essays, organization

All the College Essay Prompts in One Place

college essay prompts

 

Zoomita, a college application online organizational tool provides all of your college application essay prompts organized in one place

What does it do?

Gives you all of the college essay prompts, word count limits, and deadlines for your college list in seconds.  Write, share, and edit essays without ever creating a file or folder.  Free.

 Why should anyone care?

The application essay is widely viewed as the hardest part of the college application process.  Students spend hours/days/weeks just tracking down essay prompts and dealing with document management.  Zoomita reduces that process to minutes.  And it’s free.

What about Google Docs?

Google docs is a great tool, but students will still have to find the essay requirements and create a system of files and folders to manage their drafts.  There are no files/folders to create in Zoomita and it is literally impossible to not know what the most recent draft is.  Human proof!

What about sharing?

One-click sharing.  Yep.

Another great feature: it automatically tracks the number of essays you need for your complete college list.

I believe the most important task in the college application process is organization. Zoomita helps your student keep all their college essays organized: an important tool to help devote more time to the essay and less time to tracking down the topics.

essays

Motivating Your Student to Finish the Essay

 

essayFor seniors, it’s crunch time. The essay that has been sitting on their desk since school started needs to be finished, especially if she is applying early decision or early action. Procrastination is not a good plan when it comes to writing the college essay. But how do you motivate your college-bound teen? She certainly won’t respond to nagging, but if she’s drowning, she may be unable to tell you why or know when or how to ask for help.

Following are my best tips for motivating for teen to finish the essay:

Go to the source.

Get tips from the admissions officers. Find out what they are looking for and how to give it to them. While no essay can save an unqualified application, an outstanding essay can push an otherwise mediocre application into the “yes” pile.

However, writing a good application essay is hard. Many students write essays that are too cliché or too shallow; others write essays that are impersonal and uninformative; some are even unfortunate enough to write essays that cause their own rejection.

This isn’t surprising. The application essay is drastically different from the typical high school assignment—deeply personal, rather than merely informative.

Read more of the 5 things admissions officers look for in an essay

Follow these dos and don’ts.

The essay is your student’s chance to give the admissions committee an inside look into who they are. Even with the common application essay topics provided, its important how they approach the essay and the type of impression it makes on the college. Generally speaking, there are topics your student should avoid and tactics they should use when writing.

Read more for 10 tips to write more competitive college essays

Read other essays.

If your student is stumped and simply can’t get his creative juices flowing, it might help to read some other essays. This doesn’t mean he should copy them, but other essays can give him a feel for what he should do to start the writing process.

If you wonder where you can find examples, the College Essay Guy has some of the best essay examples on his website. While you’re there, read all of his essay tips and get inspired!

Here’s one that I absolutely love: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

test prep

When Should Your Child Take the SAT?

 

Today’s Guest Post is from Shaan Patel, found of 2400 Expert

sat This is perhaps the most common question we get asked at 2400 Expert. Parents always want to know when the “best” time to take the SAT is. First, let’s discuss what your high school counselor will probably tell your child. Traditionally, counselors advise students to take the SAT during spring of their junior year. This advice is based on the fact that most juniors have taken algebra II by the end of their junior year. Because algebra II is the highest level of mathematics tested on the SAT, counselors tell students to wait until they have completed this subject in school before attempting to take the SAT. On the surface, this reasoning seems logical. However, this advice also goes against my belief that high school classes don’t prepare students for the SAT. In fact, students really don’t need to have taken a class in algebra II to take the SAT. Although there are some basic algebra II concepts, it is not necessary to go through an entire algebra II course. Instead, we teach students the few algebra II concepts they need to know for the exam in the 2400 Expert SAT prep course.

Spring of junior year is actually one of the least ideal times to take the SAT. This is one of the busiest times of your child’s high school career. If your child is taking AP classes, he or she will have to study for multiple AP exams that occur in May. I also advise students to take SAT Subject exams that correspond with their AP exams during this time of year. For example, if your child is already studying for the U.S. History AP Exam in May, then he or she should also take the U.S. History SAT Subject exam in May or June. In addition to AP exams and SAT Subject exams, your child also needs to study for finals in high school during this time. There are also many social events during this time of year (i.e. junior prom). On top of all of this, high school counselors are recommending that students take the SAT exam. Does this make much sense? No. I don’t think many people realize the amount of time and work it takes to score high on the SAT. While some students are able to balance all of this adeptly, I would not recommend spring of junior year as the ideal time to take the SAT.

