ADVICE HELPING COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT FOR YOUR

Transcription

1 f ADVICE FOR HELPING YOUR COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT

2 www. College Board. org Attention Parents: The following is a summary of information available through Plan for College: Getting Ready College Prep Glossary College Admissions from A to Z Discover 10 Ways to Jump-Start College Planning Action Plans Action Plan: Action Plan: Action Plan: Action Plan: Your Senior Your Junior Your Sophomore Your Freshman Find a College: College Options Know the Options Find the Right College Explore Colleges Location and Size How Well Do You Know "vour Child? How Not to Be a Helicopter Parent Is College Right for Your Child? Should Your Child Take a Year Off? What to Do about Senioritis Choosing a College Major Types of Colleges Your Child's College Degree Options Create a College Watchlist Why Community Colleges? The Key to Success in Community College Special College Programs Getting College Credit Before College The Advanced Placement Program (AP) and College Level Examination Pr~gratn (CLEP) The College Search How You Can Help Your Child What Selectivity Means for Your Child Quick-Start College Selection Tips for Finding a College Match $tudent Search Service Should Your Child Take a Year Off? Location 101 Rurcil Campuses Suburban Campuses Urban Campuses Sizing Up Colfeges: Big vs. Small One Size Does Not Fit All 123

3 Apply to College: The Visit Narrow the List The Application Application Essays The Interview The Letters Are In_ Why Visit? Preparing for a Campus Visit If Your Child Can't Visit Campus Visit Checklist How to Make the Most of the Trip Dorms: The True Holl)iwood Story What Selectivity Means for Your Child How Many Applications? Why 20 is Too Many: Understanding the Application Frenzy Create a College Watchlist Early Decision and Early Action Price Isn't the Only Consideration Inside the Admissions Pro~s Application Requirements College Application Calendar Save the Date for College College Application Fee Waivers Application FAQs Home-Schooled Students and Admissions Letters of Recommendation Applications: A Parent's Role How to Heip Your Child Through the College Application Character Counts What to Do about Senioritis Essay Tips for Your Child Recipe for a Draft Wf1crrs in a College Essay? Types of Essays & Sample Questions Your Child's College Interview College Interview FAQs Types of Interviews Practice Interviews Interview Checklist Rejected? Wait-Listed? Accepted? Decision-Making Guide Next Steps Should Your Child Take a Year Off?, Sending Them Off Homesickness: How to Help Your Chil~ Preparing for Your Child's Move to College On Your Mark. Get Set. Go. A Credit or Debit Card f~r Your College Student? I 124

4 Pay for College: The Bfg Picture College Costs Saving for College All About 529 Plans Financial Aid Basics Scholarships & Afd Find Scholarships How to Weigh the Pros and Cons Travel Tips Off Campus or On? Shopping and Packing Tips Off-to-College Checklist Credit Card Smarts Hidden Costs of a College Education Unforeseen Expenses Can Boost the Tab College Costs Break Down the Bill Your Saving Options Saving for College: Three Strategies to Meet Your Needs How Savings Affect Financial Aid. Are Four Ye~s of Coll~ge Financing Enough? Delayed Graduation Could Boost the Cost of a Degree Savings Clubs Can Suppletnent a College Fund Investing for College? These Options Could Be Your Best Bets 529 Plans: Look Before You Leap What You Should Know About College Savings Plans 529 Plans: The Basics 529 College Savings Plans 529 Prepaid Tuition Plans How Financial Aid Works Ten Questions for the Aid Office Financial Aid Myths Where the S~holarships Are How to Apply for a Scholarship Can You Spot a Scholarship Scam? Be a Smart Consumer College Board-Affiliated Scholarships What Exactly Is a Pell Grant? Federal Program Offers Another Source of Financing for College How to Apply for Aid Financial Aid Calendar How to Complete the PROFILE How to Complete the FAFSA 125

