Powered by

As a parent you may think that your student knows all there is to know about social media but what you may not realize is that many students aren’t using social media to their advantage.

A recent blog post on US News and World Report gave suggestions to college students on how to use social media. The author gives some do’s and don’ts, when it comes to social media. As a parent you may need to share these tips with your student to help them use social media wisely.

One of the tips included “Do create positive content” and “Don’t post negatives status updates or tweets.” This means that students should post links to articles that interest them, join conversations on topics related to their future career and befriend (Facebook) or follow (Twitter) professionals already working in that career field. On the other hand, students should not complain about professors, jobs, coworkers, etc on their social networks.

Students should not post “questionable photos” of themselves. Whether it be on Facebook, Twitpic, Myspace, or their blog. It is a well-known fact that both possible employers and college admissions counselors have been turning to the web to find out more information on their applicants. Some employers even admit to enlisting their employees to use whatever resources necessary to find out information on an applicant that includes checking out Facebook profiles, no matter the strength of the privacy settings.

Another great tip is to have your student Google themselves so that they know what others are seeing when they type your name into the search engine. If you know what information is accessible, it is easier to find out how to improve what information others see.

Finally, do not make “your online presence all about you.” Your student can avoid doing this by not posting pointless updates having to do with what they are eating, random happenings or anything only your student would care to read.

Social media can do a great amount of good in displaying the excellent qualities your student possess but take these tips and remind your student of the kind of impact their online actions can have on their future.

You can read the original article here.

As a parent you want to see your college student succeed but chances are there are going to be a few bumps along the way, including difficulties with professors. Although you want to do all you can to help your student succeed, contacting your child’s professor is not the answer. The following reasons will help you have insight into why staying out of things will be much better for your student.

1. No one does this. It’s really not something most people do and often makes your student look bad and makes you look like you need some serious help.
2. It annoys the professor. No one wants to be bullied into doing something, especially grown men and women.
3. The student loses the pity factor. When a student comes to a professor on their hands and knees, it’s nearly impossible to say that nothing can be done. By bringing yourself into the situation, you are only taking away that bond between the student and professor.
4. The professor puts up his or her guard. Professors are often very willing to help if a student admits defeat, but when you bring in an angry parent, their only reaction is to defend themselves. Suddenly, the professor is no longer interested in what they can do to help your student.
5. As a parent you could really go overboard. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, you say something you don’t mean and when you pile on top of anger the frustration of college tuition costs and admissions process, it tends to happen a little more often.
6. You could really embarrass your child. When you’re in a position where you are having a one-on-one conversation with someone in your student’s life but not a main player, it is easy to accidentally drop some information about your son or daughter that the other person doesn’t know. This causes for embarrassment on your end as well as your student’s.
7. By calling you are coming in the middle of the game and might mess up the situation more. You don’t know all the details and by coming in and trying to play ruler, you could really cause more harm than good to the situation.
8. The intervention brands the student as a child. By having their “Mommy” or “Daddy” call in and complain, you are officially saying that your son or daughter is incapable of doing what needs to be done and working things out on their own.
9. It exposes a family problem. If you go crazy on your student’s professor, it’s only going to give said professor an excuse to assume your son or daughter is just as messed up.
10. It shows that you-not your student-don’t really understand what college is. High school and college are very different. In high school, your student might need some assistance and they have every right to ask for it as they are still children. College, on the other hand, is where they become adults. You have to understand that line.

This post was derived from a U.S. News article which you can read here.

High school graduation is upon us and many bright eyed seniors are looking forward to that day when they will officially no longer be in high school. Upon the horizon? College.

Many high school students have it set in their minds what they are planning to major in. That particular topic that one day will provide them a lucrative career.

The key word there is “lucrative.”

With the state of the current economy many high school students are changing their intended majors because they feel that what they originally wanted to pursue won’t earn them enough money or be as secure as another profession.

Susan Posluszny, the founder of OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning posed a number of questions that you should ask your graduating senior in order to see “if this decision was made based on accurate career information and reflection about personal priorities or based on a knee jerk reaction to current economic conditions.”

Below are just a few of the questions that Posluszny suggests you ask your teen.

• What was it that drew you to your original college major choice of political science?
• What kind of work were you thinking of getting into related to political science and did you ever speak with anyone employed in this area of interest?
• How do those who work in political science careers deal with the instability that comes with unpredictable voting outcomes and job market fluctuations?

