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Important Tip for Parents of Seniors!
One of my friends saw me at the store and asked me a simple little question. “What should my senior be doing right now?” I suggest the following checklist just for seniors:
The FAFSA is a government form you fill out to determine your financial “need” for scholarships. Financial aid is sometimes “first come – first served” so apply as soon as possible in January.
2. Apply to colleges
Every college has its own unique requirements and time lines, so check each college website under “apply” or “admissions.” Most students apply to between five and eight colleges.
3. Sign up for college tests
Colleges may want to see the SAT, ACT, AP or SAT Subject tests, so sign up for those tests if you haven’t taken necessary tests already. Study for the test if you need to take one.
I am here to help you with your high school years and college admissions. My Gold Care Club will give you all the help you need to succeed!
Applying to college doesn’t mean you’ll get in. And frankly, rejection HURTS. This letter is from Michelle, who shares her hurting heart and looks for words of encouragement and suggestions.
Hi Lee,
I guess I am writing you to just vent. My daughter applied to BYU-Idaho last month and she just received an email telling her that her homeschool transcript was not valid.
Here is the exact message: “Thank you for your interest in attending a CES school. We have received your home school transcript, but unfortunately, our office is unable to process it as it is not from an accredited institution. However, if you have attended an accredited high school institution and have additional credit from that institution, could you please send us that transcript? Thank you so much and have a nice day!”
I got your book a couple years ago, studied it and followed it very closely so I would have a transcript that would be taken seriously. I sent a transcript on official watermarked paper, used Transcript Pro to help me with the layout and included a separate course descriptions packet. Everything depended on the professionalism of the transcript and course descriptions because my daughter hasn’t take a single course that was accredited, due to finances. She took courses from accredited schools, but we couldn’t afford their record keeping services on top of the tuition. She did dual enrollment this year at a local private college and did very well.
Receiving this email from the college was like a slap in the face, especially since it was my and my husband’s alma mater. She has applied to two other colleges and now I am very nervous about her prospects and her future. Do you have any words of encouragement?
Thanks,
Michelle
Dear Michelle,
Vent away! Not everything works out perfectly, that’s for sure.
High School Graduation: Applicants should be graduates of fully accredited high schools. Those who complete their secondary education through the General Education Development Test (GED), home study, home school, or other programs will be reviewed individually by the Admissions Committee to determine admissibility. Additional information (achievement tests, personal interview, etc.) may be required as part of the application process.
I’d say “push back.” The policy looks similar to the University of California policy. Call the admission office and ask that your application packet be “individually reviewed.”
Better still, have your child call the admission office. Have your child quote their policy and ask them to review her application individually.
My own Alma Mater gave me a slap in the face, too. The University of Washington rejected our application until I called and asked for an individual review. It was AFTER that and AFTER they read my course description that we were given admission and good scholarships.
Home/Private School Information: Home school, private school, and charter school diplomas are only accepted from schools accredited with the following accrediting organizations. If your program is not accredited with one of the above organizations, you will be required to submit one of the following in addition to your ACT or SAT scores for the academic portion of your admission review: GED, COMPASS, 15 credits at an accredited college/university.
Your daughter HAS taken some accredited courses (or good-as accredited) if she took some dual enrollment classes. I would be sure to point that out to them. Make sure you have that college send a transcript to the university as well. That alone could change everything.
You might also give them some feedback based on the wording of their rejection. Another mom did that, and was quite successful. You can read the story here: College Policy Discourages Homeschool Applicants.
And remember, this is not an easy college to get into anyway. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, but apply to a variety of other schools as well. Another mom contributed to a blog post last year, and perhaps some of her words will also help you: Lessons Learned from College Rejections.
Learn the SECRET to getting your student placed at the TOP of the stack for college admission consideration as well as one of those MASSIVE university scholarships. Get the Comprehensive Record Solution!
The FAFSA needs to be filled out in January of senior year, but it requires tax information. How can you fill out that form when you don’t even HAVE your tax information yet?The answer: estimate, then amend.
You fill out the forms with a close estimate of your tax information. Then, when you file your taxes for the year, go back and put in the corrected numbers, so your tax forms and the FAFSA forms match perfectly.
Let me give you just a few paragraphs to read. Since the FAFSA needs to be completed every year from senior year in high school for your oldest child, until senior year of college for your youngest child, you might as well start to understand it now, right? This information comes directly from the PDF booklet “Completing the FAFSA 1012-13″
The booklet is actually written pretty well, by the way, and I was able to understand it myself! Very little jargon! Pages 19 and 35, and you’ll get a short explanation of the process.
