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College Readiness Guide for Parents
1. Barbara Cooke, M.A.
Career Counselor and Author
Parent’s Guide to College and Careers
How to Help, Not Hover (JIST 2010)
http://guidetocollegeandcareers.blogspot.com
2. Reality Check
Over 70 % of high school graduates will
enroll in college within two years of high
school graduation
Less than 50% will complete a Bachelor’s
degree or technical career program within
six years
3. Reality Check
Only 60 % of students who start college at a
4-year school will complete a degree
40 % of students will not
The problem is more than choosing the
“wrong” college
More students have the expectation of going
to college without the preparation to be
successful in college
4. Reality Check
High school success does not equal
college readiness!
Three kinds of preparedness
1. Academic preparedness
2. Social/Emotional preparedness
3. Financial preparedness
5. Academic Preparedness
What are your child’s basic skills in
reading, writing, math, science?
Take the ACT or Compass test
Compare scores to ACT College Readiness
Benchmarks
A standardized measure
6. ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
ACT test scores needed for 50% chance of
earning a B or better or 75 % chance of
earning a C or better in college courses
traditionally taken in the first year of college
College composition, college algebra, college
biology, and an introductory social science
course
7. Academic Preparedness
College level classes vs. remedial classes
Remedial (developmental) classes are one of
the fastest growing segments of higher
education
Courses taken in college to bring
underprepared students to skill competency
of a college freshman
Will cost you time and money
8. Academic Preparedness
Time management in college
Two hours of outside study for each one
credit hour in class
15 college credits: 15 hrs. in class + 30 hrs. of
study = 45 hrs. per week needed for school
Add a part-time job 20 hrs./week = 65 hrs.
Homework/outside activities in HS
9. Academic Preparedness
Writing skills
In college, your child will expected to:
Write numerous short and long papers in
all classes, not just English classes
Read unfamiliar material, analyze it and
respond to it in writing
Answer essay questions rather than
multiple choice questions
10. Academic Preparedness
Math skills
College algebra is the minimum degree
requirement
Remedial/developmental math courses will
cost you time and money
Insist on 4 years of college prep math in high
school
11. Social/Emotional Preparedness
A more subjective assessment
How mature is your child?
The three “R’s”
Responsibility
Resilience
Resourcefulness
12. Responsibility
Turning in assignments on time
Showing up for work and doing a good job
Completing household chores
Following household rules and curfews
Managing money - checking accounts, debit
cards, saving for purchases
13. Resilience
Taking criticism well
Realistic expectations of self
The ability to bounce back after setbacks
Self-care:
Eating right
Exercise
Getting enough rest
14. Resourcefulness
Problem solving skills
Connecting with other people to identify
resources
Talking with instructors
Creating and using a support system
“Helicopter” parents: teach your child to
solve the problem, don’t solve it yourself!
15. Honor the “Red Flags”
Address your concerns about study
skills, time management, and responsibility
while your child is in high school
Work with your high school counselor to
develop an action plan to build skills junior
and senior year
16. Financial Preparedness
How are you and your child going to pay for
college?
U.S. student loan debt now exceeds credit
card debt – over $830 billion dollars!
College debt is an issue for both of you
Average student debt for graduates: $29,400
Doesn’t include debt of students who leave
without a degree
17. Financial Preparedness
Four sources of money for college:
1. Grants and scholarships a student earns or
is awarded
2. College savings accounts
3. Monthly family income applied to tuition
and living expenses
4. Loans, both student and parent
18. Financial Preparedness
Total Cost of College (COA)
(tuition, fees, room, board, transportation, misc. living
expenses)
- Less “Gift Aid”
(scholarships and grants that do not have to be
repaid
= Out of Pocket Cost of College
(pay with college savings, cash, and student/parent
loans)
19. Gift Aid
Scholarships and grants you don’t have to
pay back
Scholarships: awarded for merit
Grants: awarded based on need
Outside/institutional scholarships and
grants
20. Scholarships and Grants
Federal aid: studentaid.ed.gov
Your state Department of Higher Education
website– state grants, scholarships
College websites
automatic scholarships
competitive scholarships
On average, scholarships and grants cover
only 30% of the COA
21. Family Income Used for College
Tuition payments by parents
Student earnings from work-study and part-
time jobs
Important: a work-study award is paid to
the student and covers indirect living costs
It does not cover direct costs such as
tuition, fees, room and board
22. Student and Parent Loans
More families are borrowing for college
Both parents and students need to know
their “debt threshold”
How much you can borrow and comfortably
repay the loan?
