Avoid These Three College Stressors

February 18, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

If your child is the first in the family to go to college, that carries a whole lot of stress. Being a first generation student can put added pressure on the student and the family. As stressful as that seems, here are three college stressors even bigger, and some tips on how to alleviate them:

It’s so much more expensive than you thought

When it comes to college, expect two, high-voltage doses of sticker shock. The first comes when you start looking at the tuition price. If information is free, why is the diploma so expensive? Once you fully accept that college is something you should have been saving for all your life, there is the second financial reality to deal with.

The price of college is more than the cost of credits. Your child is leaving home for the first time and could possibly need to take out a student loan. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. About 60% of college students take out a student loan to help pay the tab, according to the information on this site. It walks you through all the key information you need for understanding, and selecting a good student loan. Once your child graduates, and paychecks start arriving from his gainful employment, he will begin repaying the loan. In the meantime, you are still on the hook for those expensive Nike shoes.

You worry about his commitment to academics in college.

Every parent believes their child is going to be the next Einstein. Even if your child was a good student in high-school, it does not follow that she will be brilliant in college. There is too much riding on good grades to leave it to chance. What you need is some type of college prep assessment to be certain little Johnny has what it takes to make it in the big league.

Accuplacer and Work Keys are good places to start. These assessment systems give your child the opportunity to figure out his academic strengths and weaknesses. They are only two of several options that serve the same purpose. For a reasonably good student, ACT and SAT test prep courses may be sufficient. Either way, you, as a parent, don’t have to go into it blind. That should be a huge stress relief.

Letting go is easier said than done.

You think you’re ready to kick them out of the nest, and start your new life as a professional vacationer. But when you make that long drive home after dropping them off at college, you are flooded with all the doubts and misgivings associated with separation anxiety.

Fortunately, most of that worry is necessary. You did a good job preparing them for life. They have the same chance of surviving and doing well as you had, maybe better. Still, not everyone matures at the same rate. For some, eighteen years may not be quite enough. If you are genuinely worried about their ability to be independentl, keep them home for another two years while they work out their issues in community college. Academically, they will lose nothing, while gaining a little more time to mature at home. You will also save money.

Money, aptitude, and letting go make up three of the biggest stresses you will face when sending your child off to college. With student loans, prep tests, and community college, these stresses can be nearly eliminated.

college prep, high school resume, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: The High School Resume-Getting to the Point

February 18, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

The one thing employers will all say about resumes, “Make it concise and to the point.” A resume should catch the reader’s attention immediately and keep it long enough to give the reader an idea of who you are and what you represent. Long resumes rarely get read. If the employer doesn’t see something on the first page to catch his attention, he won’t continue reading the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pages.

Applying these simplistic resume directions to the high school resume, what does your student want to communicate in his resume?

Consistency

Colleges look for consistency over four years. If the resume lists a multitude of activities, a spattering of extracurriculars, or a few hours of community service here and there you aren’t communicating consistency. Instead of listing every single activity you have participated in, consider focusing on the one that represents who you are and a consistent involvement throughout high school. It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the level of involvement that matters.

Honesty

When a college looks at your resume, it should be an extension of your essay and the rest of your college application. Don’t pad it or pretend to be someone you are not. Be honest and thorough without being monotonous. If your essay talks about the summer you spent abroad volunteering with a religious organization, this should be an extension of who you are—not just something to impress college admissions. Don’t brag; use the resume as a tool to show off who you are and what is most important to you.

Commitment

The high school resume should communicate commitment—commitment to academics, commitment to excellence in school activities, and commitment to service. Each item on the resume should speak to that level of commitment. Anyone can join a club, play one semester of a sport, or take one difficult, challenging class. But colleges are looking for the student who goes “all in”, not someone who stands by the sidelines and watches.

The high school resume should get to the point and show colleges why they should offer you admission. It’s your tool to shine in the college application process.

Ready Wendy’s article: 5 surprising uses of a college prep resume

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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. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

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, college guidance, college planning, financial aid

Before the Offers of Admission and Financial Aid Awards Arrive

February 17, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

College acceptances for regular admission will be posted and arriving soon. Just a little later, will come the financial aid award packages. Before you and your student have to make the final college choice and before the financial aid awards arrive, consider these four activities in preparation:

1. Revisit colleges that have offered admission

Early spring is the perfect time to revisit the colleges that have offered admission. If possible, attend an admitted student session, stay on campus overnight, or just revisit to help your student refresh his memory of the setting and the students. While most would advise that you not accept an offer without a visit, some might disagree. Personally, I believe that visiting campus will help cement the decision in your student’s mind.

