Clubs and More!
On campus clubs are a valuble part of high school. Not only do you connect with others that have similar interest as you, they provide leadership and community service needed on those college applications. Remember that colleges see applications from hundreds of ASB presidents, school newspaper editors, yearbook editors, etc. If you can do something different that really stands out then you can get your foot in the door. Think about the thing that you are most passionate about, is there a club at your high school for it? If you can't find it, found it! If your school does not offer a club or organization revolving around an activity that you have interest in then start one yourself. Colleges love students who display that kind of initiative and determination. You will earn a rewarding position of leadership that leaves a lasting legacy at your high school. Major points with college admissions officers!
Want more information on how to get the attention of college admissions officers and the help of financial aid officers? Come to a FREE College Planning Workshop in your area. Workshops are held each month at various locations around the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and Simi Valley. Call College Planning Experts today! 661-295-9946
Join President and First Lady Obama in Community Service
We talk to our students everyday about the importance of community service. This is not only importnat for college applicaitons but for finding your passion, giving you a purpose in life and trying out career fields for the future. To further validate this point, our Presidnet and First lady are also putting out the message to America, time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Read the following message from www.serve.gov and get yourself started!
"This summer the President is calling on all American's to participate in our Nation's recovery and renwal by serving in our communities. There are many ways to get involved. America's new foundation will be built one community at a time and it begins with you!" – President and First Lady Obama.
Need extra help with student and financial planning for college? Come to one of our FREE WORKSHOPS in your neighborhood! Workshops are scheduled each month so visit us online and reserve a spot or tell a friend! www.collegeplanningexperts.com
Parents, Get Involved in the College Planning Process!
You can't make a major decision that could affect the ret of your life alone. It's got to be a team effort with your parents. Here's why:
1. Two or three heads are better than one
There are thousands of colleges to choose from. Narrowing this list can be intimidating. Kimberley Townsend, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., says, “High school seniors are inexperienced in the decision-making arena. The application process made me so nervous, I procrastinated on every step of the way.” “Your parents’ guidance is necessary to sift through all the concerns you have, and to compare the pros and cons of various colleges,” says Colin Alphonso, a graduate of Collin County Community College in Allen, Texas. According to Jeremy Boyce, an admissions counselor at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, parents can “open up a students’ eyes to other opportunities and the institutions that best support their child’s goals.”
2. Including them will make the process smoother
It’s during the college application process that most parents stop looking at their teens as kids. So why not return the favor and stop viewing your parents as the authorities controlling your life? One director of admissions says, “Both parties should express honesty about each school, whereas teens should respect their parents’ opinions, especially since they offer wisdom and years of experience.” “My mother initially wanted me to attend another university,” says Shira Hussain, senior admissions counselor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn. “But she was impressed with all the work I had done to prepare her and myself for my college choice, and hence became confident about my decision.”
3. No one knows you better
No one understands your basic nature better than your parents. College is not only a destination for higher education; it’s also a place where your talents should be drawn out and appreciated. Therefore, your parents favor colleges that would suit you best, as a student and as a person. Ezella D’Souza’s son, Jeff, is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. He had first enrolled in a university in Washington, D.C. A year later, he decided the college wasn’t a good fit. Ezella says, “He told us we were right, and then switched over to Washington University, which was our preferred choice as a college that would bring out his talents.”
4. Your parents only want what’s good for you
The college you choose will be your home for the next two to four years. So if your parents try to dissuade you from picking a particular college, it’s not because they want to scuttle your plans. Their aim is to protect you from making the wrong choice. They want you to go to a school where you’ll be able to achieve your goals and be happy.
5. It’s a good time for bonding
Your senior year is an emotional period for your parents. Soon, they’ll have to watch you leave home for college. Be open about the transition ahead for all of you. Once you come clean with each other, it’ll be a smooth road ahead all the way to the college of your choice.
Get the Professionals on your team! Call College Planning Experts today to reserve a spot at a FREE WORKSHOP in your area! Want us to come to your school or business? WE CAN DO IT! Call today 661-295-9946 or visit www.collegeplanningexperts.com
You can’t make a major decision
Choose a Career that is important to you!
