School Counselors Provide Invaluable College Planning Help

Even if you attended college, things have changed a fair bit since you were in school. Don't go it alone as you approach college planning with your student. School counselors can be great resources for parents and students.

Whether it's planning college fairs, writing letters of reference, working with students on ACT test registrations, arranging college campus visits or answering questions for parents, high school counselors wear many hats. Get to know your student's counselor and encourage your teen to do the same. The closer your relationship, the better connected you'll both feel to the advising process.

A counselor's schedule and availability varies depending on the size of the school, his or her advising responsibilities, and other factors. Ask your student's counselor about contact preferences—phone, note, office visit, email, or text messaging—and ask to be kept in the loop about upcoming events.

Keep in mind that while the counselor is dedicated to helping your student, he or she is also doing the same for many other students. Be mindful of deadlines and considerate of the counselor's time. Like you, counselors want your child to succeed.

Not Accepted by the College of Your Choice?

If your student was not selected by his or her favorite college or not accepted to any college, help your teen understand more about the process and determine the best "next steps."

College admissions officials must bring together a diverse and vibrant group of entering freshmen. Diversity includes, among other things, geographical area, race, extracurricular activities, academic interests, and essay focus. Just as your student wouldn't want to be part of a cookie-cutter freshman class, colleges seek out a wide breadth of experiences in their students. Discuss options with your teenager for the upcoming year. A few might include:

1. Accepting a second- or third-choice college.
2. Attending a community college for a year or two and then reapplying to a 4-year college. Doing this is a great way to save money and complete transferable classes. In the end, remember that the final diploma comes from the 4-year college.
3. Taking a "gap" year and working, volunteering, and/or interning.
4. Appealing to the college if new information is available (for example, maybe your student's grades went down when he or she had to care for a family member or when you lost your job). A note: Do not appeal a college's decision simply because your student was disappointed. You must offer compelling new evidence that was not presented at the time of application.
5. Using the year to beef up credentials. Your student could retake the ACT, learn a language, or add new skills that set him or her apart for the next application.

Be the "Driving" Force for Your Teen's College Education

The summer before senior year is an ideal time to begin college planning. Use this season to begin exploring college campuses with your student. Gas up the family car and head out on some road trips.

To get the most bang for your buck, plan ahead. Narrow your school list and prioritize exactly which schools merit a visit. Remember that you can find loads of information on each college's website to help with planning.

Create a list of questions that covers academics, activities and residential life. While on campus, meet with the financial aid office to determine the best ways to pay for your teenager's education.

Encourage your senior to visit the student union, ask questions of students, and possibly stay overnight on campus with a student. Admissions offices often can arrange for these visits.

At the end of the day, both your student and you must feel confident about the college decision, so use campus visits to understand which schools are the best "fit." College tours can be rewarding for the entire family, so embrace the experience and enjoy the time spent exploring the future with your student.

Spring is No Time to Slow Down

By now, your senior is headed toward home plate. Seniors are winding down from a high school career and revving up for a college one. For their part, juniors haven't quite hit the home stretch yet, but are certainly rounding third base.

Your role as a parent—to carry the sports analogy a bit further—is to be both your student's cheerleader and coach. You can encourage, strategize, and cry foul if see your student getting off track.

To better prepare your student for life after high school, remember the famous words, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." In other words, planning ahead will save you headaches down the line. Here are a few tips to help you and your student better prepare:

Juniors should . . .

• Enroll in rigorous classes during high school. ACT recommends a core curriculum including four years of English, at least three years of math, three years of science, and three years of social studies.
• Sign up to take the ACT in the spring of junior year.
• Study the results from the ACT exam to plan high school classes and explore potential careers. Students can create a Web account to use ACT's World-of-Work Map—one tool to help you plan your future.
• Set up a meeting with a school counselor to learn more about college planning.
• Begin researching colleges. Use the internet to define what is most important and to narrow the search.
• Select some "safety" schools and some "dream" schools (colleges with more stringent requirements).
• Examine financial options for higher education. Could your student qualify for a scholarship? Would a loan or grant be possible? Is work-study appropriate for your student? Discuss how much your family can contribute to college expenses. Try to get your financial house in order so you can make sound decisions once colleges come knocking on your door. Compare college costs using ACT's Financial Aid Need Estimator.

