Tag Archives: parenting

admissions, college news, parenting

Student Cheating: An Epidemic?

The Washington Post published a blog article a few days ago, “The Cause of Standardized Test Cheating and How to Stop It” citing these disturbing statistics:

FairTest has documented confirmed cheating cases in 30 states and the District of Columbia in just the past three academic years. Hardly a week, or a day, goes by without a reminder that the mounting evidence of cheating in cities and states across the nation shows no signs of abating. Sadly, neither does the damage caused by the standardized testing mania that underlies the cheating scandal, as explained in a new FairTest fact sheet.

As parents, we need to look at the underlying cause BEHIND the cheating. Is there too much pressure to test well? Are students not taught throughout their lives that cheating is wrong? Has the invention of technology made it easier to cheat?

Here’s an infographic that outlines cheating and it just doesn’t happen in high school and college. Sobering–to say the least

Cheaters
Created by Online Masters Degrees

 

college planning, financial aid, Guest Posts, parenting

How Students Can Graduate from College Debt Free

3 Comments

Here’s some advice from Ellie Kay, America’s family financial expert, geared specifically toward parents about how to help their students graduate from college debt-free. As we all know, student debt is a major problem for recent graduates across the country. Currently the total student loan debt in America exceeds 1 trillion dollars! It can be difficult to graduate debt free, but if you have the right advice and common sense it can be done!

Hearing from a financial expert is great, but hearing from a parent who has been able to apply wise financial advice and help her kids graduate debt-free is even better!

Share this:

college guidance, college planning, Guest Posts, parenting

Prepping students for life as a college student

1 Comment

Parents, you have spent nights up with your kids when they were sick, read over homework assignments, and been a listening ear to their rough days at school. Fast forward to their senior year of high school and now your child is an adult. While no one can turn back the clock, there are several actions you can take now to ensure your child is prepared to smoothly transition to a college student.

  • Encourage responsibility–While you are still the parent and have an important role in your future college student’s life, promote independence. For example, set boundaries with your child if you will be sending money regularly. Also, determine consequences if your child abuses money that you send such as by not sending additional funds until the next semester. Let your child know that you will be available to listen and offer suggestions, but the ultimate responsibility lies with them. There has to be a balance between being a parent and treating your child as an adult.
  • Encourage your child to avoid getting into debt, when possible–Many students and their families receive financial aid packages that include grants and loans. With this in mind, encourage your child not to incur further debt such as credit card charges or overdraft bank fees. Offer suggestions for your child to save money and establish a budget to cover the expenses that come with the college life. Examples of suggestions would be to work part-time on campus, purchase food at the grocery store, and limiting entertainment expenses.
  • Encourage your child to use the resources available on campus–The college experience is more than attending classes, but will hopefully allow your child to learn new things and meet new people. So, when your child needs help with talking to a professor, dealing with a rude roommate, or finding an internship, advise him or her to seek out the appropriate organizations and individuals for assistance. While you maybe tempted to speak to someone to help your child, keep in mind that ultimate responsibility remains with your child.
  • Encourage your child to maintain balance–Don’t be surprised if your child calls you from college and mentions his or her increased stress levels from classes. Remind your child to seek out attending counseling, participating in fitness courses, eating properly, or taking a brisk walk around campus with friends. Certainly, preparing your child for college will be a time of anxiety for you because you ponder over whether you taught your child and equipped them with the tools necessary for survival in the world. Now is the time to trust yourself that your child is ready to attend college and be available to encourage him or her along the way!

********

Today’s guest post is from Ashley Hill, founder of CollegePrep Ready. Ashley brings her knowledge, expertise, and compassion to helping junior and high school students and their families to successfully prepare for college. She founded CollegePrep Ready in July 2010 in response to her personal journey to achieving success in her undergraduate program. She is dedicated to developing an individualized plan of action for every student and family because no two students are alike.

 

parenting, test prep

What “EdTech” Means to a New Parent

There have been a lot of new developments in my life recently.  I started a new job working with an online and mobile test prep company known as TestSoup that makes flashcards for a variety of different standardized tests.  I am learning about marketing, social media, and (of course) education.

But perhaps the most significant change in my life recently (within the past year and a half) is that now I am a parent, and am viewing the world through a very different set of eyes.  It affects everything, but mainly it forces you to look at everything in the long term.  When you go through something, you wonder how it will be for your child when he or she goes through it.

This is exactly what happened at the end of last month, when TestSoup attended its first conference: ISTE 2011.  Not only was it TestSoup’s first conference, it was mine as well.   It was an interesting experience, I must confess.  Lots of walking, lots of talking, and lots of hand-shaking.  There were other things too, but those are the three that stood out the most.

As I wandered around the conference, gawking at the amazing educational technology (EdTech) tools available these days, I couldn’t help but imagine what it will be like when my child goes through school.  What will schools be doing five or ten years in the future?  What are they doing now?

