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Higher
Education
Planning
"This
is
outstanding,
I'm glad
we
connected
with
you. Now
my baby
has
several
written
career
paths to
choose
from. I
think
you are
going to
be a
positive
influence
in her
life, it
is good
to have
a shared
focus
base for
her to
be able
to pull
from."
- Z.
Bailey,
father
of a
high
school
student |
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Question:
How
early
should
I
start
applying
for
college?
Answer:
Applying
to
college
is
like
a
professional
boxing
match.
The
boxing
champion
knows
the
opponent
before
entering
the
ring.
Training
means
strenuous
physical
conditioning.
Training
means
priorities
and
sacrifices.
Preparation
wins
the
fight;
a
knockout
confirms
the
victory.
College
acceptance
and
financial
aid
award
letters
reflect
your
entire
high
school
career.
Your
training
regimen:
- Your passion. Think about your dream career or your favorite hobby.
- Choose prospective colleges that are right for you.
- Rigorous courses that explore your passion. (And make the best grades that you can.) Do you want to be an engineer? Plan to take Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus.
- Consistent extracurricular activities. Everyone tells you to be well rounded. So, your instinct leads you to join National Honor Society, Student Council, ROTC, FFA, and UN Club. Slow down. Remember your passion. If you love painting, enter every art contest. Join the Drama Club to design sets for theatrical productions.
- Community service and work experience are more than blanks on the college application form. They reveal your commitment to others and to your future. Is your passion to become President of the United States in 2040? Coordinate a group of peers to volunteer for a local political campaign.
- SAT and ACT. Boxers must meet weight requirements; you must have the right scores. Practice and study to tip the admissions scale in your favor.
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Service and scholarships |
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Eavesdrop on an actual conversation that I
hope to never have again: |
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High school
senior: Ms. Jennifer, I really need scholarships to
pay for college. Where do I start? |
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Jennifer:
Well, let's talk about your community service
activities. Do you volunteer? |
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High school
senior: No. |
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Jennifer:
Would you like to do community service? It can
improve your chances of winning free money for college. |
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High school
senior: Maybe... |
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Mother of
the high school senior: I didn't know he needed
to do community service! |
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Students who
spend 4 years volunteering have a competitive edge over
their peers who spend only a few months volunteering.
Before your freshman becomes overwhelmed with the
newness of high school, encourage him or her to commit
to community service. Here are 5 benefits of
volunteering (working without getting paid): |
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1.
Volunteering demonstrates commitment: Stick to one
or two organizations and lead special projects and
events. |
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2.
Networking opportunities: People notice a young
volunteer's commitment and want to help with the youth's
future. Think scholarships, letters of recommendation,
and employment that aren't available to students who
dedicate their summers to the 3 S's (sleeping in,
surfing the internet, and sending text messages). |
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3.
Hands-on experience: Gain a realistic look at a
potential career. Hospitals, zoos, and court rooms want
free labor from future doctors, veterinarians, and
judges. |
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4. Help
others: Develop your special gift to enhance the
quality of life for the less fortunate. |
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5.
Develop a habit of giving: I practice what I preach.
In college, I donated my time at least once a week to
non-profits. Although I'm finished with school, I
volunteer to speak at charitable events. |
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Q:
Ms. Jennifer, where can I find volunteer
opportunities in my Houston neighborhood? |
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1. Volunteer Houston:
http://volunteerhouston.org/ |
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2. YMCA:
http://ymcahouston.org/ |
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3. Houston Zoo:
http://www.houstonzoo.org/ |
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4. Houston Children's Museum:
http://www.cmhouston.org/
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5. Houston Public Library:
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/
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6. Harris County Public Library:
http://www.hcpl.lib.tx.us/ |
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7. Your church or place of worship |
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8: Methodist Hospital:
http://www.methodisthealth.com/tmhs/home.do
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9. Houston Food Bank:
http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/ |
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10. City of Houston:
http://www.houstontx.gov/ |
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Q:
Ms. Jennifer, my daughter is a junior at Channelview High
School. I'm so proud of her; she is determined to get
scholarships to attend Louisiana State University.
Extracurricular activities and community service count for a lot
on the applications. My daughter sees many of her classmates
join every club and organization. Should she be doing the same? —
Lamar B.
