....and so it begins!

[Katie]

today i took the SATS, 4 long hours, of sitting in a room where it felt like someone turned the heat all the way up. but now begins the nightmare of every parent with teenage kids.. THE COLLEGE PROCESS!! many times my mom, dad, and i have talked about college.. where my mom is set on me staying home doing the college online thing. my dad says that i'm getting the f--k out of here [ exact words! ] and me i want to go away, but only a few hours away in upstate mass up in Amherst. but, the long hours of filling out applications, and applying for scholarships and loans..how the heck are we supposed to pay for college?

oh well thats my day pretty much besides me doing the most rebelling i've done in a long time, i got a ride with a friend to my gram's house where my family was for a few hours doing yard work for her, and my mom freaking out on my cell phone saying that i'm in deep s--t and i won't live to see tomorrow.. which my grams heard and told her to relax [ that only told ticked her off more ]

but anyways... eventful day kind of.... anyone have suggestions on this whole college thing? cause the school keeps telling us the samething, i want to know the nitty gritty of this process

oh and i'm 2 days away from being officially a senior yay!!! 1 more year to go!

[Nebe]

where you chose to go & what you decide to major in will dictate who you will become as a person for the rest of your life. Choose carefully, and most of all, remember that college isn't just about school work, its about the whole experience of living on your own in the bubble of academia. You'll form friendships that will last your entire lifetime and its an opportunity that some people your age embrace an flourish, or push away and fail.

Without knowing you personally, all i can suggest is that you do some soul searching into what carreer you think you can fit into and what college will offer you the best education in that field at the right price. this is usually the time when kids say "ohhh so it really was important to get good grades and take extracurricular activities" because as college dictates your future, your past will dictate your college.

[Raven]

remember: When your parents were growing up there was no internet.

the subjects of study made available by college curriculums are not
always exactly what fits your personal interests.

your senoir year in High School will go by fast...
and will generally be irrelevant later on in life .....
when compared to life experience.

if you plan to get married.... make sure he was wealthy at birth.

Albert Einstien once said... " education is what's left after you have forgotten everything you learned in school."
(think about that)

Your ability to get along with people in a professional manner is as important as anything else.
If you can demonstrate that you have
a capacity to learn most anything...that will get your foot in the door.

[Jimbo]

Going through it now with my 17 year old. Do internet searches for things like "how to choose a college" and you will find surveys out there that will help you narrow down the size and setting of the campus you'd like to attend. These surveys get you to answer questions like if you like a city or a rural setting better, what sports you might play, are race, religious affiliation, number of students, how close to home do you want to be. Depending on the survey, it might spit out a list or it might give you a summary of what type school you should be looking for based on your input. I suggested to my daughter she look at the schools in our own state first. NJ has a variety of types and sizes and gives you a good idea of what schools the same size are like on other areas. But by all means take the virtual tours most every school has now, and if that peaks you interest go see it. Ask friends in college what they think and friends in high school what they recommend. Remember also, it's not where you start college, it's where you get your diploma. I don't believe you need to or should feel forced into picking a major yet, if you have an idea, great, if you don't, that's part of what your first year or two at a good liberal arts college will help you decide. I'm strongly urging mine to pick a good state school and live on campus, make sure she can handle college and wants to be there and when she decides what she wants to pursue, if that college has it and she likes the place stay there, or transfer where they have what she's looking for. She's going to pay for most of her sophomore, junior and senior years, because we believe it is the best way for her to keep focused on her education. I'll comment on how she/we are going to finance it all when we've figured that out, but by all means apply for student aid from the government. It absolutely cannot hurt. When you decide on a school see what they offer in grants, scolarships, endowments, work/study and assistance. Make sure next year's English teacher is going to cover the college application. Many schools now will accept the generic application, which your English teacher can help hone to perfection. Then use that same application for every school you apply to that accepts it.
Here's a helpful website:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/index.html

[fishpoopoo]

mid-April.
+
senior year.
+
waiting for the mail*
=
nerve wracking






* things have changed - i understand that online notification is now available.

[kevin d]

My daughter just finished her freshman year. LOTS of scholarships, search, search search.
As for where to go? Do your homework. My daughter originally wanted to go to USC in Columbia but after a trip to the school decided that she would go here in town. While I expected her to stay in the dorms she decided to live at home. Less partying, less cost and less aggravation. The results: 3.8 GPA. Her friends in the dorm didn't fare as well but all they wanted was to get out of the house.
Did I mention that you should start searching for scholarships now?

