How to Obtain Excellence

Why Are We Playing Roulette with the Lives of U.S. School Children?

What if your child was diabetic, asthmatic or had a life threatening allergy? Would you be comfortable sending him or her to school knowing there was a school nurse on campus only one day a week? About 10% of students have one of these three conditions. This means 30% of our children are in danger of having a life threatening event while at school.

What about being injured playing sports, running into a pole head first (I’ve witnessed this one.), or attempting suicide? Two weeks into the new school year, (true story) one of my First Period French I students asked to go to the nurse’s office because she was feeling faint. I wouldn’t allow her to go alone, since she could pass out while on the way. I called the nurse who said she would bring a wheelchair.

A moment after I hung up the phone, the student sitting next to the girl who was dizzy whispered in my ear, “She told me she took several of her mother’s sleeping pills before school.” I called the nurse back. She phoned the paramedics and ran to my classroom with the wheelchair. On the way back to her office, the student “coded”. The nurse kept her alive until paramedics arrived and took over. Without the nurse, it would have been her French teacher trying to keep her alive. Which would you prefer?

Teachers are on strike or have protested all over the country lately. One of the main issues is the current lack of support staff in schools, especially school nurses. Every school I ever attended had a full time school nurse and a trained adult aide. I know they saved lives. They took care of the sick and injured, referred students to outside medical help, and performed many medical tests, such as vision. When I was little, I remember lining up with my class at the nurse’s office to receive vaccines. It's not like that anymore. Full-time school nurses are a rarity.

Schools are underfunded and make cuts where they can. States and the Federal Government are putting our money elsewhere. Only voters can make them protect our students by demanding a full time nurse on every school campus. The Senate has stalled a bill that could help some schools. It’s for Title I schools. It’s called NURSE, Nurses for Under-Resourced Schools Everywhere. It’s not going to solve the problem in every school, but would cover 46,969 schools nationwide. That’s a start.

You can contact your senator and ask him/her to support this bill by clicking here: U.S. Senate.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Top Tips on the Road to Free College Blog 2018

The final post for the year will be a wrap up of the most popular articles from this Road to Free College blog. It’s exciting to see which posts draw the most attention during the year. The most popular post of 2018 was about trading free time at home for free money for college. The most popular titles of the year were about improving the odds of winning scholarships. Since this is the theme of my blog, it’s gratifying to see people are interested.

There have been three changes in this blog during the year. The most exciting by far was the publication of my book, Free College. It shows families how graduates earn the most scholarship money. This book is central to my goal of helping families avoid needing college loans. I find it inequitable that students in my generation were able to pay for a semester of college for the same amount as a week’s worth of groceries, yet today’s student must suffer a lifetime of debt to receive the same education.

The second change to the blog was the addition of a clickable image of my book, Free College, in the upper right hand corner of the landing page. This way, anyone who wants the step-by-step guide in my book doesn’t have to search for a way to buy it. Just click the image, and you’ll be taken directly to my page on Amazon. You can buy the book for your immediate family or for loved ones. It makes a great gift, since it shows how much you care.

The third change was designed to make looking for popular posts easier for the reader. They're now listed on the right hand side of the landing page, under my biography. It’s interesting to see that both the articles and the motivational posters on the site are enjoyed by readers. I found this a bit of a surprise. But good things do often come in small packages.

Most popular posts of 2018:

Trade Free Time for Free Money for College This post suggests parents and students use “found time”, when schools and businesses are closed due to bad weather, to apply for college scholarships. Trading free time for free money for college is a wise use of this gift. Sure, making snowmen and watching movies are fun activities, but their enjoyment is fleeting. Assuring financial freedom after college graduation is priceless. The blog post also explains where to find scholarships.

Thanksgiving Holiday Scholarship Challenge This is the second most popular blog post of the year. It too shows families and students how to leverage time in order to pay for college. All students and many parents are gifted days off from school and work over holidays such as Thanksgiving. I challenge them all to apply for at least one scholarship for each day they have off. The article also gives some tips on how to do this.

