Mom-Approved Tips: Supporting Your College Freshman

 

college freshmanWhether you have a high school graduate heading to college in the fall, or you are working toward that eventual inevitability in the future, you need information about college life and how to support your new college freshman.

University Parent, as it has done in the past, recognized the need that parents have when their student’s head off to college. Knowing how frustrating it can be for parents with questions, concerns and generally uneasiness, they brought experts together to create the University Parent Guide to Supporting your Student’s Freshman Year. You could also call it the “everything you need to know but didn’t know where to ask” guide for parents.

Why create this guide?

Sarah Schupp, University Parent’s Founder and CEO, wanted to sort through issues of parenting college students and created this helpful go-to guide to make parenting afar easier. According to Ms. Schupp, “Studies consistently show that students with engaged parents have far better college outcomes than those that don’t or than those with overly-involved parents. There is a delicate balance between acting as a coach and acting in place of the student.”

Realizing that most parents questions are universal, University Parent published this guide to help parents best support their son or daughter.

What’s in the guide?

The guide is divided into time segments throughout your student’s first year of college: summer, early fall, late fall, and spring. Each division provides parents with all the information they need help their student through each segment of the first year of college.

The summer segment (Get Ready), deals with topics related to the changes you will face as your role changes, what to expect at orientation, roommates, budgeting, and campus culture. The fall segment (Settling In), discusses topics like move-in day, greek life, parent visits, and how to deal with struggling students. The late fall segment (Adjusting), deals with care packages, holidays, diet and exercise, and studying abroad. The spring segment (Looking Forward), talks about sophomore topics like housing, student stress, transferring and student loans. The final chapter gives you areas to write down phone numbers, important dates and a typical 4-year checklist.

Why do I recommend this guide?

I can’t tell you the number of parents who have asked me questions about the first year of college, especially dealing with these specific topics. If you know what to expect and how to plan, the first year will go much more smoothly. This guide gives parents all the information they need in one simple, easy-to-read guide.

Even if your student isn’t going to college in the fall, this guide will help you prepare for that day. As always, I advise parents to be prepared; because preparation prevents panic.

Making the Most of Summer College Visits

 

summer college visitsCollege visits can determine what schools you apply to and which one you ultimately decide on as your top pick. Summer college visits allow you the opportunity to visit campuses in a less formal atmosphere and wander around the campus on a self tour. Classrooms may be empty, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting. The college doesn’t necessarily have to be on your list–visits to any college help you formulate the list and give you ideas on what you like and don’t like on campus.

However, paying attention on college tours can be difficult, especially when there is a lot of information to digest. When deciding on a college and looking back on your time at each one, you may even forget important factors that can sway your decision. Here is some advice to get you through each visit and keep track of all the key details.

Make a list of topics to discuss

Before arriving for the college tour, make a physical list of all the topics you and your parents would like to know more about. When compiling this list, keep in mind that general questions about what majors the school offers can be quickly answered by referencing the website. Ask questions about activities, clubs, research, and campus culture.

Ask questions and take notes

During the tour, take notes on anything relating to your major and interests. For example, if you are interested in majoring in biology, pay attention to research opportunities the guide may mention and any labs you tour. If you have not decided on a major, you can ask if there is a program for undeclared students. You will also be going through the freshman dorms, gym, library, and other facilities that are available to students. If you are interested in fitness, the condition of the gym and its equipment may be important to note. Will you be able to study at the library? Will your dietary restrictions be a problem at the cafeteria?

The tour guides may mention the kinds of activities available on campus. They may also know how big Greek life is, or if there are a variety of clubs to join. These are the biggest ways to meet others on campus. If you do not feel comfortable with joining a sorority or fraternity and most of the student body participates in Greek life, that college may not be the right choice for you.

Do some exploring

Once your tour is over, take time to explore the campus and surrounding city on your own. While walking around the school, look at the bulletin boards and posters to get a better idea of the types of events and activities offered.