As it turned out, there was an entire section of the conference devoted to answering that question, and it was in that section that I spent most of my time.  I wanted to learn all I could about what these schools were doing.  Of course, I wanted to tell them how TestSoup could help them by offering their schools free access to our online test prep materials.  But in talking to people about what I could offer them, I ended up learning boatloads about what they were already doing for their students.

Some of these projects sounded absolutely out of this world.  Building a 3D replica of a botanical garden that you navigate on a computer?  Awesome.  Constructing and programming robots over the internet with students from Korea?  Amazing.  Helping Elementary School students run their own online newspaper?  Incredible.

These were the types of assignments that I hope my child will complete when he is in college.  Heck, these are the types of projects I would be happy to do now.  The face of education is changing, and we owe it almost entirely to technological advancement; to EdTech.

If you are a parent of a college-boud teen or current college student, I strongly encourage you to get involved and see what kind of EdTech can be adopted by their school.  There’s some very, very exciting stuff happening.

********

This guest post was contributed by John J. Walters, Director of Marketing for TestSoup, the premier provider of online and mobile test prep solutions.

college planning, organization, parenting

The importance of organization in the college process

I am the proud mother of three college graduates (Columbia University, Syracuse University, and Mass College of Art), so I know firsthand how difficult it is to keep on top of college tours, applications, test scores, financial aid, and scholarship information.

“Do you know where my ….is?” How many times has a parent heard that question? It’s one thing to lose a favorite toy or a shirt, but if you are misplacing college applications or missing deadlines because you misplaced a document, then it’s time to think about getting organized!

Good organizational skills are important in school and at home. If you are organized, you save time not looking for stuff! You save money by not paying for stuff you already have. And, you get important stuff done on time!

You have a better chance of getting into your preferred college if you are organized. The college application process involves much organizing for planning, testing, traveling, completing applications and deadlines for scholarships and essays. Getting advice from professionals who know the college process ins and outs and having all that information organized is imperative to reduce the stress that comes with the college search process and increase the chance of getting into your preferred school.

So, how do you organize for the college search? Start early! It’s a good idea to start keeping records in 9th grade, so everything will be in one place and easy to find when it’s time to begin the application process. Set up a record retention system for both student and parent. It should be easy to use, centrally located for convenience, and organized so that you can easily find the information you need. A good filing system will have clear labels and plenty of space to handle all the information you collect. Establish a calendar management system/ to do/check list that you refer to monthly to keep on top of timelines for such things as college fairs and visits, testing and appointments with your college advisor.

Setting up and using organization systems will give you a valuable advantage in school and in life! That’s why I believe in organization and its benefits and that is why I have become a supporter of the College Caboodle – an organizational tool for parents and college-bound high school students. The system includes:

 

  • A calendar of to-do’s for 9th-12th grade
  • An instructional DVD
  • A simple filing system with pre-labeled folders
  • A list of the must-know website resources
  • Easy to use forms and checklists
  • Important financial aid and scholarship contacts

Let this college prep tool turn the whirlwind college application process into an exciting look into your child’s future, instead of a tornado of paper and clutter in your office

Good luck with your college search!

******

Today’s guest post was contributed by Isabell Wells, a professional organizer and founder of “All in Order”. You can contact her via email at:  allnorder2@rcn.com or by visiting her website at : www.orderbywells.com.

college planning, Guest Posts, parenting, Uncategorized

How to encourage your high school student to consider an internship

From an early age, my parents always encouraged me to think about the parallels between student life and working full-time. “Just like it’s our job to get up and go to work every day, it’s your job to get up and go to school every day,” I vividly remember my mom telling me as a kindergartner. “And doing your homework when you get home at night is part of that job, too,” she added.

Looking back, it seems like a few trivial statements made by a mother to persuade her daughter to get out of bed for school in the morning. But it wasn’t insignificant. It helped my young, impressionable mind to recognize the importance in being a good student. I wanted to be a good student because it was my job to do so, according to my mother. Indeed, it was forward-thinking at its finest.

With that fundamental seed planted (you must get up every day and perform your job, whatever it is), when a child develops natural interests and skillsets, it’s time to hone in on the “whatever it is”. As teens reach the pivotal point in their lives of determining the career field in which they want to obtain further education and training, parents can have the same effect on their children as my mom did when she made that simple statement to her six-year-old. Little did she know her praise and support of my early passions would ultimately lead to my pursuit of a degree in disaster recovery.

Encourage your college-bound teen to investigate careers

Encouraging teenagers to investigate careers, if done properly, can set them up for success long before recruiters start showing up at their high school. No child ever really wants to grow up, so mandating they start thinking about declaring a profession will likely not yield a positive response. Rather than telling them to start thinking about college or figuring out what they want to do for a living, ask questions relating to a career that will provoke their curiosity and motivate them do initiate their own research.

For example, let’s say your teenage son has great language skills, is on the school newspaper editorial team, enjoys playing baseball, loves punk rock music, and appears to be dependent on his Twitter account. You could ask him if he plans to be on the newspaper staff next year. If he does, then he must enjoy writing. As a parent, you are surely in tune with what he’s writing about. So, if the newspaper has him writing about the school play, encourage him to seek permission to write about sports or music (two of his interests) instead. If the paper won’t allow him to change topics, mention a music or sports blog you stumbled across that you noticed was taking guest posts. Whether it’s with the school newspaper or on a blog, you’ve now guided him towards creative writing about subjects he enjoys.