How to Become the Ideal Scholarship and/or Grant Applicant is the third most popular post. It gives the reader a brief description of my book, Free College. It explains what’s in it, and where to find it. It’s almost an ad for the book, and yet it has been viewed by thousands of people. This is gratifying, but viewing isn’t buying, and buying isn’t reading. I hope families realize that purchasing Free College and following the steps it contains could save them tens of thousands of dollars in college tuition and fees. It has for the students interviewed while researching the book.

Why Dinnertime Is Important to Student Success The fourth most popular blog post of the year is a motivational poster. The topic is dinnertime, and its importance to student success. During my research, I found students who have dinner with their families at least five times each week do far better in school, life and win more scholarships for college. The photo was taken by me in 2017, while cruising off the coast of Basque Country. The quote is from President Ronald Reagan.

How to Win the College Scholarship Lottery This article compares qualifying for college scholarships to winning the lottery. Both are a game of chance. Both have qualifications in order to win. Everyone knows winning the lottery takes luck. While qualifying for college scholarships seem mysterious to most families, luck has little to do with winning. The article introduces the reader to twenty steps students take who win the most scholarship money.  

If you’re interested in learning more about any of these topics, you can follow me on Twitter, @ElizaWallace27 or click to buy Free College, where you’ll find the step-by-step guide to winning more free money for college, based on numerous students who have done so already.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Pre-Halloween Lesson Plan

The day before a holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Break, Easter Break, even a pseudo-holiday like Halloween, is usually just this side of insane. Students don’t want to work. There’s candy everywhere. Gifts are being given. Focus is lost. Just keeping the lid on seems overwhelming; unless you have an educationally sound, kid-approved lesson that keeps them interested, occupied and engaged. Decades ago I created such a lesson. Kids loved it. I loved it. It‘s easy, academic and fun! The bonus of this lesson, it helped with student retention in foreign language classes.

The steps to follow:

1. Completely erase the entire white board. You'll want the space.

2. Number the entire board from 1 to 35. Place holiday appropriate symbols, like pumpkins, around each number.

3. Put a large assortment of dry erase pens at the front of the room. The more color variety the better.

4. After school, the day before a holiday, have each student in your most advanced class go to the board and draw a culturally appropriate picture next to a number. If your class is smaller than 35, they'll need to draw more than one. Be sure to explain to the class the night before they need to come up with three or four ideas for their drawings. Most students are eager, although the shy need some encouragement. After this has become a tradition in your classes, you'll overhear students commenting they look forward to being in the class that gets to draw the pictures. Never let an underclassman participate in putting the pictures on the board.

5. Check each picture as they finish drawing. A few may need a little help so their drawings are clear, and some can be too obscure. You may need to edit, as students can be a bit gross at time. One Thanksgiving students drew a very vivid picture of a turkey being beheaded. I erased that one. Remember, all day students are going to see these pictures. You want to understand them, so you can give hints if necessary. My favorite was The Twilight Zone Marathon. It became a tradition in my program which was passed down each year from class to class.

6. Before the first class arrives the next morning, place a stack of German (French, Spanish, Chinese)/English dictionaries on the first desk of each row. I always had enough dictionaries so students could work in groups of two. Three doesn't work. Working alone is tough.

7. Students should look up what they see on the board, and write the German (French, etc.) on their own papers. Don’t let them put two student names on one paper. This never works. Trust me on this.

8. They must write the definite article and the noun. If there's an adjective, like in a drawing of black cat, they must include the adjective with the correct ending. This allows you to preview grammar not yet taught. Students are very receptive to this, and ask for help. It’s a contest. They want to win.

 9. Buy a small bag of individually wrapped candy, stickers, etc. and give a piece to each member of the first team finished. Be sure to check the work. Sometimes they make errors, of course. Don’t be too picky. Perfection is not the goal.

 10. After the first group finishes, and as each group finishes, they'll help their classmates. You’ll find they don’t give them the answers, but give them hints instead, especially in grammar.  

11. Collect work as it’s finished and the rest at the end of the period. Grading is subjective. First year classes typically have a few students who finish by the end of the class period. Most, however, finish about half of the pictures. Second year will complete more. The majority complete about two-thirds of the pictures. Most third year students finish them all, as do AP/IB/fourth year students.

