College Choices and Options for Your Teenager

Nothing is more difficult as a parent than watching your babies leave the nest.


This moment can happen at any age, but one of the most common associations is on the day they start college courses.

Even if your child will be living at home for a few years when they start school, the beginning of college still marks the beginning of their adult life. So, how do you prepare your kids for the process of choosing a college based on their needs? And, how do you do this while recognizing that this decision is, ultimately, up to your child?

Even though this can feel like a thin tight rope to walk, and you may be more nervous about your child’s choice of college than he or she is, it is still very important to have a discussion with your teen about future college plans. In fact, this conversation can be helpful for you both.

Here are some good tips for going about it:

1. Be realistic about your expectations.  This is probably the most important step parents need to reach in order to have a successful talk with their teen about college. There is nothing wrong about setting high standards for your children and having high hopes for the education that they will pursue after graduation, especially if you intend to pay for it. However, you have to remember that, once they graduate high school, your kids’ lives are technically in their own hands. They will be of the age to make their own decisions and determine their own futures. So, parents need to reach a healthy balance of personal expectations and allowing their children the freedom to follow their own dreams before a conversation can be had.

2. Figure out how they feel.  The next step after you have come to terms with your own expectations is to figure out what your child’s expectations are for him or herself. Starting in on page twenty when your kid has only thought about college to about page four won’t really work. Likewise, falsely assuming your child is starting at square one when, in fact, he or she has been researching schools for months is another way to start the conversation off on the wrong foot. Instead, ask your child how much time they have spent thinking about going to college. Then, ask them what they have been feeling about it. Figure out where your kids are in the process before you carry on with a discussion.

3. Make sure they understand the commitment.  There is more to college than picking a school and signing up. College students are no longer on a high school timetable where they attend school from 8 to 3 every day and have their schedules lined up for them. In college, your child will be responsible for getting himself to class on his own and getting work done in a timely manner without parental supervision. There is also a huge financial commitment involved in enrollment. Once you know your child’s plans, you can discuss with them the realities of those plans and how they mesh with the realities of what your family can provide.

4. Ask what you can do to help.  Instead of becoming a dictator in your child’s college search, simply ask what you can do to help the process. Ultimately, unless your child wants you to choose a school for them, the choice of where to go and what to study is up to your kid, so you should simply act as a form of help and guidance in the process. Let them know that you are there for them, no matter what. If your teenager doesn’t seem to know how to take the first steps toward figuring out college plans, then you can step in and provide a little direction by setting up school visits and looking for information about degree plans.

5. Suggest other sources of guidance.  If your teen is less than enthusiastic about working with you on college plans, you can refer them to someone you trust to provide insight and advice. Try suggesting that they talk to their favorite teacher, a college-aged cousin, or anyone else who has their best interests at heart for help along the way.

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College Applications: 5 Tips for Applicants and Parents

As second semester is sailing into spring, juniors are now prepping for their SATs, ACTs and looking at colleges.  This summer many are planning their trips to visit colleges they would like to attend for their next step in education.  A special guest post by Debbie Lawrence from Schools.com has some very good tips for both parents and students to take advantage of.

5 Easy Ways to Help Prepare Your Kid(s) for College Applications

The end of junior year of high school is a time for both celebration and organization. While the end of the year allows students to breathe a collective sigh of relief, they don’t get to relax for too long before being submerged into the deep waters of the college application process. It can be an exciting time for students, who can finally see college on the horizon, but for many it can also be a daunting experience. This is why it’s important that parents play a supporting role in the college application process, whether their son/daughter likes it or not. While many students think that parental advice and encouragement is akin to nagging, students usually come to appreciate all of the help they received.

As a parent, you play a pivotal role in helping your student streamline the applications process and while it can be time-consuming, it is also worthwhile. There is an easy way to approach this nerve-wracking
experience though – it’s called thinking ahead.

Here are five simple ways to help prepare you and your kid(s) for the college application process without the unwanted stress:

1. Help them make a checklist

College applications usually require a number of different pieces to come together, and that is often difficult for a high school student who has limited experience managing their time, which is where you come in. Don’t make the list for them, but help them make a list of all the different essays and transcripts and recommendations they will need to complete the applications. That way, when it comes time to actually submit the application, your student can refer to their list to ensure they aren’t missing a crucial part of the application.

