Any parent who is looking at college applications knows how important getting involved in extracurriculars can be. Your teen might not have the involvement in school activities that are going to impress the kinds of colleges they are looking for, but it’s not too late. However, there’s no denying that children who aren’t sporty can find it tougher to find the activities that they like. Here are some of the options you might want to nudge them towards instead.
While many students are busy packing their bags and getting ready to leave for their first year at college, still others are working on their applications for the next round of admissions. Of course, if your child fits the latter category, it’s likely that they already have a college in mind that they wish to attend. Happily, by reading the post below you can find out about the tactics that will help them get into their first choice. Keep reading to discover more.
Address any study or subject issues
Number one of the list tactics is dealing with grades, as this is the base level that a college application will address. Happily, this is something that you can definitely help your child with, without micromanaging them as well. Firstly, it’s vital that you take a keen interest in their progress with their studies, without being overbearing and demanding.
Then, if they or their teachers flag up an issue on a particular topic, it will be much easier to address this constructively. It may be that your child is struggling with a specific subject, or that something is going on in their life that creating a distraction for them. However, as long as you are able to have an honest two-way conversation, you will ultimately be able to get them the support or help they need to ensure that their grades remain on target to get into the college of their choice.
Help your child to present a rounded application
Please do remember though that while grades are essential for college, they are not the only thing that the application board with be looking at. In fact, lately, there has been a definite move towards reviewing the whole person and looking at their extracurricular activities as well as their academic ones.
What this means is that you can quickly help your child by encouraging them to engage in activities outside of the home. These may include sports such as basketball, football, and athletics, as well as getting them involved in community projects like food banks, reading programs, and soup kitchens. Even having a part-time job, or getting some work experience in a firm that is related to their studies can go a long way to helping them stand out amounts all the other candidates. Something that can help them secure that much-needed place in their first choice school.
Seek additional help
It’s also wise to remember as a parent that there is plenty of help out there both for you and your child when it comes to making a successful college application. First off there is lots of advice online that can take you through the process step by step, and also help you hone your child’s particular application documents.
Although, if your child is aiming at one of the top schools in the country it can be helpful to approach specialists like Ivy Select admission consulting for some additional help. After all, as they have been through the process of being accepted to an ivy league college, they are the best people to know all the little tips and tweaks to make to your child’s application for the best chance of them getting into their first choice.
Explore financial aid and scholarship options
Lastly, it is important to remember that it may be finance and scholarship issues that are standing in the way of your child getting into their first choice college. In fact, as university fees have risen so sharply in recent times, it is widespread for students to pick the more economically viable options, rather than where they genuinely want to go.
Luckily you can assist your child in dealing with this, by going through the costs of their course with them, and showing them what sort of budget they will be working on. You can even help them by demonstrating how this will affect their income when they are qualified and have to pay any loans back.
It’s obviously also important to openly discuss how much, if any financial help you will be providing to them, and not leave them guessing. After all, this may have a significant impact on whether they end up applying for the genuine first choice or not.
Lastly, it’s crucial that you also go over the options for scholarships with your child as well, and make sure that they understand these entirely before they make their applications. After all, the can be complicated and confusing and they may even need to start working on things like their grades or other requirements before it gets to application time. Something that you can support them with and that can ultimately help them get into their first choice college.
No matter what stage they’re at in their educational journey, your kids should appreciate that the classroom only provides a platform. If they truly want to maximize the capabilities of learning to experience its greatest rewards, they must be willing to do more.
Frankly, going that extra mile is the hallmark of a champion. Here are five simple tricks that will fire your child to greater results than you ever thought possible. What are you waiting for? Let’s get to work.
Find Direction
Becoming well versed in various subjects is important. Ultimately, though, they will eventually need to choose a pathway en route to creating a great career for themselves. While youngsters shouldn’t feel forced into making a definitive decision, it doesn’t hurt to think about the future career ASAP. After all, this will help them know which subjects need to be prioritized or what courses may be taken further down the line. Apart from anything else, that vision will serve as great motivation throughout the journey ahead.