Posluszny states that if from the answers to these questions you determine that your teen isn’t as informed as they should be steer them to find out if their assumptions about specific careers is accurate. Encourage your teen to “consider scenarios that support exploration of these two interest areas over time.” This may include a major in one interest but taking a few classes from another interest.

If you want to read the rest of the questions that Posluszny suggests you ask check out this article.

As a parent with a teenager preparing to go off to college there is plenty of advice I am sure you are anxious to give. However according to Suzanne Shaffer from the blog Parents Countdown to College Coach there are 10 concepts that your teen should know before they ever step foot onto a college campus.

1. Consequences: Actions have consequences whether they are good or bad.
2. Self Respect: If teens respect themselves they are less likely to seek approval from others.
3. Rules: Following the rules is a source of protection not a restriction.
4. Communication: Open communication is the key to good relationships.
5. Self Reliance: When given responsibly teens have a greater opportunity to learn how to make wise choices.
6. Gratitude: Teach your child to work for what they want; they will be more productive adults.
7. Boundaries: Help your child to know what is expected of them. Boundaries give them a feeling of stability and a feeling of safety.
8. Self-Control: Having the ability to stay calm in a frustrating situation will greatly help your teen with their interactions with others.
9. Consistency: With actions there are consequences be sure to be consistent with your teen to help them to know what to expect.
10. Praise: Give praise liberally; less frequently than criticism.

Teaching your teens these concepts will allow them a much more positive experience as they enter college. They will be able to transition much more easily into the world of being an adult.

If you would like to read more about these concepts then be sure to check out this article.

Whether your child has just begun the admissions process or has just received their acceptance letter, we’d like to hear about the experience. What were your frustrations? Did you use social media to learn more about the schools?

Please take this survey and let us know!

The college admissions process can be confusing and frustrating, to say the least. Each college has unique requirements, ranging from what standardized tests it recognizes to how many years of a foreign language your child will need to take. Luckily, there are some common benchmarks universal to almost every school. A national survey¹ of college admissions officers identified the four most important factors they consider when evaluating candidates.

1. Grades in College Prep Courses – Grades in AP, International Baccalaureate, or dual-enrollment courses

2. Strength of Curriculum – Both the amount of course work your child completes in high school and the quality of those courses

3. Admission Test Scores – Scores on either the SAT or ACT* (most schools accept both interchangeably)

4. High School Grade Point Average – Calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted

Other factors found to have considerable importance include the college essay, teacher and counselor recommendations, class rank, and a student’s demonstrated interest, which were all ranked similarly.

Next Steps

With help from Kaplan, your child will walk into Test Day confident and prepared—and that means an SAT or ACT score that will impress college admissions committees. And if you enroll in select Kaplan SAT and ACT prep programs in March, you’ll save $100.*

Prep smarter, score higher—guaranteed or your money back!

1 Source: National Association for College Admission Counseling, “The State of College Admissions 2009.”

*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Save $100: Offer applies to SAT or ACT College Prep Advantage, Premier Tutoring, and Small Group Tutoring only. Must enroll by 11:59pm, March 31, 2010. Cannot be combined with any other offer, rebate, or discount. Higher Score Guarantee: Conditions and restrictions apply. For complete guarantee eligibility requirements, visit kaptest.com/hsg.

*This article was written by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.

January is financial wellness month, so we thought it would be good to talk about paying for college. There are so many resources available to you, so here are some helpful sites to get you started.  

• CollegeBoard.com: This site is a one stop shot for all things college planning. On this site, you can see how much the average college is, what financial aid is available to you, and the best places to find scholarships.
• Scholarship America: Scholarship America is the nation’s premier scholarship and educational support service organization. This site posts scholarships and offers advice to your student on how to make the most of their scholarship applications.
• Savingforcollege.com: A super easy to use site that explains different savings options. This site does a great deep dive into 529 Plan.

We know that paying for college can be stressful, but hopefully these resources can ease a bit of the burden.

Your high school student is probably always preparing for some sort of test. Whether it’s a mid-term or final, or the SAT, there are things that you can do to help ease their stress. Collegeboard.com has put together the following list of tips for parents of test takers. Give it a look!

Tips for Calming Test-Time Jitters

If your child gets nervous before tests for classes, encourage her to try the following tips and strategies for keeping anxiety down and energy up for the next big exam.