It can be overwhelming to visit multiple colleges and keep all the information straight. However, by taking notes, the college application process won’t seem as daunting. Once you are done with each visit, reflect on your time and try to think about what you did and did not like about each school. If you have a list of pros and cons before even applying to colleges, you will be better able to determine your college preferences. As long as you are organized, you will be equipped to make a decision.

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 About the author: Priya Sudendra is a senior at University of Colorado and a staff writer for CollegeFocus, a website dedicated to helping students deal with the challenges of college, including housing, finance, style, health, relationships, and transferring from a community college to a four-year university.

You can follow CollegeFocus on Twitter and Facebook.

10 GPA-Free Scholarships

gpa-free scholarships

Not every student is a stellar student with a winning GPA. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to go to college AND earn scholarship money to pay for their education. Good news . . . there are GPA-Free Scholarships that make it possible.

Following are 10 GPA-Free scholarships that you don’t need to be in the top 10%, a valedictorian, or the best of the best. You just need to want to go to college and put in a little effort.

1. $1,000 Every Month Scholarship from GotChosen

GotChosen is offering a recurring monthly scholarship to help college students. The GotChosen $1000 Every Month Scholarship is easy and free to enter. A new winner is selected every month by a random drawing. Open to all fields of study, the $1,000 must be used for educational expenses, this includes: tuition, fees, books, supplies, equipment required for study, or towards repayment of outstanding student loans. Virtually anyone 18 years old or older is eligible to participate. Open to U.S. and international students over 18 years of age, this scholarship asks you to register with GotChosen (painless) and enter the monthly random drawing. Applying doesn’t require a good GPA, essay or long form — just taking a gamble with absolutely nothing to lose.

2. College Week Live Scholarship

CollegeWeekLive believes that a college education is the key to having opportunities in life. That’s why their scholarship will reward students who are working hard to research, apply and choose a college. Winning is easy – all you need to do is login to CollegeWeekLive and visit 3 colleges that interest you. One lucky winner will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship every month. And many other winners may find the college of their dreams.

3.  Chegg Weekly Scholarship

Every week, Chegg gives away $1000 to one high school or college student. Cheng believes strongly in education and works hard to connect students with their best-fit colleges. But they also know that it can be expensive which is they award this scholarship this easy to enter scholarship. Just a short form and answering a question in three sentences and you could add $1000 to your college fund.

4. College Prowler $2000 No Essay Scholarship

The $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students and those planning on enrolling within 12 months. The monthly winner will be determined by random drawing and then contacted directly and announced on our Facebook page. One entry per person, but you can come back each month to try again. High schoolers, adults looking to head back to school, current college students and anyone else looking to attend college or graduate school within 12 months.

5. Scholarship Points

The ScholarshipPoints program is free to join and provides you with the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in scholarships each month. Members earn points by doing what they already do online: shopping, reading, gaming, searching, quizzes, polls, and more. The more you do – the more you earn – the better your chance to win a scholarship! Register today and you could be the next $10,000 scholarship winner!

6. University Language $500 Scholarship

What could be easier than uploading your favorite photo? What does college look like through your camera lens? Show University Language Services for a chance to win a $500.00 college scholarship! As a prospective student making college campus visits, you have a lot to take in: the dorms, the classrooms, the cafeteria, the football stadium … not to mention the atmosphere! Whatever it is, submit a photo you’ve taken, along with a description of between 100-200 words on why that photo represents what college means to you.

7. $1000 Cappex Monthly Scholarship

Tell Cappex about yourself and don’t hold back in a simple form to be eligible for the $1,000 A GPA Isn’t Everything Scholarship. This scholarship opportunity will be available at any college or university. Applications accepted for a limited time so apply now.

8. B. Davis Scholarship

This Scholarship is available to all high school juniors and seniors as well as all students currently registered in any post secondary institution. There is no age restriction an this is not an academic scholarship. To apply for this scholarship you will need to write an essay of less than 1000 words on a topic they choose (topics change yearly).

