Lesson 1: High School Overview

The Bottom Line

Parents : Are you really in touch with your child’s high school experience?

•What courses are required for graduation?

•How many credits are needed?

•Are there advanced placement courses available?

•Are college tie-in courses offered?

•Are electives offered in your child’s area of interest?

•What courses would broaden your child’s horizons?

•Is your child enrolled in demanding courses?

•Is parental involvement encouraged?

•Have you and your child established a reasonable game plan for academic success?

•Is your child willing to handle additional responsibility in exchange for more independence?

•How much time does your child need to devote to studying daily?

•How many hours can your child spend on outside activities without affecting school performance?

•Does your child have a financial goal? (such as a new computer, car insurance, a prom dress)

•Is your child reliable and self-directed? Does s/he need a gentle push in the right direction?

•Does your child need you to establish time limitations? (telephone, Internet, video games, social activities)

If you are not 100% sure of most of the answers, it's time to get more involved!

This is a great time for you to crack open the resource books. Browse through the Barron's Profile of American Colleges - the first 20 pages or so are solid, introductory information about the college experience.

***Note: all books and reading assignments are optional and are provided as additional information for the student.

I suggest you check out at least one of these college guide websites, just to familiarize yourself with the criteria used to rank the colleges.

http://www.petersons.com http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college... http://www.collegeview.com http://www.collegesource.org/resources/c...