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Archive for the 11th Grade Category

Why Does a High School Student Need a Resume?

Why Does a High School Student Need a Resume?

“Am I My Resume?” -Edward Kleban, A Chorus Line. Why does an 11th or 12th Grader need to create a RESUME? After all, the high school guidance department already asks for a “brag sheet,” that usually includes a template for recording one’s activities and accomplishments. The Common

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College Applications: Guidance Department Input Sheets

“You don’t have to be famous. You just have to make your mother and father proud of you.” – Meryl Streep. Many high school guidance departments in my local area of Northern New Jersey distribute input sheets to their students spring of junior year, requesting participation by

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Why Juniors Should Visit Colleges on Winter and Spring Break

Why Juniors Should Visit Colleges on Winter and Spring Break

“Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.” -John Keats. If your high school junior is your eldest child, you may not yet realize the change that is beginning to percolate in your family life. You may not be psychologically prepared for the idea that school breaks

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How to Build a College List

How to Build a College List

“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” -Ben Stein. Building one’s list of prospective colleges is the key first step in the college admissions process. If an applicant’s list is appropriate, the college process will be far

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When to Start the College Application Process

When to Start the College Application Process

“Learn to cultivate your own garden.” – Voltaire. Your high school guidance department probably does not officially start the college application process until January of junior year. That timing is partially driven by staffing, since during the fall of your teen’s junior year, the guidance department is focused on seniors

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Preparing for Pre-Professional Programs: Pre-Medicine

“He is the best physician who is most ingenious inspirer of hope.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Your high school student has always wanted to be doctor, physical therapist, or a dentist. What guidance can you offer to help prepare for a pre-health program in college? It is

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Becoming a Recruited College Athlete–or Not?

Becoming a Recruited College Athlete–or Not?

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” –J.W. Von Goethe. At the first YMCA kindergarten soccer game, I remember watching cute little tykes in their brand new shin guards and cleats, chasing the ball around the field in closely clustered,

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First “College List” Question: Private versus Public University

First “College List” Question: Private versus Public University

“A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in students.” – John Ciardi. It’s no secret that the rise in the cost of an American college education has outpaced inflation for decades. A compelling summary by finaid.org reveals a 1.5 ratio of tuition inflation

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Parents of 11th Graders: Get Set for “Junior College Night”

Parents of 11th Graders: Get Set for “Junior College Night”

“I go to seek a Great Perhaps.” -François Rabelais. You just got a notice from your 11th Grader’s guidance counselor that parents are strongly encouraged to attend upcoming “Junior College Night.” They want you to know it’s time to get serious about your student’s college future. What to

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The Coalition versus the Common Application

The Coalition versus the Common Application

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” –Alan Watts. In 2016, the first phase of a new online college preparation and application platform was launched by the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success,

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