HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As part of New Year tradition we look to ways we can make the New Year a little brighter.  This is perhaps why we make New Year’s Resolutions.  So, what’s on your New Year’s Resolution list?  According to Albrecht Powell with Ask.com, the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2011 are:

1.     Spend more time with family and friends

2.     Fit in Fitness

3.     Tame the Bulge (which probably is really part of Resolution #2)

4.     Quit Smoking

5.     Enjoy Life More

6.     Quit Drinking

7.     Get Out of Debt

8.     Learn Something New

9.     Help Others

10.  Get Organized

So how about it?  Did your New Year’s Resolution make the list?  Let me draw your attention to Resolution #9 on the list.  “Help others.”  This resolution will help you reach your goal with just about any other resolution on the list depending on how you volunteer your time. Community Service is important for every member of the family, especially for your student’s who are preparing for college.

Why is community service so important to your teenager?

In a study at the University of Nevada, Molly Latham, Area Extension Specialist answers this question.  She said, “While benefits to the communities served can be translated to a monetary figure, the benefits reaped by the young people offering their service have a positive impact on them personally both immediate and into the future.”  Some of these benefits can turn into scholarship and admission opportunities that otherwise would pass them by.  Please understand that we are not encouraging your student to volunteer just so they can pad their college resume.  Students should volunteer because they truly want to give back to their community.  However, no matter how much you want to give selfless service to others and expect nothing in return, return is exactly what you get.  The simplest return for reaching out in service is that feel-good feeling you feel because you took time out of your day to help someone who needed it.

What are the Benefits of Community Service?

There are many benefits to community service.  In an article entitled, “Benefits of Student Participation in Community Service,” the University of Michigan concluded that a student is benefited in three different areas of their life:

1.     Psychological Benefits – This includes that “feel-good feeling” mentioned earlier, but also includes a decrease in stress and depression and an increase in satisfaction in your student’s life.

2.     Social Benefits – Most volunteering opportunities place you in situations where you can interact with others, usually with people you would not interact with otherwise.  This may provide an opportunity for your student to improve communication skills, build friendships, and learn to cooperate in a group setting with people from all walks of life.

3.     Cognitive Benefits – “With each new experience, old skills are developed as new ones are learned.  New information is integrated with past experience, and one’s knowledge base grows.”

Community Service and Your Student’s College Application

Most Colleges and Universities have a section on the application where your student can write about their community service experiences.  You may be asking why do they care about whether or not your student has done community service.  The admission’s office reviews thousands of applications every year and they have a limited number of students that can be admitted each year.  Having an outstanding community service section can be the difference between getting accepted into the school of choice or not, especially when they are comparing your student with other students who have the exact same ACT score and GPA.  These extras help your student jump off the page and become real.

Where should your student volunteer?

Well that is really up to them.  There are so many opportunities out there and many good organizations who need their help.  Because there are so many options it can be a little overwhelming.  One tip we give is to encourage your student to volunteer in something they are interested in or are looking at for a possible career.  If your student is interested in the medical field, for example, encourage them to volunteer at the local hospital.  This can expose them to several different areas within the medical field, giving them experience, understanding of how things work, and the opportunity to talk to experts.

A simple internet search can get you in touch with many organizations who are looking for volunteers.  Evaluate your student’s schedule carefully taking into consideration schoolwork, work schedules, and other activities your student may already be involved in.  Help your student determine how much time they have on a weekly or monthly basis to devote to community service so they are not overwhelmed with one more thing.

The benefits of helping in the community are not just limited to your college bound student.  They apply to parents and younger children as well.  Make it a family resolution this year and reach out in your community.

Article contributed by Teresa Schaefermeyer

So your student is headed off to college in the not so distant future and with the holidays coming up, you may be wondering what you could give to that college bound student.  Your student has grown up so the days of “All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth” are long since past.  What might they need, use, love, want, and totally thank you for?  Well, that all depends on the student and no one knows your student the way you do.  That last sentence may not help you too much, but before you despair and think all is lost, I do have a few suggestions that might help.

Following the trends of the season, electronics are in and they just might be at the top of your student’s list.  However, electronics are usually pricey and could break your piggy bank in this economy.  A tip I learned is to buy from last season’s must buy list.  The items on this list are still fun, interesting, and cool, but usually discounted by now because they have been replaced by this year’s latest and greatest upgrades.  Laptops, mp3 players, and cell phones are still a must have for every college student.  There is usually not much difference between this year’s and last year’s models, but the price will be much easier on your pocket book by purchasing last year’s models on this year’s deals.  Your student will still thank you for a wonderful gift.

