A new year, new start

It's the season to make a fresh start, whether you're resolving to eat better, to save money or to learn a new skill. It's also the time for students to begin planning courses for next year. Whether your child is in middle school or almost in college, it's time to check progress and think about the future.

A high school diploma doesn't necessarily mean students are ready for college courses or job training. Both are more difficult than most students realize. Help your student understand how learning opens up options for his or her future. Talk with teachers to find out how to build on academic strengths and analyze grades and test scores to see what needs work, especially in those areas that are important to career interests.

Begin talking with younger students about careers and college. Paint a picture of what's ahead so they know why hard work now is important. Guide older students to make decisions based on their interests and not on the opinions of others. You could even have them read about their "dream jobs" to see what skills they require.

It's never too early to plan for the future, and missteps can always be corrected with redirection and hard work. For more help, visit www.actstudent.org.

Jump-start your junior

It's time for juniors to spring into action. Ideally, juniors have already been thinking about college and investigating choices, but now is the time for action. As a parent, you know time goes by very quickly. Here are some reminders to keep them on track.

Juniors should:

• Continue to take challenging courses. That includes senior year. While it's tempting to sign up for easy courses, that will hurt chances for college admission and make it more difficult to handle college coursework.
• Begin to make a preliminary list of colleges to investigate further. Surf the Internet and use college resources in the counseling office or library.
• Fill out ACT's free college comparison worksheet. (PDF; 1 page, 64KB)
• Make plans to visit colleges this spring when classes are in session.
• Start or update an academic resume.
• Have a Social Security number or get one as soon as possible. Students will need it for college applications.
• Register for the ACT. Juniors should be academically ready to take the ACT by spring of this year. If not, they should plan to take it in the summer or fall, work hard in school and check out free test questions.
• Check into applying to college online.
• Investigate scholarship opportunities.

Don't let your senior slump

Once your child has a college offer in hand, the urge to coast through the rest of the school year may seem tempting. After all, doesn't a senior deserve to slack off?

Don't let your child give in to senior slump. The college may be watching.

Colleges, especially selective universities, have been known to withdraw offers of admission to students who drop college prep classes or begin earning uncharacteristically low grades. If your child hasn't slumped too far, colleges might send a warning letter and add certain stipulations to the admissions offer, such as requiring a higher grade point average during the first year of college.

Taking an extended breather during senior year can make a student's freshman year in college difficult. So let your child have fun during senior year, but don't let college preparation fall by the wayside.

Myth of the month

"It doesn't matter which classes I take in high school, as long as my grade point average is high."

Here's information you can share:

If you're playing the GPA game and taking a light schedule that doesn't challenge you, it will catch up with you at college very quickly. One of the things admissions officers pay attention to, besides GPA, is course selection throughout high school and especially senior year. They like to see students have momentum going into the freshman year. If you sit back your senior year, it's hard to recapture that momentum. The courses you take can also affect admissions test scores. If you just go for a good GPA, your test scores will be lower and you won't be well prepared for college.

ACT test date reminder

The next national ACT test date is Feb. 9, 2008. The regular registration deadline is past, and the late registration deadline is Jan. 18. Another national test date is coming up on April 12. The regular registration deadline is March 7 and the late registration deadline is March 21. Create an account for online registration and test date information. Students registering online should register early to avoid heavy Web traffic and delays.

ACT offers an optional Writing Test. Find out about the Writing Test on the ACT student website, including which colleges require or recommend the test.

The website also provides test prep aids, including free sample test questions, and ACT Online Prep™, an online ACT test prep program. You'll also find test day tips, a list of items to bring to the test, and details on what types of calculators are allowed on the Math Test.

For questions about the ACT test, visit ACT's student website.

See also:

ACT's Information for Parents

The ACT

PLAN

EXPLORE

Financial Aid

College Search

Careers