Seminars & Workshops
Navigating the Road to College and the
College
Knowledge Series
PROJECT: LIFE is committed to increasing the awareness of parents and students by providing educational forums focused on the importance of mastering the fundamentals in education as a critical part of the college planning process. The purpose of the educational forums is to work with local communities as a partner; preparing students for greater opportunities while helping them realize their academic potential. Discussions emphasize those factors most likely to determine a student’s fate with a college admission committee, including the most critical, high school transcript.
"Lois, it was a pleasure meeting you and Maureen. Both Zach and I felt that the information was very useful. In fact it made us give more focus on school fit which is so important. And confirmed by your college students own words. My son really listened to them, peer to peer. I commend that strategy. Without a doubt I plan to attend all the college seminars you offer. Thanks again."
— Sandi
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
“Shaping your Record”
Unlike essays and SATs, the transcript is a four-year chronicle of a student’s ability, work ethic, and involvement. “No amount of cramming, coaching, or fast talking can make it better. That’s why admissions officers will consider it the key ingredient in evaluating your potential for success as a college student. After all, “…the best predictor of how a person will perform in the future is how he or she performed in similar situations in the past.” (Fiske, 129)
This brief introduction serves to ground attendees in the realities of the college selection and admissions process. It includes a series of questions that the audience needs to consider as fact or myth. Individual responses and subsequent answers serve to set a tone of urgency and importance related to the topic of the academic preparedness of students transitioning from high school to college.
The High School Transcript and a Tale of Two Students
This portion of the presentation focuses on actually reviewing two high school students’ transcripts as seen from the college admissions officers’ perspective. Attendees carefully evaluate each student’s potential for acceptance with an emphasis placed upon grades, classes chosen and overall academic performance. Discussion includes those factors that colleges use to either qualify or disqualify students.
Know Your Goals
The fact is that it is never too early to start preparing for higher education. However, more and more parents and students are faced with discouraging news or limited choices because they had not proactively planned. Do you know your child's baseline test scores and goals or the curriculum they are enrolled? Enrichment, remediation, help with coursework, building confidence — do whatever it takes to help your child fulfill his or her potential. Knowing what will be required for college is important; by taking the right courses and examinations from the beginning of high school, your child may avoid admission problems later on. In addition, students who do not prepare well enough academically in high school, if admitted to college, may be required to take remedial courses. Most colleges do not offer credit for these courses, and students may have to pay for these extra courses and spend extra time in college to earn their degrees. Studies have also shown that students who take more rigorous courses in high school are more likely to complete college.
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
The Middle School Years “A Good Education is by Design not by Default”
This presentation focuses on statistics related to college eligibility and college readiness with an emphasis on course selection and tracks in high school. Included are discussions on the disconnects between student and parent aspirations and their preparedness. The main objective is to demonstrate the importance of educational planning and assessment.
Know Your Goals
This portion of the presentation includes an interactive discussion whereby attendees are asked to fill out a course selection sheet for their child’s four years of high school. The main objective is to equip parents in being proactive advocates, encouraging them to become involved in shaping their child’s academic future.
Next Steps: What Can We Do to Best Prepare our Children for Academic Success?
Brief discussion highlighting key things parents can do to help ensure their child’s academic success outside of the classroom setting. Handouts and relevant articles are provided for reference.
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
Understanding and Planning for Standardized Tests
This forum starts with a series of “Did you Know?” facts and questions. It addresses the realities of where standardized tests fit on the road to college acceptance. This seminar is not a SAT review class; rather it outlines key terms and timelines. Attendees walk away knowing the difference between PSATs, SATs, SAT Subject Tests, and the ACTs and are offered guidelines addressing which test may be best for a student and recommendations of when tests need to be taken. Discover the answers to: How often should I take them? What’s a good score? What are some of the current changes in admissions and how do college personnel consider standardized test scores as part of the acceptance decision? How important are AP Exams in the selection process and how do College Placement Tests affect the courses you take in college? This seminar addresses all of these questions and more including, how standardized test scores directly impact students’ potential for scholarship and financial aid.
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
Financial Aid and Funding: The Map to “Buying” a College Education
This presentation frames up the current state of financial aid and help attendees better understand the college financial aid process. It poses interesting questions and places the issue of financial aid and paying for college as one of the first steps in the selection process. Do you know what type of assistance you qualify for and how much you and your child will be required to pay for college tuition? This seminar includes a comprehensive review of financial aid trends, terminology, deadlines, and application requirements by school. Also included is a discussion on merit awards, need based aid, and recruiting scholarships for sports, dance, art, and music. Students and parents learn the new thresholds for academic scholarships and are provided guidelines in targeting schools that offer merit awards. Finally, common mistakes are revealed as students and families are guided to take the lead on understanding and managing financial aid and are offered strategies for reconsidering new ways in which they are selecting schools.
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
How to Select the Right College
This lecture focuses on the roles and responsibilities high school students must assume during the college search and selection process. Discussion includes an overview of who are today’s college student, their characteristics, and aspirations. Also discussed: a realistic perspective of how well prepared students are to achieve these goals. National statistics are provided offering context around graduation rates. This course is based upon information provided in prior seminars. Now that attendees have all the foundational information, they are given instruction on how to put their own plan in place. How do parents and students choose the right school? What steps do they need to take? How can they make their dreams a reality? Attendees will hear from current college students as they share their own experiences and lessons learned especially related to the ways in which they approached selecting a college and how they are making the most of their choices. This program allows students to hear directly from their peers while they create a strategy of their own as they select a college right for them.
SEMINAR // Navigating the Road to College and the College Knowledge Series
High School Homeschoolers:
Shaping your Record for College
This brief introduction serves to ground homeschooled attendees in the realities of the college selection and admissions process. It includes a series of questions that the audience needs to consider as fact or myth. Individual responses and subsequent answers serve to set a tone of urgency and importance related to the topic of the academic preparedness of homeschooled students transitioning to college.
This presentation focuses on statistics related to college eligibility and college readiness with an emphasis on course selection and tracks in high school. Included are discussions regarding the disconnect between student and parent aspirations and their preparedness. The main objective is to demonstrate the importance of educational planning and assessment.
A Note to Home School Teachers:
PROJECT: LIFE in collaboration with Sylvan provides personally tailored Train the Teacher sessions to help home school teachers develop the necessary skills to best reach and teach their children. These workshops focus on how to effectively use a textbook, design lesson plans based upon your child’s learning style, incorporate time management and study skill tips into the school day, and emphasize ways to inspire self-motivated and self-directed learners.
For more information about these one on one training sessions, please contact Maureen Gillick counselor and Director of PROJECT: LIFE at 860-535-1124 or email: mgillick@project-life.com.
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