A Paret s Guide to College ad Career Readiess: A guide to help you support your child s dreams Produced by the Uiversity of Miesota College Readiess Cosortium 1
INTRODUCTION I today s world, a college degree is becomig a requiremet for career-track jobs that pay a livig wage ad provide opportuity for promotio. College icludes four-year colleges such as the Uiversity of Miesota, as well as commuity ad techical colleges where a studet ca ear a two-year associate degree or obtai a certificate i a specialized field to prepare for a career. Parets, gradparets ad other carig adults play a critical role i a child s educatio. This guide will help you support your child s preparatio for college from preschool through high school. It is based o research used i the developmet of Ramp-Up to Readiess, a school-wide advisory program desiged to icrease the umber ad diversity of studets who graduate from high school with the kowledge, skills, ad habits ecessary for success i college. Ramp-Up to Readiess helps schools prepare studets for college i five areas: Academic Readiess: The ability to succeed i first-year classes that ear credits at a techical college, commuity college or four-year college or uiversity Admissios Readiess: The ability to meet admissios requiremets at a rage of postsecodary istitutios Career Readiess: The ability to idetify careers that match persoal, fiacial, ad other goals ad a uderstadig of the skills, credetials, ad experieces required to succeed i those careers Fiacial Readiess: The ability to cover the cost of the first semester of study at a postsecodary istitutio through savigs, loas, ad fiacial aid Persoal ad Social Readiess: The ability to set educatioal goals, make ad moitor progress toward them, ad create relatioships with peers ad adults that support academic success The advice i this guide covers ways families ca help studets become college ready i all five areas. For more iformatio o why college is importat, visit www.collegeready.org (The Case for College Readiess) or www.rampuptoreadiess.org.
College Prep From Ifacy Through High School Support readig: Readig helps develop vocabulary ad is a fudametal skill for all learig. 4 Talk to your child, from the time he or she is a ifat. 4 Poit out words o sigs to preschoolers. 4 Sped 20 miutes a day readig to your child, or havig your child read to you. Older studets should read o their ow daily, but ofte still ejoy listeig to adults read. Visit a public library for books ad magazies or read a ewspaper. Remember, itelligece is ot fixed: Effort ad persistece whe facig challeges are importat characteristics of a successful studet. 4 Tell your child, Smart is ot what you are, smart is what you work to become. 4 Praise your child s effort, ot just success; say thigs such as: I like how you kept at that math assigmet eve though it was hard. Help your child set goals: Settig goals is good practice, ad achievig goals guides motivatio. 4 Help your studet set ad achieve SMART goals about behavior, time maagemet or school: Specific Measurable Attaiable Relevat Timely Establish a set time for homework every ight: 4 Tur off TVs, cell phoes ad elimiate other distractios. 4 Help your child check his/her homework to be sure it is doe correctly. 1
Stay coected with school: 4 Atted paret-teacher cofereces ad use your school s iformatio system to stay iformed about your child s progress ad grades. 4 If you have questios, cotact your studet s teacher. 4 Ecourage your child to use a plaer or bider ad review it each ight to kow the upcomig assigmets. 4 Ask teachers or school couselors if your child is takig classes that will prepare him or her for college, ad if your child s test scores idicate that he or she will be ready for college. Ecourage your child to seek help: Learig whe ad how to get assistace is a importat skill for college ad life. It is better to get help early before a problem gets worse. 4 If you thik your child eeds extra help, you or your studet ca ask a teacher or couselor about tutorig or other assistace available at the school. Start savig for college: There are may ways to make college affordable. Eve the smallest savigs add up if set aside regularly over a log period of time. 4 Explore settig up a Miesota College Savigs Pla ad other savigs ideas at msaves.org. 4 Complete a sample FAFSA (Free Applicatio for Federal Studet Aid) form to get a estimate of the fiacial aid your child might receive. You ca fid oe at studetaid.ed.gov/fafsa/estimate or www.ohe.state.m.us/estimator/firstquestios.cfm. 4 Social Security umbers are ot required to atted college, although they are required for all govermet fiacial aid. If o oe i your family has atteded college before, firstithefamily.org might be useful. 2