12. There are several goals in this lesson. Students learn the correct way to use the dictionary. They learn the symbols and abbreviations. It removes the mind-numbing boredom of a typical dictionary lesson, and replaces it with fun. Students learn vocabulary that’s both meaningful, and is usually more advanced than where they are in the curriculum. This they do without complaint. You're able to foreshadow grammar, so when it arrives later in the school year, you’re able to point back to what they discovered at Halloween or Thanksgiving. Finally, it keeps students focused, doing an academic lesson without arguing at a time where students are going nuts in other classes. I had four decades of happy “day before’s” while colleagues were losing their minds.

If you don't teach a foreign language class, adapt this lesson to your subject matter. Remember to keep it relaxed and fun, but academic.­­

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

College and Scholarship Readiness, Part I

Recently I was invited to participate in an online chat by Jodi Okun, author, entrepreneur and founder of College Financial Aid. The chat, #CollegeCash, took place last week on Twitter. The title of the chat was the same as this article. I decided to expand on my answers this month on my blog. Where you see bold print below, these are the questions and answers which appeared on the chat. I’ve added the rest of the information since.

Q1 @ElizaWallace27 What should parents be doing right now when it comes to preparing their kids for college?

A1 While children are little, read to them and with them, give books as gifts, visit bookstores and libraries. Many studies have shown that children, who have received a great deal of attention and have been spoken to constantly during their first three years of life, do far better in school. Furthermore, making books and songs part of their preschool lives gives them the foundation they need to be successful in kindergarten and beyond.

A1 For elementary aged children, enroll them in music lessons. Find lessons nearby and encourage them to continue with these lessons through middle school. Several recent medical studies have found greater development in the left hemisphere of the brains of children who have learned how to play a musical instrument and who have had lessons while growing up. This gives them an advantage in math, science and foreign language classes. I discovered that students who had studied music earned far more scholarship money for college.

A1 Find a sport each child likes and could continue for life, swimming, tennis, track, etc. Encourage them to participate through high school. In addition to the physical and psychological benefits of playing a sport, children also learn teamwork when doing so. Learning and enjoying a lifetime sport or activity means children will have something physical to do in order to stay fit, reduce stress and remain healthy throughout their lives. Medical research shows there are many benefits of staying active, including delaying or preventing dementia. This is a gift parents can give their lives that will continue to assist them forever.

Q2 @ElizaWallace27 Is there a financial aid to-do list for elementary, middle and high school students?

A2 Parents of elementary students should find scholarships and apply for all which are available to the age group of their children. Many parents and students believe college scholarships are only available to high school seniors. This is far from the case. I have seen many scholarships online which are available to students of all ages. Several were aimed at elementary school students. Although these children are too young to fill out the forms alone, parents can do this for them. Start collecting scholarships as soon as possible, so there will be enough money later on to pay for college, without needing to take out student loans.

A2 Help middle school aged children apply for a few scholarships each month. Spend a little time to set up an account on Twitter and/or Facebook, so you can search for college scholarships or grants for your child. Create a routine for doing so. Pick a specific day each week to look for them, and a specific day each month to fill out the forms. Help your child until he/she is old enough to do this on their own.

A2 High school freshmen and sophomores should apply for a one or two each week; while juniors and seniors should apply for a minimum of three each week, and continue until they’ve graduated from college. It is far easier to follow a schedule than to look for scholarships in a haphazard manner. Create a routine so you don’t have to “decide” to do the work. Deciding is the hardest part. Find scholarships by following groups who post them daily on Twitter or Facebook. Then apply for several at one time. Once a day of the week to do the work is selected, the work is fairly simple. I suggest setting aside two hours each weekend to apply for scholarships.  

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

For more information, you'll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teachers families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life. 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. 

Photo Credit: Google Images

How You Can Help Your Child Learn More to Earn More Scholarships

Many studies have been completed which prove music lessons are beneficial to learning. They build connections in the brain which are needed to understand and retain information. Studying music is especially helpful for math, science and the learning of languages.

My own study wasn’t about music. It was about how to earn more scholarship money for college. What I found, however, was that taking music lessons at a young age is a powerful indicator of future success in earning scholarships. You can read details about this in Chapter 3 of my book, Free College available on Amazon.