2. Discuss money

If you haven’t already done so, discuss what you will contribute and what your student will contribute toward the cost of college. This is an important discussion because once the offers of admission arrive and the financial aid package, it’s conceivable that your student’s decision will be based purely on emotions and not take into consideration the financial aspect of the decision.

University Parent has two great articles that address this topic: The Money Talk Part 1: Setting expectations with your student and The Money Talk Part 2: Put college funding into high gear!

3. Take a look at your 2nd, 3rd and 4th choice colleges

Before the offers (and rejections) arrive, take a look at your student’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th choice colleges. If necessary, revisit them. Re-examine why these colleges made the list and take a closer look at their offerings. This second look might move one of the colleges to the top of the list.

4. Understand the components of the award letter

Before you start receiving those financial aid offers, you should understand what’s in a typical award letter. Thankfully, there are tools available and information to help you look at these letters for what they are: the college’s pitch for your student to accept their offer of admission. You are in control of this process and you hold the cards. It’s your decision to accept or reject their offer based on the amount of aid they are willing to give your student. Money, in this situation, is everything.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

7 Scholarships You Might Not Know About

February 13, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

It’s Scholarship Friday and almost Valentine’s Day. What better way to celebrate than to show a little love and share seven scholarships you might not know about. This translates into fewer applicants and a greater chance of winning the award.

Reed Tech Scholarship

Innovations drive progress, economic growth and are the engine that moves patent-driven companies forward. Students who have studied STEM majors have gone on to develop innovations that have materially changed both our work and leisure lives. For this essay, please write about a significant innovation, what benefits it has provided and how you would improve upon it.

Award: $1000

Deadline: May 30, 2015

Southland Electrical Supply Scholarship

Are you interested in furthering your career and life by going to college? Is your dream to become the next Alfred Nobel? Are you looking for ways to cut tuition costs? Students who studying or planning to study in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) major or a related field or trade are invited to take part in our essay competition.

Please write an essay about “How innovation affects the science, technology and trade industry” Take this concept and apply it to a field or trade of your choice, explaining how innovation has changed and will continue to change your chosen discipline.

Award: $1000

Deadline: May 30, 2015

Active Calendar Scholarship

At Active Data, we are big believers in higher education, so we started a little college scholarship program to help one student make their college experience more affordable. If you are a college student or are soon to become one, entering is easy.

Just write an essay between 500-1,000 words telling us why knowing what’s happening on campus is vital to your success as a student. The winner will be chosen and announced on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

Award: $1000

Deadline: April 30, 2015

Distinctive Window Treatment Plus (Design Your Future)

Are you a creative, motivated individual interested in studying design at one of the New York area’s many design schools? No matter what design discipline you follow, we invite you to present your vision and showcase your knowledge.

Students interested in this scholarship are invited to participate in our essay competition. The topic to be explored for this year’s scholarship essay contest is “Today’s Design Trends Across Different Markets.”

Award: $1000

Deadline: May 25, 2015

AmeriQuest Transportation Services Scholarship

Students who are studying or are planning to study a technology or business derived major, or a related field or trade, are invited to take part in our $1,000 scholarship essay competition. Whether you know it or not, the transportation industry is suffering from a serious shortage of drivers. This problem has forced the industry to begin reevaluating its practices, hoping to attract a new pool of young, qualified drivers. The topic for this year’s scholarship essay competition is, “What can the transportation industry do to attract a new generation of drivers?”

For your essay, take this concept and present your ideas as to how the industry can best market these jobs to young adults and millennials.

Award: $1000

Deadline: May 30, 2015

Accounting Software Scholarship by Concentric

One of the prevailing issues facing so many young adults in the U.S. is the large student debt they carry upon graduating from college. Saving early through 529 plans and Roth IRA’s are just some of the ways to offset a portion of that debt. Consider what you or your parents did or are doing to prepare for your college education. If you were able to advise young students on this issue, what would you advise them to do?

This scholarship is open to currently enrolled full-time college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, as well as to high school seniors in the United States who will attend college.

Award: $1000

Deadline: May 30, 2015

Nissenbaum Internet Law Scholarships

The Nissenbaum Law Group, a multi-state law firm with a focus in Internet law, has established the Nissenbaum Internet Law Scholarship. It is geared to undergraduate and post-graduate students of an American scholastic institution. The two winners will each receive a $500 scholarship. The firm may also award non-monetary honorable mention(s).

The topic for the scholarship essay is: How can the American legal system improve its approach to policing and regulating digital technology without unduly stifling innovation and civil liberties?