2. Research the financial aid possibilities with them

Let’s face it, unless your student is Justin Bieber or Dakota Fanning, the money for college is either going to come from you, from financial aid, or from a combination of the two. Also, most high school students understand the cost of college, but because they aren’t paying the bills themselves, cost is low on their list of priorities.  If you want your student to be fiscally responsible, involve them in the financial aid research and decision-making process, and work with them to guide their decisions.

3. Use the common application for as many schools as possible.

According to its website, the common application now has 456 member schools in 46 different states as well as France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Switzerland. This means the chances are high that, if your student is looking at a bunch of schools, some of those schools are common application members. Gathering all the information that the common application requires is quite the undertaking, and most schools still have additional, school-specific requirements. But once you have collected all of the information, you can use that same information to apply to as many member schools as you want. This will save you and your student countless hours of tedious work and will make the application process more efficient.

4. Discuss interests and options with your student

This can be tricky because some students will see this as nagging, but it is still important to get your student thinking about their future, especially because high school students tend to live in the present. Trying to push them towards a school or program will undoubtedly backfire, so just listen instead. Let your student decide what programs and extracurriculars he might be interested in, and then present him with some schools that fit his/her interests best. Moreover, this is a great opportunity to find a tutor in order to give them some SAT help or help them improve any weaknesses in subjects that they might be struggling with. 

5.      Always offer your help and be supportive of their decisions.
Some kids don’t want any help from their parents and respond negatively when they try. They want you to trust that they will do their own applications while also offering help if they have questions. Maintaining a positive atmosphere is essential when the deadlines are just a stone’s throw away and your student is experiencing all-time stress levels. Remember, you were there once too, and the same things you wish you had done differently could be the same things your child may regret in the future. We all know you just want the best for them, and they will have it, once this process is all over.

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Helping Your Teen Select their College Courses

Tips to help your teen choose the right classes.

School is wrapping up in many areas of our country.  Many high school graduates are looking at higher education and starting college.  The question is – what classes should they take, in addition to their core classes they need.  This can be a struggle, but here are some tips to help you with this process.

With so many choices, it can be hard to narrow down what courses you need to take this semester or throughout your college career. Yet there are some things you need to keep in mind when it comes time to sign up for courses, whether it’s for a full semester or just for the summer.

If you’ve never been the type who’s good at choosing courses, use these pointers to guide you through the process and help you choose courses that will best serve your major and your long-term goals.

• Know the requirements. First and foremost, you need to look at the requirements for your major. Some classes are only offered in specific semesters and may be prerequisites for other courses you’ll need to take, so getting them out of the way when you can is essential to keeping on track for graduation. If you’re unsure of your major’s requirements, talk to the department head or your academic advisor.

• Focus on classes for your major first. The first classes you add into your schedule should be ones that help you complete requirements for your major or minor. You don’t want to drag out taking required courses, so get as many out of the way as you can. You also want to make sure you’re signing up for at least one course that meets your school’s general education requirements if you haven’t already taken care of these.

• Look through the course catalog. If you’re unsure of what courses to take, look through the course catalog. Take time to mark classes that seem interesting to you and figure out which would best fit into your current schedule.

• Fill in your schedule with electives. Whatever hours you have left should be taken up with electives. In general, students who are attending full time should not take less than 15 hours of classes, so always sign up for at least that much if you want to graduate in four years. Electives can be classes that are just for fun or on topics that supplement what you’re learning in your classes for your major.

• Consider the professors. Finally, find out a bit about the professors who are teaching the courses. The most interesting class in the world can put you to sleep if it doesn’t have a great professor teaching it.

If you’re still struggling with choosing courses, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You academic advisors are there to aid you in working through issues like this and can help you to plan out this semester or all of those which you have left.

