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Preparing for College: What You Can Do As A Middle School Parent

Learn the importance of a college education and how to plan for college early. Lay the foundations in middle school for high aspirations, financial planning, academics, testing, and more.

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Preparing for College: What You Can Do As A Middle School Parent

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  1. Elizabeth Vera, Ph.D., Marla Israel, Ed.D., Nancy Goldberger, M.Ed., Megan Polanin, M.A., & Lindsay Viellieu, M.A. Preparing for College: What You Can Do As A Middle School Parent

  2. Tonight’s Presentation • Bienvenidos Padres! • Introductions • Purpose of tonight’s presentation: discussing the importance of a college education, why parents need to be planning for college before their children get to high school. • Our unique perspective: College admissions counselor, parental perspective. • After presentation, please take home a book for your family as a token of our appreciation.

  3. Preparing For College Admissions:It Begins Today In Middle School Getting into the “college of your child’s choice” begins today in middle school. As the adult and role model in your child’s life, you must lay the foundations now for: High Aspirations Planning Finances Quality Academics Entrance Testing A Well-rounded Person Visiting Schools Putting it all Together

  4. Preparing For College Admissions:It Begins Today In Middle School (continued) This is a process that takes a lot of time and needs adult guidance. Many of the steps necessary for getting into college take future planning that does not come naturally to pre-teen and teenagers. As the most important adult in your child’s life, you need to provide the structure and guidance for this long-term journey.

  5. Talk About College With Your Child Aspirations--Why Go To College • Discuss your expectations for higher education with your child Why is education important to your family? Tell your children your dreams for them. How will staying in school help your family? A person with a Four-year college degree will earn approximately $52,200 annually and has a lifetime earnings potential of 2.1 million (twice as much as a person with a high school diploma).(2010 U.S. Census Bureau Statistics)

  6. Talk About College With Your Child Aspirations – Why Go To College (continued) • Ask your child about his/her interests and brainstorm how they might translate into a college major and career • Your child can use online resources to explore careers–many sites allow students to take quizzes or search by their particular interests to identify potential careers • http://mappingyourfuture.org/planyourcareer/careership/ • http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/majors_careers/index.html • Visualize going to college. In middle school, on days-off during the school year, visit a few local college campuses. This is great way to begin “seeing your child” going away to college.

  7. Finances Now is the time to sit down and investigate how much you are able and willing to spend on your child’s college education. Be realistic. Now maybe the time for your child to start saving money of his/her own as well. A part-time job promotes a good work ethic, time management skills, and self-investment in the process.

  8. Finances (continued) • Just as you talk now to your child about dating and drugs, talk about the cost of financing college now at the dinner table. Some great websites for starting these conversations are: • Mymoney.gov • AmericaSaves.org • Planet Orange • SchwabMoneyWise.com

  9. Start Now In Middle School:Make The School Your Partner • Meet your child’s teachers and make it clear that you would like to be kept up-to-date about any changes in your child’s work or behavior • Meet with your child’s school counselor • Discuss standardized test results that may identify any strengths or weaknesses • Discuss your child’s interests to see if there are any extracurricular clubs or activities they would suggest for your child

  10. Start Now In Middle School:Make The School Your Partner(continued) • Be vocal to the school about what your child needs to be successful. • A great book for you and your child to read: • “First in the Family: Advice About College from First- • Generation Students—Your High School Years” written • by Kathleen Cushman (Next Generation Press, 2005)

  11. Get Involved In The Selection Of Your Child’s Classes In Middle & High School Choose Wisely Encourage your child to take algebra in eighth grade and geometry in ninth grade This will allow your child to take more advanced math classes throughout High School

  12. Get Involved In The Selection Of Your Child’s Classes In Middle & High School (continued) • The Advantage of Being Bilingual Encourage your child to continue with a foreign language in middle school and continue that language study throughout high school. This is the advantage of being bilingual. • Courses that Matter • It is ideal for your child to take the four core subjects–English, Math, Science, and Social Studies–each year during Middle School and each year in High School

  13. Encourage Good Study SkillsBegin These Habits Now In Middle School Provide a quiet place within the home to do homework with necessary school supplies nearby (paper, pens, textbooks, etc.) Go with your child to the library. This is a great place to access the web and other educational resources Help your child get into a regular routine of completing schoolwork. Insist that this routine be maintained.

  14. Encourage Good Study SkillsBegin These Habits Now In Middle School (continued) • Provide a daily student planner to help your child keep track of deadlines • Discuss any concerns or challenges with the school counselor to identify resources that may be helpful–after school tutoring, etc.

  15. ACT/SAT Testing Tutoring programs can be very helpful Tutoring need not be one-on-one or expensive There are many tutoring programs that are offered through your high school. ACT: http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html SAT: http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test Dr. Jam Amberg (847) 869-8084 – course offered at Loyola Academy in Wilmette

  16. ACT/SAT Testing (continued) Tutoring can begin in the summer between the student’s Sophomore and Junior years of High School. The more times your child takes these test, the more opportunities your child has to improve. Colleges use the highest scores. --Beginning of Junior year in High School --April of Junior year in High School --Summer Before the Senior Year

  17. Well-Rounded Person The types of courses that your child takes in Middle School lay the foundation for the opportunities for High School course choices Four years of English, Math, Science and Social Studies are necessary in High School.

  18. Well-Rounded Person (continued) But also ensure that your child takes courses within his/her interests – such as: Music, Arts, Athletics and Multi-disciplinary Electives School Clubs Do Matter–Colleges want to see that your child has outside interests and that he/she is a LEADER Community/Church Activities and Service–Colleges want to see that your child has passion about the world’s causes and that he/she is a LEADER.

  19. Beginning the Search Use the college websites–Always do a “virtual tour” as a first step in exploring a college Once you have narrowed down the choices, then set-up a tour of the campus. Again, use the college website to arrange a tour. Many colleges have pre-scheduled times to tour the campus and speak with financial aide staff and “sit-in” on classes. Be reasonable with yourself and your child. Do not visit a college that is outside of your financial and emotional comfort zone.

  20. Putting It All Together Getting ready for college is a process that cannot be rushed and needs much adult guidance. Beginning now in middle school, many of the steps necessary for getting into college require future planning. This type of planning does not come naturally to pre-teens and teenagers. As the adult, you need to provide the structure and guidance for this long-term journey.

  21. Putting It All Together (continued) The summer between your child’s Junior and Senior year of High School he/she will begin the application process: Importance of a resume: www.resume-now.com Importance of essays: www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/essay-skills Appearance Matters!

  22. Website Resources http://www.firstinthefamily.org/highschool/Planning_checklists_files/Grade%2012%20Checklist.pdf http://www.firstinthefamily.org/resources/index.html http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/CollegeReadiness.pdf http://www.greatschools.org/college-prep/planning/594-middle-school-parents-college-prep-guide.gs?page=1 http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/GettingReadyCollegeEarly/index.html http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/steps/Pages/default.aspx http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/college-prep-junior-high.htm http://www.knowhow2go.org/middle_ready.php

  23. THANK YOU!!! Questions??????? Please take a book for your family as a token of our appreciation. Please make sure you have signed our attendance sheet. Please take a moment and let us know if you enjoyed this presentation. (We have evaluation forms for you to fill out).

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