Before the Test

Don’t cram: Studying like crazy the night before an exam can leave your child exhausted and more stressed out than before, so encourage her to study in small doses over several days.

Take practice tests: Knowing the format and style of a test can keep anxiety at bay, so have your child take practice exams if they’re available.

Get a good night’s sleep: Lack of sleep contributes heavily to anxiety. Be sure your child goes to bed early the night before an exam.

Eat a healthy breakfast: Blood sugar is at its lowest in the morning. In order for your child to think and problem-solve effectively, she needs a good breakfast.

Exercise: Encourage your child to engage in physical activity before the test to reduce body tension. For example, take a brisk walk or jog.

Come early and prepared: By arriving to the test early and with the right supplies (e.g., No.2 pencils, calculator), your child can avoid stressing out about small details. This will allow her to focus on the task at hand.

During the Test

Preview the exam and budget time: By previewing the test, your child can avoid any unexpected surprises (and anxiety). It will also give her the opportunity to budget her time so she doesn’t spend too long on any one section.

Jot notes: Jotting down brief notes right away can help your child feel less anxious about forgetting important facts or key information.

Read all directions: Some students are so anxious to get the test over with that they fail to read the directions.

Answer easy questions first: Getting the easier questions out of the way allows your child to focus her energy and time on the harder questions.

Rephrase difficult questions: Putting difficult questions in her own words can help your child slow down and really think about the problem. But your child should be careful not to change the questions’ meanings when rewriting them.

Organize thoughts before writing: Your child should organize her responses to short-answer and essay questions before diving in. Having a plan will help her feel confident while she’s writing.

Think positively: Negative thoughts during a test (e.g., “I’m going to fail”) can destroy your child’s confidence. Encourage her to override negative thoughts with positive ones (e.g., “I studied hard and I know my facts. I’ll do great on this test.”)

Relax: If your child starts to feel stress during a test, she should try quick relaxation techniques, such as:

• Taking deep breaths, and letting out tension with each exhale
• Tensing muscles for five seconds and releasing, repeating three times
• Visualizing a peaceful and relaxing setting

Keep in mind that using the tips above won’t necessarily keep anxiety away completely. However, practicing these techniques can give your child the right skills to manage test stress when it does happen.

Between now and January 15, 2010 your student is eligible to apply for the Chegg Textbook Scholarship. It is as easy as one-click apply and your student could have their textbooks paid for by Chegg this semester.

Remind your student to apply.  College freshman click here. Upperclassmen click here.

Students on over 6,400 campuses across the country have saved millions of dollars with Chegg and made us #1 in textbook rentals. Over 98% have said they will recommend us to their friends. Tell your student to rent their books with Chegg this semester.

Or surprise your student by picking up the tab. You can buy your student a Chegg gift card here.  Chegg offers great prices, free return shipping, over 2.4 million titles, and flexible rental periods - all without long lines at the register!

Odds are, you’re going to take the SAT’s (or ACT’s.) Most “selective” colleges require them. True, more and more really good colleges – yes, selective ones! – are making the SAT’s optional. But the vast majority of schools still require them.

Three Questions are commonly asked:

First, do SAT prep courses work? The answer is yes. Practice helps; test strategies help; reduced stress levels help. Take whatever test prep course you can afford and works for you. They run from free school-based mini-courses; to online practice exams; to groups sessions; to private tutoring. Remember: many others kids will be taking test-prep courses, and they will benefit from the extra practice and advice. You shouldn’t be left behind because you didn’t take a course.

Second, how many times should you take the SAT’s? As many times as you need to get good scores. But don’t get crazy. If you don’t think you did as well as you should have on your first effort, take them a second time. If your scores go up significantly the second time, great. If they don’t, too bad; you may be a poor standardized test-taker. It is not the end of the world! In either case, taking the SAT twice is enough.

Third, what’s this thing called Score Choice; and should you use it? The College Board, which administers the SAT exam, recently introduced a new score-reporting option they call Score Choice. Basically, it allows you to pick and choose which scores from which test-times you want reported to colleges. The rub is that while it provides you with greater flexibility to showcase your highest scores to colleges, each college has its own policy about how they treat Score Choice. To make things a bit easier, the College Board has put together a an easy-to-understand tutorial, and complied a list of virtually every college’s policy towards Score choice. Here is the link for the tutorial; and once you are there, scroll down to the bottom of their page for a link to a pdf of college policies.

Click here for a list of SAT optional colleges.