“It’s February. Let’s Get Going On the College Prep!”
Dear Parent,
It’s the middle of winter and most likely you’ve fully recovered from the holidays and are now looking forward to getting your tax preparation done. You’ve made - and hopefully are keeping – those New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps one of your resolutions was to move forward on helping your child to prepare for their future college planning. Exciting stuff! (Ok, maybe not exactly “exciting”, but now is definitely the time for getting things in order after the New Year.) With that goal in mind, you may be also looking ahead to the specific things you’ll need in order to prepare for your child’s college goals.
Naturally, there are different tasks required for this, and the differences depend largely on which year of high school your child is currently enrolled in. Planning for your child’s educational future can be a daunting task, so arming yourself with as much information as possible will serve you well in the long run. To assist you in your preparations, we have divided this newsletter into sections according to where your student is in his/her high school career. As always, please let us know if we can assist you with any questions you may have in determining the best steps for your child based on your personal circumstances!
FRESHMAN YEAR
If it’s freshman year for your child, s/he is enjoying (hopefully!) the first year in high school and probably adjusting to all of the excitement and responsibility that comes with it. During this key year of change, there are some key items we recommend you think about. Certainly, the most important thing your child can do at this stage of the process is do their best in school. The college-bound student will want to set the foundation for a strong academic background by taking challenging (but not overwhelming!) classes that will stretch their thinking and sharpen their abilities.
• Build a strong academic background
This is the time to lay the groundwork for your child’s future college aspirations. Make sure they take classes that will expand their critical thinking and mathematical skills, as well as further developing their unique set of interests.
• Keep the “core requirements” in mind as your student selects classes
Most colleges calculate your child’s GPA using only the grades from his or her “core” academic classes. Those courses include:
- Math: Three to four years(algebra, geometry, calculus)
- English: Four years(composition, literature, speech)
- Social Sciences: Three years (history, sociology, psychology, political science, geography, economics
- Science: Three years (earth science, biology, chemistry, physics)
In addition, some colleges may require credits in performing or visual arts, languages and computer classes, too. Be sure to keep those in mind, as well, especially if your child has an interest in a specific college already.
• Get organized about studies
The more organization a student learns now, the more likely s/he will be to maintain those skills throughout a successful academic career. Use the organizational resources that are out there and find out which system works best for your child. Some people like checklists. Others use a planner or calendar. Your child may be a simple pen and paper person. Who knows?! Whichever it is, use it consistently so your child is on top of his/her game!
• Find out how to improve the efficiency of your child’s study time
Does your child like to study alone? Or, does s/he like to study with others? Perhaps, he/she likes to act out new information. Determining your child’s learning style will hold him/her in good stead currently and in the coming years as it will make each study session more productive and useful.
• Get to know your child’s career or guidance counselor
Your child’s high school career or guidance can be an excellent resource for information about attending college. Be prepared when your child makes an appointment with a list of questions to ask.
• It’s never too early to get your financial plan together
Protect the money you’ve saved. If you have money saved outside of your company retirement plans, talk to your College Funding Advisor about strategies to protect those assets from the financial aid formulas. Focus on “saving” the money you’ve “saved”!
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Sophomores have it made a little bit, since they’ve already been through the freshman year gauntlet and are now more confident in their ability manage high school. As is the case in the freshman year, it’s very important that your child do their best in school. In addition, you may have already started the preparations for college during the freshman year. Here are some additional things to consider for your high school sophomore.
• If your child has taken the PLAN and/or the PSAT, go over the results
When you receive the results of the PLAN and/or the PSAT, read the materials sent with your score report. Then, consult with your child’s guidance counselor to explore ways to improve on future standardized tests and courses. Our SAT & ACT prep courses have proven to increase test scores significantly so definitely spend a lot of time reviewing these extremely effective materials!
• Do volunteer work
Some people might ask “How is this going to prepare my child for college”? Volunteerism is a win-win for everyone. It’s a great way to explore different interests. You’re helping someone else. Finally, it’s extremely valuable to include on your college applications. Colleges very much like to see individuals who demonstrate an interest in serving in their communities.