Since states have drained money from education in the last three or four decades in the U.S., how can you make sure your child reaps the benefits provided by studying music? Check out the community college in your community. If you’re not on their mailing list, call and ask to be added, so you can receive their quarterly mailings. They provide many classes for all age groups, including music lessons for children. They are low in cost, but high in quality.

In addition to classes at local colleges, many city parks and recreation departments provide lessons. They too send out mailings, but information is also available online. Their courses cover all age groups and many subjects, including music lessons. It doesn't matter which instrument a child learns. They all provide the same mental benefit, but pick one that is being taught locally, and your child likes.

Finally, if all else fails, visit your local music store and ask if they give lessons. Most of them do. These lessons are more expensive, but students will receive more personal attention. My daughter saw Itzhak Perlman play the violin on television when she was three. She harassed me for six months before I relented and called a local music shop to ask how old a child must be in order to take violin lessons. The owner explained eleven was a good age to start. I asked, “What about three and highly motivated?” Luckily, their violin teacher also taught Kindergarten, and agreed to teach her.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

“Many Hands Make Light Work” John Heywood

As most parents of college prep students know, doing well in high school is critical if students wish to earn lots of scholarship money for college. It also entails a great deal of effort. While researching successful scholarship winners for my book, Free College, I discovered these students have a strategy for lightening the load. They use study groups and/or study buddies. In Chapter 8 of Free College, you can read the stories of several of these students.

While on Twitter, I look for people who have expertise in the topics included in my book, so I may share what they know with families of future college students. One such person is Melodieann Whiteley, retired US navy cryptologist, network marketer and author of Getting To Yes. She has a great deal of experience in working with groups. Because of her knowledge and familiarity with teamwork, I asked her to share some of her insights in a guest post for my blog, RoadToFreeCollege.com. Although what she has written is aimed at college students, every word applies to high school students as well.

Do You Want to Succeed in College?  Create a Study Group

According to those who have been there before, the key to success in law or business school is getting in with the right study group.  These partners not only give you buddies to study with, they keep you accountable and on-task.  If you let yourself down, you let down the whole group.

I would actually take that a bit further.  I believe that a study group is invaluable no matter your field of study.  Finding accountability partners can be key to a successful college experience.  A good study group can support your efforts, help you brainstorm problems, and keep you on schedule.  The right study group can mean the difference between passing and failing.

How is this possible?  I was a college student once upon a time.  And though it has been quite a few years, I remember what it was like.  I doubt that the mentality of the average college student has changed drastically in that time.  I remember…

I remember needing to prepare for an upcoming exam.  But there was a party happening that night.  Or something interesting on television.  Or maybe I just got caught up chatting with friends in the lounge.  And before you knew it, study time had come and gone.  And I was left pulling the well-known “all-nighter” to ensure that I passed the exam.  I may have had fun doing all these things, but I paid for it with lack of sleep, increased stress and most likely a lower grade than if I had been well-prepared.

But a study group can help prevent procrastination.  Because most groups meet a specific time, there is a commitment in place.  An appointment to meet.  And if you are late, or skip the group altogether, the other group members should hold you accountable.  So while I may have wanted to really go to that party, knowing I would have to face my fellow group members and explain was enough to make me reconsider.

I remember my Philosophy class.  I was a science major.  Philosophy?  Why did I need that?  Because I was attending a Catholic college that felt all students should take at least one philosophy class.  And so there I was reading Kant, Plato and Descartes and being thoroughly bored and confused. 

Thankfully, one of the members of my study group loved philosophy!  And he was more than willing to share with the rest.  So instead of spending time reading and rereading something that held no interest for me other than the fact that it was required and I wanted to pass, I was able to learn quickly simply by having my friend explain what I did not understand.  

So a study group helped me learn something faster and more thoroughly than if I had tried to learn it on my own.

I would like to say that it also instilled in me a love for – or at least an interest in – philosophy…but I’d be lying.

Which brings me to the next way a study group can be beneficial.

While I am still not an avid reader of Aristotle or David Hume, the time spent in my study group did help me see many things from a new point of view.  While philosophy as a whole was not of interest to me, many of the subjects that came up for discussion during class were.  And I had a very strong opinion on them based on my small town experience.  But discussing these subjects with others with very different backgrounds and experiences often made me see things from a new perspective.  As we would discuss the material from class, all of these different viewpoints became part of the discussion.  And I was forced to think about and sometimes defend my position.  When you are asked to give actual reasons, backed up with facts, for a particular position, you tend to study the topic much more thoroughly.