College Prep For The Middle School Years (Grades 6 through 8) Ecourage your child to take school seriously ad choose challegig classes: Middle school subjects are importat preparatio for high school classes. Explore a variety of career iterests: 4 Ask your child about activities that he or she ejoys, ad explore related careers. 4 Fid a way to coect your child s dreams to attedig college. For example, if a child wats to be a professioal athlete or fashio desiger, metio that the road to those careers icludes college. 4 Visit kids.usa.gov/tees-home/idex.html or asa.gov/audiece/ forstudets/5-8/idex.html for fu websites to explore careers. 4 This iteractive tool, iseek.org/careers/realitytool.html, will help your child coect the cost of a desired lifestyle with college ad career optios. Develop academic habits of success: Developig orgaizatioal skills, learig how to get help from school staff ad buildig positive relatioships are key college skills to begi developig i middle school. 4 Check your child s bider or plaer each ight. 4 Help your child build positive relatioships with peers who make good choices ad are developig good study habits. 4 Help your child take a learig style self-assessmet (such as educatioplaer.org/studets/self-assessmets/ learig-styles.shtml) to idetify his or her best approaches to studyig ad learig. 3
Get ivolved i extracurricular activities: Colleges look for wellrouded studets who voluteer or are ivolved i school ad commuity activities. Activities are also a great way to get to kow other studets or adjust to a ew school. 4 Sig your child up for a school or commuity activity. Lear about college costs ad fiacial aid: Become familiar with college costs ad ways to cover those costs, icludig grats, loas ad scholarships. 4 Check out the Payig sectio at www.getready.state.m.us. 4 Watch videos ad fid more iformatio at mprivatecolleges.org/payig. 4 Get a early estimate of the fiacial aid your child might receive by usig the plaig tools at studetaid.ed.gov/fafsa/estimate or www.ohe.state.m.us/estimator/firstquestios.cfm. Take the Explore test i 8th grade: The Explore test is good practice for the ACT college admissios exam that studets will take later i 11th grade. It provides feedback o whether studets are academically college ready i additio to providig iformatio about careers that may be good matches for your child. 4 Review test results with your child ad your child s teacher or couselor. Register for 9th grade: Ofte studets register for high school classes while still i 8th grade. 4 Make sure your child registers for classes that will keep your studet o track for college. Typically four-year colleges require: 4 years of math 4 years of Eglish 3 years of sciece (icludig biology ad chemistry) 2-3 years of foreig laguage 4 years of social studies 1 year of art (art icludes music) Although these classes may ot be required for a two-year commuity or techical college, they are good preparatio for all college studets. 4 Ecourage your child to take math, sciece ad techology classes because may jobs of the future are i these fields. 4
College Prep Durig High School 9th Grade Establish a set time for homework every ight: Tur off TVs, cell phoes ad elimiate other distractios. Grades cout: Ofte studets thik that grades i 9th grade classes do t cout for college admissios. Not oly do they cout, success i those classes is the foudatio for more challegig coursework later i high school. 4 If your school provides olie access to grades, track your studet s progress regularly. 4 If your studet is strugglig, cotact the teacher or couselor to fid additioal help. Do t wait for the ed of the semester. Get ivolved i extracurricular activities: Colleges look for wellrouded studets who voluteer, are employed ad/or are ivolved i school activities. 4 Help your child get ivolved i a activity at school or i the commuity. 4 Keep homework a priority by helpig your child develop time maagemet skills. Register for 10th grade classes: Registratio ca happe as early as Jauary. 4 Stay ivolved i the registratio process to make sure your studet is takig the recommeded classes to be prepared for college. Complete a College Fiacial Aid Calculator: This will give you a realistic estimate of how much your family is expected to cotribute to college costs. 4 Check out the FAFSA4caster at studetaid.ed.gov/fafsa/estimate to get a estimate of college expeses ad fid plaig tools. 4 Ecourage your child to explore grat ad scholarship optios olie ad with their guidace couselor. 5
