Tag Archives: wendy david-gaines

college prep, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Pick Your College Prep Battles

 

pick your college prep battlesWhen I was a young parent, my mother gave me some very wise advice: “pick your battles”. It began with my toddlers and ended up being the best advice she ever gave me with my teenagers. Did we butt heads over hair? No. Did I fight with them over clothing choices? Rarely. Did we argue over college selection? Sometimes. But, for the most part, the college process requires parents to listen, bite your tongue, and pick your college prep battles.

Long Island College Prep Examiner and POCSMom, Wendy David-Gaines drives home the issue when she cites a Beloit College 2019 Mindset List:

The 2019 List findings are based on the experiences of students who are heading into their first year of college this fall. It shows those in high school share more in common with the 18-year-olds who were born in 1997 than their parents. For example, it notes that these millennials never knew a world without Google, only know Ellis Island as being primarily in New Jersey, and never have licked a postage stamp. As parents span part of two centuries of living history, teens only remember the 21st filled with Harry Potter and wifi, but not Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.

The college process is full of stress-inducing moments stemming from an overloaded schedule, new tasks, looming deadlines, and important decisions. Which college, what to study, and how best to prepare are often at the front of the college prep battle line. It’s difficult for parents and students to be on the same page when their points of view develop from different backgrounds. With insight based on the past, families can focus on keeping communication flowing and finding common ground.

Parents would be wise to consider their student’s mindset and use that knowledge when communicating with them about college prep. Times have certainly changed since you applied to college and your student may not have the same ideas as you do about college choices. Keep an open mind and choose which battles are important and which battles should be avoided.

For more tips on picking your battles, read Wendy’s post: Parents, pick your college prep battles

book reviews, college guidance, parenting, Uncategorized

Getting the best college advice: POCSMom

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One of the joys of posting on this blog is that I get to recommend other college prep professionals. Over the course of the last few years, I have gotten to know Wendy David-Gaines (aka ParentsOfCollegeStudentMom). She offers some of the best college advice from the parent community. I’ve read her book, Parents of College Students: Survival Stories, and I’ve collaborated with her on blog posts. Not only is she a wonderful person, but her knowledge of the college-prep process and issues that occur once your student enters college is second to none.

college survivalWendy is famous for exposing the cliches about college. After giving the cliche, she gives you the “POCS reality”. In her book, Wendy does this effectively by compiling actual parent stories. The stories (both from pre-POCS and POCS) are simple, light-hearted, often humorous and an easy read. But here’s the clincher–they provide parents with added insight into each individual situtation. For instance, Wendy has a story about college touring in her book. The cliche: different strokes for different folks. The POCS Reality: just because a parent likes a college does not mean his student will. The story tells about the often-experienced reality of a college-bound teen not “feeling” a campus like his parent does. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you will.

Here are just a few comments from parents who have read her book:

“The cliches used in this story don’t seem like cliches anymore. The way David-Gaines reinterprets them makes these cliches into lessons that may otherwise be overlooked for parents who are about to send their children off to college. The short stories are quick, easy reads. I read the book through from beginning to end, but you could start with any particular chapter or even open to a random page for a good lesson and laugh. I recommend this as a fun, enjoyable, helpful read for parents who are starting or already involved in the college process.”

“Being the Parent of a College Student (POCS) is hard work and can be very frustrating. I felt like Wendy had been with me on my journey through the college admission’s maze. Her book is very entertaining and packed with lots of helpful information whether you are just starting the process or have a student in college. I thought I would skim through it, but I was hooked after the first story. I wholeheartedly recommend it!”

Wendy doesn’t stop with her book, however. She authors a blog on her website, and she also writes for Examiner.com on a regular basis. Do yourself a favor and check her out on Twitter (@pocsmom) as well because she tweets great information for both pre-POCS and POCS.

Get your copy of her book, Parent of College Students: Survival Stories today!

 

admissions, parenting

FREE Webinar–Beating College-Bound Stress

It’s not often that parents can find information about how to deal with the stress that surrounds the college admissions process, let alone find it for FREE. Kay Kimball Gruder, a Certified Parent Coach by the Parent Coaching Institute, and Wendy David-Gaines, author of “Parents of College Students-Survival Stories” are joining together to provide parents with some tips on how to de-stress during the college process, especially during your college-bound teen’s senior year of high school.

Date: Tonight September 26, 2011

Time: 9PM ET

Location: Online–Register by clicking here

Cost: FREE

If you are the parent of a college-bound student, particularly in the senior year of high school, chances are you are feeling STRESSED. This webinar is designed to reduce college-bound stress by sharing common communication patterns that exist and traps to avoid. Participants will gain STRATEGIES for better communication concerning:

  • Issues of money
  • Expectations for your student’s senior year in high school
  • Partnering in the college process