Encourage them to take the next step

If it goes well and he likes it, as you praise him for the great work he’s been doing, casually mention what bigger and better things it could lead to- a music correspondent for an alternative arts publication, a field reporter for a local radio station, or video blogging for a local news station. Be persistent, but not annoyingly persistent, that these are real possibilities. Point out that those types of organizations need interns and that, if it’s something he could see himself doing for a career, that he could test the waters with an internship.

The point is that gentle nudging that provokes curiosity will, in the end, be much more effective than forcing internships if the student discovers on his own that his passion can become his career. Take an active interest in his activities and hobbies and encourage further development of those that could lead to internships and occupations. Drop hints and make suggestions. And most importantly- be supportive of their final decisions!

********

This was a guest post contributed by Danielle Luna, a resident of Indianapolis, who blogs for Professional Intern (http://www.professionalintern.com), a website devoted to reading, literature, writing, and education.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, Uncategorized

Using Admission Predictors-Yes or No?

We all like to know what our chances are in life. What are my odds at winning the lottery? How likely is that my resume will be seen by the right people? What do the stats say about starting a new business in a down economy? Will the stock we purchased go up?

Recently, I’ve come across two tools that would help to give your student information about their chances related to admissions: MyChances http://www.mychances.net/ & AdmissionSplash on Facebook http://bit.ly/gkZ6NU

Mashable highlighted AdmissionSplash recently explaining how the tool works.

Here’s my question–would you want your student to use these tools? I would love to hear what you think about them. Yes or no?

college guidance, college planning, parenting

Parents–Advise, but don’t invade!

Most parents would like to be involved in their child’s college selection process.  Sometimes it’s hard to know how much is enough, though.  From my perspective as a student, it’s best to monitor and advise, but not to invade.

I am the youngest of three children, so my parents were pros when it came to college admissions.  If you are experiencing your first child going off to college, that’s a whole other ball game which may require more planning and research.  No matter what, keep in mind that this decision affects your child more than it affects you, so let them make the final decision.

My parents had a tactful strategy. They had several early conversations with me about what I found important in a potential school.  These aspects generally included a strong marketing program (my major), plentiful extracurricular opportunities, and a comfortable campus with an active & social student body.  My parents would share their concerns, which included campus safety, finances, distance from home, etc.

Once they knew that I had listened to their point of view, I was free to research any schools I wanted. I came up with a list of around fifteen schools and eventually narrowed that down to the six that I would apply to.  As soon as I had my finalists, my parents went into hyperdrive.  They made lists, spreadsheets and poster board-sized charts about the benefits and drawbacks of attending these schools.  They helped me rank my schools into ‘reach schools,’ ‘safety schools’ and the ones that fell somewhere in the middle.  Finally, my dad accompanied me on a trip to the east coast to visit a couple of them.

Ultimately, I decided to attend Syracuse University, a choice that my parents and I were equally comfortable with.  My mom swears that after all the time she spent looking into other schools, she “always knew I would go to Syracuse.”

***********

Adam Britten is a senior at Syracuse University majoring in Marketing Management.  Follow him on Twitter @AdamBritten.  Read his previous post on this blog, “The most important questions to ask a campus tour guide.”

college guidance, college planning, parenting, Uncategorized

Parenting college-bound teens without pushing

 

It’s hard. I know. I’ve been there. You want your kids to have the BEST education available. You want them to want it as much as you do. You see them making some choices that you know they will regret. As hard as you try, you find yourself pressuring them to make the right choice and the battle lines are drawn. They dig their heels in. You dig your heels in. And the tug of war begins.

What’s a parent to do when they feel their college-bound teens are making the wrong choices related to college? Take a deep breath and read these examples (along with my suggestions)–

Your college-bound teen tells you he doesn’t want to go to the college that is hard to get into and is opting for what you consider to be sub par.

Don’t panic or overreact. It’s possible he is scared. Try and ascertain the reasoning behind the decision. Don’t do this by badgering him or constantly asking him why. The best way to figure out what is wrong is to LISTEN. Listen to him talk about his day, about college, about how he feels. If fear is not the reason, perhaps he feels the other college would be a better fit. If that’s the case, do yourself a favor and back off. The worst thing you can do with a teenager is force him into a decision he feels is wrong. Sometimes the best lessons we learn are the ones that come from making our own decisions (right or wrong).

Your college-bound teen tells you that he 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, deadlines, studying for the SAT 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.

If you have any questions or personal experiences you would like to share, please leave a comment here and share it with other parents. We learn from each other and from our mistakes and successes!

Disclaimer: These are my “suggestions”. I don’t claim to be a parenting expert, just a parent who has faced these same problems and learned from them. Take my wisdom as you will and realize that every family dynamic is different.

Helping parents navigate the college maze