Award: Two for $500 each

Deadline: May 30, 2015

college planning, college prep, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Time Management and Your Teen

February 11, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

With all the tasks involved in college prep it makes sense to concentrate on good time management. But encouraging a teenager to use these skills is often like a standing in front of a speeding train. They have tunnel vision and one track minds. Their priorities are often out of whack and misguided. Time management is not on the list of their priorities.

When my son and daughter were in high school they had two very different academic patterns. My son did his homework during his breaks and immediately after school. My daughter had so many activities and a highly active social life. She always waited until the last minute to do her homework and often stayed up later at night to complete it. To this day, she tends to over commit and wait until the last minute. My son, on the other hand, still does his work promptly and manages his time effectively.

When it comes to college prep, your teen needs to be able to learn time management in these three areas:

Study time

Time management is a key factor when pursuing academic excellence. In this post, 5 Tips to Manage Your Studies. Learning this skill before college will prepare your student for the rigorous studies he will encounter in college.

College prep activities

College prep activities require time management. There are college applications, financial aid applications, scholarship applications and test registrations that will all have deadlines.

Scholarship searches

If your student is on the lookout for scholarships, time management is essential. He will have to allocate time for the searches and the applications, and stay on top of all submission deadlines.

With so many activities for the college-bound teen during high school, time management can help reduce stress. Time management skills will also benefit him in college as well.

Read Wendy’s post: Best Ways to Manage College Prep Time

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college planning, college prep

Crafting the Ultimate College List

February 10, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

This article was written by Robin Noble and previously published on University Parent.

college list — –photo courtesy of University Parent–

My high school junior’s college search is going in a maze of directions as she works to create a list of schools for serious consideration. The list is important and timely. She will use it to decide which schools to visit this spring with limited time and travel dollars.

Lately I sense she is a touch overwhelmed. I wonder: how can I help my daughter figure out which schools will be a good fit for her?

Like you, I’m up on the feel-good wisdom here: be positive, let your student be her own guide, encourage her to let the process flow from within. All good thoughts, but parents certainly have some important roles to play.

You are the voice of financial reality.

Before your student gets her heart set, get clear on what your family can afford. Take half an hour to work through the “net price calculator” available on most school websites, or use theFAFSA4caster to estimate federal student aid. These tools calculate your family’s financial need — essentially the difference between the college sticker price and what the formula says you are able to contribute.

Net price calculators don’t assess potential merit aid — institutional money set aside for students based on varying factors like GPA, standardized test scores, advanced courses, etc. Some institutions include merit calculators on their websites; many do not. To learn how specific schools determine merit aid, don’t hesitate to call the admissions office and ask.

With net price and merit aid estimates in hand, your student’s list can be more economically viable. If you and she have assumed that private scholarships and loans will fill gaps, the amounts you are supposing are now clearer, and that’s a good thing.

Read the entire article: Reality, fit and substance–the ultimate college list

And don’t forget to sign up for the high school parents newsletter while you are there!

admissions, college guidance, college planning, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Six Steps to a Great College Search

February 9, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

This article was originally published on University Parent.

college search strategy — –photo courtesy of University Parent–

As my children entered high school and began on the college path, I knew I was going to be handicapped. I had not attended college myself and my husband attended a local school with a 100 percent acceptance rate. Neither of us had any idea how to approach the college search process!

But I love to think of myself as a “do-it-yourselfer” and I delved into college prep as a novice, starting with the searches. After my daughter was accepted to every school she applied to, family and friends began asking me for advice, and later encouraged me to broaden the circle and share what I learned on what became my Parents Countdown to College Coach blog and website.

When my daughter began her college search, she had one objective: to attend school in Boston. (Sound familiar??) In many cases, focusing on a particular city narrows the search drastically, but there are over 100 schools in the Boston area! Thankfully, not all are four-year colleges — some are technical or art schools. That helped a bit, but there were still too many to choose from. To find the best-fit college for my daughter, we needed a search strategy.

When creating a college search strategy, I recommend students and parents start with basic information and build on it. If you do this, when your student is ready to finalize his college list and submit his applications, you will be confident that you did your research, weighed all the options, and made informed choices.

Read more for six steps to a great college search strategy.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships, websites

Scholarship Friday: Raise.me–Automatic Scholarships for Students

February 6, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

What is Raise.me? It’s a new program that gives students the opportunity to earn micro-scholarships during high school for participating colleges. Awards are given to students automatically for each of their achievements during high school. Currently, over 60 colleges are participating in the program with more being added each month.

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.

Students can participate in the program for free and see which colleges are participating. College like Tulane University, DePaul University and the University of Rochester are just a few of the college participants. It’s a great way for students to see their efforts rewarded and rack up money to pay for college.

