Smart Kids - High School
Quick Tip: Create a college application portfolio to stay organized
OK, high school students and the parents who love them so: Do you want to avoid that last-minute scramble for information to include on your college application? Of course you do!
Melissa Janak, who manages the middle and high school counseling program in the San Diego Unified School District offers this great tip: Keep a portfolio [...]
Reading: One of the best ways to prepare your teenager for college
By Lynn O’Shaughnessy
Author of “The College Solution”
One of the best ways you can prepare your teenager for college is to encourage her to read. As a practical matter, a teenager who reads is not only likely to achieve better grades in high school, but also earn higher scores on the SAT or ACT.
I understand [...]
Help teens, kids avoid the summer reading slide
If teens and younger kids don’t read during the summer, their reading level can decline two, three or even four months. Educators have a name for it: the summer slide.
Tim Shanahan, director of the Center for Literacy at the University of Chicago, said parents with a ready supply of great reads are a great cure [...]
Simple suggestions and great Web sites for college planning this summer
Summer is the perfect time for low-key college planning. Sure, hard-working high school students deserve down time to enjoy the summer. Ditto for their hard-working parents.
But setting aside time for exploring college options without the pressure of homework, tests and term papers is a smart use of your time.
Here are five simple [...]
Gallup Student Poll: 1 in 4 children are hopeful, engaged and thriving
The first ever Gallup Student Poll offers fascinating findings certain to give parents and educators food for thought. And maybe the results will prompt some thoughtful conversations around the dinner table.
The poll, described as giving students a much-needed voice in America’s discussion about high school dropout prevention and college readiness, included slightly more [...]
What it takes to make it into a University of California school
What does it take to get into a UC school? In a word - plenty.
High school seniors and their parents are learning firsthand that getting into one of the nine campuses in the University of California system takes hard work, an outstanding grade point average and equally impressive scores on the SAT or ACT. This [...]
Author and teacher Laura Preble on teens and their reading habits
A lot is said these days about most teens not liking to read much in general and not liking to read the classics in particular. Raised in the age of iPods, texting and Twittering, this should come as no surprise.
I was fortunate recently to ask Laura Preble, a veteran high school English teacher and author, [...]
The National College Fair: Coming soon to a city near you
The National College Fair will be making stops in several California locations in April. The fairs, generally held in the spring and fall, are free and a great opportunity for high school sophomores and juniors and their parents to get an early look at college choices.
In addition to exhibits featuring many, many colleges, there [...]
Proven tips from an expert on preparing for the SAT
By Chris White
College planning counselor
Just a few weeks ago, I was working with a group of about 20 students in the class of 2010. I presented the group with a general question about their thoughts on standardized testing for college admission.
Cutting straight to the chase, one student immediately responded, “I’ve been taking [...]
Essential guides for smart parents raising smart kids
At Such A Smart Mom, we believe knowledge is power. Smart parents need to know what their children should learn each year of their K-12 education, and they need a reliable roadmap to help their child make it into college.
Our “Smart Kids” series includes detailed information on what your child should learn each year. The information is drawn from the content standards set by the California Department of Education.
Our “Smart Moves: On the Road to College” is a step-by-step college planning guide that begins in the Sixth Grade.
These practical guides are meant to be printed out and referred to