And so a study group can help you develop your critical thinking skills, increase your verbal communication skills, and cause you to make a more in-depth study of the subject.

There are many more reasons that study groups are beneficial.  You can learn new skills.  Fill in gaps in your learning.  Hone your people skills.  That is if you find the right group.  Not all groups are created equal.  It’s important to make sure you fill the group with the right people.

Here’s what to look for in your own study group:

A variety of skills and experiences:  The best groups have members with varied skills, backgrounds, and interest.  That way they can all advise each other and provide different perspectives on the same topics.  If everyone has exactly the same backgrounds, you may have a lot in common, but you won’t be able to brainstorm as effectively. 

Similar commitment level.  The most important element may very well be a common level of commitment to your goals, whatever they may be.  If one member is a little lax and the others are all gung ho, the mismatch will soon drive everyone crazy and may cause bad feelings. 

Regular meeting times. Make a regular weekly or even daily appointment and keep it! Nothing will submarine a group faster than no-shows or constantly changing meeting times.

Structured meetings.  No I don’t mean scripted down to the last minute with an agenda.  But at least having a time limit on off-topic discussions or how long each member can talk will ensure no one hogs the whole time – or never shares his or her questions and ideas at all.

Resource sharing.  One of the most valuable roles in a study group is the sharing of recommendations and referrals.  Are you especially close to the Congressman back home who is looking for summer clerks?  Is your mom, the lawyer, interested having an intern?  Your study group friends may be looking for exactly that! 

One final thing to keep in mind is that study groups, like friendships, are created differently.  Some will last a semester or two.  Some may last only a few weeks or months.  I belong to a virtual mastermind that is comprised of several friends from my old college study groups.  (Yes, even my philosophy-loving friend!)  We kept in touch over the years and with the advent of social media and technology, now meet via Zoom every week to discuss our businesses!  Be ready to let your group go if it’s no longer meeting your needs.  It will be hard, but if it’s not helping you further your goals, it may be time to study by yourself.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Melodieann Whitely

Teach Your Kids to Outwork “Smart”

At the end of my junior year in high school, I had to fill out a form requesting classes for my senior year. I decided to take it easy and requested Senior English, French IV, German III, Spanish II, P.E. (required at the time) and Contemporary American Problems. The last one was the easier class which fulfilled the senior civics requirement. I could have signed up for International Relations, but it was harder.

Since languages were no problem for me, this schedule was a dream. What I didn’t know, however, was after three days in CAP I would be losing my mind. The teacher asked for volunteers to define democracy. They couldn’t. I knew if I stayed in the class I would lose it, so I made an appointment to see my counselor.

She took one look at the change I requested and anger clouded her face. “What were you thinking? Did you want to ‘slack off’ in your senior year?” She reached for the file listing available spaces in International Relations classes. There were several teachers teaching this subject. She placed me in Mr. Thomas’ class. I left the office chagrined.

When I opened the door to Mr. Thomas’ class, I recognized many of the other seniors already seated there. Six of them were the geniuses in my graduating class. I knew at that moment my counselor was teaching me a lesson. Mr. Thomas graded on a curve, and with these other students in the class, I would have to work very hard to maintain a decent grade. I was ticked off. I swore to myself I would show her!

I did show her, but she showed me too. I never worked so hard in my life, but did extremely well on each test. At the end of the school year, Mr. Thomas put our grades on the board. There were five A’s. But since there were six geniuses in the class, I was curious which one of them had screwed up. I knew he must have been embarrassed. Our report cards were passed out to us, and I looked down at mine. I was surprised to see I had earned an A. One of the “brains” in the class raised his hand and asked who had the fifth A, (only four of them had earned one). He pointed at me. The smart kids were shocked to learn I was one of them.

This was a valuable lesson. You can actually outwork “smart”. I was no longer angry at my counselor. Many years later I enrolled in an MBA program. I was the only student who had been a non-business undergrad major. I was also the only one to be paying for my degree. The others had all been business majors and worked in business. Their companies paid their tuition.