Source:  Online Colleges

Continue reading on Examiner.com Best ways to choose your college courses – Jacksonville Parenting Teens | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-jacksonville/best-ways-to-choose-your-college-courses#ixzz1Oh3fXGWj

Best Books About Higher Education

Students go to college to receive a higher education, but the industry itself is worthy of study. Budgets, challenges, politics, and reform are all interesting, evolving subjects in higher education. Explore these issues and more in the following books about the past, present, and future state of higher education.

The 20 Best Books About Higher Education:

1. Higher Education?: How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids—and What We Can Do About It: Read Higher Education? to see how colleges are wasting money and failing kids.
2. The Shaping of American Higher Education: In The Shaping of American Higher Education, you can learn how the contemporary higher education system came to be through history.
3. 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: Want to complete a career-driven education? This book has valuable information on what you need to learn before you graduate and start your job search.
4. American Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century: Learn about the social, political, and economic challenges of higher education in the 21st century from this book.
5. Crisis on Campus: Crisis on Campus has a bold plan for reforming colleges and universities.
6. No Sucker Left Behind: Find out about price gouging schemes in college, plus online resources for students in No Sucker Left Behind.
7. Universities in the Marketplace: Universities in the Marketplace offers a lesson on the commercialization of higher education, written by a former president of Harvard.
8. American Higher Education: American Higher Education shares a history of the higher education system, exploring common misconceptions and explaining how modern controversies are not all that new.
9. Student Engagement in Higher Education: See how students are being engaged and connected to the college experience, including groups like LGBT students, minorities, and students with disabilities.
10. DIY U: DIY U discusses the diminishing returns of college education and the upcoming transformation in higher education.
11. The Lost Soul of Higher Education: You’ll learn about the challenges to academic freedom and historic battles in the soul of higher education in this book.
12. The Five Year Party: Have colleges given up on educating? Find out what you can do about it by reading The Five Year Party.
13. Shakespeare, Einstein, and the Bottom Line: See how colleges have crumbled under market pressures and trends, turning students into customers and schools into brands and revenue centers through this book on the marketing of higher education.
14. Academically Adrift: Academically Adrift questions whether college students are really learning once they get to college.
15. Making Reform Work: Check out Making Reform Work to learn about ideas for improving American higher education.
16. They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: In this book, you’ll learn about the gap from college education to the corporate world, and how you can learn to enter the business world.
17. Getting from College to Career: Lindsey Pollak’s book shares 90 things you should do to build experiences and confidence before starting your job search.
18. Higher Education: Read Higher Education to learn about the challenges that are faced by today’s college grads, including a slow job market, debt, and new technology.
19. The Heart of Higher Education: In this book, you’ll find a call for change and renewal in higher education.
20. How Colleges Work: How Colleges Work offers an analysis of the academic organization and leadership of universities.

Continue reading on Examiner.com No Sucker Left Behind: Avoiding the Great College Rip-off - Fort Lauderdale Parenting Teens | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/no-sucker-left-behind-avoiding-the-great-college-rip-off#ixzz1OguJzgJV

10 Historical College Campuses

Flagler College in St. Augustine

As many high school juniors and seniors are busy debating on what higher education path they will be traveling, it is always fun and educational to look at a diversity of universities and their origin.

In St. Augustine, our nation's oldest city, Flagler College is one of the most beautiful campuses that combines history and education with the small town family atmosphere.

Although colleges and universities more than understandably evolved over the centuries, all of them owe a debt of gratitude to the medieval institutions who started it all. Since 1088, the world of higher education has expanded magnanimously to all corners of the globe, encompassing a far more diverse range of programs, faculty, staff and students. The following have paid witness to this drastic change more than any others, laying the rocksteady foundation for today's institutions. But even beyond that, they have all played an active role in shaping world history itself, regardless of their contributions' sizes.

