Summer time can be filed with stress, worry and bad feelings as parents and students adjust to living together once again. It may kinda look the same as it was last summer, but I am telling you, the world has changed as you know it.
Students have been on their own for a full school year and they are happy to be home as long as the rules are adapted to their newly discovered freedom. I offer the following strategies to set both you and your student up for success:
1. Expect your student to continue to keep their clothes washed, rooms cleaned and chores done. Remember, they may do it different but if it gets done, that is okay.
2. Expect your kiddo to find some positive means of passing the summer. This may be employment of some sort, taking over household chores, looking after younger siblings (babysitting), volunteer work, or taking classes... something productive. After the first few days, sleeping all day and playing all night is not acceptable.
Continue reading "Summertime... When the Living is Easy... You Will Need a Strategy!"
Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 7:46 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
I respond to journalist and reporters all the time who are looking for experts. They give the topic of their article, book or blog and request information. I keep looking for a journalist that has an optimistic approach. I would like to see more written that offers hope. It appears that the mind set is to write about how bleak the economy is, how bleak the job market... Tell us something we don;t know. Tell us how people are managing and managing well.
I have an out of the box suggestion. We have all these graduates, all these college students with amazing tech skills. How many of you parents out there were just waiting for your kiddo to get home from college so they could get your computer working or program your new cell phone or set up the new flat screen?
Continue reading "Creative Summer Jobs for Students with Tech Skills"
Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 7:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
With today's economy, I am being asked more than usual, what I think about "Gap Years". For parents who are hearing this term for the first time, a gap year is taking a year off before continuing school or looking for a job. So both graduates of High School and graduates of college are taking gap years.
Gap years have been common practice in Europe and Australia. As I have lived and traveled all over the world, I often run into young people taking a gap year. It is an amazing life experience if it is used for just that, an experience.
After high school, a gap year allows the new graduate time for maturity. Some kids know exactly what they want to do and they are eager to get on with it. For them, it is best to go with this enthusiasm and start their college experience. The kiddos that do not know what they want to do, have no clear direction or interest, may find some answers during this time.
Continue reading "The Value Added Gap Year"
Posted by Candice Arnold on May 27, 2009 at 1:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
You can almost hear the sound effects in homes across America... hearts are breaking, bubbles bursting, dreams swirling down the drain. And I am talking about the parents, not the college applicant.
Nothing hurts more to a parent than our kid being rejected. We feel the pain. We feel rejected. Darryle Pollack, - Huffpost Blogger of the Huffington Post (April 13, 2009) reminds us that Character is defined and strengthened not by acceptance -- but by rejection.
Parents must be prepared for the graduate to assert themselves as they take control of their own destinies. Actually, this is all very healthy. You may have a young adult that has learned courage and self confidence. Sometimes, it is hard to believe but they may know what is best for them. They may not be ready for college now, but this does not mean they will not attend college ever.
Continue reading "Parents need to handle rejection."
Posted by Candice Arnold on April 29, 2009 at 8:13 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
Recently President Obama has encouraged all students to think beyond high school. Currently, two out of five Americans have 2 or 4 year college degrees.
Millions of Americans struggle to get a high school degree with one in four dropping out. Then a high school degree does not guaranteed a student success in college. Many students often from the lower economic level will drop out of college. There is a 50% drop out rate.
College is a big adjustment and some students just do not have the tools to make this shift into college life. Many are also working jobs to support themselves or this new independence gets away from them.
Do you know what makes all this even worse? When these students drop out, they do not have the salary of a college graduate but they still have the college loan to pay back. Just because a college student drops out doesn't mean they don't have to pay back their student loans.
So, it is probably clear that not everyone should go to college. If there are limited cognitive abilities and/or low motivation, then college may not be a good choice. The student must be capable of doing college level work. Students are able to continue getting some kind of training beyond high school but it may not be college. This path needs to be an option to avoid unnecessary debt. It also will set these students up for success.
A student does not need to see themselves as a failure. So, if they are really not college material, then lets skip this step. It is important to prevent them from having unrealistic expectations.
There are great training courses, technical schools and vocational training courses. If a student does not go to college directly after high school, this does not mean they will not go to college. They may need to mature and get some life experiences first. Just make sure you review all the options and do not put pressure on your child to go to college if they are not equally as motivated as you. College is an investment but it is not for everyone. There are other very good choices.
Article by, College Parenting Expert, Dr. Debi Yohn, whose advice on successfully getting college students through college with an emphasis on graduation and rewarding employment is sought by parents from around the world. Now for the first time, she reveals 27 Winning Strategies for Success - a guidebook geared to parents of new college students. Get her free e-Book now at http://www.collegeparentsadvice.com/ and improve your child's chances of a successful college experience.
Posted by Candice Arnold on April 21, 2009 at 7:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
Writing a college application essay is like answering the question "Tell me about yourself" at a job interview. Your college, like an employer, wants to know whether you're a good fit. Test scores, GPA, and class rank--while important--don't reveal much about your personality. This is where your essay comes in. Your essay reveals what's unique about you, how interested you really are in the college, and how well you write. The next four tips will help you craft your college essay.
Choosing a topic for your college admissions essay
Feeling overwhelmed? What can you possibly write about that showcases your personality and writing skills? And with a limit of only a couple of pages, if that?
Think about your passions, or think about what has shaped you into who you are today. Does any one particular experience characterizing it stand out? Describe it. Let's say you're a painter who wants to major in the fine arts. You might want to describe the moment when you first realized you wanted to be a painter. Or your greatest accomplishment. Or your mentor. Or, if no one eureka moment comes to mind, explain why. Perhaps you didn't realize your passion or your talent right away. Describe that.
Communicating goals in your college admissions essay
Remember when the college was trying to impress you on your campus tours? Now you have to impress your college. What are you going to do for the college?
You should also think about what admission to this college would mean to you. Discuss your aspirations and how this college will help you achieve them. If you achieve them, how will that help society? Continue reading ...
Article by, Shannon Lausch and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.
Posted by Candice Arnold on April 20, 2009 at 10:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
Since September of last year, I've been working on applying to several graduate programs in the United States to support the research I'm planning to do for my next science fiction novel planned to be a trilogy. After all the work searching for good universities with the program I'm searching for, a combination of geology, physics, anthropology, botany and GIS Informatics and history, building the applications including a resume, statement of intent, explanation of my background in school, ordering transcripts from four separate colleges, searching out immunizations, and contacting personal references, I've begun to hear back from the colleges. Since then, my husband and I have been checking out the living conditions in the various regions--Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and New York, since my husband and I are considering a permanent move. One of the remaining requirements for entry is having a college admission interview.
A college admission interview is equivalent to a job interview. For an undergraduate program, the college administrator is looking for evidence that the candidate would be able to succeed at their college or university.
For a graduate program, the college administrator, usually the chair of the program, is often looking to fill teacher assistant, research assistant and fellowship positions within their department and simultaneously checking to see if a candidate is able to perform in the program. Here's ten commonly asked college admissions questions and why they are asked by college administrators. Continue reading ...
Article by, Sheri Fresonke Harper and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.
Posted by Candice Arnold on April 17, 2009 at 10:37 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