When it came time for our graduate level Statistics course, I knew they would all find it far easier than I would. I didn’t have Stat in high school or college. They did. So when the class started, and I was overwhelmed, I joined two study groups. Still, the class was horrible for me. It took on average, four hours for me to complete each problem we were given for homework. After finishing a problem and checking the answers in the back of the text, I found most of them were wrong, and I had to start over.

But this hard work paid off. After the class was complete and grades were distributed, I saw my results were better than several others in the class. They were frustrated. Many of them earned C’s, while I had received an A. They complained to the professor that I didn’t know anything about statistics when we started. He replied, “Well, she does now.” Yes, I did. I outworked them, just like in high school.

Teach your children not to fear the intelligence or skills of others in their classes. Competition can bring out the best in them. They can outwork smart. All it takes is focus, determination and a willingness to work hard.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Do This Now to Earn More Scholarships

The new school year has either started or is about to, depending upon where you live. There’s one thing you can do the first two weeks of school which will significantly increase your chances of winning more scholarship money for college. It’s so easy, it might seem insignificant, but it isn’t. In my study, I found all students who earned full-ride scholarships to the college of their choice had learned the name of their high school counselor and the expert on all things college during the first few weeks of their freshman year. They also followed through, and made friends with these very important people. 

If you’re a freshman pay attention to find out the name of your counselor immediately. It’s easy. Just look at your registration materials. The name is probably written there. If it isn’t, ask someone in the office. No one will mind. They answer questions like this all the time. It’s part of their job description. Then ask someone who has been on the campus at least a year (a sophomore, junior or teacher) the name of the resident college expert at your high school. You may be lucky, and she’s your counselor. If not, no problem.

The next step is to find a way to meet these people. If one or both of them visit one of your classes the first week of school, then you’re in business. Before they leave, walk up and introduce yourself. Just smile, tell them your name and that you’re interested in learning how to earn lots of scholarships for college. He will be happy you did this, and smile back at you. If he sticks out his hand, take it and smile while you shake it. This is how you make a great impression and enlist help.

If you’re not a freshman, and you didn’t do this when you were, then you’re behind all those students who knew to make this a priority. They have already earned a place in the mind of their counselor for a positive reason. Counselors deal with many students for negative reasons. Someone did something wrong, and they have to deal with it.  It makes a counselor’s day when they have a positive interaction with a student. Be that student.

Make an appointment to see your counselor and the expert on all things college at your school. You won’t need much time. You can see one or both of them for a few minutes after or before school. Introduce yourself. Tell them you are planning on going to college and need their help. You want to take the courses which will help you be accepted to college and earn lots of scholarship money. Tell them you'll do whatever it takes, because your family isn’t rich, and you don’t want to take out student loans.

You’ll be surprised at the results. If you smile and say hi (be sure to mention his/her name), whenever you pass by your counselor in the halls, he will be reminded of your goals. Pay attention to any announcements about college or scholarships in the school’s bulletin or newsletter. See your counselor if and when you need help. Meet all deadlines, and you’ll find your counselor is your knowledgeable partner on your road to free college.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

How to Win the College Scholarship Lottery

Winning a college scholarship and winning the lottery have several things in common. In order to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket. For college scholarships, you have to apply. Unlike the lottery, however, when you apply for more scholarships, you up the odds of winning.

In the lottery, your ticket has to have all six numbers correct in order to win the big money prize offered in the draw. You don’t have to do the picking; you can allow the computer to select the numbers for you. Then you pay either one or two dollars, depending upon the lottery you’re playing. Buying more than one ticket doesn’t really help you, since the odds of winning are remote at best.

If you’re hoping to win a college scholarship, there are far more than six things you have to do correctly. Like picking numbers in the lottery, doing some of the right things can earn a high school graduate some scholarship money. But if you want the big prize, a full-ride scholarship, you have to do them all. Unlike the lottery, there’s no guessing required. In my research of successful high school scholarship winners, I discovered the twenty secret actions that result in winning more free cash for college.  

