When is the right time for parents to begin thinking about college? Some begin when their children are young and others procrastinate because they do not know where to start. There are two college search-related events that will guide parents and students in the right direction.##M:[more]##
Joachim & Brown Educational Consulting LLC, Club Z! In-Home Tutoring, and Brennan Financial Group are collaborating through seminars and individual consulting services to simplify and demystify the college planning process. A free seminar will be held on Monday, January 22, at 7 p.m., at the Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center, 1225 State Road, Princeton. Call 609-924-3900 to register.
According to Valerie Brown of Joachim & Brown, it is important to understand right at the outset of the college application process that, just like when they are applying for a job, they need to promote themselves. “Universities and colleges are not just looking for students who are smart, but students who are willing to learn and explore inside and outside of the classroom,” she told the News in 2006. “They are also looking for students who can add to the campus environment, right across the board. They are looking for the opportunity to mold young graduates who will be successful in our society because that will ultimately look good for the university.”
According to Joachim & Brown, “Selecting a college is easy but, selecting the right college is critical.” College Catalysts, a program offered by Joachim & Brown, employs the expertise of former college admissions directors offering more than 25 years of expereince in the fields of higher education and teacher education. They also offer an academic and personal advising program for eighth and ninth grade students, and individualized plans for students in tenth grade and up.
“Grades and test scores are an essential part of all college admission criteria,” according to Club Z! In- Home Tutoring Services. Club-Z provides individualized, one-on-one instruction in your home, schools, after school facilities, libraries, or community centers. Subjects include reading, math, science, history, foreign languages, computers, study skills, and preparing for standardized tests.
“To balance the desire to provide a good education with the reality of how to pay for it, families should maximize their tax incentives, financial aid opportunities, and college savings accounts,” according to Brennan Financial Group in a press release. “Taking advantage of student loans, grants, scholarships, work study programs, and other options can help cover the difference between what parents are expected to pay and what the college actually costs.”
Peter Van Buskirk presents “Winning the College Admissions Game” on Tuesday, January 30, at 7 p.m. in High School North’s auditorium. Van Buskirk, a former admissions counselor from Franklin & Marshall College, explains how college admissions counselors think and what they look for in an application. The program is free for all PTSA members and $5 for others.
“You have to know how to play the game. Getting into college is a different process than it was a generation ago,” Van Buskirk told the News in 2006. “We’re trying to create consumer awareness of the process so that students have a better chance of competing and getting in where they belong.”
“People are buying houses in the ‘right’ school district, they’re paying lots of money to get their kids into the ‘right’ summer programs, they’re pushing their kids to get into the ‘right’ extracurricular activities. And in the process we are denying our children their childhood. What everyone has to understand is that there is a whole universe of opportunity in higher education that exists beyond the Ivy League, beyond the schools they read about in the newspaper. We need to give our kids the confidence that they can find success in this universe of opportunity,” he said.
College Planning, Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center, 1225 State Road, Princeton, 609-924-3900. Demystifying the college planning process presented by Joachim & Brown, Club Z In Home Tutoring, and Brennan Financial Group. Seminar covers questions including where is the right college, when should we begin, who can assist us, how do I fund college costs, and can my child improve his academic performance? Register. Monday, January 22, 7 p.m.
Winning the College Admission Game, High School North, Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro, 609-716-5100. www.ww-p.org. Seminar designed to transform the audience into an admissions committee that must evaluate four fictitious applications. Peter Van Buskirk, the program creator and former admissions counselor from Franklin and Marshall College, presents the rules, the players, and the ins and outs of how the admissions process really works. Register. $5. Tuesday, January 30, 7 p.m.
