Finding Schools

2015 Perelstein Scholar: An Update from Emma Yang

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 May 2016 17:44:00 +0000

Hi Liz,

How are you? Hope you are well.

I would like to let you know that my Alzheimer's app - Timeless has won the "Dream it. Code it. Win it. Contest" (organized by MIT Enterprise Forum of NYC, Fiverr and Trading Screen) Best Biomimetics Award in High School Division (although I am in 7th grade, I entered the high school division because there isn't a middle school division in this contest).

Here please find my submission deck and video:

DCW Submission Deck

DCW Submission Video

Thank you very much for all of your support. It wouldn't have been possible without the Michael Perelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund. Since this is only a working prototype, I will continue to develop it and will give you an update as I progress. I hope to eventually implement all of the functionalities and put it on the Apple App store.

Please find my picture in the attached :-)

Thank you very much and have a great weekend!

Emma

The School Choice Group announces the Michael Perelstein Discover Your Passion Competition 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 May 2016 21:05:00 +0000

The School Choice Group announces

The Michael Perelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund 2016

$25,000 Scholarship fund created to support New York City students

in grades 2-12 to pursue their unique passions and talents

(White Plains, NY- May 3, 2016) The School Choice Grou p , the global education consulting firm headquartered in White Plains, New York, in partnership with The Parents of Accelerate d Learners, NYC [PALNYC ], just announced the third annual Michael Perelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund “The Discover Your Passion Competition” for New York City based students from second through 12th grade. The scholarship awards children who show exceptional promise and passion for their unique individual interests and passions to include academic fields, sports, music, the arts, community service, entrepreneurship, technology, etc. This year the fund has increased to $25,000 and the awards extended through the high school grades. The focus on individual passion and the personal story behind the fund are what make this scholarship unique.

Elizabeth Perelstein, the Chair and Founder for the School Choice Group, established this scholarship fund in 2013 to honor her late husband, Michael Perelstein. Michael died at the age of 56, while he was riding with the Westchester Cycle Club, one of his personal passions. A child of Holocaust survivors, Michael was directed by his parents to consider career and life choices based on practical or financial reasons, and not by his personal interests and unique talents. The Perelstein children followed a different path, pursuing their own passions. Michael then realized the true importance of nurturing passion and talent and even changed careers to support his own. As a result, supporting the passions and talents of children is the mission of The Michael Perelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“I know Michael would have wanted to create opportunity for young people and, in our third year, I can say that the children who have benefited from the scholarship keep Michael's memory alive through their hard work, dedication, and success. I am pleased to be able to affect the educational paths of talented youngsters as a result of Mike's tragic death,” said Elizabeth Perelstein.

The Discover Your Passion™ Competition will award the grand prize winner $5000 toward his or her pursuit; there will be up to 9 more awardees, to receive appropriate support for their projects, for a total of $25,000. Finalists will be selected from each of three age categories: 2-5th grade; 6-8th grade; 9-12^th grade. The scholarship winners will be announced on October 11, 2016. For complete information about the scholarship and to apply, see www.schoolchoicegroup.co m

To read about the previous 2013, 2014 and 2015 Perelstein Scholars, please click below:

2013: http://www.schoolchoiceintl.com/wp -content/uploads/2016/05/Scholarship -winners press -release -3.pdf

2014: http://www.schoolchoiceintl.com/w p -content/uploads/2014/10/Th e -Michae l -

Perelstei n -Memoria l -Scholarshi p -Fun d -Discove r -You r -Passio n -pres s -release.pd f

2015: http://www.schoolchoiceintl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Press-Release-2015-DYP-Finalists.pdf

The School Choice Group, is the leading global education consulting firm, specializing in school placement for private, public, specialized and international schools, from preschool through college. With over 140 experienced consultants, including Special Educators in 77 locations globally, the SCG works to help find the right schools for children, anywhere in the world. An industry leader, The School Choice Group Founder and Chair, Elizabeth Perelstein, co-founded the British International School of New York. Its business division, School Choic e Internationa l , also conducts research, provides survey data and policy analysis for corporations, schools and governments setting or re-evaluating education policy. School Choice International innovated the only web-based resource to compare education across the globe, Global Education Explore r . Its consumer division, School Search Solution s , developed the first school-child matching tool, LEA P that considers both subjective and objective criteria between the child and school. For more information see www.schoolchoicegroup.co m

