The 6 Key Tips to Starting Virtual School Effectively
Setting your child up for success this year is less about the trip to Target or Walmart and securing the box of Kleenex for the teacher and checking off the rest of the supply list! Instead, creating an environment that is conducive to learning is what you need to focus on.
- The first question you need to ask yourself is, where is your kid going to attend class? This becomes really difficult if you are also working at home, or if you have multiple kids, but don’t make these mistakes:
- The Kitchen: This is a hard NO. Parents think that this location will allow them to help with questions, oversee their work, and make sure that their child is staying on task, but the reality of the situation is different. Your kid will sit down at the island or kitchen table and their brain immediately thinks, “I am hungry”, “Can I have a snack?”, “What’s for dinner?”, or it could be, “Mom, what are you doing?”, “Mom, who are you...
When Should My Kid Apply to College?
So you have your kid registered for the One Week to Perfect essay writing class, but you have absolutely no idea when they should be done with their essays. While we aim to have at least three essays completely finished by the end of the week, some schools require a number of supplemental essays and application materials. When should you have those in?
Short answer? As soon as possible.
Long answer? It depends on what type of admission you're seeking.
Parents of seniors are feeling out of the loop right now. There may be some anxiety, some frustration, and a lot of misunderstanding the admission process. I find that parents are usually all over in the understanding of best practices— especially this year. It's been years since they have applied to college; since when did everything get so difficult?
I have interviewed dozens of admission reps from schools all over, and their recommendations allow us to better help your child gain admission to their first...
Back to School Looks a Little Different This Year
The last time I walked into Target, I knew something was different. Gone were the displays touting fun in the sun and red-white-and-blue. The pool toys were on clearance, and there was not a bathing suit to be found. It's the most wonderful time of year for an educator: back to school season.
But what does that mean this year? What does back to school mean in the era of COVID-19? Should you be factoring new masks and hand sanitizer into your school supply lists, or should you be getting ready for a new round of home schooling? We've taken the most common options that schools are exploring for next year and broken down what they might mean for your kid.
Virtual, In-Person, Hybrid, A-Day/B-Day, Option for In-Person or Virtual, etc... The options discussed have been all over the board, but why is there no consensus? Potential health risk to students, teachers, and the community, number of teachers on staff, quality of education, and cost all have a role in what administrators...
Questions: Cancellations, College, COVID, & You
Questions: Cancellations, College, COVID, & You
On New Years' Day, I don't think that any of us expected to be where we are. I don't think that any of us expected to become mask-wearing, social distancing experts. I don't think parents expected to become homeschooling experts. I don't think our students expected to miss out on so many high school memories. But here we are, with more questions than answers and a lot of uncertainty in front of us.
Luckily, you have me.
In this issue, we are going to discuss what you should focus on as your child approaches their senior year and how you can ensure that your child has every possible opportunity moving forward while keeping in mind the goal of reducing their future cost of college. My goal is to inform parents so that they can feel a sense of control around the critical decisions that will affect both them and their child for the next several years.
First thing's first: We need to have a plan
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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?
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.
