Please leave your tips for those of us with HS Freshman this year here

[lovemywhirlygirls]

Good evening, All!

 

I wish all of you who are thick in the college application all of the best. I will be following your discussions and posts in an effort to learn from your experiences.

 

I would like to invite any of you who have the time (likely those of you who are not sending a child to college next year, but who have done so in the past) to pop in here and leave any tips you may have for us. What can we be doing NOW that will help the application process in the future? What do we need to be keeping track of? What types of activities/experiences were the most powerful for your child's profile? What do you know now that you wish you had known at the beginning of 9th grade/high school?

 

I'm sure there are many of us who would be grateful for any wisdom that you are willing to take the time to share. I confess that I have not searched for this info on this board yet, so I apologize if I'm asking a question that you guys have already answered. I'm good with links to those discussions as well.

 

Have a great evening. Thanks in advance.

 

((Realizing as I post this that I haven't updated my signature in a long time....hmmmm, wonder what is out of date. Off to update.))

[creekland]

If you are considering a higher level college, seriously consider AP tests. At our orientation yesterday we were told out of the incoming class of 1350 at the University of Rochester, over 800 have AP credits. Another 280+ had IB credits (a competitor to AP, but not one you can homeschool I don't think). That doesn't leave a whole lot left for those without. There are some, but one has to wonder what else they had on their application (for instance, a bronze medal winner from the Olympics is in the freshman class - she might be one of them). ;)

 

If not considering higher level colleges, AP doesn't matter so much (oldest and youngest won't have them, but they aren't looking at the same level college).

Edited August 25, 2012 by creekland
correcting "early morning brain" typo!

[Janice in NJ]

Hi!

 

I would start here.

 

See if your library has a copy of this book. Solid advice.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Countdown-College-Step-By-Step-Strategies-Graders/dp/0965608689/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

 

Then check your library for this title. In our experience, colleges aren't looking for kids with super-wide interests. They are looking for kids with super-deep interests. Good book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/How-High-School-Superstar-Revolutionary/dp/0767932587/ref=pd_sim_b_4

 

Talk to your kids about their interests. Help them cultivate their interests. Listen! And then provide the resources they need to do what they want to do with their free time. Encourage their inklings.

 

Then at some point during the spring of the freshman year, you should have your child take an SAT practice test (psst: you should take it too. ;)) A free copy of the test is available here - under "Practice."

 

http://sat.collegeboard.org/home?affiliateId=nav&bannerId=g-cbh-sat

 

Don't panic when your child bombs the exam. (Or when you bomb the exam! ;)) This is a baseline experience. Check out the stats for the exam here. And start educating yourself about college-entrance testing.

 

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/sat/data-tables

 

Sign up for the "Question of the Day" service - same page on the College Board site. You will receive an email everyday with a practice question. Just do it. :001_smile:

 

Visit the ACT site to get a feel for their exam.

 

Practice Questions here:

http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/

 

Info about the differences between the two tests here:

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/standardizedtests/tp/sat-act.htm

 

(Psst: Google is your friend. All I did was type "Difference SAT ACT" There is SO much information about there. Just start poking around!!! :001_smile: Don't believe everything you read. But read. Explore. Ask questions.)

 

Then pick up a copy of this book from the library. Well-written. Engaging. And humor-filled. You'll need a sense of humor to navigate the college admission process.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Crash-Course-Getting-College/dp/1439101221/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345806942&sr=8-2&keywords=crazy+u

 

Encourage your child to secure a copy of this title from your library (older editions are fine). Hand them a pad of sticky notes and tell them to peruse the book and flag things that look interesting. Encourage them to start thinking about their future. This process takes time. Most kids are clueless, but it's good to get started on this path as soon as possible.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Majors-2013-All-New-Seventh/dp/0874479819/ref=pd_sim_b_3

 

At some point during the year, I would encourage you to visit the FAFSA web site. Start with the FAFSA Forecaster. It will give you a ballpark idea of your financial status - according to the system. Please try to contain your incredulity. :001_smile: Most of us are/were quite surprised to find out how much money we can afford to pay for college. It's a common experience to come away from the process and wonder, "How in the world are we going to come up with that much money every year for school?" (Or if you're like me, you'll announce to your family, "Hey guys, according to the government we have $ XXX left laying around every year. Who has been hiding that kind a cash? Cause I NEED IT!!!!! Somebody needs to re-check the couch cushions, cause apparently we're missing something!" It's normal to be shocked. But the info will help you engage in this process with more wisdom. You can't run from the info. And it's best to have it early. The "college talk" you hear will make more sense. Visit the site. Fill in the data. Discover your EFC. ;)

 

https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e1s1

 

Then pick up a copy of Lynn's book. Very well done.