Parents of Accelerated Learners, NYC [PALNYC] & The P.A.L. Workshops support NYCbased parents and their children by offering educational workshops, talent developmentbased resources and programs, mentorships and a discovery platform for web and app-based learning tools for kids. PALNYC connects experts with parents to support the cognitive, social and emotional needs of their children. PALNYC is passionate about closing the education gap in NYC by providing access to events at low or no cost to make sure that every parent who wants to pursue quality education for their child has that opportunity. PALNYC is a founding sponsor of the NYC Gifted and Talented Symposium, a one day event to support high potential youth. For more information or sponsorship see www.palworksho psnyc.or g .

Olivia Kelly (2014 recipient of the Discover your Passion)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 15:03:00 +0000

Here's an update on Olivia Kelly, one of the 2014 scholarship award winners. She just completed a great gymnastics season.

"We are thankful for the scholarship Olivia was awarded and believe it has had a continuing role in her success. "

Olivia is the level 8 NYS All Around Champion and has qualified for the NYS Super Team for regionals. (A team of the top 7 kids in the state from all ages). They will represent NY and compete with the super teams from Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Mass., and CT in two weeks.

"Thank you again for everything." Olivia Kelly (School: PS 121, the Bronx, grade 2).

In 2014 Olivia received $1,500 to attend an International Gymnastics Competition winter camp to prepare her for the Junior Olympics.

Less free play time linked to increased incidence of mental illness in school children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 21:27:00 +0000

One theory suggests that mental illness is more prevalent when people feel that they are being acted upon. They have limited control of outcomes. Extrinsic forces exert more impact than intrinsic powers. Parallels have been drawn to the situation facing America’s schoolchildren who are more classroom-bound now than ever. Overall more youths are in school now than they were in the 1970s. Notably, fewer teenagers hold after-school jobs. (In the 1970s, 60% of teens held after-school jobs. Today only 20% are employed.) This adds up to more time in a supervised, teacher-driven setting with little opportunity for self-determination. Could this contribute to a rise in children’s mental health disorders?

Is free play the key to keeping children mentally fit? Certainly kids get to exercise much more autonomy when they are “left to their own devices.” However, children have no control over selection of classmates or neighbors. Also, these groups may be small, offering limited opportunity to find like-minded chums. There may be no escape from the bully. Kids cannot just change neighborhoods or classrooms looking for a “better fit.” In short, there are still considerable extrinsic forces at work even at recess!

Is free play an American tradition about which we are simply waxing nostalgic? Consider other countries where children have long been consigned to a grueling school schedule. China and Japan have notably low levels of mental health disorders among school children.

Overall, Americans feel torn. We yearn for the “good old days” with plenty of recess and time to careen around the neighborhood largely unsupervised. Yet we feel keenly the pressure to keep up with global competitors. So parents demand more rigorous academics. That requires plenty of time in school. Considering that this is unlikely to change any time soon, we need to assure that our school children remain mentally healthy in this environment. In what ways can we build in more opportunities for kids, themselves, to exercise control of outcomes as a tactic to promote good mental health?

Sara R. Schmidt

Global Field Supervisor

sara@schoolchoiceintl.com

Your College Decisions are In: What Now?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 20:59:00 +0000

After two or more years of college planning, taking tests, attending college fairs, visiting campuses, writing essays, participating in interviews, applying to colleges, you have finally heard from all your colleges and universities. Hopefully, you have received lots of good news. However, if you are like most high school seniors, you have received some acceptances, a few rejections, and perhaps you are on a waitlist or two. Outlined below are some suggestions and recommendations on how to cope with those decisions and notifications.

Celebrate Your Success! – There is nothing like that feeling of being accepted by one or more colleges or universities. This is true, even if those colleges were not at the top of your lists. It is just nice to feel wanted. So, enjoy the moment and give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it!

