Applying to College is a Process

Applying to College is a Process ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog You may have heard it said before that applying to college is a “process,” and it really is. Additionally, every student’s process is different. However, there are some typical stages a student may go through to find their ideal college, and in this blog we outline them for you. Getting Underway We recommend that students seriously begin the college process during their junior year. If students or families are college-focused, there are things freshman and sophomores can do, but they mostly revolve around earning strong grades and getting involved in activities. Toward the middle of junior year, students can kick- off the college process by determining what qualities they want in an ideal college. Students should consider size, location, major, and other factors to create an initial list of schools. Exploration During the next stage of the process, students will research potential colleges online, in books, through campus visits and other ways. By learning more about colleges, students can determine which schools they really like and which ones they don’t. They can also determine which criteria are more important than others (ie, “It’s really important to me that the school has an equestrian program, so I’ll look at schools smaller than I initially wanted.”) During this stage, it’s important that students verbalize their goals and be realistic about their expectations. It’s also helpful when families plan college visits and attend college-sponsored information sessions. Applications When it comes time to apply to colleges, the stress level can be at an all-time high. Deadlines, essays, resumes, interviews... the list goes on and it can be a lot for a student to manage alone. Parents, school counselors, admission counselors and college counselors are all helpful resources to help students during this time. Financing College At some point, hopefully earlier rather than later, families need to have a conversation about the cost of college and how to pay for it. Honesty is the best policy; parents should let students know what their realistic options are. Students may need to add less expensive colleges to the list, apply to schools where they are likely to receive a grant, and/or apply for scholarships. Decisions, Decisions The final stage of the process is usually the favorite one, but it doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Once a student has (hopefully) a few acceptances to various colleges, the family needs to sit down and weigh the pros and cons of each school. Sometimes it’s an easy decision, but occasionally it’s really difficult. Families need to have these discussions and come up with a decision that everyone is happy with. At Campus Bound, we are college admissions specialists and financial aid experts because we love working with individual students to help them realize their goals and dreams. We enjoy helping parents by answering their questions and taking the stress away from them and their children. If you feel that a college counselor could help you through the process, talk with us for free about the services we offer and how we may be able to help you. Find us at www.campusbound.com or call us at 781-274-8400. Written by: Kristen Bixby, College Counselor for Campus Bound

What Kids with ADHD Wish Their Teachers Knew

What Kids with ADHD Wish Their Teachers Knew For the past five years a Colorado elementary school teacher has asked each of her students to write down one thing that they would like her to know about them. Last year she started sharing her students responses online and the Twitter hashtag #iwishmyteacherknew went viral. This week the story was picked up by The New York Times and the teacher, Kyle Schwartz, recently published a book on the topic. The honesty and vulnerability reflected in the students responses has tugged at the heartstrings of teachers and parents across the country. They remind us that kids intuitively know what our educational system too often seems forget - that their social and emotional lives define who they are as students and affect their ability to learn. (Source: http://iwishmyteacherknewbook.com/) Perhaps more than any other students, kids and teens with ADHD are misunderstood. Their outward behavior and performance often doesnt reflect their internal world. Their ADHD symptoms make it hard for them to meet the expectations of teachers and classmates, and they get worn down by the daily struggle to fit into classrooms that werent designed with their brains in mind. Students with ADHD wish their teachers knew that: They are frustrated and discouraged before they even get to class because their ADHD makes it so hard to get ready for school every morning and out the door on time. They dont choose to only focus on things that are really interesting to them. Its just that no matter how hard they try they cant seem to get their brains to click into gear when something is dull. They cant stand that they disappoint people. They feel embarrassed when their teacher criticizes them in front of the class, even if they dont let their feelings show. They get discouraged when teachers tell them to try harder. Theyre already trying hard, but its difficult to see because their ADHD keeps getting in the way. They feel like they dont fit in and they dont know why. They wish they had more friends, but nothing that they do seems to get kids to like them more. They need help. And they know it. But they dont always know how to ask for it. There is so much that kids and teens with ADHD want their teachers to know about them, and this list is only the tip of the iceberg. Maybe one of the most important generalized insights is that students with ADHD dont always understand why things are hard for them but they desperately wish they could fit in and meet the expectations of their teachers, fellow students, and parents. Every student with ADHD struggles, but how that struggle plays out is different for each individual. I would encourage teachers to spend some extra time getting to know their students with ADHD. Ask them to write down something they wish you knew about them. Talk to them about the things that are hard. Then work together on strategies that will help them reach their full potential. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.