What is your student’s college deal-breaker? My daughter’s college deal-breaker had nothing to do with academics or college rankings. From the time she was small, she wanted to go to college in Boston. Coming from Texas, that was a bit of a surprise–especially since she had never visited Boston.
But when college decision time came around, Bentley College beat out SMU because of location. My son’s college deal-breaker came when a buddy of his in the Marine Corps told him a college in Texas had “hot chicks” and a party school reputation. Perhaps neither was the best criteria to base this decision, but they demonstrate this fact: emotion plays a factor in choosing a college.
Hiring a test prep tutor might just be the best investment you can make toward a college education. It may seem like a large investment, but the return you receive on the investment can be astronomical.
Consider this:
You pay $100 an hour for 5 hours for a test prep tutor = $500
Your student scores as well or better than the state index and qualifies as a National Merit semi-finalist
Colleges who have money set aside for the finalists will use merit aid to entice your student to attend: full tuition, room and board, books and fees, laptops, study abroad and even spending money.
Your student receives a full-ride scholarship for thousands of dollars
You might think teenagers have it easy, after all, they have no real responsibilities – what could they possibly worry about?! However, teenagers actually feel a lot of pressure. They are expected to figure out what they want to do for the next X amount of years in their education, as well as have a good idea of what they would like to do in their professional lives once education is over. It’s a lot to think about for a brain that isn’t fully developed yet (and for a person that likely doesn’t 100% know themselves, and is not free from the pressures/expectations of friends/family) to handle.
It can be really difficult for them to figure out what it is they want to do, but as their parent, you can help them. Remember that no matter if they want to become a Massage Therapist, chef or a writer, it is your job to support and guide them wherever you can. Below, we’ll go through some of the things you can do to help them figure it all out.
Before you think I’m advocating “heads to the grindstone” this summer, rest assured these activities will not consume your or your student’s summer months. What this summer college prep will do is prepare your student for the upcoming school year and help him enter the next phase of his education thinking and planning for college.
The summer before middle school
Entering middle school is a huge transition for students. They go from one classroom to multiple classrooms, lockers, multiple teachers, and more homework. The summer before your student begins middle school is the perfect time to begin preparation for the future. Although it might seem premature to start thinking about college, it’s never too early. Your child needs a strong middle school foundation in order to take the high school courses that colleges expect of a college-bound student.
For a list of 10 tips for soon-to-be middle school parents, click here.
Happy 4th of July – Independence Day to everyone! For parents who want to do their own college prep and declare their independence, it’s your lucky day.
I’ve recently updated my Parenting for College Crash Course and in honor of the 4th of July, it’s on sale for just $44. Regular price is $69.
For a detailed look at what the Crash Course includes, simply CLICK HERE and it will take you to my product page. There you can easily purchase the Crash Course and download after purchase.
The sale is good until July 9th. After that, it goes back up to my regular price of $69.
Not all colleges are created equal. But are you looking for the college bargains?
Community college. State University. Private liberal arts college. Trade or technical college. Top-tiered business college. Ivy League college. Not all colleges are created equal.
If that’s the case, what makes a good college? Some might think it’s a #1 rated NCAA football team, or a college with an Ivy League designation, or even a school that is highly selective. A good college (as in good fit) meets the following three criteria: academic, social, and financial. The college that meets or excels in all three should be the college your student chooses. Even the best college (based on reputation) isn’t a good college if the student neglects the opportunities he is given while attending.
In terms of financial fit, does the college fit into your family’s college budget?
Applying for a first job as a student can be tricky. If your student is looking for a part-time job or an unpaid internship to help during their studies, chances are they are worried about their resume. Indeed, it can be hard to know which skills to promote when you have not yet graduated from college. That’s where soft skills and individual interests can make a huge difference.
Employers appreciate that our students don’t yet have a degree. They understand they can’t expect a business-level skill set. However, students don’t need to have completed their degrees to apply for part-time jobs. More importantly, if your student is looking for a meaningful part-time job as an entry-level experience in their dream industry, they need to understand which extracurricular skills are going to make a difference. We’ve identified three skills that can make their resumes stand out.
WHAT: Pocket and Her Campus present The Future Connection, a writing competition which will ask entrants to answer: “What does it mean for you to come of age in a hyper-online, always connected world?”
The prize includes:
$5,000 cash prize
Having their final essay featured on Pocket to the millions of people who use the app every day
A mentorship call with a Mozilla exec
The winner will be selected by a panel of judges that includes Lindsey Shepard, Mozilla CMO; and Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, Her Campus Media co-founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief
The deadline to enter the competition is Tuesday, July 15, 2021 by 11:59 p.m. PT
The competition winner will be announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2021.
WHERE: To learn more about the terms and conditions, as well as to enter into the Pocket and Her Campus’s The Future Connection writing competition, please visit www.hercampus.com/mozillacontest.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be between the ages of 18-25.
When a college receives your application, admission officers look for ways to determine whether you will accept their offer of admission. Since all colleges have quotas to fill and determine their admission offers based on percentages of acceptance, showing interest lets them know you will likely accept their offer. As they see it, why offer admission to someone who isn’t interested when there is someone who is likely to accept?
How do you find the colleges that place a strong interest on this?
Which colleges want your student to show them some love? You don’t have to guess. You can use a tool like Collegedata.com to determine if a college uses demonstrated interest in its admission decision. The colleges are asked to rate 19 admission factors by using these four categories: very important, important, considered, and not considered. Each year, colleges are surveyed and this data is used to compile the information on its website.
To access the data, you simply search for the college, click on the Admissions tab, and scroll down to the Selection of Students heading. Then you can see the importance a college places on a student’s level of interest. Harvard, for example, lists this as “not considered.” In comparison, the United States Naval Academy, lists it as “very important.”
Social media makes it easier than ever to connect with colleges and admissions representatives because you don’t have to be on campus to make a connection.
Every parent knows about tuition, room, board, books, and other college-related expenses once your student is accepted. But what about the costs prior to being accepted to college? How can you score some fee waivers, free advice, and free tutoring. Let’s face it—every little bit helps when you are saving for a college education and cutting costs can put more in the college savings piggy bank! Take advantage of these free pre-college costs.
Fee Waivers
With all the standardized tests, AP exams, and college application fees, those fees can add up. Not everyone qualifies for fee waivers, but it’s worth asking.
On top of those fee waivers, there are colleges that don’t require application fees:
America’s 25 Top Colleges With No Application Fees
