prepare my ninth grader for college

8/14/2019 Prepare My Ninth Grader for College

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Prepare My NinthGrader for College

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Table of ContentsPrepare My Ninth Grader for College, Month by Month

Create a College-going Culture in My Home

Know How Much to Save for College

Create a Study Plan with My Ninth Grader

Help My Ninth Grader with Smart Goal Setting

Help My Ninth Grader Develop a Four-year High School Plan

Worksheet: High School Four-year Plan

Get to Know My Ninth Grader's Guidance Counselor

Help My Ninth Grader Create a College Portfolio

Talk with My Child about the Middle School Transition to High School

Help My Ninth Grader Choose Extracurricular Activities Wisely

Help My Ninth Grader Master Computer Skills

Getting into College Takes Smart Goal Setting in Middle School

Do We Have a College-going Culture in Our Home?

www.EduGuide.o2 ONLINE EDUGUIDE


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Prepare My Ninth Grader for CollegeDo I need this EduGuide?

Yes, if you want to help your ninth grader create a comprehensive plan for college. This EduGuide contains information on paying for college, choosing the right classes in high school, improving high school study skills, college-bound teenagers activities, and muchmore.

How does it work?

l Quizzes help you know where you stand.l Articles give you the background information you need to make a decision.l ShortCuts help you take immediate action. Choose one or go through them all.

What will I learn?

l How to save money for collegel How to help my ninth grader set goals and study better l How to promote the idea of college in our homel How to help my ninth grader create a college prep course plan

Quick Solutions

l What can I do in fifteen Minutes? Take the Do We Have a College-going Culture in Our Home? " quiz. Color a banner in your favorite college teams school colorshang it in your house.

l What can I do in one hour? Find out about different careers (with your teen) on mappingyourfuture.org . Look through your childs high school course book and talk about different electives he or she might like to take during high school. Attendfreshman orientation with your child.

l What can I do in a day? Visit a college campus or attend a college event with your family. Bring your high schooler to work withyou and let him or her see what you do at your job.

http://mappingyourfuture.org/http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/view/StepTakeQuiz/quizId/62/Default.aspx


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Prepare My Ninth Grader for College, Month by MonthMonthly Checklist Provides Simple Tips for Parents

Follow these tips for parents and teens, and be sure your ninth grader is on the road to high school success and ready for college:

September

l Attend freshmen orientation Many schools hand out information on required classes during orientation, so its important tohave at least one parent attend the orientation with your freshman.

l Encourage extracurricular activities Consider the school newspaper, clubs, and academic organizations, or volunteer inthe community. Freshmen sports let kids compete with others their same size and age. For more help with activities, look at

EduGuides ShortCut Help My Ninth Grader Choose Extracurriculars Wisely .

October

l Attend parent-teacher conferences For a complete guide to conferences, check out our Conferences Are Great Time for Parent-teacher Communication article.

l Discuss internet rules Make sure your teen is aware that what he or she posts on Facebook, MySpace, or other sites cancould be used against your child when applying to colleges if a college admissions officer has access to your childs internetaccounts.

November

l Talk about grades Encourage your child to start out strong in ninth grade. In addition, many scholarships are based onacademics, so the better your kids do during high school, the better chance they have to receive academic-basedscholarships.

December

l Continue to save Even if you havent saved much (or nothing at all), its not too late. Even putting $25 a month into a savingsaccount for your childs college can be helpful. Our EduGuide, Help My Child Pay for College offers several suggestions for saving for college.

January

l Take your kid to work with you Let your child see what you do at your job and what other jobs are available at your place of employment. If your child is interested in learning more about your friends job, ask if he or she might tag along for a few hours.

February

l Check out Career Day at the high school Volunteer to get a close look at what types of careers are being presented to your high schooler. Discuss what your child learned and what he or she might be interested in as a possible career.