• Start researching colleges
It’s really never too early to start researching colleges. If your child has a particular area that s/he is interested in already, find professionals who are doing what he/she wants to do and ask where they went to college, as well as any recommendations they may have. Then research those schools using our positioning/research program to see if they are a good fit for your child’s goals.
• Attend college fairs
There are so many things that you and your child can learn from attending a college fair! You can pick up information about admission requirements, college majors, financial aid and much more. Before attending, be sure to answer some questions about your student that will guide you to the right schools at the fair. For example, would your child prefer a two or four-year institution? Or, does s/he want to attend a small or large school? What program(s) is s/he interested in? How far from home does s/he want to be? Would your child prefer an urban, suburban or rural environment?
• Protect your money!
You’ve worked hard for your money - protect it! If you have money saved outside of your company retirement plans, talk to your College Funding Advisor about strategies to protect those assets from the financial aid formulas. Focus on “saving” the money you’ve “saved”!
JUNIOR YEAR
If your child is in the junior year of high school, as hard as it may be to believe, s/he is beginning the home stretch to college! This is an extremely important year in which you will be kept busy with preparations and vital tasks that need to be accomplished. All of this will come in addition to your student trying to stay on top of school work! (Some of the suggestions will overlap so be sure to check the other sections to see if you need to include some of those in your child’s schedule.)
• Register for the March SAT Reasoning Test
If your child has already completed the math courses in the SAT Reasoning Test then go ahead and register for this exam. If not, then definitely plan to take the test in May or June. Prepare for the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT by using a top-notch prep course like we offer along with doing the SAT/ACT practice tests. Be sure to balance this preparation with your child’s current course load and extra- curricular activities so that his/her grades don’t suffer.
• Request information from schools of interest
Write, call, or email your student's favorite colleges or universities to receive such helpful information as admission view-books, brochures, etc. to get a clearer picture about the schools where s/he would like to apply.
• Get your financial game plan in place!
You’ve worked hard for your money. You want to protect what you’ve saved for your child. If you have money saved outside of your company retirement plans, talk to your College Funding Advisor about strategies to protect those assets from the financial aid formulas.
SENIOR YEAR
If it’s senior year for your child, congratulations! Your child has successfully navigated three years of high school to get this point. Indeed, that is no small task. This is an extremely busy year, so it’s important to stay organized about all of the tasks that need to be attended to. For this month, we recommend that you and your child do the following:
• Stay on top of applications
Be certain to pay close attention to deadlines for all of your child’s application materials. Use checklists to make sure you’ve completed and submitted all that’s required. Don’t procrastinate! A missed deadline can ruin chances for admission.
• Keep your money safe from Financial Aid Formulas!
Protect the money you’ve saved. If you have money saved outside of your company retirement plans, talk to your College Funding Advisor about strategies to protect those assets from the financial aid formulas. Focus on “saving” the money you’ve “saved”!
• Complete the FAFSA and review your child’s SAR
If we've already completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), then you should receive your child’s SAR (Student Aid Report) shortly thereafter. Review the report carefully and make special note of any inaccuracies. If needed, we can correct any items on the report and return it to the college directly. In addition, we are always here to help with any questions regarding the complicated college funding process.
• Stay positive and take care of yourselves!
Kids and parents alike can get burned out with the overwhelming task of completing the necessary requirements to get into college. Applications (and impending deadlines) can be both taxing and stressful. Take time to see the forest for the trees, and enjoy this final year of high school together. We like to recommend that families take some downtime together to do something fun - remember that next year your senior will be off at college!
As you can see, regardless of where your child is in their high school career, there are many steps to take along the way to get them to his/her desired goal. As the experts in preparing for this enormous step for students and their families, The College Funding Connection is here to help guide you every step of the way. Your membership with us entitles you to a variety of services that can assist with all aspects of the college planning process. Keep in touch and let us know how things are progressing for you!
Until Next Month,
The College Funding Connection, LLC