My advice on when to take the SAT is not one you will probably like: it depends. When your child decides to take the SAT depends on his or her high school schedule. Your child should select a time in high school that he or she is not obscenely busy. This means, select an SAT test date that your child will be relatively free a couple months before to dedicate time to studying for the SAT. Your child can take the SAT anytime in her high school career and it will count (if she takes the SAT before 9th grade, it will not count towards college admissions – essentially, it’s like “practice”). This means your child can select any SAT test date between October of her freshmen year and January of her senior year. Although many students are most “free” during the summer, the SAT is not administered during the summer months. However, your child can study over the summer and take the first SAT administered in October if that works for her. If your child does decide to take the SAT during spring of her junior year, make sure she is studying for specifically for the SAT in March/April so that she is adequately prepared for the May or June exam.

For younger students, I actually think it’s ideal to start preparing for the SAT early. This is primarily because of the PSAT. The benefits of scoring high on the PSAT and qualifying for National Merit are tremendous (i.e. hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships). And if your child is looking to become a National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist, then she needs to start preparing for the SAT prior to her junior year of high school. Unfortunately, many parents don’t realize this fact and their child misses out on this big opportunity.

Now if your child is an exceptionally young student (i.e. 7th or 8th grade), I would recommend taking the SAT now. The SAT will not show up on her high school record if she takes it before 9th grade. If your child takes the SAT now, she can get a sense of how a real test day will be without the risk of a low score showing up on her College Board score report. Your child will get a feel for how it feels to wake up early Saturday morning to take a 4-hour exam, how many breaks she will get, how many snacks she should bring, where the restrooms are, etc.

In summation, your child should take the SAT when he or she is least busy in high school – anytime between October of her freshmen year and January of her senior year. Although I know your child is busy with AP classes, sports, and extracurricular activities, she needs to find a time in high school when she can dedicate an exceptional amount of time to SAT prep. This exam is crucial to your child’s future and can possibly change his or her life (as it did for me) – so make sure you don’t put it on the back burner. SAT prep should be a top priority.

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Shaan Patel is the founder of 2400 Expert, a #1 bestselling SAT prep book author, and an MD/MBA student at Yale and USC. He also raised his own SAT score from average to perfect and teaches students his methods in an online SAT prep class.

organization, parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Procrastinate No More!

 

procrastinate no moreI 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.

college health, student health

Time Management Tips to Calm College Student Stress

 

Stress in colleges exceeds other learning institutions due to the excessive expectations from the society and the parents. There are however, some several factors that when considered and applied, can effectively reduce this effect on the students on a large scale. It is expected that you will put to use these five essential time management factors to reduce your levels college student stress.

image1Avoid Peer Pressure

The fact that you are in college means that you get to have an uncontrolled freedom to act as you like. This can be, if utilized properly, a great asset for you, or the reason for your downfall. You should be able to be self-driven, and able to determine the limits of your interactions.

Have your own focused goals and priorities and follow them diligently. Prioritizing your goals rather than over indulging with your peers may come across as selfish but this is one of the greatest ways to reduce stress in college. It is okay to say No sometimes.

college student stressSleep is Essential

Depriving yourself of sleep is never a good idea. This is an indication that you have been failing to manage your time effectively. You have almost certainly been a victim or witnessed someone falling asleep in class due to lack of enough sleep. This can be because of excessive partying or you trying desperately to catch up on class work. However, you will find yourself wasting a lot of time trying to nap during the day, as you could have been doing something more beneficial during that time if you had gotten enough sleep during the night.

college student stressProcrastination is the Thief of Time

Procrastination is a major contributing factor to the high levels of stress in colleges. Students in the first weeks of school, tend to occupy themselves with other activities not related to their studies. This builds up a workload that will be cumbersome to deal with as the semester ends and students often use services that do my essay for them as shortcuts to their own work. Do today what you plan on doing tomorrow to reduce your level of stress in the end.

Truancy directly relates to more stress

college student stressAbsenteeism is one of the major causes of stress in college students. Missing classes might seem like a fun idea at the time but only results in you having to look for more time to play catch up with your peers as the semester ends. This is mostly seen when you will be running up and down in an attempt to seek out your class lecturers to explain more on topics that you missed. Truancy also leads to borrowing of notes at the last minute takes up more of your time, as you are not familiar with your peer’s handwriting or shortened notes.

college student stressTake Control of your Time

Be a diligent master of your own time. Avoid shifting blame to unnecessary parties such as your teachers dishing out too much work that messes up with your time to study. To avoid stress in school, learn how to prioritize your tasks effectively with the time that you already have and avoid blaming others on your mismanagement of time.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

3 Ways to Earn Money for College Without Filling Out a Scholarship Application

 

money for collegeApplying for scholarships requires time. You have to research the scholarship, fill out the application, send it in, and wait for the scholarship committee’s response. But what if you could earn free money for college without filling out a scholarship application?