 

http://www.amazon.com/College-Solution-Everyone-Looking-School/dp/0132944677/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345807871&sr=1-1&keywords=lynn+college

 

Then return to the WTM College Board and start reading. Lots of solid advice from real people. Plenty of paths. Loads of success stories. And cautionary tales to boot. IMO the titles and links will help you ramp up to "ready" when it comes to thinking about things like transcripts and course description documents and AP and SAT II tests and dual enrollment and a whole host of issues. They all need to be considered, but I believe that it's best to start with the big picture for your family. Very often it's best to think about the target before stringing your bow. Otherwise you may learn to shoot in the wrong direction. (Psst: We shouldn't all be shooting in the same direction. Harvard isn't for everybody. In the end, it's the destination of only a very few, and that's as it should be! Life is to be lived. There is great contentment to be found in living it.)

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

P.S. For folks a little further along in this journey, I would recommend the following:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122304/ref=ox_ya_os_product

 

http://www.amazon.com/Higher-Education-Colleges-Wasting-Kids---/dp/031257343X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345809042&sr=1-1&keywords=higher+education+hacker

 

http://www.amazon.com/College-What-Was-Should-Be/dp/0691130736/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345808950&sr=1-2&keywords=college

 

http://www.collegeresults.org/

(The graduation rate info on this site is particularly sobering.)

Edited August 24, 2012 by Janice in NJ

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Here are some random thoughts as my dc#4 - my new high school freshman- begins his high school journey:

 

-Keep track of ISBN #'s for textbooks. Ds #1 needed these for his NCAA transcript. I never dreamed when he was in the 9th grade that he would play college basketball!

 

- Write course descriptions at the end of every school year.

 

-Don't "take it easy" academically freshman year if you don't have to. When kids start driving there are so many opportunities for community service, jobs, internships, etc. You want your high school junior and senior to be able to take advantage of those opportunities and not be saddled down with basic high school credits (like health or PE) which could have been accomplished in the 9th grade.

 

-Look at the requirements of two or three colleges you may consider in the future. Make sure your high school plan covers their recommended course load.

 

- Make room in the sophomore year schedule for SAT/ACT prep. Realize that if you want your dc in online college classes, community college, or other dual enrollment classes he/she may need to take the SAT/ACT in late sophomore or early junior year to get into these programs.

 

-Try to give opportunities for your dc to explore various careers and other life experiences so they can actually envision their future. Have them shadow people at their jobs. Find people in different careers to talk to them about what they do. Allow them to have jobs that will help them grow and learn about themselves.

 

- Remember that you have more control over your dc's schedule when they are in the 9th and 10th grade. After they can drive, they become busier. Plan accordingly. Don't think it won't happen to you!

[Muttichen]

I suggest looking at college websites and seeing what courses they expect students to take. We looked at what the best colleges require, because we figured we wanted to give our kids an education that wouldn't shut any doors for them.

 

This is from Harvard's website:

http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html

 

I also suggest you have your child take SAT subject tests as you go along, even if you think he or she won't need them. I've known several students who assumed they didn't need them, then got great SAT scores and decided to apply to schools that require them and were struggling to review the biology they learned in ninth grade...

 

And I agree with Creekland. Colleges don't require APs, but they expect the best students to be taking them. It is a way of validating your program that they understand.

[FaithManor]

I agree with all that has been posted thus far. Definitely, online ACT/SAT practice tests are your friend as well as books such as Princeton Review and Barron's study ACT/SAT study guides.

 

Now is the the time to seriously consider what kind of adult you want to leave your nest and then how to go about making that happen. It just occured to us this year that the 15 year old really does not have a clue how to do laundry. So, besides algebra 2, history, great books study, Latin, chemistry, German, art history, practical drafting, essay writing and grammar review, introductory java programming, competitive rocketry team, and 4-H pursuits, we've added "learning how to take care of your own laundry INCLUDING BEDDING 101" to his course list. :D He is, of course, not amused.

 

Don't ease up! As a matter of fact, the freshman year should be significantly more work than middle school. It's time to prepare for the 8-10 hr. work day of the adult world, the 60-80 hrs. per week of coursework and study involved in vo-tech and college (the electrical journeyman's license here in Michigan is NOT a vo-tech path for the faint of heart), etc. While I don't value "working them to the bone", I think there is a lot to be said for M-Fri being a regular work week without a lot of interruptions except for those all important extracurriculars and those should still require the studious application of self be it practicing an instrument, endless basketball drills, building a competition rocket, designing this year's science fair entry, perfecting that figure skating double axle, or math olympiad. I've seen too many bright youngsters ruined by "super, super fun, fun school" during their high school years as if the big party at graduation is the end all and be all of existence...happens ALL the time at the P.S. down the road from me!

