How to Help Oldest Child Prepare

Parents Forum
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<p>There are many threads on this topic. Some people are like your husband, and some are just into the false hope that a degree from Prestige U will make life and young adulthood infinitely better. But have your husband read some of these threads. The most heartbreaking I’ve seen is post 51 of this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/917704-no-win-situation-4.html#post1064742496[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/917704-no-win-situation-4.html#post1064742496&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/476132-should-you-incur-substantial-debt-dream-school-even-pay-dream-tuition.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/476132-should-you-incur-substantial-debt-dream-school-even-pay-dream-tuition.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>not a thread but a news article:
[UPDATED:</a> Share Your Story – Majoring In Debt](<a href=“UPDATED: Share Your Story -- Majoring In Debt | HuffPost College”>UPDATED: Share Your Story -- Majoring In Debt | HuffPost College)</p>

<p>ok, the news article came from a thread, but I say it only in fear that an English teacher will materialize and slap me for not citing my sources - the thread wandered off topic IMO.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/924689-college-debt-student-stories.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/924689-college-debt-student-stories.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This is an important issue - go to [FAFSA4caster</a> - Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/complete001.jsf]FAFSA4caster”>http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/complete001.jsf) and find out for real what you will be expected to pay. Also, be aware that the end product of this thing is your Expected Family Contribution - this does NOT (typically) include the few thousand a year the school may offer your child in loans. So if your husband wants to make sure your daughter has her dream, keep in mind that whatever the EFC is PLUS up to $5500 / year in student loans, is what it will cost.</p>

<p>And whatever you can afford, and whatever you decide, PLEASE communicate it with your daughter at least by early Junior year. Don’t let her get all excited for something only to find out it isn’t reasonable or possible to go. But there are hundreds of schools that would be great for her, not just Vanderbilt :D</p>

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<p>Hi! Welcome :)</p>

<p>You have received some awesome information. I have one thing I don’t think has been mentioned, and will echo a couple of other ideas.</p>

<p>I can not express the importance of keeping in touch with your students guidance counselor. If they are at a large school, they will have a lot of students to keep track of. Your student will meet with them periodically but that’s not much face time. You don’t have to be ‘that’ parent to email with questions once in a while that pertain to your students classes, activities, SATs, etc. Gently make sure she knows who your child is. Ask if she can meet with your child BEFORE the recommendation is written for a mini-interview so they can discuss activities and achievements, as well as what the student wants to study. Give them a paper with your students name listing all activities and awards to add to the file at this time. It won’t be official, but it’s a nice way for them to reflect on the interview when they have to write that letter. Request this the end of their Jr year to happen the beginning of the Sr year. Call the end of September for the appointment.</p>

<p>Make sure each year your students transcript is correct. Errors are made. It’s data entry. Check more often from the end of the Jr year.</p>

<p>Take both the ACT and SAT. Many schools will accept either. Depending on the student, they may score statistically higher on one than the other. Take both using self review and preparation. I would only advocate a prep class if you see a need after test results and feel you would benefit. If you only need to go up in one area, your $$ may be better spent on a private tutor who can skip the other subjects and focus entirely on what your area of need is.</p>

<p>The only SAT2 subject test I may consider leaving until the fall of your Sr. year would be foreign language if you are continuing through your Sr. year. You will have extra time under your belt before the test (as well as prep time that doesn’t conflict with other AP tests, SOL’s, SAT’s, SAT2’s, Finals, etc.).</p>

<p>Become familiar with the ‘Common Data Set’ for schools of interest. You can google this along with the school name (or there is a link on this site). It lists all enrollment, financial commitment, freshman class profile, etc. in a singular format. You can look at school A, B, & C, and easily see what the GPA, SAT scores were, and what the school ranked as highly, very, important, not very, or not at all in the decision process (ie class rank, GPA, legacy, instate, race, etc.). You can see that school A really cares about your EC’s while school C really only cares about your GPA and class rank. I printed these for my son for his target schools in his Jr. year. It was very sobering for him & they were tacked above his desk as a reminder.</p>

<p>Check each target school as to general admission requirements. They may require 3 years of a language but ‘suggest’ 5. They may require 3 years of a ‘lab’ science. This is good to know when you are deciding between earth science and bio. Make a chart for a projected class schedule through graduation to make sure requirements (and hopefully suggestions) are met, along with your schools graduation requirements. Your sr year is too late to learn you really should have had 5years of spanish but you dropped the class after spanish 3 your soph year. This is subject to change constantly, but having a working document was VERY helpful. We didn’t feel like it was a shot in the dark each year.</p>

<p>Good luck to you. I hope some of this was helpful.
Peace</p>