Does My 17-Year-Old Really Need a Career Plan Before College?

ASK THE QUESTION: HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE TO LOOK?

Your child needs to think about how they want their life to look after college. What values are important to them? What skills do they have? What’s their vision? We really encourage students to think about what their days will look like in a chosen career path.

Let’s say you want to help people and think you want to be a nurse. Are you up for night shifts or missing holidays? Are you ready to do what nurses are required to do? Is that the life you envisioned? If not, there are many other ways to help people.

EARLY EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE SAVES MONEY

Being able to experience careers before choosing a path and going to college is the best way to know. Due to budget cuts, a lot of high schools don’t have this opportunity in their everyday high school classes. There are so many options, but without exposure, children usually know the big careers (doctor, lawyer, etc.) and the ones held by those around...

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The Importance of Grades in College Placement

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PRESSURE TO GET GOOD GRADES?

When it comes to college, grades are on everyone’s minds – from the parents to the students.  And there’s good reason for this because grades are the number one thing that the colleges look at prior to making any decisions on whether or not you can attend their school.  This is why there is so much pressure when it comes to getting good grades.

Saying “I get good grades" isn’t good enough because the standard is going to be different per person. For example, is a good grade all straight A’s or is it A’s, B’s and C’s?  Let’s help clear up what really constitutes good grades based on college standards.  If you visit any college website, you will find what they will consider good grades based on their GPA standard. This can be a useful tool as you are going through high school.

IS A B IN AN HONORS CLASS THE SAME AS AN A IN A REGULAR CLASS?

You...

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How to Get College Scholarships: A Beginner's Guide

THE BEST SCHOLARSHIPS ARE THE ONES WORTH THE MOST

Families don’t often think about this until it’s too late, but grades and standardized tests are the biggest way to scholarships. When scholarships are based off of grades and test scores (that are standard across the board), those last for all four years of school. Multiply the dollar amount of the scholarship by 4 and that’s a lot of money!

But what if it’s too late? What if you can’t go back and fix your grades or re-take standardized tests? People often think of scholarships when a student is applying or has already applied to their schools (typically Junior-Senior year).

Don’t worry, there are other options for you.

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH IS A JOB & THERE ARE RESOURCES

At this point, it’s about taking matters into your own hands. Applying to scholarships is truly a job in itself. You have to search, write essays, fill out applications, and they may even ask for a video...

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ACT vs. SAT: What to Know and Why It Matters

DO YOU GET GOOD GRADES BUT STINK AT TESTING?

This is something we hear a lot from parents. They worry a lot about standardized tests because their kid isn’t a great test taker, even though their grades may be great. Kelly says bad test takers are really our own fault.

Currently, our school system is set up to rigorously test students throughout the year. Students are expected to recall the information from certain chapters or topics on a test. However, standardized tests aren’t built like this, they’re built around problem-solving.

DEVELOPING PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS FOR STANDARDIZED TESTING

Here’s a great example that shows how this testing method is problematic. There’re third-grade level math questions on the ACT, and what we often see happen is students try to attach some complex formula they learned in high school to that problem. They try to recall their information rather than problem solve.

Standardized testing is a skill that is vital...

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How to Choose the Right College For You

EVERY CHILD IS UNIQUE. IF WE’RE ABLE TO HELP THEM FIND THE RIGHT SCHOOL FOR THEM, THEN WE ARE CONFIDENT THEY WILL SUCCEED. THIS ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT FINDING A COLLEGE THAT IS THE RIGHT FIT.

College Recruiting Specialists has partnered with Virteom to engage future college students, trade students, parents, and anybody looking to learn more about getting into the college or university of their dreams. In this video, Jacqui and Kelly talk about finding the right college that is a good fit. 

We help guide parents and students down the road to college. It’s often a longer road than people think and pre-planning is essential. For us, it all comes down to helping them really find the right college for them. Every child is unique if we’re able to help them find the right school for them, then we are confident they will succeed.

THE COLLEGE BECOMES THE STUDENT’S HOME

A college has to be their home for the next 4 years. Success in...

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AP vs. CCP - What Should You Choose?

College Recruiting Specialists has partnered with Virteom to engage future college students, trade students, parents, and anybody looking to learn more about getting into the college or university of their dreams. In this video, Jacqui and Kelly talk about AP and CCP classes and how they help fast-track your college education. 

AP and CCP classes are great options for students who want to get a jump start on their college education. These types of courses allow you to get ahead with your college credit, and potentially even earn an Associate’s degree before finishing high school. But before you start enrolling in AP and CCP classes, watch the video or read on to learn which option would work best for your situation.

WHAT ARE CCP CLASSES?

College Credit Plus | CCP | College Recruiting Specialists

CCP classes are also known as College Credit Plus classes. CCP classes are often offered by local colleges, like a community college. These classes count for both high school credit and college credit.

ARE CCP CLASSES...

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The 3 Most Common Mistakes When Considering A College

College Recruiting Specialists has partnered with Virteom to engage future college students, trade students, parents, and anybody looking to learn more about the getting into the college or university a student strives to attend.

In this video, Jacqui and Kelly talk about three costly mistakes when considering college: looking, applying and getting in. Watch or read the transcription below!

It's amazing how expensive college has become. It's easily a $100,000 investment, even at a state school. It's really important to be thinking ahead and planning.

What are those costly mistakes and how can I avoid them?

1. NOT MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE VISITS

Most college visits begin during junior year of high school. People think it’s no big deal and they’re just going to go take a visit. But think about the fact that the typical college visit means you're meeting admissions. They hand you all of their shiny, fabulous marketing materials to get you hooked on the school. Then,...

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Is your son or daughter a fall athlete?

WHY YOUR STUDENT SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING THE JUNE ACT EXAM.

Fall takes a lot out of kids.  They have just spent some (or all) of their time relaxing, kicking back, going at their own pace.  Suddenly, August 1 rolls around and they have two-a-day practices, captain’s practices, conditioning, weight lifting and team-bonding activities.  In addition to the physical aspects, there are also the mental demands of trying to be the player the coach wants them to be, maintaining friendships while competing for a spot, learning new plays, drills, or even a new position.  Less than three weeks later, they are thrust back into school.  New classes, subjects, teachers and even lunch periods can throw a teenager into fits of angst. 

Trying to earn playing time, understand a new teacher’s expectations and grading methods, and learning new material is not conducive to scoring well on the ACT.  I often hear high schools recommend the June ACT to high...

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