Electronics not on your student’s list this year?  No problem.  With your student headed out the door and off on their own for the first time, they are sure to need some dorm room essentials.  Picture frames, photo calendars, and other photo mementos of home will be sure to ease any homesickness pains your student may have, and give you peace of mind knowing they cannot possibly forget you.  Posters, house plants, mirrors (especially for the girls – there are never enough mirrors to go around), and fluffy pillows are sure to brighten up any dorm.  Beanbag and banana chairs are sure to help stretch the seating available to allow a comfy spot for study groups, roommate nights, and parties.

Every student will need the basic necessities of home in their home away from home.  These items include but are not limited to sheets, dishes, and towels.  Perhaps your student is a budding chef and even if they are not, household appliances such as mixers, blenders, indoor grills, and other kitchen gadgets will help add some fun and ease to the cooking chore.  Will your student be staying in a dorm without a kitchen?  Or perhaps they have a kitchen, but are required to participate in a meal plan as part of their contract?  They will still be doing some cooking on their own.  A microwave or a mini fridge will be a handy asset to the kitchen less dorm.

Old standbys may be old, but they are tried and true and definitely something a college student will need.  School supplies, backpacks, and don’t forget school clothes.  You can dress up these classics by making sure the backpack you get your student will accommodate a laptop, include a pedometer to count your car-less student’s steps, or a reusable water bottle that will help keep your student hydrated in between classes.  Don’t forget your student’s health while they are off to college because you know it will not be the first thing on their mind.  A first aid kit or a gift basket full of vitamins, soup, and household medications for headaches or the common cold will certainly be a winner in any college student’s book the first time they get sick away from home.

Need more ideas?  What about college fan apparel?  A sweatshirt, t-shirt, or sweats with your student’s college logo on it is sure to be a hit.  Luggage?  They will need someway to transport their necessities to school.  If you are contemplating the luggage idea, think of a great color that will stand apart from the rest of the red and black luggage you see at every airport.  Trust me on this.  Getting them luggage in a unique color or pattern will help prevent someone else taking your student’s luggage by mistake.

Every dorm room is incomplete without a tool kit…yes even for your daughters.  Tools come in handy and since their number one handy man may be too far away to come in person, he is only a phone call away and if your daughter has the right tools you can talk her through any problem right over the phone.  Of course maintenance will take care of major problems, but your student will come across some things that are just easier and quicker to fix themselves.  Think beyond your student’s apartment, though.  A car emergency kit is perfect for those lucky ducks that have a car.

Don’t forget your college student’s entertainment needs.  Every student will need some time to unwind.   Movies, game stations, board games and card games, and music will put a smile on their face.  Food!  Every college student loves and needs food so how about a gift card to their favorite restaurant?   Put in a little extra and your student can take their roommates or significant other or be able to enjoy that restaurant more than once.  Last, but not least….MONEY!  Every college student loves money and they can always use it.

It’s true that your student is no longer wishing for their two front teeth, but I hope the information on this list will help you as you help prepare your student for the exciting transition to college.

Happy Holidays from all of us at College Fast Lane!

Article contributed by Teresa Schaefermeyer

“We can try to avoid making choices by doing nothing, but even that is a decision.” – Gary Collins

Your students are faced with many decisions right now and I’m not just talking about the decision they will make today between nacho cheese and cool ranch Doritos.  The easy decisions usually do not take much time or thought.  We are used to these easy decisions as we make them every day.  Most of the time we do not even register that we are making a decision when faced with something that is small and seemingly insignificant such as deciding what to wear to school or what to eat for lunch.  However, some of life’s biggest decisions are waiting in the wings – decisions that will set the course for the rest of their lives.  Where to go to college?  What should my major be?  Parents, you have made these decisions in the past, but now your student is facing challenging decisions of their own.  This can be a tough time for both of you.  Find a balance between being supportive and overbearing.

Benjamin Franklin lived at a very trying time in the history of the United States.  He, along with many other greats of the time, was faced with excruciatingly difficult decisions that would shape the direction of an entire nation.  He did not make these decisions overnight and neither should your student as they are thinking on what they want to do with their post high school lives.  Benjamin Franklin shares with us one of the tools he used in making his decisions.  My mother taught me this technique as well.  It worked for Benjamin Franklin many, many years ago, it continues to work for me, and it might be useful to your son or daughter today.