The first three are known to most high school students and their parents. Students must complete the hardest classes (Honors, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate) offered at their school in their areas of strength while maintaining a high grade point average. Second, they need to complete all of the A-G college requirements. These requirements contain a specific number of years certain subjects must be taken while in high school. Many students complete A-F, but fail to take advanced foreign language, mathematics or science classes. Fulfilling the G requirement sets scholarship applicants apart from the masses. Third, students must take and do well on the ACT or SAT tests.

The other seventeen strategies needed to successfully complete the lottery-like task of winning a college scholarship are the ones most often unknown to parents and students. They may seem innocuous when explained, but are founded in research. Families of graduates who earned the most scholarship money made habits of these activities. One surprising behavior is one we could all do. It requires only the decision to do it and a little effort on our parts, but no special talent.

I found every student who won significant scholarship money ate a complete, nutritious breakfast daily. One way or another, a parent or the student woke up early enough to prepare a full breakfast. This was not a fruit smoothie, granola bar or bowl of cereal. It was a meal. The components varied by culture and the likes or dislikes of the family, but they all included the nutrients recommended by experts. Each family’s breakfast included protein, fruit, whole grains and dairy (or a substitute for those who were lactose intolerant). This family breakfast tradition began while the child was little and continued through high school. Although no college asked applicants if they ate breakfast daily, all winners of significant amounts of scholarship money did so.

An action that seems more like a strategy than a tradition was taken at the beginning of the freshmen year of high school. The most successful scholarship winners made it a point to meet and befriend his/her high school counselor soon after entering the freshman year. They also asked around and discovered which counselor on campus was the “resident expert” on all things college. They made friends with this individual too. Students who earned less scholarship money for college didn’t take this action. They learned too late this was a mistake.

There are fifteen more tasks covered in my book Free College. All are based on research. Over 1,500 students were surveyed, questioned, interviewed or observed while researching my book. The twenty actions I discovered cover preschool through high school. Families who learn them when their children are still young will find them easier to adopt. Students whose families help them prepare to become the ideal scholarship or grant winner are more relaxed and have less stress. They are more able to enjoy their senior year in high school.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

What Is The Secret to Becoming Excellent?

Sleep Routines Create Better Grades, Here's How to Make It Happen

There’s a simple trick to making sure your teenager gets enough sleep to do well in school. Set a designated bedtime. The practice should have been started when your child was much younger. So if you never established a set bedtime for your child, you’re going to have a hard time doing so now. But no one said parenting was easy.

You know what time your child’s school requires him/her to be on campus each morning. You are also aware of how long it takes to get to school, by bus, by car, by bike or walking. The next important period of time is how long it takes your child to get ready for school and eat a nutritious breakfast. Do the math until you know what time your child needs to get up in the morning.

Then look at the chart below. It shows how much sleep the average child requires by age. It’s a range, and your child may be at one end or the other. Don’t let them fool you. They need this sleep to function properly, no matter what they say. Students who go to school sleep deprived are drowsy in class, cannot focus, and don't end up doing as well as they could.

1-2 years = 11-14 hours

3-5 years = 10-13 hours

6-13 years = 9-11 hours

14-17 years = 8-10 hours

Now count backwards from wake up time. That’s bedtime. Not just on school days, however. All studies show the body (and the brain, of course) is healthiest and works best if there’s a set sleep routine which does not vary on weekends or holidays. Besides the health benefits, it’s important to recognize the brain moves information from short term memory to long term memory during sleep. If a child does not receive the necessary amount of sleep, the day’s learning will go into the trash bin and be lost.

But your counting isn’t over. Your teen will protest and say he/she isn’t sleepy. That is, unless you set the stage for sleep. Count back one hour from bedtime. At my house, we called this quiet time. No electronics, (that includes phones), no loud music and no exciting activities were allowed during quiet time. Mostly, we read. Turn off some lights in the house, create twilight inside. This will signal the brain to prepare for sleep.

If your child rebels at your attempt to be a responsible parent, remember you control the money. Many of the activities teenagers enjoy cost money. If your children understand you are just requiring them to do what is going to help them be healthier, do better in school and receive more scholarship money for college, maybe they’ll cooperate without complaint. Good luck with that. It’s far easier to start this when children are in diapers by establishing a bedtime routine in your house. 

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

K.I.S.S. Makes All the Difference