2019: Thinking ahead for sophomores and freshman…

As you near the latter half of your school year, here are few topics to keep in mind and to work on going forward.

1.     Course selection for next year:

Over the next two months, you will most likely meet with your guidance counselor. You will talk through your remaining required courses and how best to complete them before the end of senior year.

For sophomores, as you move into your upperclassmen years, you will have more selection and electives to chose from. Read your high school course catalog and programs of study.

 Trying to determine if you should take a CP, Honors or AP level course? A good indicator is to determine if you are struggling at the current course level. If you are receiving a ‘B’ or better, you are most likely at the right level. If you are struggling, it may be good to speak with your guidance counselor to move into a better fit next year. And if you are sailing through and are bored, try a higher-level course next year.

2. This leads me to say to each and every one of you to make sure and ask questions if you are struggling in a course. The only person who will regret not taking ownership of his/her studies is him/herself.

 Time management and taking ownership of understanding course content is the student’s responsibility. Make sure to stay on top of both of these items but using a planner, meeting with teachers during after school hours or during ‘drop’ class sessions to make sure you understand what will be asked of you on the next test. 

At many high schools, midterms and finals are a combined 20% of your grade. The teachers are usually available to meet with you during the week leading up to midterms. Use this time to review material from the beginning of the school year. Make note cards, use study groups, and create a test on Quizlet for you to take.

3.     Standardized Tests: If you have taken a PSAT already, you may want to take a practice ACT next in order to assess which test you will focus on preparing for. Students should not take both but should choose and prep for one of them. 3 attempts at a test is the maximum. Typically, students take one of the tests twice.

4.     Summer Plans: Are you traveling, working, or attending camp during the summer months? It’s time to start to think about applying to jobs, registering for camps and discussing with your parents what you would like to do over the summer break.

 You’ve got this!

Hey Juniors, it's 2019! It's your year to apply to college.

This is your year to apply to college. Here is a short list of items to either keep working on or to get started on.

 1.     Junior Year grades and activities: This year is the most important for your grades and activities. If your transcript shows in improvement in your grades during 11th grade, it will be looked upon highly. Keep up your studies.

ASK QUESTIONS if you are struggling in a course. The only person who will regret not taking ownership of his/her studies is his/herself.

 Time management and taking ownership of understanding course content is the student’s responsibility. Make sure to stay on top of both of these items but using a planner, meeting with teachers during after school hours or ‘drop’ class sessions to make sure you understand what will be asked of you on the next test.

2.     In May or June, you will need to ask 2 teachers for a letter of recommendation.

a.     Ask in person

b.     Say thank you

c.      Share with them why you are asking

d.     Ask a teacher that has had you in his/her class preferably during junior or sophomore year(s).

3.     Standardized Tests: Do you know which test you are taking? SAT or ACT? Create a plan on when to take it and either take a prep class or hire a tutor to help you prepare. Test strategy is KEY to succeeding on both tests. (And by all means, do not register for the June ACT if your Junior Prom is the night before.)

4.     Also plan your time to visit campuses and research schools with your parents. Spring break is a great time in April as colleges are still in session. Many offer open houses on the weekends too.

5.     Summer plans: Working, going to camp, going on a fancy vacation? Regardless, please plan on writing your common app essay during the summer months. You will not regret this.  

Good Luck!

College Fair Tips

Fall is a busy season for taking standardized tests, visiting a college campus or two and for attending your high school college fair.

 

Attending a Fall College Fair is one of the best first steps in your college search.

 

Here are a few tips to consider.

 

1.   All high school students should take the time to attend. I’ve been asked if it’s ‘really worth it’ for an underclassmen to attend. Yes, it is.

2.   Upon arrival, pick up a map of the fair and look to visit the tables for schools you may have already identified.

3.   Introduce yourself to the college representative. That’s right, shake the rep’s hand and say hello. It’s great practice to talk with adults informally but in a respectful manner.

4.   If you have any specific interest, make sure to ask about them such as study abroad options or a certain major you are looking to pursue.

5.   Do not specifically ask what is your ‘chance for admission’ but ask what is the range in GPA, test scores and personal qualities the school is looking for in applicants.

6.   Visit two or three schools for which you have never heard of. This is a great way to expand your thoughts about where to attend and to learn of different types of schools: Private Universities, Colleges, State Universities, etc.

7.   Fill out information cards with your name, high school and year of graduation, address, email address, etc. If you have time, make labels prior to attending to speed up the process!

Have fun. Attending fairs is a fun and exciting time to see what is out there! Ask questions a

Understanding Financial Aid

Financial Aid is broken down into two sections: Need-based and Merit-based.