How much is too much debt for college?
23. Parent Loans for College
Parent guideline:
Your total household debt payments all
your debts -- including mortgage
payments, credit cards, car loans and
education loans -- shouldn't eat up more
than 35% of your gross pay
24. Parent Loans for College
Family income:
$100,000/year
Total debt on mortgage, car
payments, credit cards, other debts:
$25,000/year
Maximum amount to add in loan payments:
$10,000 /year
25. Student Loans for College
8% rule
Your child’s total student loan payments
should not exceed 8% of monthly gross
income after college
For $30,000 student loan, payment will be
$345/month
Salary needed: $52,000 /year
27. Student Loans for College
8% rule connects amount to borrow with
the student’s marketability after graduation
Some majors command more money in the
job market than others
$345/month loan payment will be the same
for an English major or engineering major
28. College Majors and Jobs
Some majors develop specific job skills:
engineering, nursing, education etc.
Most majors develop nonspecific, transferable skills:
English, psychology, communication
studies, biology etc.
For most majors, work experience while in
college is the key to employment after
college
29. College Majors and Jobs
Begin exploring careers in high school
Career exploration vs. career decision-
making
Understand how different majors play out in
the job market
Separate choosing a major from choosing a
1st career
Use career resources once you are on
campus
30. How to Insure Preparedness
Take rigorous courses in high school
Four years of college-prep math
Writing-intensive courses: research papers
Use AP and dual-credit wisely
Explore careers in high school
31. Web Resources for Parents
http://guidetocollegeandcareers.blogspot.com
Career information websites
Parent’s Guide to College and Careers/ How to
Help, Not Hover (JIST 2010)
Careers by college major websites
Financial aid (FAFSA4caster)and scholarship links
Links to 4-year college websites
32. Final Thoughts
Affirm your child’s strengths
Don’t be afraid to say “No”
Teach networking
Learn to let go
33. Barbara Cooke, M.A.
Career Counselor and Author
Parent’s Guide to College and Careers
How to Help, Not Hover (JIST 2010)
http://guidetocollegeandcareers.blogspot.com
Editor's Notes
You need to look at all threeWeak students with poor time-management skills “party out”, strong students can wilt under academic pressure
Easiest to assess; standardized measures“grade inflation” – the practice of giving higher grades for academic work than the work meritsYou need an objective assessment – ACT is one; COMPASS through a CC is anotherACT junior year; then work w/HS counselor to strengthen skills
Time management is one of the biggest challenges for college freshmen, including strong students in high schoolStudy time outside of classIn high school, a student’s time is structured: 35 hours in a school building, moving from course subject to course subjectIn college: 15 hours is structured; with online courses, even less time is structuredmost work is done outside of class – readings, projects, group work; no “extra credit”Use a planning grid; de-brief after freshman orientation
Research paper, at least 10 pages; MLA style guideOnline courses: all communication, including discussions, is in writing; can’t be successful in online courses without being a strong writer
Delay in course sequence for a major such as business; can add another year to your total cost of college – tuition, room, board, feesCan limit student loan eligibility junior or student year
Unrealistic expectations can be an issue for strong students in high school who face much more competition in college; is a B acceptable? vs. pressure to maintain grades for scholarshipsHomesickness or “friend” sickness
Connect with both adults and fellow studentsTeach problem solving skillsTalking to instructors: role modelingAsk: “What have you already tried to resolve this?”“What did you say?”“What are some of the options you see?” “Who have you already talked to?”Be the teacher of self-advocacy skills
Don’t let your child get in over her head!Financial literacy