Thanksgiving break: time for relaxation and thoughtful work
November 26th, 2019Fall semester can be grueling! Between standardized tests, schoolwork, extracurricular commitments and college applications, many high school students feel over-worked, fatigued and quite frankly burnt out. High school doesn’t have to feel like an impossible juggling act. It is important to take time for yourself and this coming winter break will be a great time to do so.
Before winter break arrives, though, Thanksgiving break allows a few days off of school. You’ll have time to check some things off of your to-do list (remaining college applications, anyone?), spend time with family and get some much needed rest and relaxation. And let’s not forget feasting and gratitude!
The article we’re sharing below is a great read on how to avoid high school burnout. If you feel overwhelmed, this may help you come up with a “workable routine” and get yourself back on track.
Article referenced below from Kivo Daily, published September 24, 2018 written by Winnie Custodio
What is burnout? Although you won’t see smoke coming out from your ears, it may feel like so. Students, with a barrage of things to do at home and in school, may experience this. Burnout is actually a psychological term. It refers to a condition of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion because of prolonged stress. Along with burnout are other symptoms such as frustration and low self-esteem. One feels lethargic and dissociated from all of their activities. Burnout happens to most people at some points, at varying degrees.
What Are The Symptoms of A Burnout?
What do you tend to do if you’re burnt out? Is there ever a time when you simply feel like sitting on the couch and watch Netflix for hours? Or get stuck in your computer dawdling on social media? Instead of working or studying, you decide to clean your closet instead. These are signs that you’re burning out. What are the other symptoms of this condition?
Tagged: Avoid burnout, College, Personal characteristics
On the road to independence
November 12th, 2019The first round of Early Action and Early Decision deadlines has passed. And now, on to the next round of deadlines (some coming up quite soon) while trying to stay afloat during your busiest semester yet! Each step that you complete makes you more self-reliant and independent. Even taking ownership of small tasks, like contacting an admission office to have a question resolved, helps you build confidence to tackle bigger challenges. Each accomplishment, whether large or small, is strengthening you for the next phase of life. That’s worth celebrating!
Empowering teenagers to take initiative in shaping their future is crucial to their growth, and completing applications is just the beginning. The article referenced below from The New York Times details the challenges inherent in this journey and how the overall experience creates the kind of “growth parents dream of.”
Article referenced below from The New York Times, published October 22, 2019 written by Kelly Corrigan
After a College Applicant Hits ‘Send’
In the early days of last fall, my daughter was projecting confidence about the college application process. She’d make a spreadsheet, things would be checked off, it’ll all come together, Mom. But right around this point, with classes and sports in full swing, college mutated from something exciting to that-which-shall-not-be-named. To inquire about, say, a 150-word supplemental essay was to provoke a fit of unholy madness.
It was probably no coincidence that her mood crashed just before the Nov. 1 early application deadline, as I bet it is doing in a couple million households across the country right this minute.
What I couldn’t have known then is this: Something beautiful is being formed in the dumpster fire that is senior fall. Regardless of outcome, the college application process itself can force the kind of growth parents dream of. Here’s why:
Read more at The New York Times>>
Tagged: Applications, College
The power of a liberal arts degree in the workforce
October 29th, 2019In today’s workforce there is a lot of emphasis on STEM degrees, which can be intimidating and discouraging for liberal arts college students. While tech skills are increasingly important as more jobs are created by escalating advances in technology, the foundational skills provided by a liberal arts degree are a major asset in the workplace.
Critical thinking, problem-solving and the ability to collaborate with different viewpoints are key skills that create strong employees and leaders. These “soft skills” learned through a liberal arts education prepare students to work in a wide variety of settings. In the article referenced below from The New York Times, statistics are given to show that liberal arts degrees are often winning the “salary race” in the long run due to the broad intellectual training this degree provides.
Article referenced below from The New York Times, published September 20, 2019 written by David Deming
In the Salary Race, Engineers Sprint but English Majors Endure
For students chasing lasting wealth, the best choice of a college major is less obvious than you might think.
The conventional wisdom is that computer science and engineering majors have better employment prospects and higher earnings than their peers who choose liberal arts.
This is true for the first job, but the long-term story is more complicated.
The advantage for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors fades steadily after their first jobs, and by age 40 the earnings of people who majored in fields like social science or history have caught up.
To read more go to New York Times>>
Tagged: College, Critical thinking, Liberal arts, Soft skills
CSS Profile vs. FAFSA: What is the difference?
October 15th, 2019Understanding need-based financial aid can be overwhelming, and through this blog post we hope to alleviate some of your confusion. The first question that many families ask is, “How do we apply for aid?” While students apply for admission, parents seeking need-based assistance take care of the financial aid application process.
There are two principal forms to understand: all colleges use the FAFSA in computing financial aid award packages, and some private colleges also require the CSS Profile to review a family’s financial resources from a different perspective. Every college offers a financial aid section on its website, where you can find highly detailed information about both process and requirements.
With both FAFSA and CSS Profile live as of October 1st, questions naturally arise. We’re often asked, “What, exactly, is the difference between the two?” The article linked below from NerdWallet lays out the basics of both FAFSA and Profile pretty clearly.
Please note: on today’s blog post we focus primarily on need-based financial aid, but many families are interested in merit scholarships as well. While both need-based and merit scholarships provide college students with financial assistance, a merit scholarship is generally unrelated to demonstrated financial need; instead, it’s based on a high level of achievement in academics, athletics or the arts. We’ll devote a future blog post specifically to merit scholarships.
Article linked below from NerdWallet, published September 30, 2019, written by Anna Helhoski
CSS Profile vs. FAFSA: How Are They Different?
To get financial aid for college, you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. But your school may also want you to submit the CSS Profile, an additional application that determines state and institutional financial aid.
» MORE: Your guide to financial aid
The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal aid like the Pell Grant, work-study and federal student loans if you attend most colleges that participate in the Title IV federal financial aid program. The application is also often required by states and schools for their own scholarship and grant programs.
The CSS Profile is only used by certain schools, listed on the CSS Profile site, as part of their financial aid process for aid like grants and scholarships.
To read more go to Nerd Wallet>>
Tagged: Applications, College, Financial aid, High school
