Full Description

Help Your Children Succeed in High School and Go to College is a guide for Latino parents that stresses the importance of education and provides a framework for parents to put their children on a college-bound path. It explains the American educational system, how parents can get involved, how to help children stay focused and motivated, scholarships available for Latino children, student loans, choosing the right college, and the college application process.

Table of Contents

Introduction
- A Note for Parents with Undocumented Children

Chapter 1: Let’s Get Some Inspiration

Chapter 2: The Basics
- Choosing a High School
- Raising the Academic Bar for Minority Students
- Requirements
- Attendance
- Grades and Grade Point Average
- Learn About Key Exams and Programs
- Tracking, Streaming, Ability Grouping
- Volunteering

Chapter 3: Other Ways to Fulfill High School Requirements
- Long Distance Learning
- Night School
- GED

Chapter 4: Extracurricular Activities and Summer Programs
- Extracurricular Activities
- Summer Programs

Chapter 5: Parent Involvement in High School
- Identifying Mentors
- Keeping Communication Channels Open
- Choosing Courses
- Getting to Know the Teachers
- Special Education in High School
- A Word on Handling Ethnically-Biased Situations
- Identifying and Supporting Your Child’s Vocation

Chapter 6: How to Help Your Child Stay in School and Out of Trouble

Chapter 7: Parents Who Have Been Separated from Their Children

Chapter 8: Options for Postsecondary Education
- Universities
- Colleges
- Community Colleges/Junior Collegs
- Technical/Vocatonal Schools

Chapter 9: What Colleges Look for in an Applicant
- Good Grades
- A Challenging Course Load
- Good SAT and ACT Scores
- Extracurricular Activities
- College Application Essay
- Letters of Recommendation
- The Interview
- Diversity and Other Important Factors
- Early Action or Early Decision

Chapter 10: Paying for College
- Financial Aid
- Saving for College
- One More Word About Paying for College

Chapter 11: Putting College on the Calendar
- 9th Grade
- 10th Grade
- 11th Grade
- 12th Grade

Message of Encouragement

Excerpt

Putting College on the Calendar

We have been talking a lot about all the different activities that you need to do during high school to put your children on the college path. As with many things in this country, timing is everything. Knowing when your teenagers should explore a topic, when they need to prepare for a test, when they should take the test, etc, will ensure a successful outcome. To help you and your kids get organized, here is a calendar that indicates what your child should be doing every month of each one of his or her four years in high school to get to college.

9th Grade

September
Early on, make your expectations about high school known. Discuss with your children their own expectations and concerns. Stress the importance of good grades. Become acquainted with the GPA grading system. Become familiar with the high school’s graduation requirements. Ask the guidance counselor about basic academic courses recommended for college bound students. Encourage your child to join extracurricular activities in and out school.

October
Contact teachers and ask about your child’s progress. Take a trip to the library for information on universities, and search college websites. Encourage your child to look through the university pamphlets available in their counselor’s office.

November
Encourage your child to volunteer for non profit organizations. Volunteering is a valuable experience that instills discipline and responsibility. Community service also enhances a student’s college application.

December
Review the first report card and make sure your child is performing appropriately. If not, you can get additional help or ask him to request more accelerated classes. College may seem far away, but freshman year grades will be reflected in your kids’ transcripts. These grades will carry as much weight as their senior grades will. High school transcripts are as important as the college application.

January
Help your child develop good study habits, especially with midterm exams along the way. Visit websites, such as www.collegeboard.com, for more information.

February
Begin making plans for sophomore year. Get your child excited about enrolling in challenging courses that reflect high academic standards.

March
Take a trip to a local college campus. Go by yourselves or take a student guided tour. Help your children explore their interests, possible careers, and potential universities. Start to identify possible mentors.

April
Attend nearby college fairs. There you will find at least a hundred different college representatives ready to answer any questions you or your child might have. Visit www.nacacnet.org for a college fair nearby.

May
With summer approaching, search for a good summer program for your child. Some of them offer financial aid.

June
Visit college websites to evaluate the potential financial cost of your children’s college education. Meet with a financial advisor to help you prepare a savings plan for college. Ask about the College Savings Fund 529.

July
Begin looking into scholarships and loans. Talk to your children about their career interests and connect with mentors you have identified. Look for more people who are successful in your children’s area of interest. You can find mentorship programs at www.islandnet.com/~rcarr/mentorprograms.html. Career assessment tests are also useful in searching for the right major. Check out www.careerplanner.com.

August
Encourage your child to spend time with people who are successful in their field of interest to figure out if he or she really likes the filed or not. They can visit places of work where they conduct the type of activity he or she likes.

10th Grade

September
The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test) exam is right around the corner! This will be a practice run for next year’s PSAT which will qualify your child for the National Merit Scholarship. Insist on your child taking practice exams for this PSAT. The PLAN (pre-ACT) is also available in many school districts.

