Seeing your first child off to college is one of the more significant transitions parents face. Advice abounds for parent adjustment to college, but as a parent who has been through this stage, I have some advice of my own to share. These tips will be most effective if you discuss them together as a family and agree on the decision. 1. Accept that You’ll Miss Them If your child is going away to college and living away from home, this…
I just explained this quote to my 9-year-old son. He was puzzled. What does that quote mean and why should he care? I think it’s an important life lesson; don’t you? It's Always Best to Ask We all have moments where we wish we had asked a question. For instance, I learned the hard way that I would never get a discount for auto services if I didn’t ask. I now ask EVERY single time if there is anything that…
By Guest Blogger Sarah Jones Oops, did you hit another stone while sleepwalking? Do you realize how much your poor sleeping habits are affecting you at school? You might argue that you have lots of assignments and revision to do before retiring to bed but we all know that these are just excuses. If your plan your time well, then you won’t have to be the “last minute” type of student. Below are some of the reasons why you should…
So many students are intimidated by college professors and with good reason. The stereotypical professor is old, immersed in their own books and is way smarter than the student. Students assume correctly that professors are busy and they don’t want to waste their time. However, students need the mentorship of teachers. Ideas and intellect grow with this nurturing. Most faculty are excited about teaching young people. Many professors say that they sit at office hours waiting for students to come…
Ah, summer!!! For high school juniors and sophomores, it is a popular time for college visits. College visits are critically important in deciding your college, but summer is not really the ideal time. Why? You guessed it--no students! Realistically, for busy students, summer appears to be the only time available for college visits. Challenging AP and honors exams, heavy sports schedules, multiple activity competitions all take up students' time and focus during spring semester of high school. Done poorly,…
If you want to get a step ahead in your college application, then you're being really smart to make some college visits this summer. Even"rising" high school sophomores, and certainly rising juniors can take a lot of stress off their college decisions by starting now. Here are 4 ways to check out your "smart quotient": The Idea of Going to College is Exciting to You Some kids want to go where all their friends are going, and that might sound pretty…
We are currently meeting with many Sophomores and Juniors in High School. Everyone has the same question before we meet: what do we need to bring to the meeting? Here’s our answer for what we need to know for an initial meeting and generally what your family needs to start the college planning process. High School Transcript Colleges look at the type of coursework a student has taken and how they have done in those courses. The GPA is a…
Many college students are simply unaware that they must look out for their personal safety and security at college. Be sure to talk with your college-bound student about campus safety. This may be the first time that they are away from home without a family member or close friend to look after them. They must get used to new ways of doing things, a new place and a new schedule which may leave them walking around unfamiliar areas at odd times…
Deciding a college major can seem like a daunting task--after all, it means you are choosing your life's work, right? Some independent educational consultants specialize in interest, personality and career assessments. Many students just don't know where to start in picking a major or exploring careers. Of course, a good place to begin is with your high school college counseling website. Some high schools use Career Cruising, some use Naviance. There is no one best way to begin. You may find it helpful…
You've picked a college? Now what? Are you done, just waiting until move-in day? NO! There's still a lot to do to get a great start off to college as a college freshman. Here are some tips on what to do next: ASAP You've probably sent in your enrollment deposit already--most people did that by May 1. This is the first step, required well before you're off to college. Be sure that you submitted the deposit for enrollment,…