1. University of Bologna: This lauded institution has been in continuous operation since 1088, give or take a few years. For the longest time, they only offered doctoral degrees, though in recent times they expanded their offerings. Today, around 100,000 students spread across 23 different faculties at 8 different branches and schools — including an international location in Buenos Aires. Considering its Catholic roots, it probably comes as little surprise that University of Bologna receives accolades for its civil and canon law programs. Throughout its incredible history, the school has graduated such diverse cultural luminaries as Dante Alighieri, Nicolaus Copernicus, Albrecht D–rer and Umberto Eco.
2. University of Oxford: As with many medieval universities, the exact date of founding remains largely unknown, though it's well known that teaching was going on in 1096. Although the oldest English-speaking school in the world (pictured), much of University of Oxford's wealthy intellectual legacy stems from massive influxes of Continental students and ideologies. Catholic orders, Renaissance beliefs and figures and scholars fleeing Nazism and Communism have all, at one time or another, flocked to this academic safe haven and eventually left their permanent mark. The year 1878 saw the landmark addition of the first women's college, with a second following a year later — and three more came shortly thereafter. Even today, it remains one of the world's most eclectic, prestigious and influential universities thanks to this diverse heritage.
3. University of Salamanca: Spain's oldest university started offering classes around 1130, but never received a papal charter until 1218 and a royal charter from King Alfonso X until 1254. By 1255, it was able to refer to itself as a university thanks to the confirmation of Pope Alexander IV. Because of its age, this institution participated in its fair share of notable historical events, both amazing and absolutely terrible. For one, many of its graduates and faculty assisted the government in its unjust expulsion and torturing of innocent Jews. Geographers at the University of Salamanca also played an integral role in assisting Christoffa Corombo on his historic voyage attempting to discover a quicker trade route towards the West Indies. After his accidental landing in the Americas, the very same school that backed his journey would go on to debate the ethical and economic impact of interacting with its indigenous peoples.
4. University of Modena: University of Modena actually spreads itself across the eponymous city as well as Reggio Emilia, with eight faculties comprising the former and four in the latter. The original campus was founded in 1175 by former University of Bologna educator Pillio of Medicina, but its original medieval structure fizzled out entirely by 1338. At that point, it ceased offering degrees and focused more on holding classes until funding forced the 1590 suspension. However, it revived itself in Modena around 1680 and eventually picked up its charter five years later. Today, both campuses host a total of around 20,000 students. Anyone visiting Modena needs to head over to the school and explore the Orto Botanico dell'Universit– di Modena e Reggio Emilia. This free botanical garden began as a small plot for medicinal plants, grew into an herbarium and subsequently expanded to its lush form locals and tourists currently enjoy.
5. University of Vicenza: Many academics, unfortunately, consider the University of Vicenza one of the least significant surviving medieval schools. In spite of this mindset, however, it still deserves recognition for its age and endurance. It was founded in 1204 and received recognition as a stadium generale at some point in the 13th Century.
6. University of Cambridge: The second-oldest stadium generale in the English-speaking world sprouted thanks to the first. Because of myriad disputes with faculty and townspeople alike, a small throng of Oxford intellectuals went on to found the competing university in 1209. Today, it is considered amongst the best institutes of higher learning on the planet, but it certainly took an interesting historical path to get here. On the orders of King Henry XIII, Cambridge disbanded its canon law program and dissolved any and all associations with Catholicism. As a result, classes shifted towards math, science, the classics and Bible — offerings which eventually inspired some of the most influential politicians, scientists, mathematicians, writers and thinkers of all time. Without Cambridge, there would be no laws of motion, atom splitting, unified electromagnetism, theory of evolution and natural selection, Turing machines or quantum mechanics. Nor would the electron, hydrogen or structure of DNA been discovered. Among a staggering heap of other accomplishments, of course.
7. University of Padua: A 1222 split from the University of Bologna resulted in the creation of University of Padua, whose new students and faculty desired more flexibility and freedom. At first, it only focused on providing degrees in law and theology, though it expanded its offerings to include astronomy, rhetoric, medicine, dialectic, philosophy, rhetoric, grammar and philosophy by 1399. During and shortly after the Renaissance, University of Padua enjoyed recognition as one of the world's intellectual and research powerhouses, likely due to its closer affiliation with the Venetian government than the Catholic Church. Even now, the 65,000-student institution is oftentimes considered amongst the greatest institutes of higher learning in Italy.
8. University of Naples Federico II: Unlike the other historical universities listed here, this one never affiliated itself with any religious institution. Rather, it received its initial patronage from Emperor Frederico II in 1224, making it the oldest state school in the world. Curiously enough, however, its most famous alum made a name for himself as one of the foremost Catholic theologians. St. Thomas Aquinas likely formed many of his influential religious theories based on his exposure to classical philosophy, letters and political science at University of Naples Federico II.
9. University of Siena: Established in 1240, University of Siena funded itself on taxes levied upon individuals and families renting living quarters to citizens. By 1252, Pope Innocent IV was declaring that teachers and students alike would be exempt from taxes, forced labor, night watchman duty and military service — particularly those involved with Latin, medicine and the natural sciences. Following a giant influx of University of Bologna faculty and students angered with a young man's death sentence, the institution in Siena swelled significantly, even enjoying stadium generale status. While it may not have played a huge role in Italian history, the school did witness major power switches in the region and hosted many extremely vocal demonstrations against Risorgimento.
10. University of Coimbra: Portugal's oldest university is a public school founded in 1290 following the approval of King Dinis. It actually started out in Lisbon before the 1308 move to Coimbra — a result of tensions with Pope Nicholas IV, the citizenry and the students. The core curriculum originally offered classes in the arts, canon law, law and medicine, which remained intact during the transition. In 1338, King Alfonso IV brought the school back to Lisbon, where it stayed until 1537 when King Jo–o III sent it to Coimbra permanently.