 

And I can't emphasize this next point strongly enough! These next four years are going to fly past you at mock speed. Today you worry about geometry and where to find resources for high school foreign language and tomorrow they are grown up and don't seem to need you too much anymore. Your heart is rent in two at the same time you are excited for them as they embark on this whole new adventure in life and they, on the other hand, have no clue how hard this is on mom and dad. You look at those grown up faces and grown up bodies and you "see" a wee one wrapped in a soft blanket, snoozing in your arms, while you stare at his/her precious features. If you thought the earlier part of their childhood seemed to go fast and you wondered where those years went, you haven't seen anything yet. The last four are a blink of an eye by comparison. So, don't squander it. Find time to laugh with them, have tender moments with them, travel with them if you possibly can and if you can't, hike that local nature trail and just talk about life while you do, treat them with respect and hold them accountable, but show them your tender side too...try to find that balance of holding them close in your heart, but letting them find their wings.

 

Plan on eating a lot of chocolate the day they leave home. A LOT! Keep the Puffs Tissues box near.

 

It won't be long before your 21 year old daughter sports an engagement ring or your 21 year old boy thinks he's found "the one" and is shopping for that very thing and they talk about moving across the country for good jobs, or pursuing grad school in Timbuktu, or ........you have only four, short years left. Do EVERYTHING YOU CAN to keep the relationship healthy, the lines of communication open, and the end goal ever, always in your sight.

 

Faith

[SkateLeft]

You look at those grown up faces and grown up bodies and you "see" a wee one wrapped in a soft blanket, snoozing in your arms, while you stare at his/her precious features. If you thought the earlier part of their childhood seemed to go fast and you wondered where those years went, you haven't seen anything yet.

 

Ahhhhhh! I can't be the only mom to a senior who just opened this thread, read Faith's post and started bawling! :crying:

 

I can't second this enough. Seriously. It's gone by so fast, and I know this is just the beginning of the grown-up stuff.

 

Now, I'm off to hug my 6 year old!

[lovemywhirlygirls]

I am SO THANKFUL for the women on this board who take the time to thoughtfully answer questions and go above and beyond in the process.

 

THANK YOU!! I am printing and saving everything that has been shared here and I promise to share the love when I am more versed about the process.

 

Have a great afternoon!

Edited August 24, 2012 by lovemywhirlygirls

[creekland]

And I can't emphasize this next point strongly enough! These next four years are going to fly past you at mock speed. Today you worry about geometry and where to find resources for high school foreign language and tomorrow they are grown up and don't seem to need you too much anymore. Your heart is rent in two at the same time you are excited for them as they embark on this whole new adventure in life and they, on the other hand, have no clue how hard this is on mom and dad. You look at those grown up faces and grown up bodies and you "see" a wee one wrapped in a soft blanket, snoozing in your arms, while you stare at his/her precious features. If you thought the earlier part of their childhood seemed to go fast and you wondered where those years went, you haven't seen anything yet. The last four are a blink of an eye by comparison. So, don't squander it. Find time to laugh with them, have tender moments with them, travel with them if you possibly can and if you can't, hike that local nature trail and just talk about life while you do, treat them with respect and hold them accountable, but show them your tender side too...try to find that balance of holding them close in your heart, but letting them find their wings.

 

Faith

 

AMEN! Tried as I might I couldn't help but shed tears today with middle son's final good-bye after we ate dinner together. He looked at me stunned and concerned. I reminded him it was all ok - that I was happy for him - truly happy - it was just making ME feel old. Feeling old when one is 18 is liberating - not so much when one has finished a section of parenting - esp for a son that was NEVER any sort of problem child. He was any parent's dream... and our time with him flew by way too quickly.

 

We accomplished academics and he's at a GREAT college now (with great merit + financial aid), but the things I'm remembering the most are the times we spent together. I don't regret a single one - the games we played, the places we traveled, even the pre-college shopping at the end. Don't get so involved in "perfection" to miss the time you have. It'll be over in the blink of an eye - literally (so it seems).

 

Enjoy every minute you can - and don't sweat any small stuff.

Edited August 25, 2012 by creekland

[Luckymama]

Oh creekland :grouphug: I'm not looking forward to next year when dd17 starts college. I' m trying so hard to not sweat the small stuff during senior year.

[cshell]

Thank you all for sharing your from your wealth of experience!!

 

What a blessing!!;)

[Gwen in VA]

Extracurriculars --

 

1) There are many qualities that we want our kids to develop that aren't part of the academic curriculum -- practical skills, musical skills, entrepreneurial skills, people skills, leadership skills, sports skills, etc. etc. etc.

 

2) Colleges want students who have a real passion for something and who are engaged in their community.

 

3) Let your kid take the lead, and support his/her interests. (And there is no interest too lame -- even kite-flying can lead to overseas travel, awards, founding a company, etc.!!!)