[JohnR]

Don't give your folks such a hard time - they mean well. And remember, they are probably as tired of you as you are of them

Go to college and have some fun, but more important, learn and absorb what you can as what you do in the next few years will have a TREMENDOUS effect on the rest of your life. Stack the deck in YOUR favor

[The Dad Fisherman]

....and always remember, A Liberal Arts degree won't pay off those student loans.

And the Man of the Stinky Rubbah (that would be Nebe) said it best....this is YOUR time to map out the rest of YOUR life.....

[PaulS]

The SATs were a pain in the butt until half way thru when I finally figured out the pattern to the answers!

[Jimbo]

Hey, let's not confuse or bias the girl. I don't know what a Liberal Arts Degree is, but a Bachelor of Arts Degree from a liberal arts school would most definitely have required focus on a specific major or discipline, and I guarantee it paid every last cent of the bills I amassed, even if it was about completely the opposite of the career in which I ended up. A good liberal arts school will provide the opportunity to investigate and pursue from a variety of subjects like engineering, languages, math, music, sciences, education, business, finance, accounting. I don't think enough is done in high school to allow most kids to make that choice at the time they're choosing colleges. I saw a recent worksheet handed out by guidance and one question on it said, "Where do you want to be after college?" Come on, my daughter doesn't know where she's going to be 10 minutes after school ends. I just don't believe in pushing a kid into choosing a career or life path when they're not ready.

[Katie]

Jimbo - my guidance councellor has brought me through that search about 3 times, and i have a list of colleges on collegeboard that he said might be good for me. i did some research on a bunch of them, and i liked Amherst because i want to go into computers, and their computer science department is up there with harvard, and that just wowed me.

i'm glad to hear tuition is tax deductable because its about 9800 dollars a year up at umass, just for instate students.. out of state, almost 20 grand, so its deffinitely going to be a state school for me.

i'm gonna enjoy my summer as its probably the last summer that will be pretty care free for awhile.

the whole, what do i wanna do with my life thing, is just like woah slow down! for the past i dont know how many years i've said computers, but now i'm starting to think of other things like broadcast communications.

they asked us in school during an assembly ' where do you think you'll be in 10 years ' and i said ' i don't know, i live in the now ' a bit too loud, and was told that was a bad answer that i shouldnt live like that. so that confused me even more.

anyways, thanks for the advice its appreciated

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Katie

they asked us in school during an assembly ' where do you think you'll be in 10 years ' and i said ' i don't know, i live in the now ' a bit too loud, and was told that was a bad answer that i shouldnt live like that. so that confused me even more.

Actually .....you are quite correct..Katie ...do live in the now...but also have long range goals or a long range plan.... but don't wait til yer forty to start really living...stop and smell the roses along the way. I'm sure many of people at S-B have thought about the years before they were married....had children ....or went into the military...started their career ect. and thought they'd would have fished more or done this or that differently ...hinesight being 20/20. So i reccomend you do both or have both..... the short term plan and the long term plan.... the best of both worlds. This last year represents a time of freedom that you may never experience again so take full advantage of it. ok?

[Backbeach Jake]

Good advice, Raven. Katie, never confuse the "Now" with the "Then". They're only a second apart. To stay in the "Now" you must think of the future. Forget Amherst, it's for immature spoiled twerps. Look to get the most bang for your educational buck. If I had to do it over, I'd stay home, commute to a state school, work locally and have a good time. Schooling fees are a crime these days.n Good luck Honey, keep your head on straight, and your eyes on the prize...

[Raven]

hold a stick of memory in your hand and marvel at the micro circuitry and think of it as the size of a grand piano in comparison to how big it is now as compared to how small it'll be in the future. people are wearing telephones on their ear these days and in the future comunication devices
might become implanted . Soon their will be computers built into our clothing to have an instantaneous fashion statement if desired.

terrorism is here to stay.... and the only way to thwart that is with surveilance and monitoring all citizens. Look at britain... in london alone i think there's 2 million camera's. hello big brother.

yesterday i saw a CNN spot about a guy who was thought to be a possible terrorist after september 11 th but as it turns out he was an american who was born in budapest ... i think... anyways he developed his own software that constantly monitors his exact location 24/7 and he has a website with a global position image or satellite view showing exactly where he was at all times 365 days a year...just to keep the FBI off his case.

security is the field to go into.... aided by computers yes... soon a terabyte computer will be in a wrist watch ....and it wont cost 2 million bucks.

[Saltheart]

I think you need to consider what will allow you to support yourself as well as what you enjoy. The days of studying french 18th centyry water color framing are over for most people. You will someday want to work and a good education means more oppurtunities to choose from.

I think something medical related is the way to go right now. Good work and should be plenty of jobs during your lifetime.