Complete Autonomous Study
Whether your child is a school pupil or a university student, you cannot expect the teacher to provide everything. They are a fountain of knowledge, but they can’t be expected to know everything. Their advice can form the basis, especially with regards to exam prep. Nonetheless, using services like GradeBuddy to enhance their knowledge of key topics should be on your child’s agenda. With that coupling of personal progress and class education, they should gain a deeper understanding. This should come as a huge help in both academic and practical ways.
Develop Key Skills
Education isn’t just about increasing their knowledge. You are ultimately trying to prepare your child for the best career and lifestyle. As such, encouraging them to take the time to invest in key transferable skills is an essential part of the process. This is especially true when you actively recognize a lack of confidence in public speaking and similar areas. Their studies are the perfect opportunity to work on those weaknesses as well as their strengths. Find the right balance to boost your hopes of success in the real world, and it will pay dividends in the long run.
Put The ‘U’ Into Education
Passing exams is one thing, but driving themselves towards a great career is another altogether. No two people are identical, and their education should be tailored to personal needs. Making education about the individual can be achieved through many methods. Learning a new language with DuoLingo, alongside a chosen field, allows your child to chase the dream of working abroad. Meanwhile, using practical approaches is far more rewarding for your personal tastes. Essentially, doing the best thing for them is the key to even greater success.
Gain Experiences
There’s more than one way to enhance your knowledge of a subject. Frankly, experience is just as vital as education, and is something colleges and employers actively seek. This is why extracurricular activities can become your secret weapon for future applications. Apart from impressing others, it’s a great way to boost their self-confidence and capabilities within a chosen field. If your son or daughter is looking for the perfect finishing touches to their strategy, this is the only answer they’ll need.
Say what? A hobby can be a plus on your college application? You bet! What do hobbies communicate? Passion. What are college admissions officers looking for? Passion.
Hobbies and Extracurriculars
Hobbies can be a valuable component of the extracurricular record. If your teen already has a hobby, help them find clubs or organizations related to that hobby. Hobbies can also be used as a non-teenager activity. These activities are viewed by admissions counselors as unique and can often differentiate your teen from other applicants. If your teen is interested in writing for instance, blogging might prove beneficial. Many admissions counselors are looking for those unique qualities that set your teen apart from the thousands of applicants in the pool. If your teen raises homing pigeons, for example, a counselor might find this fascinating and vote yes on an application that is sitting in the maybe pile. There are all kinds of hobbies that can lead to college majors and future careers. (i.e. forensic science, gaming, history buff). Whatever hobby your teen has chosen, find a way to incorporate it into the high school resume and utilize it as one of the many components of the extracurriculars.
Hobbies and the College Essay
Experts recommend that students take every available opportunity on an application to fill in details about who they are and how they spend their time. Talk about your Etsy shop, rock band, or videography for example, if they highlight your individuality, personality and passion.
You can use the essay to talk about why you chose this hobby and why this makes you passionate – and then definitely include why the university that you want to go to will help you get to where you want to go in the future.
Explaining your hobbies in your college application can also help officials recognize valuable traits that aren’t revealed in a high school transcript. For example, admissions officials say entrepreneurship in high school shows that you’re a leader who takes action – a characteristic that colleges value.
Paul Hemphill, College Planning Expert, relates a story about one of his students who spent the weekends tending to the graves of Civil War soldiers. He parlayed that into an amazing essay about respect, honor and commitment. As you can imagine, this unusual hobby made the student stand out in the college application process.
Hobbies and Scholarships
And here’s a bonus: turn your hobbies into college cash! Scholarship Experts points out that many hobbies are showcased by organizations that award scholarships to those who pursue that hobby: amateur radio, poetry, art, knitting, and video for example. And don’t forget about the Bass Fishing Scholarship offered by several colleges.
