December Newsletter #HappyHolidays

From Motivation Monday at ForwarDirections! Facebook Page:

“Pause and remember—every morning is a new page in the story of your life. You are creating your life at every moment.  Think wisely about the day you want to create for yourself.” -Jenni Young

Happy December from the team at ForwarDirections!

We provide this monthly newsletter free of charge, so feel free to share it with others.

We wish our entire ForwarDirection network a Happy Holiday Season!  Enjoy time with your families and friends.

Have you ever thought about going to college to become Santa Claus? Clemson University is claiming Santa Claus is an alumnus. Check out the articles at the end of this newsletter.

ForwarDirections is the perfect gift for parents to give their children and for grandparents to give to their grandchildren!

We start with students as early as their sophomore years in high school and guide them through the complex processes of figuring out their interests, matching colleges, applying to colleges, and then supporting them through at least their first year of college. Simply fill out our form, and we’ll get in touch with you about how to provide this gift that will ensure college and career planning for your child’s or grandchild’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.

Our ForwarDirections senior cohort of students is working diligently on their Common App college applications, which are due at the end of this month. We want to congratulate these students for the work they have put in to thoroughly complete their college applications. Your work will pay dividends when acceptance letters arrive in the spring! If you are a senior filling out your Common App college applications, here for some pointers on how to avoid some common mistakes.

Our ForwarDirections sophomore and junior cohorts are busy identifying what is important to them when it comes to finding a college that is an academic, social, and financial fit for them. They are also deciding which colleges to visit during Winter Break. Here are some ideas from the ForwarDirections blog if you visit a college during your Winter Break.

Our ForwarDirections college cohort is finishing out the semester and looking forward to heading home for vacation. The transition from college to home can sometimes be challenging. Here are some tips to think about if you are heading home from college.

It is not too late to join our network! In fact, if you are a junior in high school, NOW is the perfect time to get involved, so you have a jumpstart before you start your senior year!

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.

Updates

For high school students:

• Are you a senior who still needs to fill out your Common App? Get started here.
• If you are a senior, you AND your parents need to get your FSA ID (Federal Student Aid) NOW (https://pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/appinstr.jsp). Be prepared to fill out your FAFSA as close to January 1 as you possibly can. Here is what you’ll need to do that.
• 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!
• Important 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.
• Are you wondering about the “new” SAT that will be given starting next March? Here is some important information about the new version of this test. Want to start preparing to take this new version? You can find great practice tools here.

For college students:

• Winter Break: If you are heading home for the holidays, here are some pointers about how to make that work for both you and the rest of your family.
• Build Relationships: This article talks about how college relationships may be your best investment for future networking.
• Be Resilient: This article offers some concrete ideas for students and their parents about things they can do to be successful in college.

For parents:

• Gather the financial information your child will need to complete the FAFSA in early January. Here is the list of the information you and your child will need.
• 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 (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/)
  • College Navigator (https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/)
  • College Data (http://www.collegedata.com/)
• Have a child coming home for the holidays after being gone at college this fall? Here is a holiday survival guide for both you and your child.

If you are the parent of a senior:

• Common 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

Further articles and considerations for students and parents:

• Large or Small College, What is your preference?
• Admission Officers Tips for Writing College Essays
• Research, College Admissions, and Creativity
• Perhaps you would like a career being Santa Claus? Read about the St. Nicholas Institute.
• Letter from Clemson Alumnus Santa Claus to Future Students

Don’t forget to “Like” our ForwarDirections Facebook page to keep up with the latest information regarding college and career, AND please “Like” and “Share” postings from our ForwarDirections Facebook page on your Facebook page!