“My way is to divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns; writing over the one Pro and over the other Con.  Then during three or four days’ consideration, I put down under the different heads short hints of the different motives, that at different time occur to me, for or against the measure.  When I have thus got them altogether in one view, I endeavor to estimate their respective weights; and where I find two, or one on each side, that seem equal, I strike them both out.  If I judge some two reasons con equal to some three reasons pro, I strike out five; and thus proceeding, I find where the balance lies; and if after a day or two of further consideration, nothing new that is of importance occurs on either side, I come to a determination accordingly.” –Benjamin Franklin

In one short paragraph Benjamin Franklin gives us many great tips on how to make a good decision:

1)     Make a list – write it down. This makes it easier to see things as they are.

2)     Ponder your decision. Take time.  This does not mean an hour or two, but several days to review different sides of the issue.  Give yourself time to let ideas simmer.

3)     Measure each side. As you divide your paper in two as Benjamin Franklin suggests, you will show a column of pros and a column of cons that you have listed.  As you give weight to each item listed, striking out items of equal weights, you will ultimately find which side has more responses, either the pro or the con side, therefore helping you make your decision.

4)     Make a decision. This can be the hardest step.  After making a pro and con list for each of the things you are exploring and seeing which item has the more pros or cons to narrow down your list, the last step is to move forward and to do something.  This requires action.

In his article “Simple Laws for Making Good Decisions from Good Decision Makers,” Dr. Charles Foster says, “I have spent 10 years studying decision makers – identifying 35 people who generally make good decisions and 35 people who frequently make bad decisions…then watching over time as they make big decisions.  My research has led me to two conclusions…

“Good decisions come from disciplined thinking. If you follow the basic laws of decision making, most of your plans will work out.  Think haphazardly when you make a decision and little of what you plan will pan out.

“They are habit-forming. Each time you make the right decision, you gain the necessary self-confidence to keep making good decisions.”

As you journey with your student through the college decision process, keep these tips in mind.  Help your student make careful, planned out decisions and they are well on their way to forming the habit of making good decisions for the rest of their lives.  Does this mean that they will never make a bad decision or fail at something?  Unfortunately no matter how much we want to protect our children they will still be faced with disappointments, challenges, and failure.  However, before you get too discouraged, think of another quote from Benjamin Franklin.  He said, “Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.”  It is what we learn from our mistakes and failures that help define who we are.  As we try again and continue to reach out as Benjamin Franklin says, the stars and our dreams are always within in our reach.

“Welcome, prospective students.  I’m here to show you a very superficial version of what your life could be like for the next four years because I need the money.” –Anonymous tour guide, CollegeHumor.com

I have long recommended that students and parents take the time to do campus tours of prospective colleges before making decisions.  Campus tours are an excellent way to see the best that a University has to offer.  They will treat you like a rock star and show off all of the wonderful things their university has to offer, but are campus tours enough?  The university wants you and your tuition dollars to come to their school so they will put their best foot forward.  That is all part of the plan.  As they help you have a wonderful experience, you are more likely to choose their school as your home away from home.  However, when all is said and done, how much do you really know about the college you just toured?  You know only what they want you to know or what they had time to show you.

The Campus Test Drive

Let me invite you to get behind the wheel and take a Campus Test Drive of your own.   Just as you would never dream of buying a car without first taking it for a test drive, so it is with choosing a college or university.  So how do you take this so-called test drive?  You start by first taking the college tour offered by the college, asking the questions you came to ask.  Then, when the “official” tour is over and done, your “self-guided test drive” begins.

Campus walk. One way to truly get to know the feel of a campus is to see it at different times of the day. After your tour is over, walk the campus on your own.  Get a feel for the students that attend.  Feel free to ask them questions.  They went through this same process not too long ago too.  Most students, unless they’re late for a class, are willing to tell you why they chose this school to help them reach their educational and career dreams.  Their reasons will all be different, but they will be honest.  No one is paying them to make the school look good.  Take special note of specific reasons that are close to why you are interested in that school for yourself.

Visit a friend or relative. Do you have a friend or a relative currently attending or working at this school?  They are an excellent recourse.  Ask them questions, attend class, or go to a school event or activity with them.  Stay the night either with them or find a place to stay nearby.  Meet their friends, roommates, and classmates.  Ask everyone you meet questions regarding the school and the opportunities the school provides.  Even if you don’t know anyone at all at the school you are touring, planning to stay in the area for a day or two is a great benefit.  Some universities will allow you to stay a night in the dorms as part of your campus visit.