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.
When I find a resource that is PACKED FULL of information for parents and students, I can’t help but share it. TeenLife.com is just that resource. According to their “About” page:
TeenLife provides the web’s most comprehensive directory of STEM, gap year, pre-college, overnight summer and community service programs for students in grades 7-12. Our print and online content helps teens, parents, and educators make strong enrichment-program decisions.
TeenLife is passionate about teen success. We know that teens who’ve had a range of meaningful outside-the-classroom experiences are more likely to succeed in school, in college, and beyond.
Our mission is to make it simple for teens (along with their parents and educators) to develop a meaningful personal experience portfolio, no matter the makeup of their individual interests, talents and resources.
Let’s face it: today’s teens live a good portion of their lives through the lens of the internet, and under the ever-watchful eyes of parents who worry a great deal about their safety. That’s why it’s more important than ever to require middle and high school students to engage in activities that connect them to real people in the real world, at home or abroad.
Their site is divided into three specific areas:
Programs and resources for teens
TeenLife.com provides parents and students with a list of over 15,000 programs and resources. These are “outside the classroom” opportunities to help students find the ones that best suit their interests and their pocketbook.
The TeenLife blog
The TeenLife blog offers a multitude of posts directed toward teens, college students and parents. The blog is updated daily with relevant topics and extensive information on the college prep process.
TeenLife’s Digital Publications
TeenLife’s FREE digital publications offer a variety of information for parents and students and can be easily read online or printed to make notes and review. The publications include:
Guide to STEM Programs
Life with Teens
Guide to Overnight Summer Programs
Guide to Gap Year
Guide to Special Needs Schools and Programs
Guide to Performing and Visual Arts Colleges
Guide to Finding Jobs and Internships
Guide to College Admissions
Guide to Community Service
Guide to Specialized Schools and Programs
Sign up for the email list and be notified when a new guide becomes available.
Spend some time on TeenLife.com and browse their articles, their programs and delve into their digital publications. It’s a wealth of information available for parents and college-bound teens.
The education you have during high school can benefit you in college. This is especially true if you plan to pursue a law degree. There are reasons to make a high school debate team a part of your education.
A Debate Team Will Help You Learn Communication Skills
When you work in the legal field, you need to know how to communicate effectively. The best way to prepare for success is to learn these skills in high school. There is no better way to learn effective communication skills than by participating on a debate team.
Debate requires you to think clearly and carefully before you speak. You will learn to formulate your thoughts, and know in advance what you want to say. You will learn to be logical and rational. These skills will help you communicate in an effective manner.
Your Education Can Help You Learn To Focus On Facts
When debate is part of your education, you will learn to separate emotions and opinions from facts. You will be able to approach each topic you debate from a logical perspective. These skills will be useful in the classroom, and in your future career.
Debate Will Help You Gain Confidence In Yourself
Confidence is an important part of your education. Not only is confidence essential to a successful career, it can also make your life better when you are in college.
A person who has confidence in himself is more likely to resist negative peer pressure. If your fellow students drink, use drugs, or engage in other harmful activities, the self-confidence you develop from participating in the debate team can make it easier for you to make the right choices. You will know you do not have to follow the crowd, or engage in behaviors that are not in your best interest.
When debate is included in your education, it can also help your social life. As socializing is an important part of the college experience, self-confidence can help you make friends. When you are self-assured, you will be the kind of person other students will like.
You Can Become Goal-Oriented From Your Debate Team Experiences
Even if you are still in high school, gaining the most from your education requires you to be goal-oriented. When you practice for a debate, you will have goals in mind. When you know what you want to accomplish, it is the first step toward accomplishing the goal. This is a habit you can carry with you into college, and into your future.
Debate Makes Education Fun
While debate is serious, it is something you will enjoy. From learning about new topics to interacting with other students, it will be an enjoyable part of your overall education.