Do enjoy each day in college. Its the best time , way better than high school. Don't let drinking and drugs spoil your chance to learn. I'm no prude but don't go to far and let them rule your life.

Stay away from people who do stupid things like drinking and driving. Too many kids get killed because they do stupid things or hang around with stupid people.

Anyway , learn , enjoy the experience , prepare yourself for a good paying job. Don't worry about paying. Inflation usually reduces the real dollar amount you pay on student loans to about half and its the best money you will ever spend if it gets you a lifetime of good job oppurtunities.

[fishpoopoo]

Originally Posted by Katie

...the whole, what do i wanna do with my life thing, is just like woah slow down! for the past i dont know how many years i've said computers, but now i'm starting to think of other things like broadcast communications.

well, you'll have four years to find out what interests you AND what you're good at.

i think it's really important that you find one thing, focus on it, and do it really well.

one thing i heard about college is true ... you forget 90% of what you're taught in college, but if you've learned how to learn, then you will have done well.

if you have an idea of what you want to pursue - don't wait until senior year of college to look into that field. start networking ASAP with people who are in the field. use summer breaks as opportunities to get into summer internships. dont rely on campus career services exclusively. Networking...actively reaching out to complete strangers, and maintaining contact with them, is the way 80% of jobs are gotten nowadays (that's right ... the majority of jobs are NOT POSTED ANYWHERE). hmm, come to think of it, job hunting is a LOT like surfcasting. lol.

as you are thinking about careers, fresh out of college - work to LEARN. not necessarily EARN.

[Raven]

one way to network ...is to have lunch with people in the field
you want to be in...and ask them about how they got into
that field... and how they like it... no pressure- like on interviews.

Saltheart is right... hospital jobs pay well... but that might not be
your cup of tea...on the other hand....there are many diagnostic machines
and computers in hospitals that need constant maintenance or recalibration... to be accurate...

another field thats gonna explode soon will be robotics.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Bassturbed

one thing i heard about college is true ... you forget 90% of what you're taught in college, but if you've learned how to learn, then you will have done well.

I couldnt agree more.

[Backbeach Jake]

Two things that you want from College. One is the diploma. Nothing else opens doors faster. The other is connections, you will meet people who will help you and you will help later on in life. Remember that, it's just as important as the sheepskin. Interact, join smart kids clubs, whatever.. That's where you make connections, don't be shy..
Now young lady, on partying.... Never ever get so blotzo that you're able to be taken advantage of, in any way. There are some low SOB's out there. Have a good time but stay lucid, you'll thank yourself later. Have fun and learn.

[Katie]

connections, gotcha. clubs, i'll look into it.
and the partying and drinking, not really my scene. and no worries on the drunk driving part, i've lost 3 friends to drunk drivers, and a close friend few months ago totaled his car from a DD accident. so its not in my near future, or any future. i can promise you that

[Jenn]

Katy I am the last person you would probably want advice from because I STILL dont know what I want to be when I grow up!! But if you decide on Amherst and come out to this end of the state to "check things out" drop me a line.

[spence]

I'd take family money over a good education any day.



-spence

[riverrat55]

There are 3 important things in LIFE!!!
1. Remember the PAST.( To learn from your mistakes.)
2. LIVE in the NOW. (It will never be here again.)
3. PLAN for the FUTURE. (It comes faster then you know it.)
GOOD LUCK!!!

[spence]

I'm a believer in a balance between strategy and tactics.

In no way should you assume your path in life is fixed, if you're going down the wrong road feel free to take another path...assuming you've given the other a good chance and are in control of your decision.

Thinking about where you want to be in 5, 10 or 20 years is a very valuable exercise. Some professions do require long-term planning. Had I known I was going to run for US President, I would have gone to Yale rather than Iowa State

How ambitious are you? What makes you tick? What's your personality like? (today at least) Do you have any lofty goals or dreams?

Do some research on what the future holds and where the opportunities will be for your generation. Look over the horizon...The global economy is changing the ground rules for many careers and it will pay to be prepared.

Networking is a critical skill to build if you want to succeed in any people facing profession. The business world is run by relationships and money.

Learning to negotiate, be a leader and having the ability to synergize ideas to create new value will be valuable in almost any profession.

Don't ever assume that people above you are able to make better decisions, until they have earned or should deserve your respect. You see, many leaders are there because of good networking

I've done a lot of living in the present and have come to regret many of my decisions. That being said I've been able to correct things along the way and get to a place where life is pretty damn good.

There is tremendous opportunity for anyone who thinks and tries, once you realize that most are just going through the motions is makes it so much easier to differientate yourself!

-spence

[Joe]

Bring a piece with you.