November Newsletter: #College Apps Due and Happy Thanksgiving!

We wish our entire ForwarDirection network a Happy Thanksgiving!

For our students in college, we know most of you will have a break from your studies and are looking forward to a great home-cooked meal. Here are some pointers about how to make the most of your Thanksgiving at home.

In just one week, California State University and University of California applications are due (by midnight on November 30)! It is not too late to submit your application(s). Remember, if you don’t apply, you can’t be accepted!  Our senior cohort of students is busy polishing their UC essays. For last minute ideas about your college essays, read this article.

Congratulations to ForwarDirections Member, Kaitlynn Watson!
Kaitlynn Watson, a senior at South Lake Tahoe High School in South Lake Tahoe, has made a commitment to attend Loyola University of New Orleans, Louisiana, this next fall. Kaitlynn’s dream to play collegiate volleyball has become a reality! To read more about this exciting news, check out this article!

How can you help your child to make the most of your investment in college?

As a parent, you are going to spend, on average, 100 thousand dollars ($100,000) for 4 years of college. However, many students these days take at least 5 (or 6!) years to complete their degree, so that figure goes even higher. And that investment in your child comes with no guarantee of their financial security or career success. The numbers can be daunting. But with the right plan and proper guidance, we can help you make the most of your education dollars…and your child’s future.

At ForwarDirections, we help students and their families make the all-important college and career decisions that will put the student on the path toward success. Just as an athlete needs a solid coach, your student needs someone who knows the fundamentals and the “rules of the game” when it comes to entering college after high school or re-entering the educational system later in life. The ForwarDirections team consists of experienced professional educators and college admissions specialists. We know the game and can give your student the tools they need to compete and win.

Our mission is to empower students to be college and/or career ready by helping them discover their passions and bring their future into focus.

It is not too late to join our network! Just fill out this form, and we’ll get in touch with you to get you started.

Joining ForwarDirections provides:

• Initial consultation process to determine student interests and goals
• College or career selection based on interests and goals
• Ongoing online support via group and individual meetings
• Ongoing network for collaborating and sharing with one another
• Ongoing support and guidance through the first year of college

In addition, we invite you to check out our website, as well as our Facebook page –in fact, we’d love you to “Like” it, and share the articles we post there with your friends and family members.

Certification Process Complete!

We are pleased to report that both of your ForwarDirections Coaches have completed all coursework for UC Riverside’s College Admissions Counseling Certification Program. To make it official, our certificates arrived in the mail a few weeks ago. We can now officially call ourselves College Admissions Counselors!

Updates

For high school students:

• High School Counseling Website: Check your high school counseling website to be aware of any school counseling deadlines, college visits, college representative visits and/or future scholarships.
• Thinking about the PSAT, SAT or ACT test? There is help online. Check out this website/video from College Board.
• The ACT website has some great information.
• Seniors: Get your FSA ID Complete this first stage of the FAFSA, even if you don’t think you will need federal aid.
• Scholarships: For those applying for scholarships, check your high school counseling website about your eligibility. Also, consider registering for Fast Web scholarships. Note: If you don’t apply, there is no way to receive any money!
• Scholarship Deadline: The Gates Millennium Scholarship is open for Latino and African American seniors who are planning to attend a 4-year college and meet certain income criteria.

• For college students:
  • Thanksgiving Break: You have made it through the first part of this semester of college and now you will get a little break during the Thanksgiving holiday. Do these ideas resonate with you…and your parents?
  • Build Relationships: This article talks about how college relationships may be your best investment for future networking.
  • Be Resilient: Being resilient in college. This article offers some ideas for students and their parents about things they can do to be successful in college.

   

• For parents:
  • On Thanksgiving Break or traveling? Take time to take your high school student to visit a college. Here are some ideas about what to look for:
  • Regardless of what stage your child may be in determining what colleges he/she wants to attend, these tools can help you and your child understand the options.
    • College Scorecard
    • College Navigator
    • College Data

  If you are the parent of a senior:

  • College App Essays: Ask your child to share the essays they have written with you. It’s a lot of work to write these essays, and your child will appreciate sharing them with you.
  • FAFSA: You and your child need to get your FSA ID now. It’s important to complete this first stage of the FAFSA, even if you don’t think your child will need federal aid:

Additional articles and considerations for students and parents:

• Early Planning Aids College Success
• 5 Ways to Make the Most of an Internship
• Top Students in Ca Guaranteed Admission to UC
• Fun Thanksgiving traditions on college campuses