Let the summer reading games begin! In this corner, Whatever Novel that your kid does NOT want to read, but is required to read for Class X! In this corner, Kid + Team Distraction—Instagram, YouTube, XBOX, Hulu, Sleeping In…you get the picture. Additionally, parents may wonder if summer reading is a cruel revenge fantasy of…
Tag: High school senior
Sometimes You Gotta Go Slow to Go Fast
Parents are often afraid that summer vacation will render their children’s minds into mush. Plus, the indulgence in what can be considered mindless activities, like playing video games, for hours on end is a seeming threat to a kid’s long term college admissions competitiveness. Realistically, most students brains, nor their chances for college admissions, were…
Guest Post: Follow Your Instinct to Choose a College
A second blog post from Stephanie about how the “feel” of the campus helped her choose a Mills College in Oakland, CA. I graduated last year (2013) with a BS in Biopsychology and minor in Ethnic Studies. I was originally interested in medicine, but discovered that I enjoyed laboratory work after doing research under scholarship for a…
A $60 Trillion Inheritance…in Debt
Wishing a better life for our children is normal. Actually setting aside our personal wants in favor of our children is more complicated in practice. The next generation will inherit a record $60 Trillion in total U.S. debt—government debt, business debt, mortgage debt and consumer debt. (See chart below) Furthermore, the growth of student loan…
Stamina, Attitude and Tranquility: Essential SAT & ACT Skills
At approximately 4 hours of testing time, the SAT and ACT measure the endurance of a student, as much as their knowledge and ability to reason. Test taking skills can help students access their knowledge during the long testing period, and pace themselves appropriately. Padma, CMC’s resident 8 year old Renaissance Man, shares the following test…
How Major is a College Major?
Choosing a college major is not the fork-in-the-road life moment, where the only consequences are becoming the next Steve Jobs or complete destitution. Many will equate “deciding a major” with “deciding a career.” However, major choice doesn’t always match exactly with careers. Ask any college graduate if their career directly correlates with their academic major. …
Guest Post: Investigating the Stereotypes about Women’s Colleges
Hearsay and rumors can preclude students from considering women’s colleges. In order to gain more understanding, Olivia and Stephanie, the authors of the following post, share their experiences as students at women’s colleges in different parts of the United States. Olivia currently attends Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA and Stephanie recently graduated from Mills College…
Borrower Beware
Student borrowers aren’t the only ones defaulting on college loans… Chart source: Department of Education & Inside Higher Ed
Who Can Afford College?
Presented with no comment. Click to enlarge Chart Credit: zerohedge.com
Parenting Is Neither Simple Nor Straightforward
As if there needs to be more evidence of the complicated relationship between parent and child, the October 2013 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll results stated that 55% of those surveyed would die for their children; yet of those same folks, only 10% would die for their parents. So, while parents may willingly sacrifice themselves, their…
Youthful Lessons
Teenage hubris born of naïve invincibility is often mistaken for insolence – punishable by grounding, cell phone revoking, internet banning, and parental embargoes on any activities outside of school. Yet, teenagers may be mere reflections of humankind’s inherent pride – our belief that we as a species and we alone are masters of the universe. The…
No “Fat lady” Singing For Fall 2014 College Applicants
Every year, many colleges across the United States and internationally still have open slots for Fall enrollment. Even though May 1st is the national deadline to enroll in colleges, Seniors can still apply and be accepted to a variety of colleges for Fall 2014 enrollment. And, not to fear, many colleges are still open to…
Ahead of the Curve: May 3, 2014
Inspired by Creative Marbles Clients: More often, clients are asking, “How do I pay for college?” The idea that 10-30% of their yearly income will go toward college expenses is a tough nut to swallow for any family. While the answer to parents’ question is more complex than this post, in short, planning, planning and more…
The Value vs. The Cost of the University of California
Recently, Janet Napolitano, current UC President, explained her view of the 190% tuition increase over the last decade, and how the UC system is trying to address cost issues for family: Until about seven or eight years ago, the state paid [more] and the university [through tuition] less. Now the percentages have almost totally flipped, so…
Tough Love
As regular readers recall, the news about stagnant American household median income is not a new story, more of an evolving story about how more American middle class families are adjusting to life with less income. Lifestyle adjustments are just one possible shift in American households. More often, I’m hearing parents ask questions about how…