Are you the parent of a teen who wants to find ways to help them get into their college of choice? Do you want to help your teen stand out in their college admission application? Does the process for applying for financial aid seem overwhelming, and you’re looking for tips to navigate the process?
When it comes to applying for college admission, financial aid and preparing for the SAT/ACT, it takes some careful planning to get teens where they need to be. And, the earlier they get started the better.
Teens should start planning early for college
It’s important that parents work with their teen to devise a plan for attending college and hold them accountable so that they will have the most choices available when it’s time to enroll. The three main areas of college planning that families can help their teen with include applying for admission, financial aid, and SAT/ACT preparation.
College Admission Application
The process for applying for college admission can be stressful for families. In order to mitigate that stress, students should begin gaining the skills and strategies that they need to prepare for the admission process. Because colleges are so competitive, it’s important that teens stand out from the sea of applicants. In our recent blog, we list some of the deciding factors that colleges use for determining who gets in–go HERE to read more.
Here are some ways for teens to stand out:
- Starting in 9th grade, teens should start building a résumé of accomplishments.
- Rather than focus on showing a lot of extracurricular activities in the résumé, students should show leadership and growth experiences.
- When writing the admission essay, students should use their voice to show who they are. Basically, it should be written in their own words.
- Teens should highlight their accomplishments in a shareable profile like Spikeview—a LinkedIn for teens.
- Students should schedule an in-person visit at their college(s) of choice if possible.
College Financial Aid
College financial aid starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It’s used by many state agencies and schools to determine the types and amount of aid that a student will qualify for. It is required by all schools that award federal student aid such as federal student loans, federal grants, and federal work-study. It is available on the US Department of Education’s website.
Here are some tips to applying for financial aid according to USA News:
- Families can begin filling out paperwork as early as October for the upcoming academic year.
- The general deadline to file the FAFSA to determine federal aid is June 30 for those planning to attend school in the fall.
- Students should always check with their school of choice’s financial aid office because many colleges and schools that use the FAFSA set earlier deadlines.
- Pay attention to deadlines for scholarship applications, etc. that vary by institution because funding for some financial aid programs may run the risk of being depleted.
- Financial aid awarded to a student can be appealed—this is known as a professional judgment review.
SAT & ACT
For most teens, when it comes to the SAT and ACT, if they study on their own and take practice tests, many of them do not get the scores they were hoping for because the tests are more about strategy than content knowledge. That’s why it’s a good idea for students to take SAT/ACT preparation courses like a Dynamis Learning Academy Bootcamp the summer of their rising 11th grade year, and then plan to take the test in July or September. A few years ago, I had a student who came to us that struggled with low SAT scores. Her GPA was high, and she had a good handle on the material. Unfortunately, she could not finish the test because of time-management issues. After working with the owner to get extended time on a 504 plan and then received prep from one of our tutors, she was able to finish the test on time and raise her score eight points. This made her eligible for a scholarship worth a substantial amount of aid.
Here are some strategies to help your teen prepare for the SAT and ACT:
- Develop a schedule weeks and/or months ahead of time to begin learning the new approach to taking high-stakes tests
- Research test prep materials and choose the ones that are ranked as the best sources
- The best time to take the tests is in the summer after the sophomore year
- Going into the tests, teens need to know the strategies and skills required for taking them
- Students need to familiarize themselves with the testing format and have timed practice tests under their belt
Tutoring gives students the edge they need
If your teen needs extra guidance in preparing for college, Dynamis Learning Academy is happy to help. Our tutors can work with your teen to determine their weaknesses and develop a plan to effectively address them. Our tutors also provide support in essay writing, time-management, and SAT/ACT test-taking strategies to give students the edge that they need to get into their college of choice.
We, at Dynamis Learning Academy, are here to help your teen prepare for college admission applications and SAT/ACT Prep. Contact owner Helen Panos at helen@dynamislearningacademy.com or at 770-282-9931 to schedule a free consultation about goal-setting, SAT/ACT Prep, college admission essay writing, or any other area of concern.
Helen is an expert educator with over 25 years of years of experience. She believes in the importance of helping children reach their potential and become well-rounded, intelligent citizens with a positive influence and impact on society. Helen assists parents in accessing the best skills, strategies, tools, and resources to help children be successful and ultimately excel in the world.