April

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/EduGuideView/tabid/403/id/2245/College-Savings-Guide.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/155/Conferences-Parent-Teacher-Communication.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2469/Ninth-Graders-and-Extracurricular-Activities.aspx


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l Research the PLAN test This pre-ACT is usually given to students in tenth grade, so its beneficial to start researching it inninth grade. Have your child talk to older students and ask them what type of information is on the test. Talk to theadministrators at your childs school and find out what type of prep work your child can do throughout the summer to get readyfor the test. The better your child does on this test, the more prepared he or she will be for the ACT.

l Check out colleges Attend several college days at your childs high school. Although these visits are geared toward juniorsand seniors, your child can benefit by checking out different colleges during freshman year. Call the high school and ask whencollege days are planned.

May

l Update your childs college portfolio Check out Help My Ninth Grader Create a College Portfolio ShortCut for step-by-stepinstructions on how to make an extensive portfolio. Put any of the following in your childs portfolio: awards, high-quality writingsamples, report cards, sports honors, and volunteer opportunities.

l Start preparing for tenth grade Meet with the counselor again and review your childs schedule for the following year. For help deciding which classes to choose, check out Help My Ninth Grader Create an Effective Four-year High School Plan .

The Summer Before Tenth Grade:

l Surf the web Spend a few hours with your ninth grader exploring different careers and colleges by checking out websitessuch as mappingyourfuture.org . Click on Careership to find a description of many possible careers plus a tool that helpsmatch your kids interest to different jobs.

l Encourage summer jobs Your kid doesnt have to work 40 hours a week, but encourage even 10-50 hours of work or

volunteering each week. Colleges like to see that kids show initiative and responsibility at a young age.l Get to know your childs guidance counselor Meet in August and ask questions about your states high school

requirements, plus recommendations on what most colleges require. If your child isnt signed up for classes that fit the collegepath, make the changes during your meeting. Refer to EduGuides, Get to Know My Ninth Graders Guidance Counselor ShortCut for more details about how to make the most of your meeting.

l Make a four-year plan You can avoid scheduling problems in your childs junior year if you have a clear idea of what classeshe or she needs to take each year of high school. For additional help, check out EduGuides ShortCut entitled, Help My NinthGrader Create an Effective Four-year High School Plan .

l Research Honors, Advanced and AP classes Colleges are interested in students who challenge themselves and takeadvantage of opportunities that are available to them in high school.

l Master computer skills Teachers expect students to use computers for research, presentations, and general schoolwork,and they will use computers even more as they get older. Many colleges even offer applications for free if you complete themonline, and most colleges charge about $60 per application, so that can really add up to big savings if students submit onlineapplications! For more information on how to achieve this goal, see EduGuides Help My Ninth Grader Master Computer Skills ShortCut.

Sources:www.questbridge.orgwww.ed.govwww.publicschoolreview.com

http://www.publicschoolreview.com/http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtmlhttp://www.questbridge.org/http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2468/Ninth-Grader-Master-Computer-Skills.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2444/Ninth-Grader-High-School-Plan.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2445/Know-Ninth-Graders-Guidance-Counselor.aspxhttp://mappingyourfuture.org/http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2444/Ninth-Grader-High-School-Plan.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2467/College-Portfolio-for-Ninth-Graders.aspx


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Create a College-going Culture in My HomeIf you want your kids to attend college after high school, you have to start by creating a college-going culture in your home. A college-going culture includes the practices, attitudes, and actions of parents and siblings that support and encourage kids to attend college.