10th Grade Take the PLAN ad/or PSAT tests: Use them as practice for the ACT ad SAT tests, ad to see how your child is progressig i academic readiess for college. Explore career iterests: Cotiue discussios with your child about activities he or she ejoys ad braistorm careers related to those iterests. Havig a career goal ca help studets be more motivated ad see the coectio with school. 4 Your child ca fid careers that fit his or her iterests by takig a iterest ivetory. Oe website that ca help is actstudet.org/career/. 4 School couselors ca discuss the type of college degree eeded for those careers. Cosider differet types of postsecodary optios: There s a wide rage of postsecodary optios, icludig two ad four-year colleges, ad techical college programs that ofte take fewer tha two years to complete. With good plaig, two-year college credits ca trasfer to a four-year college. For some majors, it may be best to start at a four-year college because of a required sequece of classes. For example, a studet who trasfers after two years at a commuity college ofte will eed three more years of study to complete a egieerig degree. 4 Discuss with your child what type of college may be the right fit for the careers or areas of study that iterest them. 4 Some other factors iclude: diversity ad size of the studet populatio, city size/locatio, ad average high school GPA for icomig freshma. Register for 11th grade classes: Your studet should cosider takig a class that offers college credit, such as Advaced Placemet, Iteratioal Baccalaureate, College i the Schools, Project Lead the Way, or PSEO optios. 4 Lear more at readysetgo.state.m.us/rsg/paret/idex.html. Two websites to help you explore ad choose colleges are: bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search ad actstudet.org/college/choosig.html 6
11th Grade Take the ACT or SAT: Most four-year colleges expect applicats to take the ACT or SAT exam i sprig. Test dates i April ad Jue are good because studets have completed most or all of their juior year classes. 4 Fid out which test your child s preferred college accepts (e.g., all Miesota colleges accept the ACT). 4 Register your child at least oe moth i advace. For dates ad registratio, see actstudet.org ad sat.collegeboard.org/home. 4 Have your studet participate i ACT or SAT preparatio classes offered through schools ad commuity educatio programs. Atted college fairs ad visit campuses: Visitig colleges ad talkig to admissios staff are good ways to see if a campus is the right fit for your studet. 4 For iformatio o factors to cosider, review the Choosig a College sectio of getreadyforcollege.org. 4 Cosider whether the college has majors (areas of study) that fit your child s iterests as well as college size, locatio ad cost. 4 Make appoitmets for iformatio sessios ad tours with a college s Office of Admissios. Cotiue plaig for fiacig college: Completig a sample FAFSA (fiacial aid) form will help you get a estimate of the expected family cotributio, ad the fiacial aid your child might receive. 4 Explore the fiacial plaig tools ad sample FAFSA at studetaid.ed.gov/fafsa/estimate or getreadyforcollege.org/ Estimator/firstQuestios.cfm. 4 Talk to a school couselor with your child ad research scholarships olie. If your studet plas to play a sport i college: Cotact your high school coach to ask about programs ad scholarships. 7
Register for a strog seior year: Eglish, social studies, math ad sciece are importat subjects to cotiue i 12th grade. Four-year colleges expect it ad two-year commuity ad techical colleges ofte require placemet tests i math or laguage arts. If studets have skipped a year of istructio, they may do poorly o placemet tests ad have to take developmetal courses that do ot ear college credit but still charge tuitio. If he or she is eligible, eroll your child i at least oe class that offers college credit such as Advaced Placemet, Iteratioal Baccalaureate, College i the Schools, Project Lead the Way, or PSEO optios. Most studets become more cofidet ad prepared after takig a college-level course i high school. For more iformatio see readysetgo.state.m.us/rsg/paret/idex.html. College visits College visits are very importat to do before attedig a college. The summer after the juior year is a great time to visit. Liste for aswers to or ask the followig questios: Does the college offer your child s iteded major? Are there learig commuities where studets with similar iterests live i the same hall ad take classes together? What types of hoors courses are offered? What kids of academic supports are available o campus? How much time do studets sped o homework each week? How much writig is expected? How much readig is expected? Do studets receive prompt feedback o academic performace? Do class discussios ad assigmets iclude diverse perspectives? Do studets ofte work together o projects? What kids of activities are studets ivolved i outside of the classroom? Whe ad how do studets iteract with other studets who have differet social, political, or religious views or come from differet racial ad ethic backgrouds? How may studets study i other coutries? What percetage of studets do commuity service? How may studets live o campus? Are faculty members accessible ad supportive? Ca studets work o research projects with faculty? Is there a paret commuicatio program? 8
