Come and join me tomorrow at 1p.m. central time for a Back to School Party with another mom, MomRN Tamara Walker. Tune in early at 12 p.m. for some other great back to school tips and giveaways.
MomRN will be giving away a Parents Countdown to College Toolkit ($147 value) to some lucky listener so you won’t want to miss this!
Meet you on the call or on the web! Just click the link below to join in.
Each of us has a unique personality that will influence the way we coach our teens. The key is to find yourself, recognize your weaknesses, identify your strengths and adapt to provide your college-bound teen with the best coaching possible.
The “let me do it for you” parent
Always remember, the college search and application process is a teen project. You can help, but don’t do it all for them. They need to be involved and when those admissions letters arrive they will own that accomplishment.
The “over-anxious” parent
Knowledge is power-if you have the tools and know the facts you’re anxiety will decrease and you will be less likely to pass that along to your teen.
The “pushy” parent
The best way to handle your over-achiever personality is through organization. If you work with your teen to get them organized and they are aware of the deadlines, you won’t have to be that pushy parent.
The “my dreams are your dreams” parent
The quickest way to ensure failure in college is to send your teen off to a place where they feel pressured to succeed at something they never truly wanted to pursue. If you have unfulfilled dreams, find something you can pursue yourself that will satisfy that passion; and encourage your teen to walk their own path.
The “I’ll think about that tomorrow” parent
The problem with this philosophy is that it won’t work with deadlines, and the college maze is all about the deadlines. Preparation and organization are keys to overcoming procrastination. Thinking about it tomorrow will only lead to frustration, disappointment, and regret.
The “uninvolved” parent
It’s great to expect them to be responsible, but you and I both know that teenagers will be teenagers. Their minds and lives are headed in hundreds of different directions and staying on task can sometimes be inconceivable. It’s your goal to steer them back on course and help them reach their final goal.
The best case scenario:
The “well-balanced” parent
The well-balanced parent utilizes the best organizational tools to help their college-bound teen stay focused and on track. This is the type of parent coach we should all strive to become. You balance coaching, encouragement and guidance with information gathering, organization and goal setting. Your teen does not stress about deadlines because you have sat down together and created a calendar of upcoming scholarship applications, college entrance tests, activities, and school related events. You and your teen are confident and aware of the course you have set together and assured that because you are prepared and organized, the end result will be that your teen is able to reach their goals of college acceptance. You have planned ahead concerning the financial process and have utilized all the tools available to assure an impressive financial aid award package from the colleges where applications are submitted. You coach without pushing, pressuring or stressing out and your teen knows that they have your support and can look to you for positive feedback.
Which type of parent college coach are you?
When you’re a parent of a college-bound teen, you’re always looking for resources to help both you and your teen navigate the college maze. I’m always excited with a new resource comes online and I want to share it with other parents. MoreThanGrades.com is a web-based platform for students to create customized profiles for review by college admissions officers.
According to Ed Carpenter, the CMO of More Than Grades:
Students (and parents) can utilize the site in a variety of ways. We have an interactive college search feature that allows students to get the information they need. We also have the ability for students to find non-published scholarships that colleges offer using the same search engine.
Colleges can search for students using their search function, which allows them to seek out individuals with specific criteria listed in a student’s profile.
Our guidance tab allows students to ask individualized questions and get responses from our guidance and college representatives.
Spend some time at MoreThanGrades and you will find this is an innovative approach to helping your teen create an online profile. The site gives college admissions officers the opportunity to learn more than the obvious application information about your teen.
The U.S. Department of Education has compiled a list of courses for the college-bound student that is recommended by higher education associations and guidance counselors. These courses are specifically recommended for students that want to attend a four-year college. Even if your teen is leaning toward community college, junior college, or a technical college, they should still consider these courses. They provide the preparation necessary for all types of postsecondary education. Although academic requirements differ among colleges, the admissions requirements listed below are typical for four-year colleges. The specific classes listed here are examples of the types of courses students can take.
English–4 Years (American Literature, English Composition, English Literature, World Literature (many schools offer English I, II, III and IV which combines all these within the yearly offerings)
Mathematics–3-4 Years (Algebra I, Algebra II, Calculus, Geometry, Precalculus, Trigonometry)
History/Geography–2-3 years (Civics, Geography, U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, World Cultures, World Geography)
Science–2-4 years (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Marine Science)
Visual/Performing Arts–1 year (Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Band, Orchestra)
Foreign Language–2-4 years
Challenging Electives–1-3 years (Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Psychology, Statistics)
Mathematical skills and scientific concepts and skills learned in challenging math classes are used in many disciplines outside of these specific courses.
Traditional English courses will help students improve their reading comprehension and also their writing skills and vocabulary. All of these skills are part of the SAT and ACT college aptitude tests.
History and geography help your teen better understand their society as well as other societies and governments around the world. Learning from history is a valuable tool in teaching your teen that there are consequences to all of our actions.
Encourage your teen to participate in the arts disciplines (visual or performing). Studies show that students who do often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts also give them a richer understanding of history, science, literature and math, as well as helping to spur their creativity and ignite their passion. Many college admissions staff view participation in the arts as a valuable experience that broadens student’s understanding and appreciation of the world around them.