Four Study Goals for High School Seniors

It’s back to school season! As you get ready for your final year of high school, you’ve being stretched in multiple directions – pushing your academic progress to the max to prove that you’re an excellent candidate for your ideal college, but still enjoy the last few months of high school life.

With so much going on, it’s important to set a few goals for yourself, which, when achieved, will help you as you go into college as well.

Get Ready to Read

In college, you will be reading not only more than you did in high school, but also facing more difficult and various resources. Learning to read and absorb material quickly can help you shorten the amount of time you have to spend studying, as well as help you develop more focused and critical reading skills. Consider taking a speed reading course, if necessary.

Learn to Love the Library

In college, you will be expected to do more studying and more research than ever before. Get into the habit of working in the quiet, concentrated environment of a library, and learn to use the research and organization systems of modern libraries.

Brush Up On Your Note Taking Skills

Lectures in college often happen at break-neck speed, with professors delivering material quickly and exploring new concepts in rapid discussion. Be prepared by learning to write quickly and develop shorthand terms that will help you take notes at a fast pace without sacrificing comprehension.

Get Technical

Gone are the days of submitting hand-written assignments, papers and reports. Your professors will expect you to submit all work in properly formatted and annotated form, often submitting digital files. Learning common word processing software such as Microsoft Word and data analysis/graphing software such as Microsoft Excel will ensure that you’re able to turn in well-presented work without stress.

Prepared High School Students Will Perform Better in College

It is no secret that college graduates earn more than those with only a high school diploma. Back in 2004, 69% of all high school seniors expected to attend college and acquire at least a bachelor's degree.

Of the remaining students, 18% expected to complete some form of secondary education. In 1972, 49% of high school graduates enrolled in college, and by 2005, that percentage had increased to 69%.

This shows the importance that students are placing on higher education and making better salaries in their work life. However, students often are ill prepared for college when they arrive. Almost 1/3 of incoming freshmen at 4-year colleges fall into the remediation class. In 2-year institutions, the rate is as high as 60%.

Improper Preparation and Its Results

College students are taking longer to get degrees and the number of graduates is stagnated. Enrollment in some form of higher education is about 83% of all high school graduates, but the number of students who actually complete and receive a degree is only 52%. Students in 4-year institutions who finish in that time frame only amount to 34% of the total, and well over 60% take 8-1/2 years just to get their B.A.

One estimate suggests that only 34% of all high school graduates are ready for college, which matches the number who finish in four years. To be a part of this group, high school students must graduate with a standard diploma, complete the minimum course requirements, and be able to read at or above the basic level as determined by the National Assessment of Education Progress.

Where Does the Responsibility Lie?

While the numbers of high school students that are fully prepared for college are not as high as they could be, the lack of any consistent policy or plan by educators and policy makers is an area of major concern.

We do not have a clear understanding of why the system doesn't work. From the policy makers point of view, is it possible for federal and state lawmakers to dictate how prepared our students are for college when they leave high school?

As far as the government having the ability to make high school students better prepared, history has shown that it isn't so. The best that parents can do to prepare their high school age children is to work with them and recognize where their problems and weaknesses are.

Providing as much constructive support as possible continues to be the best way to help the high school student. Every parent is responsible even if they only have limited time to help. Maximizing all available resources and working closely with your student is a positive approach to take early in the high school years.

What is the PSAT/NMSQT?

In 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation was formed as an independent non-profit organization. It receives no government funds and operates from donations that are tax deductible to the donor. The NMSC has annual competitions by way of the National Achievement Scholarship Program and the National Merit Scholarship Program.

What the NMSC Provides

Since its inception, the NMSC has sought to find and honor the best academically talented high school students in the nation and to find support for their continued education. They also assist other organizations that wish to support and sponsor the further education of outstanding high school students.

One of the ways that the NMSC seeks to guide and help students academically is through the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The test isn't a requirement, but it does a great deal to prepare students for taking the SAT by allowing them to practice and become more confident before they take the test that is so important for college acceptance and scholarship eligibility.

The test not only prepares students for taking the SAT, it provides an opportunity for them to enter the two NMSC sponsored scholarship programs. Also, students have access to tools for career planning to help them with the decision of choosing a college major.