Parents can encourage their student to participate and see results:

Automatic earnings of grant aid before you even apply to college
Bite-sized goals to help your teen achieve at their highest level
Privacy controls that give students complete control over their information
Timely reminders to keep your teen on track
Early connections to colleges to get the inside scoop and receive invitations to events

You can see the award amounts here: https://www.raise.me/parents

Read more about the program on SavingforCollege.com

or visit Raise.me and join for free!

Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Is Grad School in Your Teen’s Future?

February 4, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

With all the talk about college, your teen probably hasn’t even thought about grad school. And you may ask why should they? Because grad school is the next step in the education chain for many career paths and it makes sense for your student to plan ahead if they want to pursue those paths in the future.

How do you plan for grad school while planning for college?

Research majors and careers

If your student is interested in the medical or law field it stands to reason they will be attending graduate school and possibly beyond. Some other career paths also require graduate degrees as you move up the ladder. For example, many students who want to teach at a college level will need a masters degree or even a Ph.D. for this career path. Students who are entering the business field might consider and MBA in their future. Research the majors and careers while researching the colleges.

Discuss finances

Graduate degrees are an added expense for students and many families do not prepare for this additional expense. If your student knows he will be going to grad school, make a financial plan and add those expenses to the overall costs. Evaluate graduate degree programs just as you would undergraduate degrees based on the return on investment.

Be prepared for concentrated study

If your student plans to pursue a graduate degree, there is no time to slack off and skate through college. Graduate programs are often difficult to get into and your student should consider the undergraduate program as a stepping stone. Just as high school academics prepare them for college, college prepares them for graduate school. Focused study and academic excellence are a key factor when applying for a graduate degree program.

Whether your student knows he will go on to graduate school, or is simply considering it, the best plan is to make a plan. It’s easy to do the graduate research along with the undergraduate research. Why not combine two tasks in preparation for the future?

Read Wendy’s post: 6 Reasons to Think Grad School in College Search

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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, career colleges, college planning, community college, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Is Community College Right for Your Student?

January 28, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

Higher education is a complicated issue for many students and parents today. College education is a necessity for finding success and prosperity in many career paths, but rising concerns about student loan debt and graduate unemployment are making the process of pursuing education more stressful and uncertain than ever before. Community colleges are becoming increasingly popular options for students everywhere, as a means of securing foundation credits before transferring to a university. Is community college a path that your teen should consider?

Community college gets a bad rap

Community colleges are often viewed as being stigmatized in many academic circles. Students and parents alike disdain the idea of a community college education because they believe that more prestigious institutions will look down upon them. Worries about how an employer will view community college education on a resume are disconcerting as well. However, you shouldn’t be concerned about such fallacies. Your teen can study at a community college before transferring to another school, and still have access to all the same opportunities as every other student.

Consider the costs

With college costs soaring, community college remains one of the most affordable options—in fact, it can save you a bundle.

•Community college tuition is significantly lower than that of traditional colleges and universities as well as public institutions.

•While attending a local community college, students can often remain living at home saving on room and board which on average is close to $10,000 a year.

•If your child is employed while in high school, they can keep their job by staying local throughout their college years. This income can often go a long way towards helping pay for transportation and college costs.

•If low grades are preventing your child from getting a scholarship at a college or university, attending a community college to earn an associate’s degree can be an affordable stepping-stone.

While you can likely finance an expensive private college or university with federal student loans or private loans—consider too that your child will be one-step ahead financially if they can enter the workforce debt-free.

Getting an education with potential

Gone are the days when masses of young people went to college for a general liberal arts degree with no specific career focus in mind. With the sagging job market, students have their eye on promising careers with upward mobility and lucrative salaries. For students looking to enter rapidly growing job markets, community college can be a viable option.

Many in-demand, well-paying, jobs require only an associate’s degree. More and more educational programs are offering these career-focused degrees. Careers such as electricians, plumbers, and mechanics are financially lucrative and graduates who can work in these fields are in high demand.

Many graduating seniors have decided to take the community college path before heading off to a 4-year university. They will tell you that they’ve made that choice for several reasons: cost, academic preparation, and the freedom to stay at home for the first few years. Community colleges aren’t just training grounds for technical careers, they are also the first stop for about 4 in 10 of college-bound high school graduates.

Community college might not be for everyone. But, it might be a perfect fit for your teen. And, if your teen is planning on making it the start of a 4-year degree plan, do some research and verify that the classes will transfer to the university they plan to attend.

Read Wendy’s blog: 3 Surprising Reasons to Consider Community College

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Parenting for College

Avoid These Three College Stressors

It’s so much more expensive than you thought