Friday, December 29, 2017
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Monday, December 25, 2017
Friday, December 22, 2017
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Holiday Gifts for the College Bound Student
Often when meeting parents at Back to School Night, they
would ask me what they could give their children for Christmas or their
birthday that would help them get ahead. I loved this question, and soon began writing
a list of gift ideas on the board in the front of the room before any parent
meeting. Here’s the list I would write on the board this year, (if I was still
in the classroom) and the ages when I would give them:
1.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Students
by Sean Covey – Age 13
2.
Personality Plus by Florence Littauer – Age
14
3.
The Magic of Thinking Big by David J.
Schwartz – Age 15
4.
Free $ for College for Dummies by David
Rosen and Caryn Mladen – Age 16
5.
The Blue Zones of Happiness by Dan Buettner
– Age 17
6.
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J.
Stanley – Age 18
Of course, it would be unethical to suggest families
buy my own book, Free College Awareness,
if I was still in the classroom, but I’m not. So, when it’s available, which
should be soon from what my publisher has told me, you should get a copy. It’s
for parents of all Pre-K through high school students (college bound or not),
although like the strategy in this article, parents start the process, and
students take over as they mature.
For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free
College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid
needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School
students.
You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com
Photo credit: Google Images
Monday, December 18, 2017
Friday, December 15, 2017
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
How Young Is Too Young to Prepare for College?
I recently had a conversation with the mother of a
fourteen year old boy. She was freaked out, saying her son was feeling anxiety about
preparing for college. She complained he was too young to start prepping. I
couldn’t disagree more. Parents should start helping their children plan for
their future (college or other post high school plans) much sooner. A great
deal can be accomplished earlier, so there will be less pressure later.
I observed this during my 40+ year career teaching both
college prep and non-college prep students. Students whose families started
supporting their future plans when they were little suffered far less stress
and anxiety. They seemed calm and almost serene. I also witnessed this while
doing research for my book, Free College
Awareness.
All the steps families need to follow are in my upcoming
book, but here’s one strategy parents can start right now. This one is appropriate
for elementary aged and older students. The next time you’re out shopping, stop
by an office supply store, paper boutique, or big box store. Find a wall
mounted, age appropriate calendar for the upcoming year. Pick up some stickers
and colored pens too.
Sit down with your child and your own personal planner.
Start with the holidays already listed on the calendar. Guide your child in
decorating those days, leaving space to write something later, if the need
should arise. Second, note the birthdays of family members and close friends.
Again, let your child dress up the date. Third, mark school events, such as the
first and last day of school, back to school night, and the like.
If there’s anything in your planner for the upcoming
year that impacts your child, show him/her how to write it on the correct date.
Use different colored markers selected by your child. What you’re doing is demystifying
the organizational process. Hang the
calendar on the wall or back of the door in your child’s bedroom. If two
children share a room, it will cause less conflict if they each have their own
calendar and space where it is hung.
As time goes on, and other events or appointments come
up, inform your child and assist him/her in recording it on the correct date.
The younger your child when you begin using this process, the more guidance
will be needed. As time goes on, or if he/she is older, very little help will
be necessary. Just encourage children to develop the habit of recording
upcoming events, both the fun ones, and all the rest. When you do so, you’re
teaching them one of the sixteen strategies used by all full ride scholarship
winning students. They use wall calendars and are very organized.
In answer to the question posed in the title of this
article, there’s no such thing as too young. Parents begin setting things up
for the child when he/she is little, and the child takes over as he/she
matures.
For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.
You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com
Photo credit: Google Images
Monday, December 11, 2017
Friday, December 8, 2017
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
The Best Kept Secret of Parents of Successful Pre-K – H.S. Students
While researching the strategies used by families of
successful college scholarship winners, I noticed they dined together at least
five days a week. It didn’t matter how busy they were at work, or if their
children were involved in after school sports or other activities. They made
sure to have dinner together. Many studies have shown this is a significant
factor in the success of a child in school and later in life.
Think of any negative activity a teenager could get
into, (alcohol, crime, drugs, dropping out of school, pregnancy, gangs, etc.).
Research indicates such conduct is avoided by children who grow up dining with
their families at least five nights each week. The families of every full ride
scholarship winner I have met also followed this practice.
Here’s a painless way to make it happen, if you aren’t
doing so already. Decide you’re going to do it. This is the most difficult
step. Once you’ve decided, really decided, the rest is pretty easy. Determine
which evening of the week is filled with the fewest activities. Circle it every
time it appears on your calendar or planner. Pick a dinnertime and write it down.
When a friend or work colleague wants you to go somewhere, or do something for them on a Sunday,
tell them you need to check your calendar before agreeing. Then tell them you’re
fully booked that evening. Done.
After your family has made this a habit, (maybe after
three or four weeks), not just writing it down or telling people you have a
prior commitment, but actually doing it, then pick another night and repeat the
process. It may take a little more effort arranging the second night, but it’s
worth it. Children who dine with their families this often are happier, more
successful in school and receive more scholarship money for college. Continue
rearranging your schedule until you are enjoying dinner together at least five
nights each week.
During your family dinnertime, chat with your children
and your spouse. This is not the time to scold anyone for failing to do chores or
to check up on grades or homework. This is a time to connect through sharing a
meal and pleasant conversation. If you are ever stumped as to what to talk
about, then check the Families Alive website, https://www.familiesalive.org/dinnertable/ for suggestions. When you first start this family tradition, it may seem
awkward. After a few meals, everyone will relax, and you’ll notice your
children will start to really talk to you. That is, if you listen to them,
really listen, especially while looking them in the eye.
Make this your New Year’s Resolution. It'll pay off
with happier kids, fewer problems, better grades in school, and could actually
help earn more scholarships for college down the line.
For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.
You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com
Photo credit: Google Images
Monday, December 4, 2017
Friday, December 1, 2017
Winter Break Scholarship Challenge for High School Students
Although many students want to go to college, few have
the financial resources to do so without scholarships, grants or loans. I’m
completely against loans, since they have a tendency to destroy a graduate’s
future. That leaves grants and scholarships, but they don’t magically appear.
Someone has to apply for them.
When writing my book, Free College Awareness, I realized I didn’t complete many chapters
without having a specific goal, with a time limit. Once I set this up, the
chapters almost seemed to write themselves. This could be true for scholarship
and grant applications too. I suggest setting up a routine for finding, filling
out, and submitting college scholarship and grant forms.
To this end, I propose a challenge over the upcoming
Winter Break. For most students, this means two weeks. For others, it may be
three. Whichever is the case for you, pick the number of applications you wish
to submit during this time. They will all be completed online, of course, so
you don’t have to worry about offices being closed. My suggestion is a minimum
of one per day, better yet would be two or three.
You’ll still have time for visiting with family and
friends, watching football or parades, opening presents, and eating lots of turkey
or ham. Discuss your family’s travel plans with your parents in advance. Block out
this time on a calendar (you can print templates online for free). Then block
out your sleep schedule. You’ll do a terrible job if you’re sleep deprived.
You now know when you have free time for meeting this
scholarship/grant application challenge. Use a red pen to outline the times you
are allotting to find, complete and submit your applications. If you have
already filed at least one, you know how much time you’ll need for each. The
average student takes about an hour, after the first one.
Sure, vacations should be fun, but why not dedicate 20
hours of the 500 over the upcoming Winter Break to applying for scholarships? Doing
so might result in you being awarded thousands of dollars for college. Go ahead
and do it. I dare you.
For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.
You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com
Photo credit: Google Images
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