Here are some ways you can be sure that your family is creating a college-going culture in your home:

l Attend local (or close by) college sporting events . Many kids look up to college athletes and get excited watching them on thefield or court. By taking your kids to a college event, youre opening up an exciting new world.

l Visit college campuses . Pick a few colleges to visit. Not only will it get your kid excited about college, but also it will save youtime during junior and senior years when you and your kid will want to visit several campuses.

l Talk about where, not if . Discuss where your kid wants to attend college. Make it a part of normal conversation, not justsomething thats talked about once in a while. When you talk about your childs graduating class, instead of using their high

school graduation date (class of 2010), use the date of college graduation (class of 2014).l Talk about goals . Encourage your kids to talk about their goals after high school. Emphasize the importance of smart goal

setting and achieving your dreams. Inform them about your own goals in your life and how you plan to reach them.l Discuss your experiences . If you attended college, tell your child about your experiences and how much college changed your

life. If your child is the first one in the family to attend college, create excitement by talking about all the positives of college life.l Support a specific college . If your family has a favorite college, hang that schools banner or flag somewhere in (or outside of)

your home, or wear a college t-shirt. Your child doesnt necessarily have to attend that school, just show your kids your excitement and support.

l Use outside experiences . Use a trip to your pets veterinarian as a chance to talk about what a veterinarian does in her or her job daily. Expand the conversation to include what other types of doctors do in their jobs.

l Create a college month. And pick a different university each month to highlight. Involve the whole family to find out the collegesports team name, school colors, academic specialties, size, location, and any other interesting facts. Be creative: makecupcakes in the school colors and watch the schools sporting events on TV.

sources: www.collegetools.berkeley.eduwww.colorincolorado.org

http://www.colorincolorado.org/http://collegetools.berkeley.edu/


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Know How Much to Save for CollegeUse a College Savings Calculator

If youre not sure what kind of financial goals to set to fund your childs college education, a college saving calculator, such as this oneon the TIAA-CREF Web site , can help as you think about saving money for college.

Information Youll Need before You Start

l Cost of tuition for one year of college today : If youre not sure where your child might go to school, simply pick a public four-year college in your state and check its Web site for its annual tuition.

l Tuition inflation rate: This calculator sets a default rate of six percent. Depending on the school, the area of the country, and

the current economy, this figure could be between two and eight percent.l Years to save before college: Assume your child will start college at eighteen, and subtract his or her current age to arrive at

this number.l Initial savings: the amount of money you already have set aside for collegel Contribution amount: If you have a dollar amount youd like to contribute monthly, put it in here. You can change the amount to

see how the totals change on the calculator.l Assumed rate of return: This calculator sets a default rate of six percent.

What the Calculator Will Tell You

l What four years of college will cost by the time your child attendsl How much money your savings plan will have earned by that timel Your savings shortfalll What you would need to do to make up the difference, either as a lump sum, additional monthly contributions, or additional

yearly contributions

Keep in mind that most students do not pay full price for college (see The Real Cost of College). Note: This exercise focuses ontuition only. College costs usually include room and board, books, and other costs.

Putting It All Together: Three Examples

1. Aaron and Julie have a new daughter, Alicia. They want to open a 529 college savings plan for her with the hope that she will attendBig State University in eighteen years. They already have five hundred dollars to open up an account. They are not sure how much toinvest monthly, but think that fifty dollars a month sounds reasonable. Lets see:

l Todays tuition at Big State U: $9,000l Tuition inflation rate: 6 percentl Years to save before college: 18l Initial savings: $500l Monthly contributions: $50l Rate of return: 6 percent

According to the calculator, in eighteen years, four years at Big State University will cost $112,380, or about $25,689 per year. Aaronand Julies 529 Plan will have $20,567, not quite enough to cover one years tuition. If they set their monthly contributions at $100 per month, they will have $40,550, enough to cover all of Alicias first year of school and $14,800 of her second year. To fully fund Alicias

http://www.tiaa-cref.org/calcs/tuition/calculator.html


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Create a Study Plan with My Ninth GraderA Good Plan Puts Study Tips in High Gear

It takes a plan of action to make study tips effective. According to Joan Carver, an educational researcher and expert on helpingstudents improve their high school study skills, the best study plan is:

1. Simple . A good plan is uncomplicated.2. Specific . A good plan states what you're going to do and where, when, and how you're going to do it.3. Positive . A good plan states what you're going to do (not what you're going to stop doing).4. Repetitive . A good plan includes something you can repeat frequently.5. Independent . A good plan is based on you doing the work; it doesn't depend on somebody else.6. Immediate . A good plan can be started soon, usually within twenty-four hours.7. Committed . A good plan includes I will statements.