Too Much Good News? – A high school counselor once asked his student about how he had made out in the college application process. He was surprised when the student said, “Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I was accepted at eight of my nine colleges.” When the counselor said, “Sounds great, so what’s the bad news,” the student replied, “I was accepted at eight of my nine colleges.” While it is great to feel valued and appreciated, there might be a downside. Now, you have to decide which of those colleges you will attend and which you will not. Surprise, surprise, the tables are now turned. You are the one in the driver’s seat and will have to send denial notices to seven of those eight colleges.

Put any Disappointments Behind You – Think positive! You have every reason to be proud of your accomplishments, both in high school and in the college admission process. So, focus on your successes not your disappointments. Some of the colleges you may have applied to admit fewer than five or ten percent of their applicants. Their admissions officers will be the first to admit that you and most of the other students they denied are fully qualified and would undoubtedly succeed academically, had you been admitted. You know what you are made of and you know you could have succeeded at that college or those universities. When you are a sophomore or junior in college, you will no longer care about those schools and may even find it difficult to remember where you applied and what the outcome was. You will be so invested in the college or university you are then attending that you will no longer care about the others. So, hold your head up high and prepare to move on.

What About Waitlists? – You may or may not find yourself on a waitlist at one or more colleges. If you are waitlisted, and if you are still interested in that institution, you will need to follow the instructions on how to confirm that you want to remain on the waitlist. If you are no longer interested, you can either notify them of that decision or take no action at all. If no action is taken, the college will probably remove you from the waitlist on their own. Students and parents often ask about what they can do to get off the waitlist and onto the admitted list. The truth is that, typically, only a few students are admitted from the waitlist. One thing that might help is to let the admissions officers know if there is any significant new information about you which was not known when your application was evaluated. Perhaps, after applying, you won a major award or you were recognized for a special accomplishment. That kind of information should certainly be shared with admissions. One possible downside of being admitted from a waitlist is that it may not come with a scholarship offer. Often, colleges have used up all of their merit scholarship money by the time they go to their waitlists. As a result, you may be expected to pay full tuition unless you qualify for financial aid from the federal government. What do college admissions officers tell their own children who apply to college and find themselves on a waitlist? One admissions officer said, “I told my high school senior to fall in love with a college that loves you!” Regardless of how you feel about being on a waitlist and whatever you decided to tell them about staying on the list or not, it is best to move on with other plans. Choose another college and send them a deposit so you are guaranteed a seat in college in the fall.

Assessing Net Cost – The average college student today graduates with approximately $28,000 in debt. Keep in mind that this is an average. It means that there are students who graduate with no debt and others who may graduate with debt much greater than $28K. High school seniors sometimes think little about college debt until they receive their acceptance notifications and their financial packages. Suddenly, they realize that colleges and universities vary widely in terms of the financial assistance they offer. They also vary widely in terms of their costs for tuition, room, and board. If college cost is suddenly a major driver of your decision on where to enroll, you will want to analyze your offers and determine the net cost of each. Set up a spreadsheet on your laptop or create a chart on paper. List your colleges across the top and under each, itemize the cost of tuition, room, board, and student fees (the gross cost). Lower on your chart, add up any scholarships or financial aid grants you have been offered. Do not include loans as they must be paid back and become part of your student debt. Now, subtract your total “gift aid” from the total cost of each college or university. This will give you the approximate net cost of each institution. It is approximate because there are other costs to be considered. For example, if most of your colleges are within 300 miles of your home, but one is 3000 miles away, there will be considerable transportation expense when you need to fly home and back from that institution. Now that you know the approximate net cost of each of the schools you are considering, you can evaluate them on their potential return on investment (ROI) once you graduate and look for employment or pursue graduate school.