1. Need-based aid is awarded to students by submitting the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and/or the CSS Profile (College Board). Even if you do not think you are eligible for need-based aid, fill out the FAFSA (and CSS if need be).

The Department of Education and the institutions you are applying to determine if you are eligible for need-based support by subtracting your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) from COA (Cost of Attendance) at each college or university.

Students do not need to pay back an educational grant or award but do need to pay back loans (subsidized loan payment starts approximately 6 months after graduation and unsubsidized loan payment begins immediately).  Loans are the bulk of most financial aid packages. Know the difference between loans. (Private loans are the most expensive.)

Need-based aid is awarded by a combination of the following:

·      Loans (such as Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Grad PLUS Loans and Parent PLUS Loans, Perkins and Subsidized Stafford Loans)

·      Federal Pell Grants

·      State Grants

·      Federal work-study Programs

2. Merit-based aid is awarded regardless of financial ability to pay for college. It is usually based on special talents such as athletics, music or academic. Mostly, need-based aid is awarded through scholarships given by universities, states, and local organizations. Make sure to apply for awards through your high school’s scholarship/awards handbook during senior year. It can add up.  

Merit-based aid:

Money is awarded to students regardless of need. Merit aid can be awarded for:

·      Tuition Waivers

·      Scholarships (such as academic or athletic)

·      Awards

To find a comprehensive list of helpful Financial Aid information click here:

https://www.suzannelagemann.com/helpful-links/

 

 

Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for need based aid is an important component of the college application process. Each institution requests that you do so. I highly recommend that you apply even if you do not think your household is eligible for need-based aid. (See my article on Understanding Financial Aid).

1. Create a FSA ID

https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm

Students need to create an ID in order to gain access to the Federal Student Aid’s website. This should be completed in the student’s name ONLY.

2. Complete the FAFSA after October 1.

https://fafsa.ed.gov/

Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available on October 1, 2018. Ten colleges or universities can be listed. (If you need to list more than 10, you will have to wait until after you receive an email stating that your FAFSA has been processed to add more schools.)

Please note that the FAFSA is to be completed in the student’s name. Many parents fill out these forms but it should be in the student’s name.

3. Check the Institutional financial aid deadlines. They will vary depending on if you are applying ED or rolling, etc.

 Make a plan (create a spreadsheet) on when you need to apply for each school as per their website or call each Financial Aid Office. You do not want to miss a financial aid deadline. No question is silly. Ask the schools for clarification, if needed.

4. Check to see if any of the schools you are applying to ALSO ask that you complete the CSS Profile: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

The College Board administers the CSS Profile and it is mostly used by private schools.

It asks for your financial history and information in more detail than the FAFSA. Again, check school websites to check for deadlines. 

5. Last, when does your high school hand out their Scholarship/Awards Directory? Most do so in the early Winter months. Make sure to know and grab one so you can apply for as many as possible.

To Pledge or not to pledge: 4 tips to discuss before your college student decides to join Greek life.

On many college campuses, first year orientation has commenced! If the school has a Greek Life system, he will inevitably see a Greek Life Information Fair on the Quad or become friends with first-year students who are interested in pledging.

Is Greek life the big social scene at her school? How many sororities and fraternities are on campus?

Here are a few issues to discuss with your teen before he or she decides to pledge.

 1.    Can First-year Students Pledge?

Many universities have policy and procedures as to when and how an underclassman can pledge. It is important for your teen to know this before deciding. It is wise for a school to not permit first year students to pledge, or at least during their first semester. Many have this rule in place due to the volatility it can cause in the student’s experience.

Students should be allowed to transition to college without the pressure of pledging during the first term or year. This will allow the student to develop the needed social and emotional skills, time management, and study and test taking skills needed to succeed.

2.     Not every Organization is the same: Research the back story of the Greek Organization and Chapter:

Has the sorority been on campus for decades? Is the fraternity a national organization or local group? Google and research for any negative information and talk to others who may be familiar with the sorority or fraternity.

3.    Is your Teen ready?

Does your college student have the maturity to balance school, Greek life and other responsibilities such as a part time job or sport?  Waiting to pledge till sophomore year will help your student see if he has the skills needed to succeed as a fraternity member.

4.    Discuss the Benefits:

Your teen can reap the benefit of becoming included in a group that may focus on community service work, a certain industry and/or future networking with older alumna. It can help develop a sense of security during her college years and she can graduate with a network that can help with both social and career goals.

Naviance: What is it and how do I log-in?