9. Frame My Future Scholarship

Students are asked to submit an original “creation” through an image which expressed what they hope to achieve in their personal and professional life after college. Entries include photographs, poems. essays. collages, drawings, paintings and other imaginative pieces. The entry needs to communicate: This is how I “Frame My Future”, and include a brief accompanying description. Four winners will receive a  $1000 scholarship.

10. American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) offers $20,000 in scholarships (ten winners at $2,000 each) to the 10 high school students (U.S. citizens or legal residents) whose names pop up in a drawing.

But here’s the kicker: You have to read a six-page document on the fire sprinkler industry and take a ten-question multiple choice test. It’s open book and each correct answer scores you an entry into the drawing (10 is the most entries you can have). You even get a chance to correct wrong answers, which doesn’t happen often with tests.

A Toolkit for Parents of the College-Bound

 

parent toolkitWhen your kids are born, it’s only natural for parents to dream about their future. If you’re honest, college is always part of the dream. But how soon do you start to plan and what do you need to know to be ready for high school graduation and college?

The Toolkit for Parents

As part of the broader Education Nation initiative, NBC News recently unveiled an easily accessible Parent Toolkit to help parents participate in their children’s academic success and personal growth.  The bilingual Parent Toolkit is a one-stop-shop for parents as a website and mobile app, and includes:

  • Grade-by-grade academic benchmarks for Math and English Language Arts with actionable tips to support learning outside the classroom
  • Guides to parent-teacher conferences and school counselor meetings
  • A Health & Wellness section, featuring guidance for nutrition, physical development and sleep
  • Tips for parents to promote healthy eating, exercise, and adequate sleep for their growing children and a check list to prepare for upcoming doctor visits
  • A newsfeed with parents and education focused stories, as well as a blog featuring original posts from Parent Toolkit experts and parents

The goals of this Toolkit are to establish for parents a clear understanding of what is expected of their children at each step in their academic journey and to provide a comprehensive set of tips and tools to help parents engage in and monitor their children’s overall development. NBC News enlisted a number of experts, from academics to classroom teachers to parents from across the country, to help review all the content.

The site, sponsored by Pearson, is available in both English and Spanish.

What I like about the site

The great advantage to this site is that it spans all age and grade levels. For parents who are planning toward the future with their grade school kids there’s a blueprint to follow. It allows you to track academic and personal growth and development by selecting your child’s grade level. This makes it easy to plan and stay on track for college.

Visit the site at www.ParentToolkit.com.

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 Things a College-Bound Teen Should NOT Do This Summer

 

summer to do listIt’s a well-known fact that admissions officers are concerned with how a student spends their spare time. Come application time, how your student spends the summer can either pump up your application or find them embarrassed to list those summer activities. Here are five things a college-bound teen should NOT do this summer:

1. Become an expert at Minecraft — spend the summer glued to the gaming console, stuffing your face with chips, cookies, and various snack foods while mastering the game.

2. Watch the all the seasons of Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, or Mad Men — spend the summer binge watching any number of shows you missed during the school year, failing to leave the couch or the house for all three months.

3. Cram 20 extracurricular activities into one summer — sign up for everything that’s available from Habitat for Humanity, to Special Olympics, to volunteering at the soup kitchen; racking up enough activities to make the high school resume a volume.

4. Lay out at the beach and/or the pool working on your (skin cancer) tan — spend every waking moment outside lounging in the sun, listening to tunes on your iPod, and flirting with the opposite sex; impressing admissions officers with your ability to navigate the complicated social structure of high school.

5. Live at the gym working on your physique — spend hours, days, weeks, and months at the gym crafting an Arnold Schwarzeneger look, pounding down vitamin shakes and muscle building supplements.

All kidding aside, summer is meant to be fun, relaxing and a break from the rigors of the school year. But a summer that doesn’t include learning and some college prep is an opportunity wasted.

Read Wendy’s post: The Surprise on a College-Bound Summer To-Do List

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Tonight’s #CampusChat at 9PM ET addresses the summer to-do-list and how it affects the college application process. Join me (@suzanneshaffer) and @collegevisit as we host our monthly #WednesdaysParent with guest Ashley Hill of College Prep Ready, a consulting service for college-bound teens and their families (@prepforcollege).

