Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Don’t Make Selecting a Major too Stressful



While looking at colleges, many high school students find themselves stressing over what major they should choose. It can seem as if you have an almost impossible deadline for deciding exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life!  But as intimidating as selecting a major can seem, there’s one key thing to keep in mind: It’s perfectly fine to not have a major or career path in mind when you start looking into colleges.

Below, we offer three simple tips that will help ease your career path decision woes.
 
1.     Choose a school that has a wide range of majors.
Don’t know what you want to do? Find a school you like that offers a wide variety of majors. Once you’re there, you can try your hand at a few of the courses in the various majors offered,  and see which ones interest you.
 
2.   Take a general career test.
Need help deciding what career path to look into? Try taking a career aptitude test. A college consultant can help with this, and help you to identify your passions and areas of interests. 
 
3.     Keep your options open.
Many of the careers that today’s students are preparing for don’t yet exist. Therefore, it’s crucial that you keep your options open while learning to think critically and to analyze the information you accumulate. This way, you can apply it in creative ways to different scenarios.
 
4.     Relax.
Remember that you still have plenty of time to figure out what you want to do. In fact, most people are undecided when they enter their freshman year of college and many people even change majors multiple times as they progress through the year. The important thing during your freshman year is to take your general education courses, which will help guide you in determining your major.

With these three tips in mind, picking a major can be a much less daunting task!



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Here's What Colleges Want From You!


Between SAT scores, extracurricular activities and GPAs, the process of deciphering what colleges are looking for can seem complex and daunting! Here’s a quick and easy to follow list of what many colleges are looking for in their prospective students to help make the process easier. While some of the items are old standbys, some things on the list may surprise you!

1. A great letter of recommendation. A good word from people you’ve worked with or for is a helpful source of insight into your character.

2. A challenging high school course load. This shows schools that you’re committed to
academics and that you used your time in high school wisely.

3. Good grades with an upward trend. Grades that show you’re working hard and are
consistently improving are very important to colleges.

4. Work and/or community service experience. Real world experience helps to show that
you’re a well-rounded person.

5. Involvement in extracurricular activities. Like work or community service, extracurricular involvement is a great way to show that you’re a well-rounded person with a passion for something. This can help you stand out.

6. Solid test scores. While the importance of these has dropped slightly over the years, they are still a crucial staple for many college admissions offices.

7. An outstanding essay. Essays allow college admissions offices to get a more personal look at the student behind the application. This is the time to show off your skills, insights, and talent for writing.

Knowing what’s important can be the key to getting into the school of your dreams or a college that’s a great fit socially, academically and financially. And who doesn’t want that?!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Fiction vs. Fact: What You & Your Student REALLY Need to do Senior Year


What do seniors – and their parents – need to expect during the senior year of high school?  Here’s a simple list that separates some common myths from the facts.

Three of the most common myths surrounding senior year are:

Myth #1 Students can take relaxed course loads during their senior year.

Myth #2 It’s okay to for students to slack off during their senior year.

Myth #3 Once a student has been accepted into a college, it doesn’t matter what they do.

All of these are complete fiction. Senior year is incredibly important. Even after a student has been accepted into a college, the college will continue to check up on said student’s course load and grades.

If colleges see a slip in performance, they may do any number of things, including withdrawing admission, making students participate in academic advancement programs over the summer, reducing students’ financial aid offers, or placing students in remedial courses during their freshman year.

If your student wants to avoid these penalties, it’s crucial that they stay focused during their senior year.

Now that we’ve cleared up some of the fictions surrounding senior year, let’s talk about some of the facts:

Fact #1 Your student’s guidance counselor can opt out of sending a letter of recommendation when using the Common Application, and they don’t have to inform you of this. Be sure you’re aware of whether or not your student is getting a letter of recommendation.  Also, have other options in place, such as letters  from a teacher, club leader, Scout leader, minister, etc.

Fact #2 Knowing what’s in store for your child and planning accordingly is crucial. Having a financial plan, a communications plan, and even a plan for emotionally letting go, can make senior year and beyond much easier.

Fact #3 Being supportive of your child is very important. Be sure to stress that senioritis is not an excuse to slack off, and that there is a lot at stake. Also be available to your child for informal discussions about how their senior year is going, and what they can anticipate in college.

Remembering the facts and forgetting the fiction can make your child’s senior year a little bit easier for everyone involved, including you!