Question: When do parents start the college prep process?

1. Ideally you should start talking to your student about the value of an education when they start school and amp it up in middle school.
2. 9th grade students should pay close attention to course selection enrolling in AP honors classes, math and science.
3. 9th graders should also start looking for that ONE extracurricular activity to concentrate on in high school.

Question: What do you see as the parent’s role in the college prep process?

1. Parents should let the student “drive the car” but go along as a passenger/guide
2. Parents can help with organization and gentle reminders regarding deadlines
3. Parents need to be there for advice, support and questions but don’t take control of the process

Question: What online tools do you recommend for comparing colleges side-by-side?

1. I love Zinch because you can create a profile, compare colleges and get matched w/colleges and scholarships http://www.zinch.com
2. You can use the College Board’s tool to compare colleges as well http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp
3. Some more sites are: http://www.collegeview.com/index.jsp & http://www.collegexpress.com/ & http://www.cappex.com & http://www.collegeconfidential.com

Question: What online tools do you recommend for test prep?

1. For vocabulary prep, @sheldonwordnerd has the BEST online tool available http://www.word-nerd.com
2. Practice tests are imperative so take advantage of them online here http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice & http://www.number2.com/ & http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html
3. Read their blogs & follow on Twitter: @elizabethonline @akilbello @sheldonwordnerd @preppedpolished @PWNtheSAT @staceyhowelott 

Question: What online tools do you recommend for financial aid?

1. The definitive site for financial aid info is http://www.finaid.org/
2. Of course ALL parents should complete the FAFSA http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to qualify for financial aid
3. Saving for College provides parents with all the info about financial aid http://www.savingforcollege.com/ & lets you compare savings plans

Question: What online resources do you recommend for college visit preparation?

1. Visit college websites and look for video tours and information related to each individual college
2. @collegevisit has all the tools you need to plan, organize and prepare for college visits http://www.smartcollegevisit.com
3. Before the visit you can check out @YOUniversity ’s virtual college tours and even hear from students  http://www.youniversitytv.com/

Question: What online tools do you recommend to help with the essay?

1. @vcollegeadvisor has some great essay tips via video http://www.youtube.com/user/PreCollegeCoach#p/a/u/0/Ago6tIEnL0g
2. @collegebasics offers some good tips on different essay topics http://www.collegebasics.com/applying-to-college/admissions-essays/
3. @butwait provides a pocket essay editor of 13 tips https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ah89knd3kmzc_469cq94ghdq
4. If you’re looking for some actual student essay examples, look here http://www.teenink.com/college_guide/college_essays/

Question: Where do you find information about individual college statistics?

1. I like College Navigator because it’s easy to view statistics and compare  http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ 
2. Another great resource for statistics and more is CollegeData http://www.collegedata.com/
3. The College Board also offers a tool to research college information http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp

Question: What information can you share about the Net Price Calculator?

1. The net price calculators were mandated to help parents and students estimate the actual cost of college BEFORE applying
2. Not all calculators are created equal; use them as a tool but don’t expect 100% accuracy on cost estimates
3. Colleges are required to have them on their sites but they are often hard to find; you might have to do some digging

Question: How can parents be assured they are getting EXPERT advice about college and not just being scammed?

1. I wrote a blog recently about this topic http://www.parentscountdowntocollegecoach.com/2011/11/07/parents-beware-its-a-jungle-out-there/
2. Some key points: investigate all claims using Google; ask about them using social media; are they associated w/other experts?
3. Don’t believe claims unless backed up with facts and if it’s too good to be true, it usually is

I would also like to add another great resource for parents, especially because it’s another parent going through the process with her kids and blogging about it:

Dr. Strange College : How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Journey

PRINCETON REVIEW LAUNCHES NEW BLOG FOR PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS:

“IN – YOUR GUIDE TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS”

NEW YORK – March 9, 2011 – The Princeton Review, which has been helping high school students take admission tests for, apply to and get in to colleges for nearly 30 years, has created an informative new resource for today’s college-bound teens:  a lively, content-rich blog titled “IN—Your Guide to College Admissions.”

Accessible at http://in.princetonreview.com/, the “IN” blog is updated multiple times daily and reports on dozens of issues central to a high school student’s college research, application and admission experiences.    From insider feedback on SAT/ACT tests to tips for getting the best financial aid to up-to-the-minute news in higher education, the posts served up on “IN” are designed to keep high school students continually informed about the admission process and the college scene.   Above all, “IN” aims to help teens be savvy college shoppers and successful applicants.   College counselors, advisors and parents of applicants will also find the posts on “IN” useful.

Primarily focused on current news and practical advice, “IN” also serves as a “look it up” resource.  Posts are archived two ways: by month and in categories.  Among them: Careers, College Info, College Life, Cost of College, Financial Aid, and Starting College in High School.   Posts with basic information useful year-long (e.g. “Getting In: Your Junior Year Plan”) are tagged as “resources” and featured in links in a sidebar.

