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Resources for Parents
Parenting is work. Maybe some of these resources
can help.
Helping your Teen Get Ready for College -- a
time line
Which College admissions test does my child need?
Helping your 8th
grader.
Emotional Problems
Learning Problems
Sallie
Mae's Parent Answer Service. Do you have questions about paying
for college? This site is designed to Help parents plan for their child's
college education.
Parent
soup. Parent soup is for just about
any mother. There is a message board. All sorts of issues are covered
to help you when dealing with your teen.
Whole
Family. What to email an expert? Find solace from
psychologists on just about every emotional issue from divorce to
nasty cliques.
Find advice and message boards at www.parents-talk.com.
Family
Education. Former school counselors answer questions at
this site. There is also a "hot issues" section.
Working
Moms. The name says it all.
Guidance
for grown ups. Click on "reference room"
National
PTA.
Parent
Stages. Information to help you
through all the stages of parenthood, this site includes the best parenting
articles, tools and communities on the web.
Click here for the National
Parenting Center website
Click here for the National
Children and Family services website.
Let the government help at publication
for parents.
If your child has concerns about sexual orientation you can be a
great support to him/her. PFLAG can
help you.
Adults can have an attention deficit disorder too. This site has
information on adult ADD and a quiz
you can take to find out about you.
Learning problems
International Dyslexia
Association 410-296-0232
National Center for Learning
Disabilities 888-575-7373 www.ncld.org
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity
Disorder 800-233-4050 www.CHADD.org
Emotional Problems
Does your child cut or burn herself? There is help at Safe-Alternatives.com
or cal 1-800-dontcut.
American Academy of Child &
Adolescent Psychiatry www.aacap.org
American Academy of Pediatrics
www.aap.org
American Psychological
Assn.800-964-2000www.apa.org.
This site has many offerings including warning signs of suicide,
self-esteem and depression, violence prevention ideas, etc.
National Mental Health
Assn.www.nmha.org
National Alliance for the Mentally
Ill www.nami.org.
Adolescence
on-line education.indiana.edu/cas/adol/adol.html
The Challenge
Academy, for at-risk students ages16-18, is a 22 week course.
Call 608-269-9000 for information.
Job Corps. For
students 16-24. Earn a GED and get job skill training. Free.
1-800-733-JOBS
Helping your 8th grader make
plans.......
The following site has been put up by DPI to help parents help
their 8th graders make plans that will help them meet their post high school goals. http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/lespghsp.html
College Planning provides
families with information on the process.
College Bound provides
information and resources to high schoolers looking into college.
Helping Your Teen Get
Ready for College
Parent Answer offers
ideas also.
Click here to subscribe to an e-mail
magazine with articles to help you help your child chooses a career?
FRESHMAN YEAR
Take a variety of classes that let you explore many
career/vocational areas.
Get the best grades you can. Many a senior has had to work very
hard to undo the damage a low grade point in the Freshman year has
caused.
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Meet with your counselor to go over the career test you have
taken. Talk with your counselor and your parents about your skills,
interests, and talents. Answer some basic questions about yourself -
What kind of person are you: a people person, a "thing" person, a
data person, an ideas person? Are you a thinker/planner or a
doer?
What comes easily to you? Think about the kind of work you'd like
to do.
Take the most challenging math you can handle.
If you're a top student, consider taking the PSAT test in
October.
Meet with your counselor to plan your junior and senior years.
JUNIOR YEAR
Meet with your counselor to firm up your career decisions. Ask
your parents to join you.
Make sure the classes you are taking will get you where you want
to go.
If you're a top student take the PSAT test in October.
Continue taking challenging classes.
Begin researching schools. Again, there are basic questions that
need answering. Decide what type of education you will need for the
career you are interested in. Can you get that job through an
apprenticeship or a technical school or do you need a four year
college degree? Do you want to go far away or stay close to home?
What size town do you want the school to be in? Does your learning
style best match a small school or a large one? What schools offer
what you want to study?
Attend college and education fairs. The Wisconsin Education Fair is usually
in mid-October. Milwaukee hosts a National College Fair in late October/Early
November.
Take the ACT test in the spring. (Very few schools require the
SAT.) This is required only for the four year college bound. To learn
more about which test your child should take click here.
Begin visiting schools. Sign up to see the college representatives that visit
BMHS.
Plan challenging courses for your senior year. Taking easy classes
or a shortened schedule may hurt your chances of getting into the
school you want. Remember, when you think about college entrance
requirements, these are minimums not optimums.
Start making your resume.
SENIOR YEAR
Don't take easy courses. You don't want the college to think your
a "slacker".
Register in September to retake the ACT if your score was below
22.
Finish your college visits. Participate in senior "on campus
days".
Finish your resume.
Begin applying for local scholarships.
Apply to your first and second choice schools by Thanksgiving.
If you will be applying for financial aid, pick up the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in early January. Mail it
ASAP. Each college and technical school has it's own priority
date.
Keep your grades up. You want your final transcript to reflect
your true ability.
Request that a copy of your final transcript be sent to the
college you are attending.
Which college admissions
test does my child need? And When?
The PLAN is a practice test
for the ACT. It is recommended that sophomores and juniors take
this.
The PSAT is a practice
test for the SAT. It can also help you with the ACT. Most students
who take the PSAT do so in hopes of qualifying for a National Merit
Scholarship. While it can be taken in the sophomore year, it is the
junior year score that is used for National Merit.
The SAT I is required by
very few colleges, most frequently located on the East and West
coasts. Many schools accept the SAT. Your counselor can tell you if
the school you are interested in requires it. Take this test in late
spring of your junior year or early fall of your senior year. The SAT
tests only Math and English. The SAT II tests are
specialized subject matter tests often required by private colleges.
Check the college web page to see if you need those. They would be
taken in your senior year.
The ACT is the most
frequently required test, particularly in the mid-West. Take the ACT
in late spring of your junior year. Seniors taking or re-taking the
ACT should take the October test to meet college application
deadlines.
For a chart comparing the ACT and SAT tests,
see the "Study Skills" page.
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