Prepare Your Student with the PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT/NMSQT prepares students by testing and helping to evaluate problem areas, which include writing and reading skills, and math problem solving skills. While specific facts learned in class are not a part of the test, the content does concentrate on concepts and acquired knowledge that is expected from a student planning on attending college.

Many parents will agree that the PSAT/NMSQT is one of the best ways for students to identify their weaknesses so they can address them and prepare better for taking the SAT. It also indicates where every student stands alongside others applying for college. A simple check mark on the test for "Student Search Service" brings in information on many of the colleges that may be of interest as possible destinations.

Of course, the primary goal of the test is to give students an opportunity to make better test scores on the SAT, receive more college offers, and have more opportunities for college scholarships.

The PSAT/NMSQT is another way to better prepare your student for the challenges of college.

5 Tips to Prepare for Exams

One of the least favorite things about high school life is final exams. Even though exams constitute an end to classes, it can be a very stressful and difficult time in a student's life. The finals can be the difference in passing or facing a class again.

Few new students know how to study for a final because they become overwhelmed with the volume of material that has been covered. There is also a fear that retention of that material may not be good enough to warrant a passing mark.

Here are some of the best suggestions for ways to improve study habits and get higher grades on finals.

Create an Outline

A student should write down the chronological studies of the class with brief explanations of each subject covered. While doing this, it is possible to form an opinion of what parts were the hardest and in which areas the student is not well versed. This outline should give them a good idea of how much time to spend on each phase based on the amount of time available to study.

Get an Early Start

Students learn the hard way that cramming all night before a test is not conducive to great test scores. While beginning to study too early can be non-productive, a student should never wait until the day before the test. Beginning a full week before test day should provide ample time to make a positive difference. Depending on the start of study and the outline, a student should organize how much material and what material to study each day.

Ask for Help

The first thing a freshman should learn is to seek the best assistance available to them. Few people have ever done well in the higher education system without tutoring in some studies. This is not just true preceding an exam, and should be a common practice when course material doesn't make sense.

Get Plenty of Rest

High school life can be quite taxing if good habits aren't established. It is easy to get sidetracked by other students who do not have a commitment to achieving good scores. No matter what those students decide to do, if you want to do well in your studies you must understand that fun times have their time and place. Proper rest and a good night's sleep leading up to any exam makes for a considerable advantage.

Relax Before the Exam

The last part of preparation is to settle down and be comfortable. A student should plan to have most of the study finished early on the night before the test so there is no pressure to get to the end and impose on rest time.

Student Loans - Build Your Credit Rating By Making Timely Payments

Many college students find it necessary to apply for loans because they cannot get enough in grants or scholarships to pay for all their school expenses. This should be evident at the time a student leaves for school, but it can be based on factors that surface after they are in attendance.

A change in major or additional studies may require more funds, or financial aid award amounts may be decreased for any number of reasons.

Whether a loan is taken out at the start of the freshman year or is necessary later when grants dwindle, the student must understand that any monies borrowed will have to be repaid at a future date. Hence the name student "loan" in lieu of Pell "Grant."

Did you know that between 1/4 and 1/3 of the people who borrow using student loans miss the very first installment when it is time to begin paying the money back? This doesn't happen just because those borrowers aren't trustworthy. Many students relocate and don't receive any notification until late, and some lose paperwork when they relocate.

It is important to keep records of loans along with the agreement of when the money must begin to be paid back to the lender. Some students have more than one loan, which confuses things if accurate and organized records aren't kept. Several loans can also make it difficult to repay if they remain independent of each other.

According to statistics, when student loans are consolidated into one loan, less than 1/5 of the first payments are missed. There is generally no savings to consolidate all the loans, but it obviously makes it simpler.

Setting up a direct debit from a checking account is a good way to ensure that loan payments are made on time. Some people have a problem with debit payments, but there is an advantage to setting them up. Federal student loan interest rates are reduced by 0.25% for auto debit payments. Some private student loans may be reduced by as much as 0.50%.

Repayment of a student loan has no penalty for paying early like many other types of loans do. Doubling up payments or paying extra whenever possible can save money over the life of the loan. There are also tax savings attributable to the interest paid for student loans, which are taken off aside from other deductions.