Write the study plan down. Why? Because when people write something, they are more likely to do it.

Here's an Example

This is a study plan for completing an assigned reading. Does it include the seven traits listed above?

I will read at least ten pages of Animal Farm between four and five every afternoon until Ive finished the book. I'll read in my bedroomwhere it's quiet and there are fewer distractions. After I finish every page, I'll pause to ask myself what happened in the story. I'll answer out loud to help me remember.

Now It's Your Turn

Create a study plan for one assignment.

l Write down your plan.l Make sure it includes Joan Carver's seven steps.l Check it over.

Don't underestimate the power of making plans. Remember: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.



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Make your goal real by writing it down, perhaps in your goal journal if you are keeping one (see EduGuide ShortCut: " Make a GoalJournal "). Need practice writing realistic goal statements? Try the Get These Goals in Line! Challenge.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Get-These-Goals-in-Line-2285.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Students-Articles/Goal-Setting-Students-Goal-Journal-2148.aspx


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Help My Ninth Grader Develop a Four-year High School PlanKnow Your High School's Graduation Requirements

Your kids may tell you that they have their class schedule all figured out and you dont need to be involved. Dont believe them. Whileschools give students responsibility for selecting their classes, most require a parents signature for approval. Take the followingsteps to build a solid high school course plan (a blank planning sheet and sample four-year plan are included in Work Sheet: HighSchool Four-year Plan "):

1. Make an appointment with the guidance counselor . If youre having trouble filling out your childs schedule, the schoolsguidance counselor can be very helpful with creating a plan that works for your child. Some schools encourage creating a four-year plan for incoming freshman, while others feel a two-year plan is more beneficial. Create a course plan using our blankworksheet High School Four-Year Plan. For more information on meeting with the counselor, see the ShortCut Get to KnowMy Ninth Graders Guidance Counselor.

2. Know your states graduation requirements . These requirements should be the foundation of your childs course plan andwill include three to four years each of math, science, social studies, and English, and one to two years of fine arts and a worldlanguage. Your high school counselor can tell you what the requirements are, or you can Google high school graduationrequirements in .

3. Explore all the options . Ask your high school counselor if your child can fulfill the graduation requirements on the internet or ata local community college.

4. Earn college credit in high school . Advanced Placement (AP) courses are popular options in high school. There are 35nationally designed AP courses that allow high school teachers to provide college level options on-site. Score well enough onthe end-of-course exam, and you can even earn college credit. International Baccalaureate (IB) is also becoming anincreasingly popular option. The IB program is designed to offer students a high school degree rigorous enough to meet anynations highest standards. IB programs are available from kindergarten through graduation, and some colleges grant creditfor students completing some junior and senior level IB courses. See our ShortCut Earn College Credit in High School.

5. Look ahead . Call the admissions department at the colleges your child wants to attend and ask about the college admissionsrequirements. If possible, sign your child up for these courses.6. Take an ACT prep class . Some schools are now offering an ACT prep class for students during their junior year. This can save

you considerable money if you dont have to pay for a weekend prep course thats offered outside of your school. Be sure toleave room for this class (if its offered at your school) when completing your four-year plan.

7. Take the hard road . Even if your child is only in ninth grade now, plan now for senior year. Classes such as calculus andtrigonometry (that are usually taken during senior year) may have prerequisites (classes students have to take to prepare themfor the advanced class), so be sure both of you know what these prerequisites are. Remember: Your child may be tempted topick easy courses so he or she can get the highest grade point average (GPA), but colleges are more impressed by studentswho take challenging courseseven if their grades are a little lower.