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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.

It’s an App-Stravaganza!

 

appToday, I’m sharing a collection of posts about apps for students–an app-stravaganza! There are some great ones on the list—some I haven’t listed before and some I have. After all, can you have too many apps?

Amazing Student Apps

http://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/3963-15-amazing-student-apps

15 Best Apps for Students

http://blog.laptopmag.com/best-student-apps

12 Apps for Students You Don’t Want to Miss

https://www.examtime.com/blog/apps-for-students/

10 Helpful Apps for Students

https://news.yahoo.com/10-helpful-apps-students-153700671.html

18 Apps Every Student Should Download Now

http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/apps-every-college-student-should-download-right-now

21 Best Apps for College Students

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/bet-apps-college-students/index.htm

Mom-Approved Tips: Navigating College Roadblocks

roadblockParenting isn’t for cowards. Every day brings new challenges and new drama, especially if you’re living with a college bound teen. Navigating college roadblocks can be tricky at best, but as with any difficulties, anticipating the possibilities can help you face them with confidence.

Your college-bound teen tells you that she simply MUST go to Private College A, even though she knows it comes with a high price tag.

Don’t let her bully you into sending her to a college you can’t afford AND one that will require a tremendous amount of student loan debt. Sit her down and explain to her the dangers of graduating in debt. Use the college repayment calculators if you have to. If she truly wants to go to Private College A, she needs to do the work (good grades, good SAT/ACT scores, great essay) to be awarded scholarship/grant money from that college. If not, there are always other options and choices.

Your college-bound teen is not interested in college or any other path that leads him toward higher education.

If there is one thing I learned with both of my kids (and clients), if they aren’t invested in the college process they won’t be invested in college. Save yourself some time, money and heartache and wait until they are. If not, they can learn from the college of hard knocks–minimum wage jobs are the BEST motivator!

Your college-bound teen misses deadlines, panics and comes running to you at the last minute to fix it.

The simplest way I know to avoid missing deadlines, is to get yourself a huge wall calendar and a fat red marker. Put it in a place that they have to pass by every single day. In addition, with all the smartphones and calendar apps available today, missing a deadline should be a thing of the past. At some point (hopefully when they go to college), they will have to fix their own problems. Let them do it now, while they live at home, and it will be easier for them once they are gone. Rescuing your kids all time only makes them into dependent adults and colleges aren’t impressed with those type of students or the parents that come with them.

Your college-bound teen suddenly announces she is not ready for college and wants to take a year off.

First of all, wait. Don’t react. Just listen. Odds are the mood will change with the wind and once all her friends are making college plans, that desire that she once had will kick back in. If not, let her know that it won’t be a “free-ride” year. She will be expected to work and save the money she makes for college.

Your college-bound teen refuses to get out of the car on a campus visit

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.

Your college-bound teen refuses to get organized

Procrastination—a teenager’s favorite technique for avoidance. If procrastination is their favorite technique, then tomorrow is their favorite word. Parents detest hearing that word from their kids, especially when it comes to the application process. What’s a parent to do? You can leave them to their own devises or you can be smart and find ways to help them stay organized. Beat them at their own game: text and email them reminders. If you’re sneaky, you can even add them to the calendar alerts on their smartphone or laptop. Hey, whatever works.

Saying Goodbye to Your College-Bound Teen

 

saying goodbyeI know I’m a bit premature, but the time will creep up on you before you know it. While you’re busy preparing for that fateful day, the reality is you will soon be saying goodbye. Use the next few months to plan and prepare. Being prepared and making the summer special will help you cope when you leave college on move-in day, shut the door, and realize your little baby is now considered an adult.

Go with them on dorm shopping trips

It goes without saying that your college-bound teen is going to need dorm furnishings and supplies.There are numerous sites that provide parents and students with dorm essential lists, Check out the resources provided by Bed, Bath and Beyond for a campus checklist. This shopping trip can be fun and exciting for both parents and students—make a day of it!