Don’t Postpone the Inevitable – Many students find it very difficult to make the final decision on which college to attend by May 1st of their senior year. Some will actually pay deposits to hold places in two or more colleges. This may be a necessary step for some who have special circumstances. However, it is not a good financial strategy for most, and it is not really fair to the institutions involved or to other students who may be hoping to get into one of those schools to which you have double deposited. Double depositing is likely to be a waste of money which would be better spent on those expensive textbooks you will be purchasing in August or September. So, develop a strategy for making your decision and follow through with that plan in time to meet your May 1st deadline.

Congratulations on your acceptances and for all the work you invested over the past four years in order to achieve those positive admission decisions. You obviously have a successful future ahead of you and you are to be commended for all your accomplishments to date. You have four great years ahead in the pursuit of your bachelor’s degree. So work hard and enjoy the ride. The best years are yet to come.

William F. Yarwood, Ed. D. Director of College Consulting

For more information about college planning, contact School Choice International at clientservices@schoolchoiceintl.com or (914) 574 – 2117.

Facing rejection from a private school?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 16:00:00 +0000

You have applied to the best private schools. What to do when the news is not good? Your child is not offered a seat at your preferred school. Here are some helpful suggestions.

Recognize that this is a sensitive time. Children pick up on parent’s emotions. Express that you share your child’s disappointment in the outcome. Clarify that you are disappointed in the circumstances. You are not disappointed in your child.

Rejection is not about the student. Rather, the candidate was not a great fit for the school. There will be a school where the fit is good and what the student offers is what the school is seeking.

Allow your middle or high school aged children to open the admissions letter and read for themselves. If they are discouraged, show empathy by asking questions and allowing them to talk about their disappointment. After you acknowledge concerns, it is time to move forward towards finding a school solution.

Put your backup plan in motion. As part of your overall school search, you will have explored many school options including charter or magnet schools, distance learning, another public school within your district, a STEM program, problem based learning school or tutoring. Maybe a school is expanding, adding a world languages program or a fine arts focus which is appealing. Examine these options again beside your educational goals, with a creative eye, to see if perhaps you can achieve your objectives via one of these programs.

Refer to your overall list of school prospects. There may be chance vacancies at schools where you did not apply. Often schools cannot correctly forecast the number of candidates that will accept their offers of admission. Or people relocate unexpectedly and leave vacancies. It is possible to apply to schools after the admissions cycle if chance vacancies are available.

Your student remains in her current school. You can augment with a thoughtful program of educational supports, enrichment or remediation. In some locations, you may pay tuition to enroll your student in a different school district where the programming is more desirable or better addresses your family’s educational preferences.

If you go back to the admissions director, do so when you have regrouped emotionally and can have a productive conversation. Request her feedback to help you better support your child, going forward. Did the campus visit not go well? Were the grades too low? Mention, if this is true, that the school is truly your first choice program. You were accepted elsewhere but would appreciate the opportunity to be considered, should a space open up. If, after this conversation, the school is still unwilling, then it is time to move on and close the door on this program.

Best private schools select students who they believe will thrive in their program. It does not serve the school well, nor families well, if students are selected and then do not succeed. So schools are optimizing for candidates they believe will excel in their school. No parent would set her child up for failure. Parents would not want their child to be admitted to a school where really, the school was not enthusiastic about educating their student and where likely, the student will fail.

The overall goal of school search is to find the school that will be delighted to receive your child, happy to educate her and where likely, she will succeed. This involves regrouping, looking again at educational preferences and looking at schools that address these, regardless of the name on the door.

In the end, it can still be a difficult process, with parents so wedded to elite private schools that they have trouble seeing quality elsewhere. Liz Perelstein, Founder of School Choice International, says, "I ask families to be open-minded as we phone schools that we think would be a good fit.” She doesn't tell them the schools' names until she finds one with room. They visit. If they like what they see, even if it was not on the list, she said, parents are often willing to give it a try and later are glad they did.

Sara R. Schmidt

Global Field Supervisor

sara@schoolchoiceintl.com

The System Fails NYC Special Needs Students

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 20:33:00 +0000

Have we gone from, “No Child Left Behind” to leaving our Special Needs students behind? Reading the article posted in the New York Times, “Thousands of New York City Students Deprived of Special Education” by Kate Taylor, brings up the worst nightmare for any special need parent. You attend all the PPT meetings and set up an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) where you are assured that certain services will be in place for your child. Yet, there is no check to know if the services are actually delivered. Typically, there is a yearly meeting to review the IEP goals and objectives and see whether they have been met. Often there is no specific system in place to know if students are getting the services they need or even if they are getting services that are addressing the goals of the individual child.