However, you will also find an activity can be fun and serious at the same time. While you will take many classes and participate in other activities in high school, the debate team is one in which you will have a good time.
Your education is your foundation for the future. Nearly every decision you make today will affect your future in some way. When you are planning the courses you will take, and the extra-curricular activities you want to participate in, make sure the debate team is on your list.
The debate team can provide a head-start to a successful career. It can benefit you throughout your college years, and when you enter the workforce. Equally important, it is something you will thoroughly enjoy. It can provide many benefits and opportunities that you cannot afford to miss. The debate team should definitely be part of your high school plans.
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Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he describes the benefits of being involved with a debate team and aims to encourage further study with a Champlain College Masters in Criminal Law.
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Back in the day, in order to get accepted into a great school, all you needed to do was make excellent grades and do really well on the standardized tests. Kind of makes you chuckle doesn’t it, because you can easily imagine your own grandparents saying something like that (“Back in my day…”) before they told your parents to do what they did and get a job? Gramps wasn’t trying to be mean or unsupportive; he was just conveying the reality of his time: that going to college wasn’t a given or even a possibility for the majority of the country back then.
Fortunately, the opportunities to receive a higher education are more available to many more people in this day and age. At the same time, that hopeful picture from yesterday of simply doing well in high school is no longer the case because colleges and universities have such a pool of superlative candidates from which to pull that they are much more selective to whom they choose to extend acceptance letters.
Maybe the old timers were on to something: in order to separate themselves from the pack of wannabe college students, your kid may need to take a lesson from the past…and show his or her vision for the future. But merely getting a job isn’t going to cut it, because lots of kids have to work through high school and have jobs on their resumes. What most of them don’t have, however, is a successful entrepreneurial endeavor and legit business experience under their belts.
Here are some creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school that can improve your student’s impression on college admissions officers and have a profound positive impact on their lives from this point forward.
Think Green
Evolving yet another ‘oldie but goodie’ involves starting a landscaping or lawn care business. And with the rising costs of education, starting a “green” business in high school can prove extremely helpful for providing some of the green to pay for college.
Remember that businesses do not need to be large, complicated, or full of employees in order to be successful. All you need is the upper hand in supply and demand: identify a product that you can offer to the consumers at a profit.
Yards and residential lawns abound and someone has to maintain them. And since the largest aspect of yard work is the labor, as long as your kid can invest the time – without the grades suffering, that is – the majority of the income is straight profit.
And to address the grades issue, by developing a self-sustaining repeat business model, once the initial legwork of generating a clientele base is over, your entrepreneur can spend more time making sure their academics are in order.
Finally, an outdoor business involves the purchase of tools and machinery that are a one-time investment but can be reused over and over on each client’s property. And here’s a plus–they can continue the business while attending college.
Smart start ups for entrepreneurs
Some ideas for smart start-ups include products like:
Gardens: Whether they build raised bed gardens with lengths of lumber or improve an existing garden’s curb appeal with a lattice surround, the basics are the same. They’ll need a truck for hauling supplies and a creative eye to set their designs apart from other professional landscapers.
Fences: If they don’t necessarily have green thumbs, they can still make green by investing sweat equity in putting up fences for residential properties. Another option for “staff” that can cut down the project time exponentially is hiring their friends to help put up the fences.
Paint: If the inside world is more their speed, beginning entrepreneurs can still make bank by starting a painting company. And they can further narrow down their focus by deciding whether they want to specialize in residential or commercial buildings and basic surface painting or artistic detailing with painted murals.
*Tip: Develop a website to drum up business and convey to a prospective college an awareness of technology’s ever-increasing role in modern business practices.
Notes for Newbies
Make sure your kid keeps meticulous records related to:
Business Plan: This will speak volumes to an admissions officer in terms of your candidate’s ability to conceptualize a workable business model.