8. Know what you're signing up for . Classes with similar titles can have very different levels of difficulty. If you're not sure, ask. APChemistry and college prep chemistry sound like they should be very similar, but the work load is quite different. Some highschools offer Algebra II/Trigonometry as a one-year coursefaster pace, higher expectations, but it gets you to calculus a year earlier. Other schools spread it over two yearsslower pace, more time spent with the various concepts. Depending on when

your child takes these courses, he or she might not have the opportunity to take calculus in high school.9. Extras count, too . Make room in the class schedule for electives, like music, drama, business, and computer classes.

10. Find out more . Many high schools subscribe to career websites (such as Career Cruising) where students can take quizzesrelated to career interests, research different professions, check their transcripts, and much more. Ask your childs guidancecounselor if your school has a similar tool available. In addition, the following websites provide valuable information oncreating a college-worthy high school schedule:

ACTRecommended College Prep Courses College BoardCreate a Solid Academic Portfolio College BoardA Balanced Course Load

http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/plan/hs-steps/21261.htmlhttp://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/33.htmlhttp://www.actstudent.org/college/courses.htmlhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Earn-College-Credit-in-High-School-2169.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2445/Know-Ninth-Graders-Guidance-Counselor.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2446/Worksheet-High-School-Four-Year-Plan.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2446/Worksheet-High-School-Four-Year-Plan.aspx


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Worksheet: High School Four-year PlanPrint a copy of the table for each year of high school. Fill in the courses you must take for graduation at the high school you will attend.Use the remaining space to fill in the courses recommended for a student planning your career. If you need help determiningrequirements or finding out what courses are available to you during high school, speak to a counselor.

Source: http://www.aie.org/Planning-for-college/Making-choices/high-school-four-year-plan.cfm

Sample Four-year Plan: Grand Haven High School, Grand Haven, Michigan

(Graduation Requirements: 27.5 Credits)

Grade ____ Fall Semester

Credits Grade ____ Spring Semester

Credits

English

Mathematics

History/social studies

Science

Foreign language

Visual/performing arts

Electives

Credits earned

Accumulated credits(including previous years)

Courses Credits Required

English 4

9th Grade English 1

10th Grade English (American Literature/Composition) 1

11th Grade English 1

12th Grade English 1

Social Studies 3

9th Grade World History 1

10th Grade 20th Century American History 1

11th Grade Civics/Economics 1

Science 3

9th Grade Earth Science 1

10th Grade Biology 1

11th Grade Chemistry or Physics 1

12th Grade Physics 1

http://www.aie.org/Planning-for-college/Making-choices/high-school-four-year-plan.cfm


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Mathematics 4

9th Grade Algebra 1 1

10th Grade Geometry 1

11th Grade Algebra II 1

12th Grade 1

Visual/Performing, Allies Arts 1

Physical Education/Health 1

Electives 11.5

TOTAL 27.5



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Get to Know My Ninth Grader's Guidance CounselorThese Simple Tips for Parents Can Improve Your Kid's Chances of High School Success

Do you know who your childs counselor is? Does your child know? Now is the time to get acquainted with a person who can help your child achieve high school success. You want to make sure that he or she remembers your childfor the right reasons.

Schedule an Appointment

Call the school to find out the name of your childs counselor and schedule an appointment. You dont have to have a specific problemto solve, but in order to get the most out of your meeting, try to keep focused on a single topic. Here are some ideas:

l Getting to know you . Share your hopes and dreams for your child. Tell the counselor about his or her interests, activities, and jobs so the counselor can begin to create a picture of your child. Let the counselor know your childs academic strengths andweaknesses, and ask advice about the best courses for your child.

l Show me the money . If youre unsure how to pay for college, high school counselors can provide information about highschool scholarships, grants, awards, and financial aid for school. They may even be able to walk you through the forms thatyou and your child will need to complete.