Here are 3 ways you can earn money for college with very little effort and substantial payoffs:

UPromise

With the UPromise, members create a college savings service that harnesses the purchasing power of parents, extended family, family, and students to make it easier to pay for college. They make purchases from Upromise partners—including more than 950 online stores, 10,000+ restaurants, grocery and drugstore items—and earn money for college. You can even have family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles) sign up and earn cash back for college that goes toward your student’s balance.

Raise.me

The Raise.me Micro-Scholarship program gives student incentives to perform well in school. The money comes from the participating colleges and is awarded upon admission. So far, over $250 million in Micro-Scholarships have been made available by the colleges as part of their commitment to making aid more transparent, predictable, and motivational for students. Not all colleges participate, but if your student’s college of interest is on the list, this is an excellent way to earn scholarship money without filling out an application.

Gift of College

Makes saving for college easy. Gift of College lets friends and family donate directly and securely to your child’s college fund. It is a great alternative for gift giving during the holidays. It’s simple: create a Gift of College account, link your account to a 529, tell people all about it. This is a great gift giving alternative for extended family and especially grandparents. Start early and watch the savings grow.

 

 

 

mom approved tips, parenting

Prepping Your Student for the Emotions of College

 

emotions of collegeMuch has been written about preparing for college: college visits, essays, financial aid, college applications, and all the college-related tasks. But preparing your teen for college is so much more than the admissions tasks. You give your child a helping hand when riding a bike. Why would you not prepare your student for the emotions of college?

Your child needs some “mean” emotional skills before move-in day, as evidenced by all the college kids calling their parents to say, “I don’t like it here. Can I come home?”.

We can all learn some lessons from today’s college students and their parents. Before your student leaves for college, add these to your college prep list:

Teach him to self-advocate

It could happen on the first day of college. Your student needs help. He needs to speak with an advisor. Talk with a professor. Have a conversation with the RA. If he constantly runs to you for help in high school, how will he ever learn to advocate for himself? Before he leaves, let him practice. When a situation arises that you would normally resolve for him, let him have the reigns. He will be faced with multiple situations in college when this skill will come in handy.

Teach him to resolve conflict

Roommate conflict is the number one reason students are unhappy the first few weeks of college. Being placed with a roommate that does not match your student’s personality and habits can be overwhelming. Let your student resolve conflict while living at home. Encourage him to work things out with his siblings. When a problem with a friend, teacher or other adult arises, give him the chance to resolve the conflict. Teach him to start with the source and if the conflict is not resolved, move on to the next available source of help: i.e student, teacher, principal, superintendent. If he goes to college with this emotional skill he will be less likely to “phone home” every time a conflict with someone arises.

Encourage him to find and use a support group

Students who sit in their room alone day after day will not survive in college. They need a support group: friends to turn to when they are homesick or struggling. The social aspect of college is key to surviving four years away from home. Before he leaves for college, encourage him to make friends, meet new people, and develop some social skills. Going to college far from the comfort of home and not knowing anyone can be a deal-breaker for the shy, uninvolved student.

Teach him to recognize dangerous behavior and avoid it

There are going to be opportunities in college to participate in dangerous behavior: drinking, drugs, hooking up, and reckless driving to name a few. Give him the tools he needs to recognize and avoid the consequences of these behaviors. For instance, students do not have to drink to party with friends. They don’t need to avoid parties just because there is drinking. You can have fun without getting wasted. Before leaving for college teach him to recognize this type of behavior and makes plans to avoid them.

Send him places without you

So many first time college students have never been away from home without parents. Make it a practice to encourage summer camps and traveling with trusted friends. A few weeks away from home gives them a taste of what life is like on their own. These trips away also give them a chance to be on their own and make decisions as they go through their day. It’s structured, but not so much that they are sheltered by their family.

Preparing your student for the emotional aspect of college will be best for him and for you. If he’s ready to venture out on his own, you will be less stressed about dropping him off on move-in day. And you most likely won’t receive the dreaded phone call: “I want to come home.”

mom approved tips, parenting

For the New College Parent: Your First Night Without Them

 

new college parentI’ve been reading all the posts from parents of new college freshmen. I expected the emotions, tears and general feelings of loss a new college parent might feel. But I never expected the panic, paranoia, and frantic behavior that many have exhibited. No judging here; just an observation.

I get it. I’ve been there.

Both my son and daughter left home after high school. My son joined the Marines. My daughter went 2000 miles away to college.

With my son, I received one letter informing me he had arrived at boot camp and was safe. Until his graduation, I did not receive a phone call or another letter. It was rough. But it never occurred to me to call his commanding officer of the boot camp and inquire about him or ask why I hadn’t heard from him. I knew this was a momentous step for him and he had to walk this path on his own.