October
Reiterate the importance of keeping good grades. Also, make sure your child knows not to get discouraged if he or she is having trouble in school. Always seek help from teachers. If necessary, look for extra help.

November
Continue visiting college fairs in your area. Encourage your child to be involved in extracurricular activities, and to take on a leadership role.

December
Students should discuss their PSAT results with their guidance counselor, and update their resume file as well.

January
Make a list of universities that your child is interested in. Research the universities to find their location and costs. Encourage your child to connect with students attending those schools to find out first hand what they are like.

February
Ask your child to write or email the admissions office of the universities he is interested in. Request an information packet that includes admission requirements, university history, and tuition costs.

March
Meet with the guidance counselor and discuss your child’s eleventh grade year. Ask questions about testing (SAT and ACT), and the upcoming course schedule. Make sure your child is enrolled in college-preparatory courses for his or her upcoming junior year.

April
Register your child for the SAT Subject Tests. The SAT Subject Tests are not required for entrance into all universities, but many do require three of these subject tests to be taken. Your child can register for the SAT Subject Tests, as well as, the SAT at www.collegeboard.com.

May
Consider enrolling your children in a college-preparation course for the summer. Encourage your children to volunteer over the summer as well. This is the perfect opportunity for them to expand their college resume.

June
Your child should begin practice exams for the SAT or ACT. Study together the admissions requirements of the universities he or she is interested in. Many schools require the SAT, while others prefer the ACT. Students can prepare for both tests by using practice exam books or enrolling in test preparation classes.

July
At this time, your child should be receiving mail from many colleges and universities. Make sure he or she reads all the letters or postcards to find if anything interests him or her. Encourage your child to continue to explore areas of interest by spending time with people in those fields or arranging visits to companies, factories, etc. Remember that your child should take advantage of summer programs to develop responsibility, new skills, etc.

August
Students should be receiving their SAT Subject Test results in the mail. Continue to help your children to prepare for the upcoming tests. If your child didn’t get involved in a summer program until now, this may be the time to do it.

11th Grade

September

Register your child for the PSAT in October. This year it will qualify your child for the National Merit Scholarship.

October
Encourage your child to join extracurricular activities like sports, reading clubs, languages, or volunteering in organizations after school.

November
Plan family trips to visit nearby colleges. Talk about the pros and cons of living far away from home. Encourage your children to follow their dream by attending the best possible school for their career goals.

December
Meet with your child’s guidance counselor to discuss the PSAT results. If your child plans to take the ACT, he or she should register in February. Again, insist that your child do practice exams.

January
Prepare for the ACT together. Create flash cards, and find practice exams online or in guide books. Classes are more difficult this year for your child; keep track of your child’s academic progress by asking questions about school or contacting the guidance counselor or teacher often.

February
It’s time to take the ACT exam. If your child does not do well the first time, he or she should not get discouraged. He or she can take it again at a later date. Keep track of the SAT and ACT registration deadlines. Many juniors take the SAT in May, and a second time in the fall.

March
If your child has decided to take the SAT exam, it’s time to prepare. Discuss the course schedule for the upcoming year, and make sure your child is taking challenging classes.

April
Continue reading all college mail, and reply to the colleges that interest your child. Ask the guidance counselor if you should register your child for any SAT Subject Tests.

May
Your child should continue to study for the SAT. Consider SAT preparation courses where they teach children specific skills for this test. Find out about available free courses in your area in organizations such as Let’s Get Ready.

June
You and your child should visit scholarship and financial aid websites. Decide on all the scholarships that your child should apply for and write on your calendar the deadlines so you don’t miss them. Register your child in summer college-preparatory courses, workshops, or internships.

July
Continue visiting colleges, and make plans for fall visits. Take advantage of summer programs that support your child’s career goals.

August
Update the final university list. Make a list of the pros and cons for each school. If you don’t feel too confident about your ability to help your child through the application process, connect with another family who can do it with you.

12th Grade

September
Stress the importance of keeping good grades this year, and taking challenging courses. Colleges will ask for senior grades and credits even after the admissions department has accepted the student.

October
Register your child for the SAT exam offered in January or the ACT in February.

November
Help your child finish applications for scholarships and for college. If you are doing this along with another family, participate as much as possible. Showing your support is very important. Remind your child to ask for his or her letters of recommendations.

December
Make sure your child’s college applications are sent before the deadline. Gather all the information needed to fill out the FAFSA. .

January
Send the FAFSA to your child’s target schools.

February
Encourage your child to check the status of his or her application by consulting the colleges by phone or online. The admissions department will let him or her know if any documents are missing from the application.

March
Encourage your child to keep working hard in school, even though the college application process is over.

April
Once your child has chosen a college or university, make sure you send the deposit by the deadline.

May
Request that the high school sends your child’s final transcripts to the college of choice.

June
Encourage your child to take a college-preparatory course in the summer.

July
You and your child should develop a plan for the upcoming year. Discuss courses, jobs, and expectations.

August
If your child is living on campus, have your child contact his or her roommate.

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