l So many choices . Your childs counselor has information about hundreds of colleges. Ask which colleges might be a good fitfor college student financial aid. The counselor should be able to let you know about college fairs in your area, when collegeadmissions representatives will visit your childs school, and even FAFSA student loans.

l On the right track . If your child is excelling in school, inquire about advanced classes, programs, and extracurricular opportunities to keep him or her challenged. If your child is struggling, ask about tutors, peer assistance programs, andoutside help.

l Testing, testing . Find out what college admission and placement tests your child should be taking. The high school counselor can keep you informed about test dates, locations, and costs; and can help you interpret test scores.

l Red flags . If your child or your family is going through a difficult timedivorce, illness or death in the family, unemployment,etc., be sure to let the counselor know, especially if these circumstances are affecting your childs grades.

Keep in Touch

Even if you only have one formal face-to-face meeting with the counselor, be sure that he or she knows you are out there, active andconcerned about your childs school progress. How?

l Say hello when you see the counselor at school functions like open houses, parent-teacher conferences, school plays andconcerts, athletic events, and award ceremonies. Dont discuss your childs academic situation, just be friendly and visible.

l Attend school-sponsored workshops and parent meetings related to course selection, graduation requirements, and collegeplanning. You might be surprised how few parents attend these events. Your presence there will show how committed you areto your childs educational success.

l Call or email with questions . Most counselors will reply to phone and email messages from parents. This respects their timeand yours.



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Share some simple organization or time-management techniques that work for you. Help your child find a system that fits her style or to use the system that her school requires. (For some ideas, see the ShortCut, Help My Teen Manage Time

l Let your actions speak louder than your words.

Support his new endeavor in a new school: show up for any extracurricular activities (ballgames, concerts, competitions) your child is involved in.Encourage your childs independence by loosening the reins a little (a later curfew, a higher allowance).

Listen to his ideas, even if you dont always agree with them. If both of you agree that a subject is too touchy to talk about in

person (if doing so always ends up in a fight), let him leave you a note explaining how he feels under your pillow, then leavehim your response under his pillow.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/guideId/2191/Twelve-Time-Management-Tips-Teens-2193.aspx


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Help My Ninth Grader Choose Extracurricular Activities WiselyExtracurriculars Can Make Your Kid's College Application Stand Out in a Crowd

The choices may be overwhelming, but the benefits of extracurricular activities are numerous. Students learn time management skills,make more friends, try new challenges, enhance college applications, and even get chances to travel. Here are some helpful tips for parents and teens for choosing the right activity:

How Many Should My Child Choose?

Encourage your child to pick one or two (including an after school job, if your teen has one) and then try these activities for a fewmonths. If he or she is staying on top of school work and balancing the extra activities successfully, consider adding one more. Ask

other parents or advisers to help you understand how much of a time commitment is required.

Some Teenagers Activities to Consider

Although there may be additional activities at your local high school and in your community, this list will give you and your teen someideas.

l Careers . Volunteering in a classroom or mentoring would be a good way to see what teaching is all about. For kids interestedin a career in the health field, local hospitals have Candy Striper and other volunteer opportunities. Estimated timecommitment: Once a week.

l Sports . Freshman sports provide opportunities for ninth grade students to participate with kids their same size and age. Timecommitment: Every day.

l Special interest groups . Green Club, Interact (youth community service group), SADD (Students Against DestructiveDecisions), Junior Achievement, Computer Club, just to name a few! Check with your high schools student servicesdepartment for a complete list of groups. Time commitment: Once a week to once a month.

l Yearbook/school newspaper . These groups provide valuable experience in editing, writing, layout, and design. Arecommendation from your childs English teacher is usually required. Time commitment: Usually a course elective, but may require extra hours to make printing deadlines.

l Foreign language club . Club advisers often chaperone students during junior or senior year on a trip to one of the countriesstudied, providing your child a chance to travel at a reduced price. Time commitment: Once a week to once a month.

l Band/jazz band/choir . Most high schools offer some type of band or choir program. Some schools even offer their members achance to travel to band competitions in other states. Time commitment: Usually a course elective, but often requires extra

practice time.