Financial Records: In addition to keeping money issues straight with clients, keeping detailed records with finances makes it easy to convey the financial success of your entrepreneur’s business.
Portfolio: A picture is worth a thousand words, and since an admissions representative can’t do site visits, being able to present them with a professional looking portfolio will give them a visual of what your kid is capable of.
What are some other creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school?
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Today’s guest blogger, Chris Long, is a store associate at a Chicago-area Home Depot. Chris is a frequent contributor on lumber and wood topics for the Home Depot website. He also writes on fencing, garden and other outdoor project tips to homeowners.
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!
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 pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.
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Paul Hemphill, a successful college counselor and the Video College Advisor knows the importance of extracurriculars:
“Getting into college is now all about presentation. As a student you’re like a little brown box with thousands in front of you and behind you and you all look the same. You need to put a ribbon around your little brown box. Ribbonize your sameness!”
How your student packages himself will make the difference and that difference could be all about the extras—the ribbon on the box is your student’s extra activities outside the realm of academics. As I have said often, it’s not a pumped up list of activities to stack the resume. It’s the extras that set your student apart from other applicants and culminate with an offer of admission.
What are the extras?
Extras, or extracurricular activities, are what students occupy their time with outside of studying and taking tests. These activities can be school sponsored activities, community service, church sponsored service, a part-time job, or even personal hobbies and talents. The list is endless but it should represent who your student’s goals and interests.
Why are the extras important?
Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. Colleges aren’t looking for students who bury their faces in books, hide out in their dorm rooms, and hibernate in the library. They need students who will contribute to their student population and participate in activities on campus. A student with hobbies and interests, communicate organization skills and multi-tasking qualities—both of these are needed with the added difficulty and challenges in college.
How do students determine which extras to choose?
Here’s where you can help—encourage them to participate in activities that interest them. Pushing them to run for student council or campaign for school president if this is not their area of interest will not end well. You know your student better than anyone else. What interests them? What do they like to do? What types of sports are they involved in? Do they like to serve others at church or in the community? Asking these questions will help you guide your student as they determine their interests.
How do students package the extras?
Consistency is key when approaching extracurriculars. College admissions officers can spot a stacked resume a mile away. When they see a student who has done the same activities for four years they take notice. And when they see an unusual activity, the application goes to the top of the pile quickly. This is a ribbon on the brown box. Starting and maintaining a small business while in high school, participating in local politics and training guide dogs are examples of these “outside of the box” activities.
The extras are just the beginning of your student’s life of discovery. These extras shape their academic futures and their future careers. Knowing what they want will help them stay on track in college and find a job in their area of interest after graduation.
As always, Wendy (POCSMom) adds her expertise and her unique perspective on adding the extras–don’t miss her take on the topic!
When your teenager enters high school they are told from day one that they NEED extracurriculars to get into college. Parents nag them about it. Counselors and teachers lecture them about their importance. Most of the advice they receive, however, neglects to mention one crucial point: padding the resume with activities does not impress college admissions officers. They can spot this tactic when they see it and it gives a negative impression on the application.
How should you approach extracurriculars? With planned purpose. Begin freshman year by examining your likes and dislikes and trying out some activities. You don’t need a long list; just a few that you enjoy and are willing to commit to for four years. Think outside the box and remember that all activities don’t need to be school related. One student gained admission and a scholarship because an admissions officer that his hobby of raising carrier pigeons was unique. The possibilities are endless based on your interests.
Don’t forget that extracurriculars are only one part of the college application. Don’t spend so much time focusing on them that you neglect academics and test prep. A well balanced student possesses all the qualities necessary to impress the college admissions officers.
While many students are busy packing their bags and getting ready to leave for their first year at college, still others are working on their applications for the next round of admissions. Of course, if your child fits the latter category, it’s likely that they already have a college in mind that they wish to attend. Happily, by reading the post below you can find out about the tactics that will help them get into their first choice. Keep reading to discover more.