At “IN” readers can find:

• Test-prep tips and strategies used in Princeton Review courses
• Updates and analyses of recent SAT and ACT exams
• Exclusive interviews with college experts: admission officers, counselors and financial aid advisors
• Suggestions of “best-fit” colleges for various interests/majors
• College application reminders: admission timelines and deadline reminders
• Links to news articles about college and admission issues as they happen
• Feedback from teens about their application experiences
• “College of the Week” profiles
• Application stress-reducers: fun facts, humor and college trivia

Users can subscribe to the “IN” via an RSS feed and catch “IN” post headlines via The Princeton Review’s Facebook account (http://www.facebook.com/ThePrincetonReview?v=app_10467688569) and Twitter account (http://twitter.com/theprincetonrev).  Users can email their comments, ideas, suggestions or feedback to INblog@review.com.

Said Andrew Brody, Princeton Review’s Vice President, Content Development, “For years, students have looked to The Princeton Review to be their trusted guide when it comes to higher education.  With our “IN” blog we’re able to share our expertise in admissions and test prep and our college knowledge in a format that offers dynamic flexibility and interactivity.”

Brody noted that the Princeton Review “IN” writers and editors draw on a constantly growing library of information and input the Company gathers each day. The Princeton Review annually collects data on more than 1,500 colleges for its guidebook and website profiles and continually gets feedback from teens taking its classroom and online courses.”

Said Michael Palumbo, “IN”‘s lead editor, “Beyond our rich supplies of college-related data, we have the unique opportunity to draw on fascinating findings from our on-going surveys of college applicants, parents of applicants, college students and college administrators.  There is no end to the repository of topical and timely information we plan to share with our readers on ‘IN.’”

We decided to develop bragTAG on the Facebook platform, because that is where the high school children are.  You know how much time they spend there – why not coax them into doing something GOOD while they’re there!  Read on for an exclusive discount code for Parent’s Countdown to College Coach blog readers…

Using bragTAG, students/parents create multi-media representations of individual high school achievements – we call these bragTAGs.  For example, that tremendous touchdown or perfect ballet performance can now be shown to college admissions counselors using videos, photos and journal (text) entries.

Throughout the high school career, bragTAG is absolutely free to use!  When the student/parent is ready to apply to colleges, “bragTAGs” are then compiled into customized one page, multi-media resumes and forwarded to college admissions counselors (we suggest users have a relationship established prior to sending).

Individual bragTAG detail example with comment

Because our own very first question in the development process was, “How do we keep this secure?”, we decided to make sure bragSHEETs weren’t published in any way on Facebook.  You can share individual bragTAGs on Facebook if you elect to, but bragSHEETs can only be forwarded to others.  That bragSHEET is assembled on the fly, using our own secure cloud-based servers – and only assembled when viewed.  In other words, bragSHEETS do not exist until college admissions/guidance counselors/teachers/coaches click on the link you’ve sent.  Our servers then assemble the requested bragSHEET for viewing.

Complete bragSHEET (Resume) with multi-media photos, pop up videos and journal entries

Only persons with the link can see the personal info, and those that are viewing your bragSHEET do not have to be logged onto Facebook, or even have a Facebook account.  Colleges will not see your child’s private Facebook profile! (You didn’t really want them to see those high school dance and party pictures, did you?).

There are several ways to use the bragTAG application.  Send a copy of a bragSHEET to high school teachers whom you are asking to write your letters of recommendation – so they know more about you, and write a fantastic well-informed letter.  You can send a bragSHEET to your school counselor, who can then recommend colleges based on your interests – or even help you edit bragSHEETs for the colleges you’re applying to.  You may want to create customized bragSHEETs for each college you apply to, based on your research (or your independent coach’s research) into what a particular college is looking for!

So – students, parents and counselors unite – and work toward getting accepted at the college of your choice!

As an added bonus, we’ve created a discount code for Parents Countdown to College Coach readers!  The first five readers to comment below will receive a code from bragTAG for UNLIMITED bragSHEET submissions (a $24.99 value). We’ll email the code to you as soon as we receive your contact info!

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Thanks to bragTAG for providing us with this guest post about their product. Find out more on the bragTAG Facebook Fan Page, or the bragTAG College Bound Blog and good luck in your college admissions search!

So…in the true spirit of entrepreneurship and “self-promotion” I’m asking my loyal readers to vote for me. It’s simple and won’t take five minutes of your time, but it will help me expand my business if I win and help more parents and college-bound teens in the process.

Below is a screenshot of what the nomination site looks like. Just click here and type in my business name and zip code. Once my business pops up, just type in why you love my business and your email address. It’s that simple. Thank you in advance!

English–4 Years  (American Literature, English Composition, English Literature, World Literature (many schools offer English I, II, III and IV which combines all these within the yearly offerings)

Mathematics–3-4 Years   (Algebra I, Algebra II, Calculus, Geometry, Precalculus, Trigonometry)

History/Geography–2-3 years  (Civics, Geography, U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, World Cultures, World Geography)

Science–2-4 years (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Marine Science)

Visual/Performing Arts–1 year (Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Band, Orchestra)

Foreign Language–2-4 years

Challenging Electives–1-3 years  (Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Psychology, Statistics)

Mathematical skills and scientific concepts and skills learned in challenging math classes are used in many disciplines outside of these specific courses.