No. Name of
activity, years of participation, your most outstanding role or
contribution—these describe the high school involvement of a
future Tiger. (See www.lsu.edu).
3 tips for
maximizing extracurricular activities:
1) Join clubs for your enrichment, not to impress others.
2) Your outstanding roles and contributions must be: leading,
serving, and competing on behalf of your organization.
3) Develop a relationship (professional) with the club sponsor;
this person will write a glowing letter of recommendation about
you.
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Q: I'm a senior in high school and
want to major in Physics or Engineering in
college. People around me think I'm joking
when I tell them my future major because I
struggle in math and science. I've never
taken an Advanced Placement, Honors, or
upper-level class in these subjects. Right
now, I'm not sure what college to attend.
Any suggestions?— Scientist with no school
A: Choose a school where the professors'
main priority is teaching. Because you are
not strong in your most important subjects,
you will thrive in a supportive environment.
Texas A & M, the University of Texas, and
the University of Oklahoma offer engineering
programs that would look great on your job
applications to DuPont, Exxon, Halliburton,
and NASA. Such schools are research
universities, and their professors focus on
publishing their discoveries; you will be
teaching yourself. What does prestige matter
if you can't pass Physics II?
Choose 5 teaching universities with Physics
and Engineering programs. Of those schools,
here is how to spot the best one for you:
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Visit.
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Go to a freshman-level science or math
class.
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Find out about academic support services
such as free tutoring, test-taking and
study skills workshops.
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Go to the career center.
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Talk to current and former students about
their experiences with the school.
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Q:
Jennifer, I am a librarian writing
a letter of recommendation for one of the
library volunteers. She has been accepted to
UT, Baylor, and Texas A & M, and she
needs this letter for a scholarship
application. She
is always on time. During her two years of
service, she has shelved books and proved to
be a self-starter. In
addition to these great attributes, what
should go in the letter about this promising
young lady?
— D. Librarian
A: Request a resume or a brag sheet from the
volunteer that details
the following:
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Outstanding things that she has done for
the library
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Volunteer activities
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Employment
Including these specific experiences in the
letter will demonstrate
your volunteer's level of commitment,
motivation, and potential.
If you would like a copy of a brag sheet to
use as an example, email
jdledwith@scholaready.com.
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Q:
I'm a high school senior, and I want to
go to the University of Oklahoma. I've had
my heart set on becoming a Sooner for a long
time. I plan on studying Agriculture so that
I can become a game warden. I've heard that
OU doesn't have an Agriculture program, but I really want to
attend the school. What do you suggest? — Joaquin |
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Joaquin, OU is not the school for you.
(Disclaimer: I graduated from OU.) I visited
http://webapps.ou.edu/academics/default.cfm to search for
Agriculture, and the result was: "There are
no Academic Interests in your Search."
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Choose a school that offers a major or a
variety of majors that interest you. Don't
suffer through a major in order to attend a
certain school. |
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College is already tough. Your educational
expenses will rise every year. Your first
dorm room could be as small as a closet. As
a college student, your most lucrative job
may require selling your plasma. Yuck! You
must be committed to your studies in spite
of these inconveniences. You must believe that each hour in the
library or the lecture hall will bring you closer
to your dream of becoming a game warden. |
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Q:
Jennifer, as you know, my son, your student,
is getting ready to apply for college and
scholarships. At the football game last
night, some of the kids in the stands
were talking about the application process.
It is so different from when I was in school. Some of the young ladies at the
game were talking about all of the school
and community activities that would make an
application look good. |
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My son has spent 4 years on the football
team. He has also volunteered and
participated in drill team at our church
every week since his freshman year. Does he
have enough activities to put on his
applications?
-V. W. |
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College admissions and scholarship
committees prize dedicated students. How can
a student serve as an effective leader if he
or she belongs to every organization from
the Anchor Club to the Youth Choir? |
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Use the Texas Common Application (www.applytexas.org)
as a guide for extracurricular and community
involvement. In the upcoming months, any
high school senior applying to a public
university in Texas will face page 7 of the
application.
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Students who
have drifted from one after-school activity
to another are in for a rude awakening.
