Find the Best College Bargains

Use online information to find the most generous colleges.

What Parents Need to Know About a Gap Year