Traditional English courses will help students improve their reading comprehension and also their writing skills and vocabulary. All of these skills are part of the SAT and ACT college aptitude tests.

History and geography help your teen better understand their society as well as other societies and governments around the world. Learning from history is a valuable tool in teaching your teen that there are consequences to all of our actions.

Encourage your teen to participate in the arts disciplines (visual or performing). Studies show that students who do often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts also give them a richer understanding of history, science, literature and math, as well as helping to spur their creativity and ignite their passion. Many college admissions staff view participation in the arts as a valuable experience that broadens student’s understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

Click HERE to find out what is included and HERE to go directly to the order page.

Here are some questions you should ask at that meeting:

• What basic academic courses do you recommend for students who want to go to college?
• How many years of each academic subject does the high school require for graduation?
• What elective courses do you recommend for college-bound students?
• Can students who are considering college get special help or tutoring?
• What activities can students do at home or over the summer to strengthen their preparation for college?
• What do different colleges (liberal arts, business, technical, community) require in terms of high school grades and SAT or ACT scores?
• What types of local scholarship opportunities are available?
• Do you have scholarship applications available in your office for students to look through?

At this meeting you will also be able to, along with the counselor, map out a course plan for your teen. You and your teen will be able to communicate their interests and desires as it relates to college. This will cement in the counselor’s mind the fact that she is dealing with a motivated, goal-oriented teen with a parent that wants to participate in the process.

—>A word of advice here: Let your teen do most of the talking. The last thing you want to do is plow ahead without anyone getting a word in edgewise. This is the perfect time for you to practice “listening”-to both the counselor and your teen. You can certainly ask questions, but don’t appear to be one of those pushy parents that “demands” attention. This will work against your teen in the long run. Let the counselor know you value their advice and guidance. Don’t pretend to have all the answers (even if you think you do). Utilize this time to gather information and begin a 4-year relationship with an invaluable educational professional.

When I feel the urge to procrastinate, I remind myself of this simple montra: Preparation Prevents Panic. It applies to every area of our lives, especially as you navigate the college maze of information, forms, applications, and deadlines.

Preparation is the key to not only surviving, but remaining unstressed during the next four years. If you follow these simple guidelines, you won’t panic during your college-bound teen’s senior year.

• Save everything-Keep essays, announcements, awards, report cards, and any records that might pertain to their college profile resume.
• Watch the deadlines-Get yourself a “write-on” calendar and keep abreast of upcoming deadlines for scholarships and college testing.
• Stay involved-Don’t expect your teen to keep abreast of everything on their own. They will be busy and need your help staying on-track and focused.
• Stay organized-Keep all your college-related records in one place.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions-If you have questions about anything related to the college process ask your teen’s counselor, do some internet research, or you can always post a question here and I’ll do my best to get you a quick and helpful answer.

If you keep these suggestions in mind, you won’t be tempted to procrastinate which will result in panic.

Say it with me: Preparation Prevents Panic!

For one parent of an 8th grader, however, that question is much more prominent in the front of his mind. Michael Sparks’ daughter, Aubrey, will be skipping high school and headed off to college in the fall. She’s been bored in middle school and taken the SAT and managed to score high enough for college admission.

When I read the news story I wondered how could a 14 year old be ready for college life? My 18 year old was barely ready. As parents we try and prepare our kids for all the foreseeable scenarios that might happen once they are on their own and free from parental control and guidance. But there are always those moments when they are faced with choices and have to draw on the lessons they have learned and the values they’ve been taught.

Will your teen be ready for college? It doesn’t happen over night. It takes more than planning and preparation for the admissions process. Begin early training them on how to respond to peer pressure, making the right choices, establishing good study habits, and handling the financial aspect of being independent.

If your teen is headed for college in the fall, take a look at this post on Radical Parenting. It gives you some topics to discuss with them before they leave the nest and head off to that muchly anticipated college experience.

Being a parent is about guiding, not doing. The old adage that implies “teaching is more profitable than doing” holds true with your teenagers as well. It’s important to impress upon your children the importance of an education. It’s not beneficial to ram a specific college down their throats and tell them if they want to attend college it will be your choice. That’s not parenting, that’s dictating. And while parenthood requires a certain amount of rules, it does not benefit your child to force them into a decision that does not match up with their passion.

If you take the time to teach your child how to apply for scholarships, how to apply for financial aid, and how to fill out a college application, you are teaching them to become independent. You are providing them with skills that will carry over into the job market and into their lives when they begin their own family. If you do it for them, they won’t learn anything and will continue to be dependent on you for other tasks as well.

But, how can you teach them if you don’t have the right tools? How can you help them to prepare for their college years if you didn’t go yourself and have no idea where to begin? That’s why I’m here! To help you find the right tools to help your teen succeed. If you have the tools and know how to use them, you can guide your future college student confidently and be assured that his college experience is personally and academically beneficial.

It’s all about the right tools for the job. I’m here to help. If you have a question about college preparation, please post it here and I’ll be happy to help. I’ve been there myself and I know how overwhelming it can be. I also know how important it is to be prepared.

What is your most pressing college question?