On page 19, it says:
Q. I’ll be filing a tax return this year but I probably won’t get around to it until April. How should I answer the financial questions? Should I wait to fill out this form after I’ve filed my tax return?
A. Ideally, you should complete a FAFSA after you‘ve done your tax return, but don‘t wait until April. Many schools award aid on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, you may not be eligible for state aid if you wait until April to submit your FAFSA. Many state aid deadlines are early in the calendar year (calendar year 2012 for the 2012-13 award year). If you haven‘t completed your tax return, you should calculate your adjusted gross income (AGI) and taxes paid using the instructions for IRS Form 1040. You can get the instructions and the form at a public library or download them in Portable Document Format (PDF) from www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.
Keep in mind that if you submit your application before you complete a tax return, you may need to make corrections later if your income or tax information isn‘t accurate. You will also need to return any federal student aid you received based upon incorrect information.
You might have to provide your school with a copy of your completed tax return (assuming you‘re required to file one) before you receive federal student aid.
On page 35, it says:
How to complete the income tax section
It is best to use a completed 2011 income tax return to fill out this application. However, if you do not have a completed tax return, you should calculate your adjusted gross income (AGI) and taxes paid using the applicable IRS instructions. You can get the instructions and the appropriate tax form at a public library or download them in Portable Document Format (PDF) from www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.
When your application is compared with the tax return actually filed, the financial information must agree. If there are differences, you must correct the information using Corrections on the Web or by correcting your paper SAR and mailing it back to the U.S. Department of Education.
If you complete your FAFSA online, you may be eligible to electronically retrieve your tax information from the Internal Revenue Service and have it automatically transferred into your FAFSA. Retrieving your information from the IRS is an easy and efficient way to make sure that your most accurate tax information is included on your application.
Even if you (and your spouse) are not required to file a 2011 income tax return, you will need to calculate your earnings for the year. Use W-2 forms and other records to answer the questions in this section.
Parents with seniors, try to fill out your FAFSA paperwork now. College need the information to give you scholarship money. It’s really worth the trouble!
Learn how you can create homeschool records that win college admission and scholarships.
Seniors are usually starting to hear back from colleges. I hope you find out fantastic news regarding acceptances as well as scholarships.
Following the excitement from hearing about admission and scholarships, all of a sudden the reality of finances comes crashing down on parents. Even with a scholarship, just how can you pay for college?
It’s important to keep relaxed, even though you have been told an initial communication concerning scholarships. Since the truth is that scholarships come in waves. The first wave of scholarships was based on his SAT scores. The following wave of scholarships will be dependant on the FAFSA on January 1, associated with your financial “need. ” Sometimes there is also a third wave of scholarships. That wave will be dependant on additional factors other than scholastic achievement or financial need. It is often associated with a specific talent (football) or interest (engineering major) or skill (piano. )
You want to be perfectly situated to ride all three waves.
Learn how you can create homeschool records that win college admission and scholarships.
Once you get the PSAT scores, what happens next? Have your children take the SAT or ACT in the spring of junior year.
My daughter is going to take the SAT in Mar 2012. She’s taken the PSAT and we had her scores sent to our home. But when it comes to the SAT scores I was thinking of doing the same thing and then we personally send the scores to the colleges. Is that the best way to do it?
It’s cheaper to have scores sent directly. For that reason, if she scored good on the PSAT then I would send scores directly. If she scored poorly on the PSAT (below 50 in something) then I would pay the extra money and send them one at a time to colleges if possible. For estimating scores, add a zero to each PSAT score. 500 is average, 600 is good, 700 is great, and 800 is perfect. Anything over 500 is better than the average public school child.
Whether it is questions about honors, CLEP, or the ACT, I am here to help. My Parent Training A la Carte courses can help you become fully prepared for your next step in homeschooling.
Can you give me guidance on writing a recommendation as a counselor? The Common Application and another school have requested I do. What points should I cover in answering college homeschool supplements that request explanation of an educational philosophy?
~ Dana
Dear Dana,
I have a section on recommendation letters that will help. Remember that even though the concept makes you feel anxious, at least you know your child! Lots of teachers have to give letters of recommendation for students they don’t even know! That’s why they even have this information on a college board – for those teachers that don’t feel comfortable writing recommendations.
Many college specify that they do not want a parent to write the recommendation, so be sure they want that. Instead, it might be best to ask someone else to do the letter of recommendation. It doesn’t have to be a teacher, just someone who knows your child is smart
If they ASK you for a letter of recommendation from a parent, then give it to them. It’s preferable, however, to have that recommendation be from someone else.
If you do request a letter of recommendation from someone else, then give them the transcript and activity list or resume, so they know something about your child – that is accepted practice. You can also give them the links below, so they will know how a letter of recommendation looks – they may not know any more than you do.