Special contributor:  Carol Brown

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Sue Scheff: Alternatives to a Traditional College

Source: Education.com

By Laura Davy

Your teen's about to graduate from high school and you think the next step should be college, but she has other plans. Some students want time to think about different college majors or jobs before taking the big step. Other teens never enjoyed school in the first place and don't want to continue on. Either way, there are options that can help your child find a great career. Leah Dockter, a career development counselor at three North Dakota high schools, reassures, “Some students are hands on people and they shouldn't go to a four-year school with a lot of writing and reading, that's not what works best. They have to find what they like.”

Whether your teen wants to stay out of the traditional college arena permanently, or for just a year or two, here are some options that can lead to a great career:

Trade School or Apprenticeship – For a teen who doesn't like book-learning, a hands-on apprenticeship or trade school may be just the ticket. You study what applies to your field, so if your teen's working with engines he won't be reading Shakespeare in class. A spokeswoman from the US Department of Labor says, “Our apprenticeship program has a very high rate of retention, people staying in the field and making a career.”

Find out more about trade schools and apprenticeships:

http://www.doleta.gov/OA/eta_default.cfm
http://www.trade-school.org/

Stay at Current Job – Another reason teens don't want to go to college may be because they want to work full-time at their current job. Dockter suggests parents help their children look at the benefits, potential raises, and promotion opportunities. Jobs that can lead to careers:
Restaurants Got a cook in your family? You don't need a college degree to get into the culinary field. Some of the greatest chefs started out as busboys until their job paid for culinary school, such as critically-acclaimed chef Bobby Flay.

Beauty Salon Although it may start with sweeping hair, many salons offer on-the-job training, or tuition to attend trade school to become a stylist.

An Entrepreneur If your teen has a mind for business and not college, remember that Michael Dell dropped out of The University of Texas at Austin because the Dell company he created was doing well.

Volunteering – This is a great way for teens to discover fields they're interested in. Check out these great volunteering opportunities:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/
http://www.americorps.org/about/programs/nccc.asp
http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/default.asp

Traveling – Traveling may be one of the biggest incentives for teens not to go to college straight out of high school. Traveling exposes teens to new experiences and cultures that can make them into a more rounded person. Traveling costs a pretty penny, but it doesn't have to if you combine traveling with work. Just remember you'll have to apply far in advance. Find the job abroad that's perfect for your teen:

http://www.jobsabroad.com/search.cfm
http://www.bunac.org/usa/
http://www.tesolonline.com/

So, if formal education isn't in the cards for your child right now, focus instead on helping her discover her interests and capitalize on her talents with these rich programs. A little research can go a long way.