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Practically all of us go through a time in our lives when we are torn between what we know we want and need in a career, and what others say we should want and need. Sometimes these internal wars are the result of near-constant media exposure. If, for example, you watch television for even half an hour, you will be pushed in all sorts of ways toward “the good life”: a bigger car, nicer house, better body. At other times, the career “shoulds” develop much closer to home. Such as when your academic adviser says, “You’ll never get a decent job with a philosophy degree.” You might feel pressured to cave in. That’s the easiest, fastest way to stop the unwanted advice and criticism. Then you beat yourself up for selling out on your wants and needs. The only way to address the career “shoulds” is to identify your career-related values and look for a career that matches those values. You won’t be able to do that until you first turn off the voices of the influences around you. Your parents If you go into accounting for your parents’ sake, who is going to be stuck doing your job every day? Your parents? Of course not; it will be you. Your friends Your instructors The media They may be telling you to chase all sorts of things via your career—money, power, status—and promising that happiness will follow. But remember: You will kick yourself when you figure out you’ve been running in the wrong direction for months … or even years. You can ignore what is important to you in a career and get away with it for a while. Sooner or later though, the disconnect between what you are doing for a living and what you value in a career catches up with you. Other people can tell you only what is important to them in a career. Only you know what is important to you. |
President Obama Urges Students to go to College
Do your parents tell you to move out of the house? Go to college. Even if you go to online college you will get out of the house sooner and stay out on your own with the great job you will get. According to the most recent US Government census, Americans with a bachelor’s degree earned 51% more than those with just a high school diploma. Those with a bachelor’s degree earned over $52,000 per year on average.
Once you realize that college is your next step, you need to find one. Here are some questions you might find helpful to find the college for you.
1. Is an in-state or out of state college right for you?
2. Are small schools a better fit for my needs or should you look at bigger schools?
3. Is financial aid available or should you look for scholarships?
4. Do you prefer a suburban setting, a school in a big city or studying in the middle of nowhere?
5. Which programs fit your career goals?
6. Does your class rank matter?
7. How good is the college’s career services office? How many people get jobs through the center every year?
8. What extracurricular activities are available? Do they have ones you like?
9. Is there a professor that could potentially mentor you one on one to develop your career interest?
10. What type of campus housing is available? Will the school help you find an off campus place to live?
11. Bonus question for today’s world: Do you know how financially secure the school is?
I recommend you review each one of these questions and answer them as you find schools you think might be a good fit. Come to one of our FREE WORKSHOPS and find out not only how to pick the right school but also how to pay for it without going broke! Visit our website for workshop dates at a location near you. www.collegeplanningexperts.com
PICK YOUR SAT SUBJECT TESTS CAREFULLY!
This week I would like to focus on the all important SAT Subject Tests. Why are they so important for top colleges? In short, they help colleges interpret your grades and equalize grading scales from high school to high school. How does an A at school X compare to an A in school Y? Well, if one student scored a 770 on the Bio SAT Subject Test and the other scored a 580, we'd know that the first school had a much "truer" grading scale and that the competition was simply not as strong at school Y. In effect, these scores either show that a student deserved the high grades he received, or that the school simply hands out many A's. With that being the case, students usually have to submit 2-3 SAT Subject Tests at most competitivecolleges.
Students should consider very carefully which tests they sign upfor – most students don't even realize that the average test scores are totally different on every SAT Subject Test! Most assume that the mean score is 500, but that is not the case. Take the Math I and the Math II. Many students take the I thinking it's "easier," but the average score on a recent test was 588. If you miss a handful of questions, you will not even score in the 700's! Compare that to the Math II – the average score
was recently 659! That means you can get a bunch wrong and still be in the700's (on a recent test, you could get 7 wrong and still score a perfect 800). In other words, every test has a different group of test takers – the kids who take the II are a smaller group, but a stronger group. Take exams like the
Chinese – since almost all the kids who take it actually speak Chinese, the average has been very high: 752! Here's another fact to keep in mind: the percentile scores do not get reported to colleges, only the grade. Most admissions officers don't differentiate or even worry about if you 750 was "high" or low for your test. So those who get a 752 on the Chinese test (the highest average of all the SAT Subject Tests) score only 50%, but the score still looks strong.
The message is, it pays to study the average scores and pick tests based on your ability and the scoring curve. The average information is available on the College Board’s web site and is actually printed on the score reports you receive back after taking SAT Subject Tests. Use them to your advantage!
CAl Grants Cut for College Students
The Legislature will be meeting this week. Please forward this important and timely information to all interested parties. Read to the bottom to find a sample letter & the email & phone contact information to let your voice be heard. Thank You.
As you've probably heard, the governor is planning on eliminating Cal Grants for students for the 2009-10 school year. This budget cut will affect your child whether or not he/she will be receiving a Cal Grant, because the removal of the Cal grants will affect the remaining budgets for the universities. As a result, the remaining university funds will have to be redistributed, thereby resulting in reductions or elimination of any kind of proposed grant aid to ALL California university students and potential reductions of class offerings and services for the students.
Over 252,000 California students are currently receiving funds from Cal Grants. At UCLA, approximately 7,000 students receive Cal Grant Funding annually totaling $46 million dollars. All other UC and CSU campuses will be affected as well.
