Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Past failure and success can no longer be experienced. Right now is where life happens. To fail or succeed are just two more concepts others like to hang around our necks. Then, as our life unfolds, we are shaped, corralled by the overuse, abuse…
Tag: Parent
Learning with a Purpose
Let the semester unfold slowly–looking to make adjustments to your learning process–as your interactions with both the teacher and your other classmates set the tone for your learning experience. This is easier said than done, especially in the later years of one’s youth, when influence creep seems to be in full swing with the attendant…
“The Three D’s: Death, Disease & Divorce”
When beginning to write college application essays, students often worry about having lived an “ordinary” life, under the assumption that a dramatic event is a compelling topic to persuade college admissions officers. A few years back, a stressed-out Senior, with tears welling in her eyes, exclaimed to her dad, “Why couldn’t you have died?!? Then,…
Gaming College Admissions?
Nervous anticipation arising from predicting who’s going to get into which college doesn’t only affect Seniors, community college transfer students and their parents. The sense of foreboding can extend to parents of middle school age students, who are thinking backwards to choose a high school that seems more advantageous to meriting the college acceptances they…
Does My Kid Have Even the Slightest Chance to Get Accepted?
At this time of year, about one to two months from the first college application deadlines, parents’ and high school seniors’ concern about outcome of submitting college apps, is usually concluded by, “I’m never going to get in, ANYWHERE!” The lack of a straightforward, formulaic standard about who will or will not be accepted at a college can send normally…
What is Financial Aid?
After talking with 200 parents and students yesterday evening at a local Sacramento area College Fair about financial aid, I wanted to offer additional advice, as families continue working to fund rising college expenses. Then, the general sense of nervous anticipation about the expense of college amongst last night’s group can be used to fuel…
Sigh of Relief for Parents: CA Passed an Online “Eraser” Law
The California Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown recently enacted the Online “Eraser” Law. Good news for parents concerned about social media’s impact on their children’s possible college admissions and future employment. Starting in 2015, teenagers will be able to request photos of embarrassing or otherwise youthful indiscretions be deleted by online providers. (The caveat: anyone…
Advice for Parents of High School Seniors
“Why isn’t my kid taking more initiative in the college application process?” is a common refrain from parents of high school Seniors heard at this time of year. Since the initial college application deadlines are generally one to two months away, and months in teenager time can be like dog years in reverse, parents may…
The Tale of a College Essay Writer
College essay writing can bring out the creative spirit in any high school senior and community college transfer applicant; however, may not be the type of creative effort needed to actually write college essays. More like innovation in putting off until under the pressure of the deadline, concerted drafting of the essay, to the consternation of…
A Growing Gap: Rising College Tuition vs. Income
The value of college may not be reflected in the cost of college. However, the media attention to average student debt and annually rising college costs can mask the value of college. In addition, when the average costs of goods and services (i.e. inflation) is greater than the average rise in earnings for 99% of Americans…
General Thinking According To Google Trends
What’s on people’s minds… Hat tip to zerohedge.com (8/21/2013)
Private Universities May Not Cost More Than A Public University, In the Final Analysis
Dismissing a college based only on cost, as many families tend to do when considering private universities, may overlook a valuable choice for an individual student. The following podcast discusses how to “value” a public university in relation to a private university, as well as offers tips for planning for future college expenses. For more…
College Costs: Myth vs. Reality
A tongue-in-cheek look at rising college costs, yet gives another incentive for college bound teens to think thoroughly about their college choices.
The A B C’s of the New Common Application Essays
College essays that add value to the application explain the meaning of the applicant’s life experiences and give insight to the applicant’s personality. Being able to craft that content, while in the middle of the fall semester of Senior year, and fit their 17 years of life into 500 words or less can be a…
Is College Financial Aid Really Aid?
The difference between the value of college, indicated by price and intrinsic worth, and what a family feels they can afford to pay creates the need for financial aid. But, college bound buyer beware: NOT ALL FINANCIAL AID AWARDED BY THE UNIVERSITY IS ACTUALLY AID.