Seniors should . . .

• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online ASAP, and submit it for financial aid consideration.
• Watch for the Student Aid Report (SAR), which should arrive in the mail about four weeks after the FAFSA is filed.
• Visit colleges that have sent acceptance letters. If a physical tour is not possible, arrange to have a phone conference with a counselor and/or professor. You can also email questions. See the March 2009 ACT Parent for sample questions to ask.
• Update immunizations and have a physical before leaving for college.
• Remember important financial aid and scholarship deadlines. Staying on top of this task could save hundreds or thousands of dollars for college.
• Compare college financial aid packages. Create an Excel spreadsheet or write a list of pros and cons to make sure you're making accurate and similar comparisons.
• Stay on target regarding college deadlines and fees. Remember: even after being accepted, some colleges still require additional materials before students arrive on campus.

Visit ACT's online student college planning checklist for additional ideas and tips.

Boost the Power of Junior High

As a parent, you set high expectations for your child. While many think high school is the critical period for preparing for college, ACT research shows today's generation must be on target before they reach 8th grade. Educators are willing to help; just ask!

In the meantime, here are eight ways you can help your tween during spring semester:

1. Research summer enrichment programs—sports, music, language? Ask your pre-teen what he or she is passionate about and try to find a summer program to match that interest.
2. Schedule an interview with your student's school counselor. Ask for advice helping your student have a successful school experience.
3. Ask about ACT's EXPLORE test. The program is designed to help 8th graders in future academic and vocational success.
4. Encourage your junior high student to take a foreign language. Continuing language studies in high school prepares students for careers in a global economy. Aside from being practical, learning a language opens a new world to students.
5. Meet with your student's teachers. Is your child performing below, at, or above expectations? Ask how you can partner together to help or challenge your student.
6. Contact the principal where your student will attend high school. Ask if you and your student can have an informational meeting.
7. Discuss your academic expectations with your student.
8. Encourage your pre-teen to begin volunteering to expand skills and learn about careers.

Test Prep: Whom Can You Trust?

We've heard disturbing reports that scam artists, posing as ACT representatives, are phoning parents and teens to sell products. Your privacy is extremely important to us at ACT.

ACT, Inc. operates within a framework of internal policies and procedures that protect the personal information of its customers. ACT does not sell or provide any personally identifiable information, including ACT test scores, to any test preparation companies. It is not ACT's practice to call students registering for the ACT test or other customers and request credit card information over the phone.

If students or others receive phone calls requesting credit card information from persons or organizations claiming to represent or be affiliated with ACT, they should contact ACT Registration (319/337-1270) or the local authorities with as much information as possible about the caller.

ACT does offer free test prep help. And because we design the test, we're best qualified to help your student prepare. Check out ACT's online test prep tools. You'll find helpful practice test questions and a sample prompt for the Writing Test.

Preparing for the ACT, a booklet with a complete practice test, scoring key, writing prompt and sample essays, is available. The ACT registration packet—available from your student's counseling office—also contains the booklet.

While it's important for your teenager to be familiar with the test format, the best preparation for your student is, and remains, a rigorous high school curriculum. Support and encouragement from you is the icing on the cake!

ACT Test Date Reminder

Mark your calendar, text yourself a reminder, follow ACT on Twitter, enter the data in your Blackberry, tie a ribbon round your finger or use whatever method works best for you. . . the next nationwide ACT test date is June 13, 2009. Students registering online should register early to avoid heavy web traffic and delays.

ACT is pleased to announce a new nationwide test date. Beginning September 12, 2009, students in all 50 states may take the ACT. This day is a great opportunity for seniors to take the test in time for early college applications. The registration deadline is August 7, 2009. To learn more, visit the ACT test dates page and click on the 2009–2010 tab.

Fee waivers from the current school year can be used when registering for the September test. See your counselor before classes end for the summer.

ACT offers an optional Writing Test. Visit the ACT student website to find out about the Writing Test, including which colleges require or recommend it.

The website also provides test prep aids including free sample questions and ACT Online Prep™. You'll also find test day tips, a list of items to bring to the test, and details on what type of calculators are allowed on the Math Test.

For all questions about the ACT test, visit the ACT student website.

See also:

ACT's Information for Parents

The ACT

PLAN

EXPLORE

Financial Aid

College Search

Careers