Leadership positions held, actual duties
experienced, and total time (hours, weeks,
years) devoted — each of these must be
disclosed in the activity section. Students
should focus on developing learning
experiences, earning awards, and
serving as leaders in a few organizations.
Avoid the shotgun approach of belonging to
every cause. |
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V.W., your son's focused level of
involvement demonstrates that he can join an
organization and persevere through four
years. Hmmm...what else requires at least
four years of perseverance?
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20 questions to ask before you choose a
college:
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1.
Is the school located in a large
city, suburb, or a rural area? |
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2.
Throughout the school year, what is the
weather like? |
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3.
How far is
the school from home? |
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4.
Where is the closest airport, train
station, and bus station? |
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5.
How large or small is the university? |
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6.
Is the school a research university or a
teaching university? |
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7.
How much are tuition, fees, dorm/apartment
leases, and
meal plans?
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8.
What are the financial aid options? |
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9.
H ow
much financial aid will the school offer
you? |
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10.
Does the school offer on-campus
employment? |
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11.
What is the social scene? |
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12.
Does the college have any Greek fraternities and
sororities? |
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13.
How
diverse is the student body? |
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14.
What is the male to female ratio? |
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15.
Do they offer online classes? |
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16.
Can you walk to class, or do you need a
car? |
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17.
How much does the parking permit
cost? |
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18.
What 3 majors at the school interest you? |
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19.
What
are 3 on-campus eating places? |
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20.
What are 3 programs that the school offers
to further your career and educational
goals? |
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Pookie's Password |
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Save all of your user IDs and passwords
for every website related to getting into
college, paying for college, and staying
in college. Trust me, when you emerge from
the lulling security of procrastination
and try to register for the SAT on the
January 20th deadline, those
passwords will be a distant memory. |
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Here are a few storage tips: |
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1. I like to store security
information on my computer and back-up
disk. |
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2. Are you a student on the go? Put a
lock code on your cell phone and enter your
passwords into the mobile device. Your
access codes to applytexas.org and
fafsa.ed.gov will be as easy to find as
today's text messages. |
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3. If you prefer pencil and paper,
keep two sets of password notebooks. Keep
one copy in your bedroom and the other
copy with a trusted adult. |
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4. Email your user name and password
to yourself. Keep these messages in a
folder labeled "College Admissions" and
you'll find them in any time crunch.
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5. Don't share your passwords with
anyone. This way, your college choices are
your choices. Plus, no one will suspect
that typing "Pookie93" grants access to
your future. |
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Stimulate your own economy |
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What is your economic stimulus plan? Examine
your professional goals. Perhaps you resolve
every year to enhance your education — earn
a GED, complete an Associate Degree, pursue
a Bachelor Degree, or seek a vocational
license— to climb the career ladder and earn
a higher income. |
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I spoke with Annie Harris, who is a
certified teacher, reading specialist, and
entrepreneur, about her return to college at
age 34. While raising five children
(including an infant), Annie studied at
Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. She
realized her dream of graduating before she
hit the Big 4-0. |
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Annie, you had five children and a husband
when you were in your mid-30's. Why did you
go back to school despite your
responsibilities? |
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I had a desire to do something for
myself. Before I started college, I worked
as a nurse's aide, making about $9,000 a
year. That wasn't a lot of money in the
70's. As a consequence, I started thinking
"profession" instead of "job." In Beaumont,
career opportunities and decent salaries
were scarce for Black people without
degrees. |
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Many non-traditional students face a double
financial burden: paying thousands of
dollars for classes and forgoing paid
workdays for study sessions. How did you
survive? |
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I didn't work full-time, but my husband
did. Grants and student loans? I didn't
qualify. Part-time employment at Lamar
University's library allowed me the
flexibility I needed to study and spend time
with my children. |
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Since you finished from Lamar in 1994, what
have you been doing? |
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In 1998, I earned a Master of Education
Degree from Prairie View A & M University.
Currently, I teach at a public school.
Soaring In Learning Tutorial Service, the
company I operate, offers private tutoring
to elementary and middle school students.
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Were the sacrifices you made for your
education and career worth it?
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Yes. When you desire education, you don't
think about your current needs, you focus on
the end results. |
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Annie Harris can be reached at (713)
330-7520 and
marieannie@sbcglobal.net for additional
information about Soaring In Learning
Tutorial Service. |
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