5 The Family Share Your EFC: FAQs Why Your EFC Isn't Set in Stone Aid & How to pay Strategies and Paying the Bill College Payment Plans Your Familys Financing Options Take From Your Savings Tuition Tax Credits Pay Now I Save Next Year Short-Term Planning for Financial Aid Needs Great Ways to Fund a College Education Even If You're Not a Millionaire Paying for Col. Is a Partnership If the Aid Award Is Not Enough How to Spend Less and Bring. in More Dealing With the Financial Aid Office Low-Interest ParentLQQns ~. Understanding the Aid Award Your Child's Aid Award How to Compare Aid Awards Selecting a Financial Aid Package How to Make the Big Decision Loan Center Education Loans How the Borrowing Process WQrks Your Family's Loan Options Think Before You Borrow Student-Loan Interest MD.y Be Tax Deductible Tuition Tax Credits Pay Now I Save Next Year Borrowing Responsibly Student-Loan Consolidation Programs Convenience and Cost Savings Are Key Benefits Ten Essential Borrowing Tips Comparing Loans: Tips & Advice Loan Repayment and Debt Parents' Loans Borrowing from Your 40i(k) Think Twice-It Could Cost You Low-Interest P.are11t Loans How Much Should Your Family Borrow? Check Your Credit Before You Borrow

6 BIG FUTURE By The College Board There is an interesting new planning_ tool on the College Board website called BIG FUTURE. There is a section for students and a section for parents~ For the student plan, you are asked to answer 5 basic questions, starting with what grade are you in. The answers to those questions will develop a plan. The Student Plan is a road map that: Guides you through school to college Advises you on what to do when Tracks your progress The Parent Action Plans provide advice for parents on helping their kids plan for college every step of the way: 12th Grade 11th Grade 10th Grade 9th Grade Middle School The BIG FUTURE can be found at this link: /bigfuture.collegeboard.org 127

7 NOW THAT YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY... HERE ARE SOME WORDS OF WISDOM TO HELP YOU Surviving 'Til Thanksgiving- Or Later 1. Time Management. Learning to manage your time well is tip number 1. It's also the number 1 toughest challenge of college. Nobody is going to be on campus to set a schedule for you, unless you have a mother like World War II general Douglas MacArthur. (So that she could keep an eye on her son, MacArthur's mother took a hotel room overlooking the West Point campus). A solid eight-hour workday of class t ime and study is what you need to shoot for. Get used to using small blocks of time f or studying, like the time between classes or any time you're standing in line. (Always carry something to work on.) Large blocks of time can lead to goofing off. Planning is important, but don't over-schedule yourself, either. 2. Writing Well. Being able to present an informed opinion about an issue on paper is an important life skill. Reading and writing and college are synonymous terms. Students who do not write well are at a distinct disadvantage in college. Besides the plethora of papers you will have to write, many college examinations are in essay format. Vocabulary and reading also go hand in hand. The best writers are usually the best readers. 3. Understanding versus memory. Never mind the rote or the regurgitation- strive for understanding. Besides, it 's easier and more satisfying to comprehend something than to repeat it by rote. Spend most of your study time trying to make sense of a given topic rather than trying to commit it to memory. Any information you need to' remember can be crammed into your short-term memory just prior to an examination. 4. Selecting friends. As you hit the ground running, avoid the negabobs and the whiners like the plague. Seek out positive people, the upbeats - those who intend to make the most of the collegiate experience. 5. It pays to show up! Attend all lectures and, whatever you do, don't sit in the back of the room. Quizzes and tests in college are usually based on an assigned textbook andthe professor's lecture notes. Also, remember the maxim: "Better late than never." Go to class even if you know you're going to be late. If you cut a class, never ask the professor, "Did I miss anything?" 6. Reworking, not rereading. Rereading lecture notes and/or underlined textbook passages can be a waste of valuable time. Reworking your notes is the name of the game. Paraphrasing, reorganizing, outlining, and summarizing are techniques you should employ. All of this is aimed at greater understanding. Watch the abbreviations you use in taking notes- days later, you might not remember what was intended. 7. Computer literacy. By all means, snuggle up to a personal computer. You'll need to be proficient at word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs. If you're not self-taught, take a computer applications course in high schoo l. Some high schools even require a certain amount of computer literacy for graduation. 8. Those first few weeks. Get ready for a rough first few weeks. Be patient with yourself, though, and know that things will mellow out- usually by Thanksgiving. 9. The beginning and the end. Remember that the beginning and the end are the most important aspects of anything: the opening and closing of a piece of writing, a speech, a book, etc. Don't slack off at the beginning of a semester and then try to do catch-up at the end. Get yourself involved from day one, then stay strong throughout the semester. 10. Self-awareness. Never lose sight of what you most enjoy doing. It can be a flashing signal to an eventual major. A college campus can be a great place for you to continue to learn about yourself. Take the time to listen! START USING THESE STRATEGIES NOW TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE! *Counseling Today's Secondary Students by Kenneth Hitchner and Anne Tifft- Hitchner 128

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