Expectations

"My daughter wants to be a doctor; she just doesn't know it yet," exclaimed a parent sitting in my office.

As parents, we want the best for our children.  We want to know that they will be able to get an education, support themselves, provide for their future families, and enjoy retirement one day.  So it is no wonder that we develop certain desires or expectations for them, expectations that often go far beyond what we were able to do ourselves.  Problems arise, however, when those goals have more to do with us than they do with our children.

I know this story firsthand. Because I was unable to finish my master's degree,  I was adamant that my own daughter pursue her master's degree and PhD.  Even more important, every time she mentioned wanting to be a teacher, I frowned and pointed out all the other paths she might take instead.  Looking back on it now, I realize that my concern regarding her career path was much more about me than it was about her.

After several years of working on the student affairs side of higher education, last August she finally got her dream job teaching high school history.  She knew better than I what she wanted, and more important, she knew she had the talent to be an excellent teacher.  I've never seen her happier! Why did I ever doubt her?

So as I begin my junior conferences this spring and listen to parents discuss where they want their daughters to go, what they want them to study, or what career they should pursue, I can't help but wonder.  Is that dream school their daughter's, or is it theirs?  Is the bumper sticker for bragging rights in the coffee klatsch or at the cocktail party? Does she really want to be a doctor?

Many years ago a parent did make the statement "my daughter wants to be a doctor, but she just doesn't know it yet," but I am quite happy to report that the young woman did not go to medical school.  Like my daughter, she pursued her own dream career and created her own goals and expectations.  I hope all my students will be that lucky.

Church's Chicken Scholars Program

If you live in Tennessee or Georgia and have a minimum 2.7 GPA, you qualify for this scholarship. Financial need is not a criteria for this one time $1,000 award.  For more information and the application, go https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/churchsscholars/

The deadline is February 15, 2016.

Ned McWherter Scholarship for TN high school seniors

The Ned McWherter Scholarship (named after a former Governor) is for Tennessee high school seniors who plan on attending school in the state of Tennessee, and the award is $6,000 per academic year.

To be eligible, seniors must:

• be a Tennessee resident and attend an eligible Tennessee college or university
• have at least an unweighted 3.5 cumulative GPA
• have a minimum composite scores of 29 on the ACT or 1280 on the SAT math and critical reading sections

The application must be accompanied by an official high school transcript and an official ACT/SAT score.  

To access the application, go to:

TSAC student portal
and click on the on-line application button at the top of the page.

Funds are limited, so complete your application as soon as possible. All applications are due by February 16.

Summer Programs at Duke and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Spaces Filling Quickly! Apply Now for your Summer at Duke University!
Here at Duke we have been accepting applications since December and we are receiving more applications even earlier this year than last.  We encourage you to apply for Duke Summer College for High School Students (grades 10 & 11) to earn academic credit, or Duke Summer Academy for High School Students (grades 9-12) for personal enrichment early while there is still room in the program of your choice. 

The PREFACE Summer Program 2016 is a two-week residential summer experience for talented high school sophomores and juniors who will enter 11th or 12th grade in September 2016, from groups that have been historically and traditionally underrepresented or underserved in science, engineering, and technological fields, and are interested in pursuing careers in engineering and technological professions.

To qualify, applicants must be entering the 11th or 12th grade in September, 2016.  The PREFACE Selection Committee will review each application and make its recommendation to the Project Director. Criteria are high school academic performance, standardized test scores, quality of essay, and recommendations. The program is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds.

The deadline is March 25, 2016. Applications will not be accepted after that date. Annually, the number of applicants far exceeds available funding. The maximum number of participants for 2016 is 24. Completed applications and supporting documents should be sent to:

The PREFACE Application form may be found here http://www.rpi.edu/dept/doso/resources/precollege/docs/2016PREFACEapplication.pdf.

A New Scholarship

Happy Friday, everyone!  Before the weekend begins, we have information about a new scholarship.

The Signal Mountain Lions Club is offering a scholarships for students living in the 37377 zip code. The total award is for up to $3,200 for four years of college.

The scholarship is based on financial need and academic achievement.  If you are interested, please see Mrs. Haley in the college office for a copy of the application.  The deadline is April 15, 2016. Note that you will be expected to submit a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the FAFSA (which includes your expected family contribution).

Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarship

Each year the Ronald McDonald House Charities awards 25 students with a $2,000 freshman year scholarship.  The awards are based on academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement activities.

