Category Archives: Tips For Parents
Steps to Apply for College Financial Aid
Applying for college financial aid is one of the most important things that you will have to do before heading off to college. Tuition at state and private institutions has been rising yearly and most students need some form of financial aid.
Once a student files their financial aid forms they are forwarded to their college or university and it is then determined how much aid the student will receive. This is determined by the student’s age, financial situation and family situation.
Here are some steps to follow when applying for financial aid:
Choosing the Perfect Research Paper Topic
Writing a research paper teaches you many important skills…researching topics, organizing information and writing a successful argument. Many students fail at writing successful research papers because they choose topics that they aren’t interested in. You’ll find that it’s easier to begin your research and write your paper if you all ready know about your topic and are interested in it.
Here are some tips for finding the perfect topic:
Know When to Apply for College Financial Aid
In today’s economy there are very few families that can send their kids to college without receiving some sort of financial aid. Knowing when to apply can be confusing because federal, state and institutional deadlines vary and it’s important not to miss them. In the case of financial aid the earlier you apply the better so that you don’t miss these deadlines.
Here are some tips to help when you are applying for different types of financial aid:
10 Things Your Teenager Won’t Tell You
Most days it’s hard to get a teenager to tell you how their day at school went, so it’s not surprising that they aren’t sharing their innermost feelings with you.
Shine from Yahoo asked teenagers from around the country what they’d like their parents to know and this is what kids had to say:
- They need privacy. To show that you respect your teen’s privacy, don’t rummage through her personal space unless you have a concrete reason to believe that she’s lying to you or hiding something serious. Remember…”all kids today are doing drugs” isn’t a concrete reason.
A College Education Doesn’t Have To Break The Bank
It would be hard to find a family that isn’t trying to cut back because of the recession. A lot of us pack our lunch for work, have gone back to basic cable, are wearing last years coat and aren’t planning a great vacation.
One place that no parent wants to cut out of the budget is their kid’s college education. The great thing is that with a little investigation and planning you should be able to find programs that let maximize the benefits of a college degree while minimizing what you’ll spend on college.
Time Management for High School Students
This time of year is always so hectic. Family events, traveling, end of semester exams. Sports seasons are in full swing; the choirs, concerts, plays and bands in high demand. As we head into this busy and often demanding time of year for everyone I thought some tips on time management might be a helpful.
1. The first thing is to be OK saying no. It’s not something most of like to do this time of year, but it often becomes a necessity so we don’t end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Scenario: If you have a test on Wednesday and your friends want you to go to the movies or basketball game with them on Tuesday night, it is ok to say no. In the end you’ll feel better having studied for the test and getting a good night’s sleep.
Prepaid Credit Cards… Good For Kids… Not So Good For Parents1
I’d like to thank the Kardashian sisters (wow…never thought that would happen) for giving prepaid credit cards the bad publicity that I think they deserve. The Kardashian Kard (a re-loadable prepaid debit card that was targeted at teenage fans of the sisters) was launched on November 9, but was quickly pulled off of the market because of bad press associated with its high fees - $99.95 for 12 months…ouch!
Make it a Thankful Thanksgiving
I wanted to write about Thanksgiving and what high school students are doing to celebrate the holiday, but changed my mind. There’s definitely a lot of high school students doing good things this holiday season and these acts of kindness should no doubt be acknowledged and everyone involved should feel proud of what they are doing to help out, but I thought some of the lesser celebrated ways of getting through the holidays may be just as significant to those on the receiving end. I decided to post a few ideas you may not have thought of as ways to show your thankfulness or to share your blessings with others.
Teens Vs Homework – Helping Your Kid Win The Battle
I remember sitting in 7th hour, watching the clock and waiting for the bell to ring. To be free of school was my dream, but rarely was it my reality because I knew that there would be homework to do that evening.
Check out these tips to help you kids deal with homework stress:
- Suggest that they have a study hall on their schedule. Used correctly (no napping, talking or texting), study halls can be a great head start to getting homework done.
Don’t Fail Your Kids on Test Day
There are all kinds of “test takers” in school. I remember kids that would cram all night…the ones that would look at their notes as they walked to class to take the test…I know there were kids who wouldn’t study at all…and there were kids who were so worried about doing badly on the test that they would.
If any of those test takers sound familiar to you, the U.S. Department of Education suggests these “Test Taking Do’s and Don’ts for Parents.”
- Don’t be too anxious about your kids tests scores. Putting too much emphasis on test scores can upset a child.