With my daughter, it was a little different. I stayed a few days in a hotel near her to help unpack. The first night wasn’t a cake walk. She told me when I left her after dropping her off that she wanted to transfer to a college closer to home. But, instead of overreacting, freaking out, or calling her advisor, I just waited. I knew homesickness would set in. I knew she would ask me to come and rescue her and take her home. I knew her boyfriend was begging her to come home. But I also knew that she was going to have to work things out on her own.

All throughout my daughter’s four years of college conflict arose. From her first few weeks of college and the boyfriend situation, to multiple roommate issues, to conflicts with friends, to the emotions of losing a very close friend in a tragic accident, to losing her grandparents—college was a hard emotional road for her. But, instead of running to her aid, I let her solve these issues on her own. She sought the comfort of friends, made concessions for her roommates and sought help when she needed it. She learned to solve her own problems.

What’s my point?

My point is that as hard as this step may be for both you and your new college student, the choices and decisions you make that first night and every night after that could very well impact how your child responds to college. Running to their rescue because they are crying or homesick will only harm them, and could often have devastating results. It’s time for some tough love. You must, under all circumstances, give them the space to work through their misery.

If you have done your job and taught them how to self-advocate, how to solve issues and conflict, how to find and use a support group, and how to work through their problems they will benefit more from using those techniques than you driving to college and taking them home. Ultimately, however, it’s your choice. But from one parent whose children thank her every day for using tough love and not giving in to their tears, it’s my best, and only advice.

I wonder if it’s because we live in an age of instant communication—staying in touch with texting and location apps on the smartphone. I also wonder if parents have become so frightened for their children that they hold them much closer than they ever did before. Whatever the reason resist the temptation to give in. Your child will thank you; maybe not now, but later when they graduate from college after living four of the best years of their life.

Read this article, “Overparenting Our Teenagers” and stand firm. It’s the best you can do for your student.

Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: A Day in the Life of a College-Bound Parent

2 Comments

 

college-bound parentSchool 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:

Reminding them to study for standardized tests

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.

Receiving a text message that the deadline for ____ is today, and they forgot

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.

Thinking they can’t leave for college soon enough

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.

Wishing you could stop time and keep them home forever

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.

Encouraging (or nagging) them to search for scholarships

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.

Sifting through the papers in their backpack (or on their floor) looking for an application or form

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.

Stressing over college choice, college visits, test prep and just about any other college prep task

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.

Having mounds and mounds of questions and needing answers

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!)

Monitoring your student’s classes to make sure that they are meeting college admissions requirements

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.

admissions, mom approved tips, parenting

Tips for Dads of the College-Bound

3 Comments

 

tips for dadsWith all the advice for moms, one of my Twitter followers (@PeachtreeCP) chimed in: “What about tips for dads?” I had to respond, “I’m not a dad, so I can’t speak for them.” But, it occurred to me that I did know some dads, one in particular, my brother. Both his children went to college. His daughter had a relatively typical college experience. His son, on the other hand, always marched, and still does, to the beat of a different drummer.

When I asked my brother to share his best advice, man to man, he graciously agreed to help. Here’s his response, word for word:

I’m not sure where to begin.  I assume that the dad who wrote you wanted advice about the college process.  I guess I’ll just share how I approached this with Cameron.  Since he’s not the typical kid, my approach was unique to him.  But this is how I did it.

  • I gave guidance, but didn’t try to push him into my expectations for him
  • I stressed the importance of education while he was thinking about what to do after high school
  • I tried to show him how his interests (video production, photography, etc.) would be greatly enhanced by more education
  • I gave him permission to make mistakes and take his time in determining his major
  • I didn’t give him a completely free ride to college – we required that he have some investment
  • I encouraged him to get a job while going to school
  • I encouraged him not to get into debt with loans, but to pay as he could, semester by semester
  • I finally recognized that college may not be his thing, so I gave him permission to say, “I want to do something else”, then I gave him my blessing

In retrospect, I think we could have done a better job of setting him up for a better first year away at college.  We found a garage apartment for him to live in, but he lived alone.  I think it would have been a better experience for him if he had other roommates going through the same struggles at college.

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Cameron chose to get a “real life” education, self-taught on the entrepreneurial route. It has not been an easy path, but he has certainly discovered his strengths and weaknesses while learning much about himself through self-discovery. He’s working at a job in a field he loves: video production.

For all you dads out there, the key here, according to my brother, is to know your child, give guidance when needed, stress the importance of an education, and give them the freedom to explore their own path in life. The college prep process has it’s own set of challenges and fathers can provide that stabilizing influence and strong support their college-bound teen needs.

Helping parents navigate the college maze