12th Grade Avoid the seior slump : Colleges cosider the seior year course load whe makig admissio decisios. I additio, seiors who skip math courses ca lose skills ad icrease the risk of beig required to take o-credit developmetal classes i college. Last chace for ACT ad SAT: 4 If your studet did ot take the ACT or SAT as a juior, register for the October tests at least oe moth i advace. 4 If your studet took the test i 11th grade but did ot score as high as he/she expected, cosider re-takig the test. Determie applicatio deadlies: May four-year colleges have December deadlies, while others allow applicatios util Jauary, February or eve Jue. Some commuity colleges will accept studets util the start of school, but others have sprig or summer deadlies. Submit applicatios: Most applicatios are submitted olie. Some colleges use the Commo Applicatio which ca be submitted to multiple colleges at oce. Some colleges will waive applicatio fees for low-icome families. 4 Apply to at least three colleges: Match school: oe where the average GPA ad ACT/SAT scores for icomig first-year studets are about the same as your child s Stretch school: oe where the GPA ad test scores are a bit higher Safety school: oe where the scores are a little lower 4 If the applicatio requires recommedatio letters, make sure your studet asks people to write letters at least three weeks before the due date, ad preferably early i fall. They ca ask couselors, teachers, employers, coaches or leaders from voluteer activities. 4 If a college your studet applies to requires a essay, make sure they have a teacher or couselor who ca review it. If ot, you should review it ad provide commets. Make sure your studet revises the essay before submittig it. 4 Moitor applicatios to make sure all of the required documets are submitted. 9
Complete a official fiacial aid form (FAFSA): 4 I Jauary, complete a official fiacial aid form at fafsa.ed.gov. You ll wat to have your most recet icome tax forms ad your studet s savigs iformatio hady. 4 Atted ay fiacial aid workshops offered by your school. At evets such as Miesota College Goal workshops, miesotacollegegoal.org, you ca get assistace i completig the FAFSA. Decide where to go: By April most colleges will have made admissio decisios ad provided iformatio o fiacial aid. 4 Compare schools based o the actual cost your studet will have to pay after ay grats or scholarships offered by the college are subtracted from the full tuitio price. Apply for housig: Complete the housig applicatio, which may be due as early as March 1. 4 Cosider livig ad learig commuities where studets live o the same floor ad take classes i commo. Cofirm erollmet: Follow the directios i the acceptace letter for the school your studet chooses. 4 Ofte a cofirmatio fee must be set to the school i sprig. If the fee is a fiacial hardship, ask the college if they will waive the fee. 4 Your studet should tell the school couselor the college he/she plas to atted, ad request that the fial trascript ad all college credit exam scores be set there. 4 Fid out whe tuitio ad room ad board paymets are due. Colleges usually allow istallmet paymets, but you may have to ask for that optio. 4 Make sure your studet is readig ad respodig to all iformatio set by the college. If your child plas to play a sport i college: 4 Cotact your high school coach to ask about programs ad scholarships. 4 Register at the NCAA Eligibility Ceter, caa.org. 10
Pla for college expeses: 4 Help your child prepare a budget for college. 4 Determie how much to sped o food, books ad supplies, ad etertaimet. 4 Most studets will eed debit cards. Make sure the bak you ad your child choose has a ATM machie close to campus. 4 A checkig accout is coveiet for the purchase of books ad other expeses. Most colleges will charge books to a studet s college accout, which is the paid by check, charge card or olie paymets from bak accouts. Gettig to college ad movig i: Studets are provided a specific move i date, ad possibly time of day. 4 Air travel: Schedule flights i advace for the best prices. 4 Trai or bus: Fid out how much your child ca take as luggage. 4 Car: Residece halls will have specific directios for uloadig ad movig i. 11
