End-of-Year Mistakes to Avoid for High School Juniors, Seniors

From: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2015/05/25/end-of-year-mistakes-to-avoid-for-high-school-juniors-seniors

During the final weeks of the school year, many students find their attention to detail and commitment to their studies waning as their attention turns to the upcoming summer vacation. This can be especially true for high school juniors and seniors, and the consequences of such end-of-year slips can be disastrous for both groups.

Though letting your motivational guard down may be irresistibly tempting, here are several year-end mistakes for high school juniors and seniors to avoid.

Junior Year Mistakes

One mistake that high school juniors should take care to avoid is allowing their test prep for the June ACT or SAT to suffer. After completing their AP exams and course finals, many juniors naturally feel the need to take a deep breath and relax their studying.
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While relaxing for a day or two is beneficial, juniors who plan to take the ACT or SAT in June should not pause their review for an extended period. Yes, you will have other opportunities to take the ACT or SAT if your results warrant it, but achieving a high score in June enables you to focus on other admissions tasks as you begin your senior year.

In addition, juniors should make sure to carefully study for any SAT subject tests they plan to take, as these exams can enhance your college applications.

In fact, college planning as a whole should stay at the forefront of your mind. For instance, you should devote sufficient time to researching schools and to touring those that interest you. By the fall of your senior year, aim to complete most, if not all, of your college visits. 

You should also thoroughly reflect on these visits – remember that senior year is often too busy with application paperwork to worry about which applications you should fill out. Your junior year is the perfect time to do this legwork.
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Juniors should choose their senior year classes with care. Select first-semester courses that improve your admissions competitiveness and second-semester classes that allow you to explore your passions and consider which teachers you will ask to write college letters of recommendation.

Downplaying the admissions process at the end of your junior year is a massive mistake with consequences that will become apparent once senior year begins.

Senior Year Mistakes

The end of senior year can lead to pitfalls that are similar to the end of junior year, though the consequences are somewhat different. Having a college acceptance in hand can sometimes mean that seniors are likely to let their motivation slip earlier in the year than juniors.

Thus, it is AP exams in May, not standardized tests in June, where the natural inclination to relax can be harmful. If you plan to sit for one or more AP exams in your senior year, remember that high marks on these assessments can result in college credit. Taking them seriously can help you start college ahead of the pack. 

Even more important, an extreme drop in grades during the second semester of your senior year can prompt some schools to rescind their admissions offers. Not only is the belief false that second-semester senior year grades do not count, it can also end in catastrophe.

Also, what you learn during the second half of your senior year can often be very useful in your freshman college courses. Skipping classes or ignoring homework assignments and projects can be detrimental both now and in the future.

Although some loss of motivation is near-unavoidable for all high school students as they approach summer vacation, too much or a poor understanding of this phenomenon can be harmful. High school juniors and seniors should make sure they avoid the mistakes outlined above, as doing so can help them achieve the goals they have set for themselves. 

College Admissions: Six College-Related Tasks Juniors Should Complete Now

From: http://www.golocalpdx.com/lifestyle/college-admissions-six-college-related-tasks-juniors-should-complete-now

Juniors, in a very short time you will be seniors! Before this school year ends there are a few tasks you should do so that make it easier for you to work on your college applications over the summer should you opt to do so.

1. Request an end-of-year transcript. You will need this over the summer to fill out your applications. Most schools send a report card rather than a transcript. Do whatever the steps are at your school to ensure you get a transcript. Most commonly they are available a week or two after school ends and you can get them from the school admin if your counselor will be off for the summer. You may need to fill out a request form. Please get a printed copy and then scan it and save it in case you misplace the printed version. ((NTHS Students - not so crucial for you to do this.))

2. If you might play an NCAA sport in college (I’m not referring to intramurals) be sure to register with theNCAA Eligibility Center. In order for coaches to speak with you this summer (after July 1), you have to be registered and they must receive your end-of-junior-year transcript. Once you register, your school will get the transcript request and upload the transcript for you. This is not a step you have to do, but it is polite to ask your counselor or school admin to be on the lookout for the NCAA Eligibility request.

3. Be sure to fill out any paperwork your high school requests. Every high school is different. Some require you to complete forms for teacher recommendations now, and other schools do that process in the fall. Some schools want you to provide a resume of your activities, or want a rec letter from your parent or best friend. These personal letters will not be sent to colleges but your school counselor might use them to make the letter he/she writes more personal. Even if you are working with an independent counselor, you still must follow all the steps requested by your high school counselor.

4. If your school uses Naviance, it is really important for you to know how to login to your Naviance account. Be sure to find out and write it in a safe place (or email it to your parents) so that you have the info if you want to work on your applications this summer.

5. If you took the ACT or SAT through your school and the school registered you for the test (rather than registering yourself online) be sure to get your ACT or SAT login information. You will need it to check and send your scores. Once again, write it down and also send it to someone (like a parent) who won’t lose it, so that you can access the account if you need to this summer.

