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College / High School

How to Lose a Scholarship in 10 Days

This is the time of year that students are learning about their scholarship fate. After seeking out these opportunities, putting together an application complete with stellar recommendation letters, the only thing left to do, it seems, is to celebrate when the...

High School

7 Things You Need to Know about the Costs of College

Each semester, I spend some time in my classes calculating the costs of college with my students. I am always surprised by their amazement when we get to the grand total of a four-year degree. Most of them have not really given the costs of college–in their...

College / High School

From High School to College: 6 Key Areas of Adjustment for Students

Many parents spend lots of money and time getting their high school student ready to go to college, and most of that time is preparing for admission and perhaps even earning a top scholarship. Little, if any time, is devoted to preparing for the transition...

College / High School

The Gentle Art of Asking for a Recommendation Letter

Dear Dr. Baldwin, Can you write me a letter of recommendation for a scholarship that I want to apply for? Thanks, Excited Ed At this time of the year, when scholarships and internships are open for application, I get about a dozen or so requests from students to write...

College

Practical, Passionate, or Purposeful? How Is Your Student Deciding on a Major?

Many students struggle with choosing a major that really fits what they think they want. And we college staff don’t make it easy for them once they get to us. At some institutions, we often implore them to make a decision before they are sophomores. Some...

College / High School

7 Tips for Discussing Health Matters with Your Student Before They Head (Back) to College

I wrote about this topic last fall as I was preparing for my oldest offspring to head to college. After reading everything I could on making sure that her transition is relatively smooth, I ran across a posting from a mom on a website devoted to sharing stories about...