Last week, Governor Schwarzenegger submitted a new proposed budget that would make a number of spending cuts, including a phased elimination of the Cal Grant program. Students who are currently receiving Cal Grants would continue to have their awards renewed as long as they are eligible. However, all new awards for the 2009-10 year, approximately 116,200 new awards, would be cancelled. Over the next few years, all Cal Grants would be eliminated.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee will be holding hearings on cuts to education this week and deliberating this serious matter, and it is important they hear your voice on this very critical issue which affects college access and your continued enrollment.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY! Please contact the members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by email or by fax using the contact information provided below. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to send this similar communication to your specific Senate and Assembly state representatives in your home district .Let them know how these cuts will affect you, your younger siblings, and other California students like you who need Cal Grant assistance to help finance a college education.
College Students: Don’t forget Little Brother or Sister!
Right now you're busy with graduation, parties and friends—and soon you'll be packing your things. What an exciting and busy time these months are!
But have you noticed your kid brother or sister? As these days become hectic for you, your siblings can fade into the background. Remember: you starting college is a big change in their lives, too.
Here are some tips for making the transition as smooth as possible—and keeping your relationship strong.
Get sibs involved in the college process. Talk to your brother or sister about the college you will be attending, and show them catalogs and other material you've received. Some college students like having sibs along for campus visits, others don't.
Tell sibs about your feelings about leaving. There's nothing worse for a younger sib than to think you are 100 percent happy about moving away. Let them know how much you'll miss them.
Understand their feelings. Sometimes siblings become stand-offish or even hostile as your move-in day approaches. It doesn't take a Freud to figure out that they're pushing you away because you're leaving them.
Get them involved in your new room. Ask a sibling to make a poster, pillow, or other decoration for your dorm room.
Turn them into movers. Those little legs will come in handy on move-in day. Show your gratitude!
Make communication personal. When you call home, ask to speak to your siblings. Send e-mail just to them. Text them often the first few weeks.
At college, make specific plans for when you go home. Tell your sib that the two of you will go to a sporting event or a favorite restaurant, so they know you're looking forward to seeing them. Then don't disappoint!
Arrange for a campus visit. Have your sibling come and visit; if it's an overnight visit, check with your residence hall to see if there are restrictions about having kids stay. Many campuses have a Little Sibs weekend, an excellent time to bring siblings to campus. "Our Little Sibs weekends at Western Michigan University are planned and run by students, with lots of activities the visiting sibs love," reports Laura Darrah, the assistant director of residence life at the college, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. "We have had petting zoos, hayrides, football games, and other fun things. It's a great time to get a glimpse of college life and stay connected with the college student."
President Obama asks Americans to Commit to Education
Recent statistics show that seven in ten Americans leave high school with a diploma. President Obama has responded to this by demanding that all Americans commit themselves to at least one year of education after high school. This does not mean that every American has to go to college. There are many ways of getting an educaiton and advancing yourself in the job market. If you did not complete high school, get your GED. There are many adult education facilities that prepare you for the GED exam as well as administer the test. Go to a Trade/Technical school. Get career training and increase your income with a second career! Become a Medical or Dental Assistant, Leagl Aide, Computer Technician, Massage Therapist, Cosmetology, Nurses Aide, Hotel/Restaurant management, court reporting, chef, X-Ray Tech, Personal Trainer, Automotive Tech, bartender, travel agent, animal trainer and much more! Take night or online classes at your local commuinty college or take the plunge and get that degree you have always wanted. Financial aid is available for almost all post high school education so start looking now. Need help with the financial aid process? Call our office and we will get you on the right track. Visit our web site and get more information. www.collegeplanningexperts.com
Increase Your Chances of Getting Into a Competitive College
If you are willing to look outside of the zone of colleges kids typically apply to you are much more likely to get noticed. Looking at schools outside of your geographic zone will set you apart from every other student in your area. Look at schools that you fall outside of the “norm” in the following areas:
Geographic
Ethnic
Academic
Athletic
Extracurricular
Socio-economic
Talk to admissions staff at the schools you are most interested in and make sure you identify yourself as calls and visits are often tracked. Here are some sample questions to ask:
I am trying to get a feel for the typical State U student in terms of where they are from and what they study
1. What is the geographic distribution? Is it pretty even?
2. What are the least represented states?
3. You mentioned your most popular majors as …………. What are your least popular majors or departments that you are trying to grow?
Finding out what students are studying and where they are from will help you break the “typical zone” of students that apply to that school and you will seem much more desirable!
Need more help with college selection or how to pay for college? Call our offices today and register for a FREE workshop in your area!