6. If your school does not have a formalized process for requesting teacher recommendation letters, decide which two junior teachers you want to ask, and make a verbal request before school gets out. Teachers tend to be swamped at the beginning of the school year. Some teachers much prefer to write recommendation letters over the summer when they have more free time and don’t have the day-to-day teaching and grading duties. Other teachers like to take a total break over the summer and are willing to spend evenings and weekend in the fall writing rec letters. By asking now, you give the teacher the option to do what he or she prefers. (Remember that a teacher may say “no “ to your request, and asking early gives you time to decide whom else you would like to ask instead.) For detailed info about teacher rec letter requests, see my prior column.

How Not to Be a High School Helicopter Parent

From: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/2015/05/12/how-not-to-be-a-high-school-helicopter-parent

The change from middle school to high school, while daunting to students, can be equally anxiety-inducing for parents. 

For adults, the pressure to have their children get the right grades, do the right activities and get into the right college can sometimes seem overwhelming. Enter the helicopter parent – the well-intentioned mother or father who hovers so close to their teen that the child nearly gets lost in the propeller's dust cloud.

Helicopter parents have become "a colossal issue in the United States today," says Mark Reford, vice chair of BASIS Independent Schools, which runs private schools in California and New York.

Adults who prefer to keep a little more distance than helicopter parents –  to act more like airplane or satellite parents, to extend the metaphor – can easily help their children without going too far. Parents can follow these tips to make sure they are not crossing any lines. 

1. Avoid putting too much pressure on students to get good grades: While it's important for students to strive to do well in high school, putting too much emphasis on grades can backfire and make teens overly worried, says Darren Ritch, a parent of a high school student at Florida's West Port High School.

While he knows that parents shouldn't be checking their child's grades obsessively, he says he's been guilty of that behavior.   

"My son told me straight out, 'Hey Dad, you need to allow me to show you that I can be successful – you need to give me the space to show you that I can get this done,'" says Ritch. "You create a certain level of anxiety in your child if you are hovering over them every single night. You have to give them a little bit of rope." 

Even in the face of a looming C or D, parents should resist picking up a pencil and doing the work for their teen, experts say.

"Homework is supposed to be practice for the kid to get better," says Rhonda Buss, principal at California's Whitney High School. "If someone is doing it for them, then they aren't being prepared and it's actually cheating the kid."

2. Don't get too invested in the college application process: As appealing as it can be to live vicariously through a child, some parents may need to put their Ivy League dreams aside and realize their teens have different priorities, experts say.

"There are always those parents who are so totally involved in high school and then the college process and getting their kids internships," says Marian Casey, a parent of two high school students and one middle school student in private schools in Austin, Texas. "The parents are so stressed out about it and then in turn the kids are stressed out. I know that in high school they are supposed to be achieving a lot, but they are also still kids." 

3. Treat teachers with respect: While not every high teacher is going to be off-the-charts​ excellent, parents should keep in mind that most educators have the best of intentions, experts say. 

With that in mind, parents upset about what's happening in the classroom should think twice before firing off a terse email, leaving an angry voice mail​ or storming up to teachers after school. The behavior won't do your teen​ any favors and it ends up hurting faculty morale, Reford says.

"People really need to remember there is a human being who receives that email or that phone call – it can be incredibly painful for the teacher," Reford says. "Wait, and let your kids handle it. All of this gives emotional relief, but is it really what your kid needs?" 

4. Don't be in touch too often: "If you have a child in high school and you are touching base with your kid's teachers on a daily or weekly basis then you are profoundly disempowering your child," Reford says. "The message you are sending is, 'I don’t trust you to handle yourself.' Kids are really good at picking up the unspoken messages of adult behavior." 

High school is a time where parents need to allow their students to fail, experts say. Adults need to loosen their grip, let their children be independent and try to solve problems. 

As Casey puts it, "This is their world, and you do have to work hard to stay in the background."

But that doesn't mean parents have to stop advocating for their children, experts say. When Casey's oldest son ​was falling asleep during his first class, she decided to nudge him toward coffee. 

"We put a Keurig in my 10th-grader's​ bathroom and he drinks it on the way to school," she says. "You don’t have to tell them anything – ​we just work behind the scenes." 

4 reasons to notify colleges you will not be attending

http://www.examiner.com/article/4-reasons-to-notify-colleges-you-will-not-be-attending

Many students hurry to send in their tuition deposit to the college they plan on attending in the fall. Unfortunately, many of these students forget about the other colleges that sent acceptance letters. Here are four reasons why students should let the other colleges know they will not be attending in the fall.