While borrowing for an education may not be the first choice, it is a helpful alternative for parents with limited funds and students who cannot otherwise obtain the education they want.

Building a good credit rating early in adulthood is very important, as is maintaining it through the years so you can have the financial security you want. 

Politics and Their Effect on College Planning

Many of the contributing factors that relate to the type of education our children receive are outside of our control. This is not such a monumental statement that you aren't aware of it, but many things can change quickly in the economical situation we find ourselves in presently.

College funding through grants may be entirely different for the next semester following the critical maneuvers taking place in the Senate and House of Representatives at this time. Two conflicting thoughts are about to reach an impasse or a resolution, which will make a huge impact on what funds will be available by the end of the year.

The Democratic concept is that the debt ceiling must be raised and at the same time taxes must be increased to those who are able to pay them. Republicans believe that taxes cannot be levied at this point and do not want to raise the debt ceiling. Whether you follow one line of thinking or the other has little to do with what will eventually happen.

It seems reasonable that spending will have to be cut if any of the numbers will work. That means that funding for only the basic and necessary expenditures can be expected. The problem with that is no one seems to understand what is necessary and what isn't. While one party might consider the financial aid promises made to all the college students in the country a necessary expense, another might not.

One thing that has always proven true in pressure situations is that some decisions will be the wrong ones. Politicians realize that the only way to keep doing their jobs is to make good on promises, and for that reason, they will fight to keep even the programs of least benefit when they were the authors of them.

Anyone who has banked on college grant money to keep their students in school should be looking for backup plans in the event that the channels all dry up. Checking into the availability of student loans would be a good plan now, before so many others look to that option, too.

It may be the 11th hour in the financial situation for the nation, but there is always hope that a resolution might be hammered out that will serve part of the desires of both parties and the educational needs of our college students.

Common Problems College Students Face - Overcoming Adversity

Every college student wants their experience to be memorable, but in the right way. High school students envision their college years will be full of fun, new social encounters, new experiences, and fond memories. However, there are also many problems college students face throughout their years there, and how they deal with them is essential in their academic, emotional, physical, and social success.

Here are some common problems and some possible solutions for working through them.

Finances - One of the major challenges college students face is that of finances. Many students drop out prior to graduation because they cannot afford the cost. Some have help from parents, others have financial aid, but still with the rising cost of tuition, textbooks, room and board, gasoline, clothing, and other necessities, the challenge is often a difficult one to overcome.

Planning is an essential part of handling the expense of college. Sound money management skills are required, and being creative and responsible when it comes to saving money is essential. Buying used textbooks, finding alternate means of transportation (bicycle, walking, and carpooling), eating out less, and doing without some luxuries can mean the difference is maneuvering your way through school free of debt or having to drop out.

Studies - College usually requires more studying than high school along with more assignments. It is easy to become quickly overwhelmed and fall behind. For those trying to attend school and work part or full time, the study problem is often a great hurdle to overcome.

Don't overdo it, especially in your first semesters at school. It is best to pace yourself and adjust to campus and academic life at college. Carefully consider the number of credit hours you are undertaking as well as their level of difficulty. It might be a good idea to juggle classes so your schedule is not loaded with all the hardest subjects in a single semester. Your advisor can be a valuable resource in helping guide you in your choice of subjects.

Selecting a Major - Many high school and beginning college students stress early on over choosing a major. They become overly concerned with their future professional career and the salary possibilities various jobs offer.

You can begin a broad area of study, such as business, and then narrow the possibilities down after you've got some credit hours on your transcript. Focus on areas of study that you actually have an interest in rather than making it all about the money. Again, your advisor is a resource who can help you make these types of decisions.

These are just a few of the challenges college students face, and if you are dealing with issues of some type you can rest assured you are not alone. Don't struggle in trying to handle the stresses on your own. Discuss your concerns with family, friends, and your advisor; utilize campus resources such as counselors and college staff. Many times these connections have advice and experience that may well offer the solution to your problems.

Problem solving is all a part of maturity and advancing into adulthood; it is what shapes you into the person you are capable of being; it's a part of life.