Applications are available at http://www.rmhc.org/rmhc-us-scholarships and must be submitted by January 20 (preferably before).  An essay is required, so get started on your application today.  All supporting materials and documentation must also be submitted by the deadline, so let your college counselor know if you plan to apply.  She will make sure your transcript and recommendations are turned in on time.

See Mrs. Haley if you have any questions.

Scholarships

You may already be registered with FastWeb, but here's a quick list of some 2016 scholarships.  Many deadlines are coming up soon, so you may have to act fast.

What to do this summer

Last April I wrote about some of the things a student can do over the summer (http://bit.ly/1OyyW55), including traveling, volunteering, working, or learning something new just for the fun of it.  All of those things are still good ideas, and I hope some students will take advantage of those opportunities, not just for their college resume, but for their intrinsic value.

However, you can also get an idea of college life by signing up for a summer class or program.  Most colleges and universities have summer programs, and you can usually find them by just searching for summer programs on the school's website. But as we get notice of summer opportunities in our office, we will also post some of the most interesting (in our opinion) on the blog.  If students are interested in pursuing one of these programs, we hope they will consider an experience that might take them a little out of their comfort zone.

For example, the University of Chicago is offering some really cool summer programs like Stones and Bones, a four week intensive practicum in paleontology taught by the Field Museum's Distinguished Service Curator, Lance Grande.  Another option is the Arts and Sciences Summer in Chicago, a 3 week interdisciplinary program that encompasses science, humanities, and the social sciences. More information can be found at http://summer.uchicago.edu/ .  Limited scholarships are available.

St. John's College has a unique summer program that mirrors their unique personality.  Organized in one week sessions that are held on either their Annapolis or Santa Fe campus, "students read and discuss a selection of texts from some of the most important works of Western culture."  For more information, visit http://www.sjc.edu/admissions-and-aid/summer-academy/.

And Smith College has outstanding summer programs for girls interested in engineering, writing, and women's history.  Forget that Smith is a women's college; this is a summer program designed just for girls and worth checking out.  They also offer a sustainable futures field studies course for girls who are environmentally conscious.  For more information, visit http://smith.edu/summer/.

Yes, many if not most of these programs are pretty expensive, but as I said, they also typically offer at least some financial aid.

As I said in my original piece, I really do believe students should spend at least some of their summer just relaxing, but it's always a good idea to stretch yourself a little too.  The opportunities are endless, so use your imagination and think about what might work for you!

Good College Resources

There is so much information on the internet that it is difficult to know which sites are reliable, honest, and worth reading.  So as juniors begin their college classes tomorrow, I thought I'd share with you some of the blogs we follow.  We trust the information they provide, because in many if not most cases, it is similar to or exactly the same advice we offer too.

1.  www.gpscollegeguidance.blogspot.com - Yes, that's our blog, but I think we do a good job of reviewing admissions trends, sharing summer opportunities (more about that tomorrow), and contemplating the important college admissions issues of the day.

2.  www.theprospect.net - One of my favorites, Lily Herman and Steven Gu, co-founders of The Prospect, offer a wide variety of good articles written by current college and high school students.  And if you're interested, you could inquire into writing for them as well.  I tweet their links frequently, so check it out.  As their tag line says, "let's win college!"

Almost every college these days has their own blog, but there are a few that I really enjoy.  Their posts may sometimes revolve around their own school (naturally), but their advice most likely applies to every college you are considering.

3.  http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com - Our very good friend, Jeff Schiffman, the Interim Director of Admission at Tulane University, pens an excellent and entertaining admissions blog!  Whether he's sharing the best tips from the experts, writing about the best way to have a good college visit, or the importance of demonstrating interest, Jeff's blog is a fun one to read.

4.  http://ugaadmissions.blogspot.com - Our friends at the University of Georgia also have an interesting and informative blog to read.  The most recent post, comparing college admission to a grocery store, is just one example of their work.

5.  http://blog.ivywise.com/blog-0 - I can't help but be pleased when I read the IvyWise blog and see the same advice that we give our students.  Right now they're running a series about how colleges read applications and how the admissions process works.

6  And for a different twist, check out the Ethical Admissions Blog at www.thoughtfulcollegesearch.com.  Jim Jump, former president of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling and the current Director of Guidance at St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia, has some very thoughtful ideas and opinions about the college search process.  Perhaps though, I particularly like that he refers to the college search as thoughtful.  That's the same tag line we use with our juniors...that the search is supposed to be thoughtful and purposeful.  If you will do that, then most likely you will come up with a list of schools that will fit you.

Happy reading!