Are you the parent of a teen who wants to find ways to help them get into their college of choice? Do you want to help your teen stand out in their college admission application? Does the process for applying for financial aid seem overwhelming, and you’re looking for tips to navigate the process?
When it comes to applying for college admission, financial aid and preparing for the SAT/ACT, it takes some careful planning to get teens where they need to be. And, the earlier they get started the better.
Teens should start planning early for college
It’s important that parents work with their teen to devise a plan for attending college and hold them accountable so that they will have the most choices available when it’s time to enroll. The three main areas of college planning that families can help their teen with include applying for admission, financial aid, and SAT/ACT preparation.
College Admission Application
The process for applying for college admission can be stressful for families. In order to mitigate that stress, students should begin gaining the skills and strategies that they need to prepare for the admission process. Because colleges are so competitive, it’s important that teens stand out from the sea of applicants. In our recent blog, we list some of the deciding factors that colleges use for determining who gets in–go HERE to read more.
Here are some ways for teens to stand out:
- Starting in 9th grade, teens should start building a résumé of accomplishments.
- Rather than focus on showing a lot of extracurricular activities in the résumé, students should show leadership and growth experiences.
- When writing the admission essay, students should use their voice to show who they are. Basically, it should be written in their own words.
- Teens should highlight their accomplishments in a shareable profile like Spikeview—a LinkedIn for teens.
- Students should schedule an in-person visit at their college(s) of choice if possible.
College Financial Aid
College financial aid starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It’s used by many state agencies and schools to determine the types and amount of aid that a student will qualify for. It is required by all schools that award federal student aid such as federal student loans, federal grants, and federal work-study. It is available on the US Department of Education’s website.
Here are some tips to applying for financial aid according to USA News:
- Families can begin filling out paperwork as early as October for the upcoming academic year.
- The general deadline to file the FAFSA to determine federal aid is June 30 for those planning to attend school in the fall.
- Students should always check with their school of choice’s financial aid office because many colleges and schools that use the FAFSA set earlier deadlines.
- Pay attention to deadlines for scholarship applications, etc. that vary by institution because funding for some financial aid programs may run the risk of being depleted.
- Financial aid awarded to a student can be appealed—this is known as a professional judgment review.
SAT & ACT
For most teens, when it comes to the SAT and ACT, if they study on their own and take practice tests, many of them do not get the scores they were hoping for because the tests are more about strategy than content knowledge. That’s why it’s a good idea for students to take SAT/ACT preparation courses like a Dynamis Learning Academy Bootcamp the summer of their rising 11th grade year, and then plan to take the test in July or September. A few years ago, I had a student who came to us that struggled with low SAT scores. Her GPA was high, and she had a good handle on the material. Unfortunately, she could not finish the test because of time-management issues. After working with the owner to get extended time on a 504 plan and then received prep from one of our tutors, she was able to finish the test on time and raise her score eight points. This made her eligible for a scholarship worth a substantial amount of aid.
Here are some strategies to help your teen prepare for the SAT and ACT:
- Develop a schedule weeks and/or months ahead of time to begin learning the new approach to taking high-stakes tests
- Research test prep materials and choose the ones that are ranked as the best sources
- The best time to take the tests is in the summer after the sophomore year
- Going into the tests, teens need to know the strategies and skills required for taking them
- Students need to familiarize themselves with the testing format and have timed practice tests under their belt
Tutoring gives students the edge they need
If your teen needs extra guidance in preparing for college, Dynamis Learning Academy is happy to help. Our tutors can work with your teen to determine their weaknesses and develop a plan to effectively address them. Our tutors also provide support in essay writing, time-management, and SAT/ACT test-taking strategies to give students the edge that they need to get into their college of choice.
We, at Dynamis Learning Academy, are here to help your teen prepare for college admission applications and SAT/ACT Prep. Contact owner Helen Panos at helen@dynamislearningacademy.com or at 770-282-9931 to schedule a free consultation about goal-setting, SAT/ACT Prep, college admission essay writing, or any other area of concern.
Helen is an expert educator with over 25 years of years of experience. She believes in the importance of helping children reach their potential and become well-rounded, intelligent citizens with a positive influence and impact on society. Helen assists parents in accessing the best skills, strategies, tools, and resources to help children be successful and ultimately excel in the world.