Glossary ACT: A stadardized test used by may colleges as oe factor cosidered i admissios. All Miesota colleges will accept the ACT. A studet usually takes this test i witer or sprig of their juior year. Advaced Placemet (AP): AP classes are taught i high schools by high school teachers who are traied to use a specific college-level curriculum. Studets take a exam at the ed of the course ad may colleges will give academic credits to studets based o their exam scores. Commuity Colleges: Public colleges that grat two-year associate degrees. Studets who pla to cotiue their educatio at a four-year college should ask about the trasfer curriculum. College i the Schools (CIS): A program i which specially-traied high school teachers teach college courses i the high school. Studets who successfully complete a CIS course receive academic credit from the college ad grades are recorded o college trascripts. EXPLORE: A stadardized test offered i 8th or 9th grade that is aliged with the ACT. The results provide iformatio about a studet s kowledge, skills ad iterests, ad ca help assess whether a studet is o track for college readiess. Free Applicatio for Federal Studet Aid (FAFSA): This is the applicatio required by all colleges for studet loas ad grats. The applicatio requires iformatio about both paret ad studet icome ad assets, ad must be completed each year the studet is i college. It calculates the expected family cotributio. Fiacial Aid: Colleges will calculate fiacial aid based o the differece betwee the expected family cotributio ad the cost of attedig a particular college. Fiacial aid comes i may forms, icludig: 12 Pell grats: Federal moey that does ot eed to be repaid, available to studets with the highest eed. State or college grats: Moey that does ot eed to be repaid. Tuitio waivers: A college may waive part or all of the tuitio based o a studet s talets or eed. Work study: O campus jobs fuded through fiacial aid. Loas: Moey that must be paid back, usually with iterest. Scholarships: Moey that does ot eed to be repaid. Colleges ad may orgaizatios offer scholarships based o a wide rage of criteria.
Iteratioal Baccalaureate (IB): IB classes are taught i high schools by high school teachers who are traied to use a specific college-level curriculum. Studets take a exam at the ed of the course ad may colleges will give academic credits to studets based o exam scores. PLAN: A stadardized test offered i 10th grade that is aliged with the ACT ad ca help a studet prepare for the ACT. The results provide iformatio about a studet s kowledge, skills ad iterests, ad ca help assess whether a studet is o track for college readiess. Post-Secodary Erollmet Optios (PSEO): I Miesota, high school juiors ad seiors (ad some sophomores) ca take oe or more courses at a public college without payig tuitio ad ca ear college credit. Colleges have eligibility requiremets based o class rak or test scores, so studets should check with their school couselor to explore optios. Project Lead the Way (PLTW): Project Lead the Way classes are taught i high schools by high school teachers ad provide hads-o, project-based challegig egieerig courses. PSAT: A stadardized test offered i 11th grade that is aliged with the SAT ad ca help a studet prepare for the SAT. The results provide iformatio about a studet s kowledge, skills ad iterests, ad ca help assess whether a studet is o track for college readiess. Readistep: A stadardized test offered i 8th or 9th grade that is aliged with the SAT. The results provide iformatio about a studet s kowledge, skills ad iterests, ad ca help assess whether a studet is o track for college readiess. SAT: A stadardized test used by may colleges, particularly colleges with highly competitive admissios, as oe factor cosidered i admissios. A studet usually takes this test i witer or sprig of their juior year. Techical College: Public colleges that provide specific traiig that usually requires less tha two years to achieve a diploma or certificate. 13
The College Readiess Cosortium works to icrease the umber ad diversity of Miesota studets who graduate from high school with the kowledge, skills ad habits for success i higher educatio. The Uiversity of Miesota is a equal opportuity educator ad employer. This publicatio is available i alterative formats upo request. Direct request to College Readiess Cosortium, 612-625-3695 or collegeready@um.edu Prited o recycled ad recyclable paper with at least 10% postcosumer material. Produced 2014. 14