Make the last few days (and weeks) special

Schedule some “date nights” with your college-bound teen. Do some things they love and make the time special. Schedule some family nights and if possible, a family vacation. These days and weeks will help your student cope with homesickness later during the year, and you cope with empty nest syndrome when they are gone.

Have a goodbye party

Nothing says goodbye like a party. Make it memorable by inviting their friends, splurging on some great barbecue, and even providing a cake. Decorate the space or backyard by creating banners with their new college logo and goodbye banners wishing them well.

Talk about expectations on move-in day

Don’t hang around when you’re not wanted. If your student wants you to help them move-in, help and then leave. Some parents take their student to dinner after move-in and then say goodbye. Don’t embarrass them and let go when it’s time.

Saying goodbye is never easy; but if you prepare in advance for the eventuality and make the most of the time, waving goodbye on move-in day will be easier.

Scholarship Friday: A Job and a Scholarship

 

There’s been much talk in the news lately about Starbucks offering its employees college tuition. But did you know that there are companies that offer scholarships to their employees? What better incentive for your college-bound teen to get a job than a job and a scholarship!

Here are three companies that offer scholarships to their employees:

job and a scholarshipMcDonald’s

Good old Mickey Dees offers the McDonald’s USA National Employee Scholarship Program. To qualify, you must have been employed at McDonald’s for at least four continuous months for a minimum of 15 hours per week. Each state selects one student-employee from that state to receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Wal-Mart

Who doesn’t love Wal-Mart? The Wal-Mart Associate Scholarship Program is a $2,000 scholarship that is paid over one year. It is offered to Wal-Mart employees who are graduating high school seniors.

Chick-Fil-A

Not only is Chick-Fil-A a great company to work for–they take care of their employees. The Chick-Fil-A Leadership Scholarship Program gives student-employees the opportunity to compete for $1,000 scholarships for college. Employees have to commit to completing high school and move on to an accredited college to qualify. In addition to the application, a letter of recommendation from his or her operating store must also be submitted.

Other company options

While some programs are merit-based and others are need-based, one requirement for receiving an employee scholarship is that (surprise!) you must be employed by that company. Check with your employer to determine whether there is a minimum employment requirement that must be met before applying.

Don’t dismiss your employer just because they’re not a national corporation with a marquee name.

Many small businesses offer scholarships to their workers as well. No matter what the size of your company, ask your supervisor and check your company’s Web site to find out whether there are any scholarship opportunities available. A scholarship for college would be a great supplement to your college-bound teen’s paycheck.

How to Determine the True Cost of College

 

Parents and students are always looking for ways to determine the cost of college. It’s even more important as costs keep rising and with increasing student debt loads, families need more help than ever when making a college decision and determining the true cost of college.

Enter CostofLearning.com

determine the true cost of collegeWith CostofLearning.com, a user simply selects one or more colleges and a chart appears showing Expected Family Contribution on one axis and the net cost on the other. The free service requires no inputting of personal financial information or registration.

Jimmy Becker, CostofLearning.com CEO, says “We have developed the first universal net price calculator that allows families to compare college pricing in a way they have never been able to before. With CostofLearning.com, what used to be a slow, financially intrusive, and confusing process, is now fast, clear and simple. Most importantly, families get transparency into net pricing.”

How does it work?

CostofLearning.com aggregates multiple data sources and uses proprietary data analysis and modeling to ensure accurate results. Until now, these data sources have never been combined in such a visual and easy-to-use format.

true cost of collegeCostofLearning.com’s universal net price calculator reveals facts about schools that users may find surprising,” Rachel Okin, M. Ed, Founder of Okin College Match, and a college admission consultant. “Depending on a family’s financial status and state of residency, sometimes the college that a student expects to be the least expensive turns out not to be and vice versa.  The CostofLearning.com web app is a great tool to help families realize there are colleges they may not have thought they could afford that they actually can. I recommend it as part of the college search process.”

In addition, users can adjust for out-of-state vs. in-state tuitions as well as find more in-depth information such as endowment size, admissions statistics, test scores, graduation rates and more.

Helping parents navigate the college maze