Every homeschool parent tends to answer the homeschool supplement differently, so there is no set answer. I will say, however, that don’t stress about it too much. The transcript is much more important. Some things that you may want to include:
1. Why did you begin to homeschool
2. What benefits have you see from homeschooling
3. What is your homeschool style: unschooling, classical, literature-based, lifestyle of education, etc. I would avoid the word “eclectic” because I think that word is only common in homeschool circles.
4. I think I would mention that you teach for mastery – that can explain a high GPA
5. It may be helpful to directly address myths of homeschooling. ”His socialization has improved since homeschooling” or “She regularly interacts with large groups of friends at swim team.”
6. That may be the time to address anything really unusual: debilitating car accident that might explain poor math scores, that sort of thing.
The supplement may be very short, just a short paragraph, telling information about homeschooling that you might give an interested stranger. Other parents choose to make it a page-long essay. Either way seems to work!
I receive many questions about the college application process. Today’s question is about college placement tests. Do colleges ask for more information from homeschoolers than other students? I hope this video answers all of your questions.
Do you need help with college admission essays? Learn how to have your student write a compelling story about themselves so colleges will listen.
“Do you know of any type of coaches or consultants to help us get our kids into a college and program of their choice?”
Considering a college counselor? There are business that are dedicated to only college consulting. They normally work with public and private school students. Although high school guidance counselors are supposed to fill the role, many parents don’t feel they provide enough guidance, or enough individual support, so they look to a dedicated college consultant.
To find a college consultant, do an online search for ”College Consulting.” College consultants can be extremely expensive, from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. They can not guarantee admission or scholarships, of course. Nobody can!
CBS MoneyWatch has an article that may help. Read Six Ways to Pick an Independent College Counselor. I just recently stumbled on this article. I knew college counselors were expensive, but $30,000 or $40,000 for some? Really? My Gold Care Club is only $47 per month. I honestly believe most parents just need a normal amount encouragement and guidance. It’s really NOT that hard to get into college. I can certainly point you in the right direction.
I usually recommend a college counselor only when you want to go to a very prestigious school, or if your child is very resistant to parental assistance. Certainly there are some times when a college counselor will make sense to you, but it’s not necessary. Most parents are able to guide their children when they have the necessary tools, and I’ll be glad to help with that.
Junior year is a great time to practice writing college application essays. You can use them as a topic for an English writing assignments, practicing how to brainstorm and polish a technically perfect, self-reflective essay. But how do you find application essays?
“Hi Lee- I’ve been perusing the sites of the schools my high school junior is interested in applying to, wanting to see what their essay questions are so he can begin writing them. But… they all have online applications that require an account. Any ideas for getting a hold of practice essays?”
Kendra, if you visit the college and ask them for an application packet, they will have one available. You can also ask if they provide a fee-waiver for the application since you came to visit, because some do. Sometimes you can simply Google the college name and “application” and bypass the login, getting directly to the application without login in. Finally, you can go to a college fair, and collect application essays from lots of colleges.
Do you need help with college admission essays? Learn how to have your student write a compelling story about themselves so colleges will listen.
Preparing your menu for admissions is a lot like preparing for Thanksgiving. It takes time and effort to prepare scrumptious and eye-pleasing presentations. If you are thinking about Thanksgiving, let me share my menu with you. If you are thinking about college admission, I’ll give you my menu for that as well!
Here is my regular Thanksgiving Menu. Each item will take planning, and it has to be carefully timed to be presented at just the right moment while it’s still warm – or cool. I make as much as possible ahead of time. Some things, like thawing a turkey, take a LOT of advanced planning.
Advanced Planning
Appetizers
Vegetable Tray
Apples with Carmel Dip
Baked Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara
Cocoa with Candy Cane and Whipped Cream
Egg Nog and Egg Nog Latte
Main Meal
Turkey with gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Sausage Stuffing
Homemade Bread
Whipped Sweet Potato
Asparagus Spears
Cranberry Relish
Sparkling Cider
Dessert
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Cranberry Sorbet
Here is the usual College Admission Menu. It will also take some planning, and it needs to be carefully timed and be presented at just the right moment.
Advanced Planning
Appetizers
Rigorous curriculum
Admission tests
College visits
Main Meal
Transcript
Reading List
Course Descriptions
Application forms
Financial Aid forms
Letters of recommendation
Supplemental materials
Application essays
Dessert
Graduation party
Diploma
Senior portraits
Like a Thanksgiving menu, each item takes time and planning. This is a great time to start working on each piece!
Do you need help with your homeschool “menu”? Gold Care Club members get extended answers to their most challenging high school issues.
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Christianbook.com Curriculum Page
