Mom Knows College

A Parent's Survival Guide to College Planning

2019 Checklist: College Planning for Each High School Grade

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As the mom of two busy teenagers, I appreciate the kick-in-the-pants that a new year brings to my planning duties. And again this year I’ve resolved to keep on track with all sporting events, school responsibilities and college planning obligations from the very start.

I’ve got my giant annual calendar on the wall and my online Google Calendar primed and ready to mark down important dates and tasks this year.

Check out what you and your high schooler should be thinking about and planning for over the next few months to stay on track with college admissions planning. For an even more in-depth overview for the entire year, download my free College Planning Checklist to know exactly what to do each year in high school.

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4 Tips to Keep Organized for College Admissions

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No doubt about it – there’s a ridiculous number of things to keep track of when you’re helping your teen plan for college admissions:

  • course schedules
  • SAT/ACT testing timelines
  • college search
  • college visits
  • college application requirements
  • financial aid & scholarships
  • deadlines – So. Many. Deadlines.

It’s no wonder that your teen seems all over the place with this stuff.

It’s helpful to have a few tools handy to make this unwieldy process a little more…wieldy. And to save at least a few hairs from turning prematurely gray.

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4 Ways Your Teen Can Improve GPA Scores

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DANG those online report cards.

Nowadays we have access 24/7 to our teens’ grades and GPA scores. And I’ve gotta tell ya, it’s a little stressful.

I kinda liked not knowing about my kids’ grade offenses until those quarterly progress reports came out. Call me irresponsible (go ahead, do it).

I’d rather just stick my head in the sand sometimes.

But of course, as a college planning coach and former teacher, I know a few things about encouraging good grades from my girls.

And they were acutely aware from the very first day of high school that every grade they received would count toward the infamous Grade Point Average.

(No pressure, daughters.)

Over the years I’ve learned some effective ways to help students improve those GPA scores.

I hope these tips will help to guide your teen in an upward direction, too!

 

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How to Get Your Teen to Apply for Scholarships over Winter Break

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It’s been a long semester for your teen.

Hopefully your kid worked really hard in school and did all the things needed to move forward on that path to college admissions.

And now…Hallelujah! It’s winter break! Time to relax and take some well-deserved time off.

Well, actually, winter break is a GREAT time to encourage your teen to apply for scholarships, no matter what high school grade level your teen is in right now.

Let’s go over how you can encourage your teen to apply for scholarships, and just where to start with things.

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How the PSAT Will Help Your Teen with College Admissions

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PSAT scores are being released this week for sophomores and juniors, leaving many parents wondering, “What does that mean for my teenager?”

Although the PSAT isn’t actually used for direct admissions to colleges (schools look at SAT or ACT scores to determine eligibility), there’s no denying that it’s a valuable tool to help with getting in.

Once your teen’s high school releases the PSAT score reports to you, look it over and then read on to learn how the exam can help with college admissions.

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