Attend a class. Locate the department for your major.  They probably pointed it out on your campus tour.  Meet some of the professors, advisors, and department heads that you will be working with should you choose to stay.   Arrange to observe a class.  After class, mingle with the students.  Take advantage of the time and ask questions.

Attend a campus event. This is something you could ask about as you’re touring through campus.  What events are going on that night?  Find out about events that are interesting to you and go to something you would attend if you were a student there.  If you’re into sports, go to a sporting event.  If you’re into drama, music, or the arts, then perhaps a play, concert, or the art museum is what you want to check out.  Maybe you just really love to read and know you’ll be doing a lot of studying, check out the library.  This was probably included on your campus tour, but take the time to walk through it again.  What section of the library is the most quiet?  Where are the study group rooms?  Where is the hang out section where you can see and be seen?

Housing. Where will you be living should you chose this college?  It is all about location.  Some universities require freshmen to stay on campus their first year.  Not all dorms are created equal, however, so exploring more than one dorm is essential.  If you are not staying on campus, arrange with several different apartment managers to explore the apartments they have to offer.  Is this a party apartment?  Does this apartment complex offer social activities?  Gage your needs, interests, and desires.  If you have a rigorous class schedule that will require lots of study hours, then a quiet apartment close to the library might be what you are looking for.  If you want to balance the studying with some social events, then perhaps an apartment close to campus that offers activities with other tenants may be for you.

Off Campus. There is more to the college experience than what happens on the college campus. Take a drive through town.  What amenities are available in the city you’ll be living in if you go to this school?  What’s the shopping like? Wander through the mall.  Even if you hate shopping, you still have to eat so check out the grocery stores.  Are there recreational facilities to meet your interests? Explore the local college hang out.  What community events does the city host?  Can you picture yourself living here?  Are there internship and career opportunities available here should you choose to stay after graduation?  What about religious and social opportunities? Will you be working to supplement your income needs?  If so, now is the time to start checking out jobs.  Is there a bus system to get you where you need to go if you don’t own a car?  These questions and more are what you should be asking yourself as you drive around town.  Check out the city’s visitor center.  This is a great place to get a local’s inside scoop.

Additional tips.  Author Lynn O’Shaughnessy in her book, “The College Solution” gives some additional tips on how to be prepared for your college visit.  Her first suggestion is to consider the timing of your visit, noting that the campus may feel different at different times of the year.  Another suggestion she offers is to take good notes.  Taking notes will help as you visit multiple campuses to keep everything organized.  Lynn also gives good advice to parents.  She suggests that parents need to know their place.  She said, “Parents, who are often the ones bankrolling a child’s education, might be eager to ask questions during campus tours.  But it’s best to encourage your child to be the one posing most of them.”  Take some time before your campus test drive to brainstorm good questions your student can ask.  As you’re brainstorming, keep in mind different questions you would ask to different kinds of people.  You will probably not ask students the same questions you would ask professors or advisors.

Now is the perfect time to start setting up campus tours.  Check out the university’s web site to find details on how to set up your tour.  Keep in mind that some universities book weeks in advance.  Over all, a campus test drive gives you the big picture rather than just the little bit the college or university has time to give you on the campus tour.  Taking a college test drive takes more time, but in the long run, you will be a more informed consumer.  The college test drive will help you weigh the pros and cons and you will be able to make a more informed decision.  In the end you will be able to compare each campus more effectively to help you make a decision you will be happy with.

Get all transcripts and ACT scores sent in before the school’s priority deadline

Don’t miss out on the advantages that come from meeting a priority deadline due to little mistakes.  Make sure your high school has sent your student’s transcript long before the deadline.  Also, be sure your student’s ACT scores were sent to the right school.  If the scores were not sent to a school where your student plans to apply, you can go the ACT’s website and pay a small fee to get the scores to the right place.

Write a Memorable Essay

When it comes to admission and scholarship essays, you must keep in mind that your student’s essays will likely be compared to the essays of students who have the same ACT and GPA and comparable service and extracurricular activities.  The essay must be a place where your student becomes a real person to their readers.

Many of the best scholarship essays tell a story.  If your student has overcome something difficult, this is a great place to share that story.  I’ve also seen great essays written about very simple everyday moments, like mopping a kitchen floor.

The key is to help your student become a human being to a group of readers who have read hundreds of application essays.  Work with your student to come up with a short list of moments that define them as an individual and start brainstorming essays from there.  A good essay story can also be a metaphor—tell a simple story to illustrate the student’s personality or goals.