1. Open a spot on the waitlist. If the institution is selective, it probably has a waitlist with a lot of worthy student waiting for an opening. By letting the college know they will not be attending, it could open up a spot for someone who is on the waitlist. The sooner the college hears back from students turning down their offer, the sooner they could offer the spot to another student.
2. Avoid awkward emails and phone calls. The media focuses on the colleges that have strict May 1 deadlines to submit tuition deposits. However, many colleges allow students to submit deposits after May 1. If these colleges do not hear back from students, they may start contacting the students to learn of their plans for college. While admissions officers probably know that students are planning on not attending in the fall, they need to hear from the student before cancelling their application. Sometimes these conversations can make the students feel awkward or uncomfortable. To some students, it feels like a “break-up.” Students can avoid these awkward conversations by letting the colleges know as soon as they know they will not be attending.
3. Keep a good relationship with the admissions officer. There are great admissions officers out there and many form great professional relationships with their prospective students. These admissions officers spend countless hours working with students throughout the year, including traveling to high schools and college fairs, answering questions, and reading applications. They might have done more work for students than students think, including “going to bat” for the student to admit them. It is the nice thing to do for students to let them know they will not be attending. Plus, students never know if they will come into contact with the admission officer in the future. For example, if things do not work out at the college they initially chose, being nice and professional with the admission officer at the college they once turned down could help them if they reapply.
4. Help colleges understand why you chose another college. In addition to telling colleges they are not attending, colleges will also want to know what college the student chose to attend and why. This is important information for them so that they can learn what they can do in the future to attract students. For example, if the financial aid package was lacking compared to the college the student chose, it is important to let them know. This could lead the college to change their financial aid policies and help future students who apply for admission.

Most colleges make it easy to let them know that students will not be attending in the fall. Some include a form that can be mailed back to the admissions office with postage already paid, while others ask students to log into their admission portal to let them know. Even a simple email to the admissions officer letting them know of their plans would be helpful. No matter what, students should let the colleges know they will not be attending in the fall.

12 things to do after submitting your tuition deposit

http://www.examiner.com/article/12-things-to-do-after-submitting-your-tuition-deposit

Congratulations to all of the students who have made their final college choice. While the big choice has been made and the tuition deposit has been sent, there are still some things students need to remember before heading off to college in the fall. Here are 12 easy, but important, things to do after submitting the tuition deposit.

1. Notify other colleges you won’t be attending. The majority of colleges make it very easy for students to let them know that they will not be attending in the fall. By turning down the admission offer, it could open up a spot for someone on the waitlist. It is also professional and nice for students to let the colleges and admissions officers know they will not be attending.
2. Thank everyone who helped. There were probably many people who helped sometime during the college admissions process. Some of the helpers probably include school counselors, teachers, letter of recommendation writers, coaches, parents, and family members, just to name a few. It was a long process and a lot of people helped out. It is a nice gesture to thank them for their help and let them know the college you will be attending. Let the helpers celebrate your success and future plans.
3. Submit the housing application/questionnaire and deposit. Many colleges have deadlines to get the housing application in to guarantee housing for incoming freshman students. Students need to make sure to pay attention to the deadlines and submit all required housing documents by the deadline. Students should also make sure they are honest when filling out the housing questionnaire. It is important for students to answer the questions honest about who they are, not who they think or want to be. For example, if the student is a little messy, they should not say they are neat. The questions on the housing application help the housing office match students with similar habits. When students are polar opposites in regards to habits (i.e. room cleanliness), it could cause some conflicts.
4. Pay attention to email and the mail. The college may contact students to request information. Typically these requests have deadlines and deadlines are sometimes non-negotiable. Therefore, students should make sure they open every piece of mail and every email from the college to ensure they respond to any request from the college. Missing a deadline or not submitting a requested document could jeopardize enrollment in the fall.
5. Update FAFSA and provide required financial aid documents. If students estimated the figures to get the FAFSA in by the deadline, students and parents need to log back in and provide correct information. In addition, if the college is requesting financial aid documents, such as tax forms, students need to make sure the items are submitted. For many students, the financial aid award letter played a large role in the final college decision. Therefore, students need to make sure all documents are submitted to the financial aid office to ensure they do not lose out on a scholarships or grant.
6. Submit final high school transcript. The majority of colleges need and require the final transcript. Many high schools will automatically send transcripts to the colleges. However, it is a good idea to check with the school counselor to make sure the transcript will be sent.
7. Submit the latest college transcript. If students have taken college courses, the college the student will be attending in the fall will need the transcript. Without the official transcript, the college will not be able to award credit for the classes the student already took.
8. Submit AP and/or IB test scores. Many colleges will give college credit for AP or IB test scores. However, the only way to ensure the credit is given to the students is to make sure the official test report is sent to the college.
9. Sign up for placement tests. If colleges require placement tests, it is important to sign up. Placement tests will help academic advisors place student in classes in the fall.
10. Sign up for academic advising and registration. Depending on the college, some courses may fill up quickly. The sooner students sign up for academic advising and registration, the sooner they can register for classes and ensure they get in the classes they need and want in the fall.
11. Sign up for new student orientation. New student orientation is a great way for students to get familiar with the college, as well as meet other new students. Make sure the date is on the calendar and make plans to attend.
12. Continue looking for scholarships. It is never too late to get a scholarship. In addition to my monthly list of scholarships, there are also many great scholarships search site available, such as Fastweb and ScholarshipExperts.

The above list looks long, but the tasks are easy. Students should make sure to take care of all of these items to ensure a smooth transition to college. In addition to the above items, colleges may have additional things to do. Therefore, students should remember to pay attention to their mail and email for anything from their college.