Naviance is a commonly used on-line system where students can access their account to connect with their high school guidance department. This helps streamline the college admissions process and career assessment and planning. Not all high schools use Naviance but all are quite similar. Also, Naviance can be uploaded on mobile devices through it’s App.

Here are some simple directions on how to navigate Naviance.

  1. Go to https://www.naviance.com/resources/tag/family-connection
  2. Click on “log in” upper right corner and choose ‘students/families’
  3. Type in your Zip Code (or where your student’s high school is located)
  4. Click on the high school listed

  5. To check your student’s GPA you’ll need to:

    1. Click on “About Me” link (upper right hand corner)
    2. This should take you to the “General Information” page, if not, click on that tab.
    3. Then, scroll down toward the bottom. On the right side, you’ll see GPA

 

How to ride out the tide of uncertainty and discomfort: Advice on how you and your rising senior can get through the uncomfortable stages of growing up.

You nag, he yells!

You ask, she snaps back!

You ignore, she slams the door!

It’s that time of year, when the rising senior in your home may display one or more of the following behaviors: unmotivated, cranky, short tempered, inpatient, incommunicable, indecisive. 

Here are a few suggestions to help you and your teen manage her senior year together. 

1.   Give space (at least for a short time): The few weeks leading up to senior year can be an uncomfortable time for you and your teen. She may need to ‘nest’ a bit before gearing up to take flight and complete the entire college application process. 

Your student may need a bit of time to pull back and hug her childhood teddy bears a bit more before taking on the expectations of senior year.  If he is unsure of a final college list, give him more time to ‘sit’ on the decision. 

Senior year and the college application process is a time for the old parenting ‘push/pull’ phenomena where the teen seems less confident and more anxious than other times of the year. This is a process. Hold on through these times of discomfort. They will pass.

2.   Plan out the year:

Use your calendar for plugging in all the dates of personal and school commitments. Remind your teen that she should take time for herself during the year. Enjoy senior year traditions. Don’t fret too much as the college application process takes time.

3.   Acknowledge the discomfort:

Regardless of whether your teen wants to talk about it, I recommend acknowledging how this is an uncomfortable time for her and you. Just a simple conversation about how it’s normal to feel sad, frustrated and scared will help your teen process her emotions better and normalize the negative feelings. Arguments will happen. Your teen and you will make mistakes. The process of parenting through the college application process and senior year is not supposed to be flawless. Embrace and acknowledge that once your teen leaves home, he will most likely grow to appreciate where he came from. Sometimes a teen needs to leave for that appreciation to develop. 

It’s OK to doubt yourself. It’s OK to feel anxious. Process these emotions so you can move forward and take on your senior year!

 

 

College Interview Tips

Many colleges, small ones in particular, require or highly recommend that applicants interview as a component of their admissions application. This is a time for you to shine, ask questions, and to hear a college representative's take on the institution. It adds to your application and can help you decide, if accepted, if you want to enroll next year. A student may also be asked to interview for admission into a specific program at both large and small institutions. 

Depending on each school, interviews are conducted by admissions representatives or local alumni, who usually interview applicants in his/her geographic area. Many times, however, it is advantageous for the applicant to interview on campus with an admissions representative. It shows your level of interest and commitment to potentially enrolling if accepted.

Here are a few quick tips to help an applicant prepare for an interview.

1. Prepare:

  1. Do your research: Read through the college's website about potential areas of study, activities on campus, study abroad opportunities-- any aspect for which you are interested in, be prepared to ask questions.
  2. Attire: Dress appropriately for the interview. Silence your phone. Don't chew gum. Make eye contact while shaking the interviewers hand and be on time. Ask for the person's contact information so you can send a thank you note. 
  3. Relax, you got this! Arrive about 10 minutes early so you can relax. Practice with a sibling or friend so you can prepare talking about yourself and the school. 
  4. Practice talking about the following:
    1. Why you are interested in attending this college?
    2. Why is this college a good match with you?
    3. What qualities do you have that can contribute to the college community?
    4. Know your GPA and test scores and be prepared to discuss your extracurricular activities. 
    5. Last, express your personality! Smile, make eye contact and be able to discuss what motivates you and why.

2. Why Interview?

Many small colleges use a more holistic approach to assessing applicants. Therefore, meeting each applicant in person can help each student's chances, especially the marginal applicant. 

The college is looking to gain a better understanding of you as a person. Expressing your interests, experiences and personality during the interview is unique to what's learned through just reading the written application. 

3. Last, avoid yes and no answers. Practice answering with a short yet full answer to the question.  Practice is the key to success.

You've got this!