An essay must also be very concise.  Never go over the word limit—this is an easy way for an admission board to eliminate you because you didn’t follow the directions.  Put a lot of effort into the wording.  I am reminded of the poster that hung in my high school English classroom:  “Writing is easy.  Just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”

An effective admissions/scholarship essay must also avoid anything generic or cliché.  Avoid phrases like “I want to be a teacher so I can change the world one student at a time” or “I believe children are the future.”  These are overused ideas that will only make your essay bland and forgettable.  Write an essay that only YOU could write.

Put time and thought into the wording of Service and Extracurricular Activities

Use the same skills you would use to write a resume to fill out the text boxes that ask for the student’s service and extracurricular activities.  Come up with one-sentence explanations for the things your student has accomplished over the last few years.

Try to keep the reader’s paradigm in mind as you word these things.  For example, if your student wants to go into business, use words that illustrate their application of business principles in their extracurricular activities (like “managed, marketed, entrepreneurial venture, etc.)

Form a Network of Reviewers interested in your Student’s Success

Your student’s essays and explanations of extracurricular activities should be reviewed and revised several times before they are sent in.  Encourage your student to have a few people outside of the family review their applications.  Most people in the community would be honored to give your student feedback and advice.  One of the spillover benefits of asking others to help review and revise is the fact that these people will become invested in this student’s future and interested in their success.

I remember watching an interview with Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek’s mother the morning after his gold medal performance.  The Today show had footage of her entering a cozy little room where she could watch him skate on a time delayed television.  After all of the hours she’d seen her son work toward this moment, she couldn’t bear the stress of being in the arena when he finally took to the unforgiving ice.

I likewise have found myself in stress-controlled settings six mornings a year while my ACT students put their pencils to the scantrons and undergo their academic gold metal skate.  Some have put in many hours of practice.  Most of them have admission hopes or scholarships on the line.   My nerves can’t handle the thought of being anywhere near the high school on that day.

If I’m this much of a wreck, think about how they must be feeling.

Tips for helping reduce test anxiety

-Improve Confidence by Mastering the Material

There is an irreplaceable confidence that comes from studying for a test.  Help your student understand the structure of the test (time limits, number of questions, etc.) and have the student take practice tests under timed conditions.   Practice applying ACT strategies in timed testing conditions.

-Master the setting

Someone in one of my grad school entrance exam classes walked to the room on campus where the test was to be held every Saturday for a month before test date order to feel a sense of mastery over the setting.  Those of us who thought he was a little eccentric sang a different tune when his scores came back in the top 5%.

Even if they don’t walk to the High School on the Saturday mornings leading up to the test, encourage your student to walk through the morning of the test mentally.   If your student will be taking a test at a high school or testing center that they are not familiar with, it might be beneficial to have them drive there sometime before the test date to learn how to get there and avoid any anxiety that might come from getting lost on the morning of the test.

-Reduce unnecessary logistical stress

A good night-before-the-test-ritual is to sharpen a whole bouquet of #2 pencils and put new batteries in the calculator.  I’ve heard many stories of students stressing over an insufficient pencil supply and calculators giving out half way through the math section.  Reduce this type of stress through simple preparation.

-Choose a strategic pre-test breakfast and mid-test snack

I am no nutritional expert, but I have learned (the hard way) that a chocolate muffin is not a good pre-test breakfast.  Neither is a giant pancake breakfast.  Prepare your student the best possible breakfast within the context of their normal breakfast diet. A huge, out-of-the-ordinary breakfast is not likely to lead to optimal brain activity (and will most likely result in digestional stress).   Protein and complex carbohydrates—like eggs and whole wheat toast—are probably a good bet (as long as the student is accustomed to eating protein in the morning)

Also, be aware that the student is given a ten minute break about an hour and forty five minutes into the test.  If they have a strategic snack packed, they will be able to avoid the vending machine lines (I once had a student miss the first five minutes of the second half because of a vending machine line) and the short lived sugar high and long lived sugar crash that comes from eating a Butterfinger before taking the intense second half of the ACT.

-In situations of SEVERE test anxiety, talk to your school counselor.  There are ways to get your student extended time or other provisions if they have a learning or testing disability.

Feel free to contact me for more tips on mentally preparing for the test.  But be sure to find me before the morning of October 23, as I will be nuzzled in a stress-controled room that morning from eight o clock to noon.