Sources: kidshealth.org

http://kidshealth.org/


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Help My Ninth Grader Master Computer SkillsPractical and Useful Tips for Parents

Though kids usually know more about computers than their parents, there are some ways parents can help their kids master computer skills.

What Computer Skills Should Kids Have?

l Touch typing skills . The hunt-and-peck method might work during middle school, but it wont work as well for your kids duringhigh school and beyond.

l Word processing . Programs such as Microsoft Word, AppleWorks, or Word Perfect are a must for kids (and adults). Most high

schools require students to type reports and English papers in word-processing format. In addition, college students will needto prepare nearly all of their work on a computer.l Spreadsheets, graphs, and presentations . Programs like Excel (for spreadsheets) and PowerPoint (for graphs and

presentations) are becoming more popular as teachers expectations increase. Make sure your kid understands theinformation as well as how to present it.

l Web literacy . Knowing how to surf the web wisely is critical to high school students when looking for assistance with their homework. Being literate means knowing which sites have legitimate (i.e. researched) information and which are opinion.

l Email and social networking accounts . Most kids in high school should be mature enough to handle their own email addressand FaceBook (or MySpace, Twitter, etc.) accounts. Schools (especially colleges) often use exclusively electroniccommunicationin other words, no more paper notices.

l General computer maintenance . Computers are great as long as they are working properly. Knowing how to maintainsoftware and hardware is the key to a healthy relationship between operator and machine.

What Should My Child Do to Master Computer Skills?l Get creative . Ask your teen to develop a household chores list in a chart format (using PowerPoint, for example), manage bank

accounts online, create a practice resume, or anything that helps him or her improve computer skills.l Set up email and social networking accounts . Your local internet provider can help your child set up an email accountjust

call the customer service number and ask for help. The social networking sites usually have step-by-step instructions for setting up accounts as well.

l Be internet safe . Before your kids set up their social networking sites talk to them about what should and shouldnt be postedfor all to see. Read and discuss Family Ideas for Online Safety about the dangers of cyber bullying, predators, and generalcomputer etiquette.

l Take classes . Most high schools offer computer (and typing) classes as electives for students. When helping your teen finalizehis or her schedule, be sure to leave room for one or two of these classes. In addition, local computer stores, communitylibraries and community colleges often offer similar classes for a reasonable fee.

l

Get online . Even if you dont have internet access in your home, your kids can still get online. Public libraries, coffee houses,print shops, and school libraries often have computers and wireless internet that can be used for free or for a slight fee.l Practice, practice, practice . The more your child practices computer skills, the faster he or she will learn how to use different

programs. Trial and error is sometimes the best way to improve.l Ask for help . One of the best resources for computer help is friends. Ask your friends or your teenagers friends to spend

some time helping your child navigate the computer. Be sure to prepare a list of specific questions ahead of time to make themost of your friends time as well.

l Become web literate . Knowing how to use Google, Yahoo!, and similar search engines is helpful, but deciphering theinformation from these websites can be more difficult. How do you know if the information is accurate and from a crediblesource? Guide your kids to ask questions like, Is the site trying to sell a product? How old is the information? Is theinformation one-sided or does it give both sides of a story? The last thing you want your child to do is turn in a high school (or

http://www.eduguide.org/Students-Library/Family-Ideas-for-Online-Safety-1440.aspx


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Due to the dynamic nature of our quizzes, they are only available on the web. Follow the addresses below to take a quiz on our website.

Do We Have a College-going Culture in Our Home?

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/62/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx
http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/62/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx

prepare my ninth grader for college

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