At a recent parent advocate conference, parents questioned how much they need to understand and know the laws if their child is to get the services they require. As one parent said, “Some of you can ask your child if they saw Mrs. Raymond for speech today. But I have a nonverbal child and I have to trust the system.” Now we learn after reading Taylor’s article that because of a computer ’glitch’ some 5% or 9,000 students in NYC never received services and another 35% or more than 60,000 were only getting some of the services recommended for them.

In December 2015, The Every Student Succeeds Act replaced No Child Left Behind. The new law eliminates the much-maligned No Child Left Behind Act, which hadn't been updated since Congress passed it in 2001. The Every Student Succeeds Act limits the role of the federal government. This new law allows states to create their own accountability systems, their own teacher evaluation systems, and gives them new flexibility in deciding how to fix failing schools and close achievement gaps. There were initially concerns that the bill would not provide enough guardrails to ensure the most underserved populations – poor students, racial minorities, students with disabilities and those still learning English – are keeping pace.

Well, if “Every Student Succeeds Act” is meant to keep in place the most important aspects of No Child Left Behind, then we have to make sure that the New York public school system has just that, a “system” to make sure that ‘every student succeeds,’ especially our special needs students who can’t advocate for themselves. While the federal government is trying to fix a failing program and give more accountability to states and city governments, who is assuring the parents that their children are getting the required services that they need and deserve?

Laurel Peterson

Are There Schools for My Children? The Value of Research for Talent Mobility

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 21:58:00 +0000

In a business environment where there is a universal focus on cost, talent mobility is critical. Attracting prime candidates and keeping them, require strategic policies. Expatriate failure, the premature return of the expatriate manager to his/her home country, is expensive - by some estimates, as much as three times the expatriate’s annual salary, plus the cost of relocation (impacted by currency exchange rates and assignment location.)

One of the most frequently cited reasons for candidate non-acceptance and expatriate return, is family concerns. Family-friendly policies should include pre-decision and on-assignment support that includes information relating to school choices in the new location.

This is further supported by the current expatriate profile:

71% of international assignees are between the ages of 30-49 years old
74% are married
80% of assignees take their spouses
52% have accompanying children

A recent corporate group move to Doha, Qatar provided an opportunity to proactively anticipate the concerns of the potential expatriates. The company provided education research and schooling information as a tool for recruiting and transitioning families. Removing the ‘fear factor’ about schools is empowering for parents who are faced with navigating career and family in a successful direction.

Schooling challenges in Doha include:

many schools opening, but admission to popular ones locked by specific admissions priorities.
demand for international schools fueled not only by the influx of expats, but also wealthy Qataris who believe “Western” curriculum to be advantageous.
difficulty in determining the quality of new schools
different types of curricula; national, international and hybrid, with which expatriates are not familiar
Qatari government monitoring and imposing frequent changes of rules, even for historically international schools

This comprehensive research report effectively assures assisting transitioning families with children that the company is listening to their needs. Accurate research provides the depth and scope needed, enabling employees with different preferences and situations to understand options and possible limitations.

From the research side, getting accurate data is not simple. Interviews with local school administration, government websites and on-the-ground consultants are required to triangulate a true representation of what families can expect in the new location.

The report maps schooling choices and manages education expectations in Doha for children from preschool age through grade 12. Additionally the user-friendly format with tables, links and maps gives HR an invaluable and easy to use reference for quickly finding answers for families.

Building trust with families results in a sense of loyalty and, ultimately, impacts a company’s retention, bottom line and overall happiness quotient. Now that’s a good investment in talent mobility!

Polly Rodriguez, PhDGlobal Education Consulting Servicespolly.rodriguez@schoolchoiceintl.com

Discover Your Passion 2015 Finalists

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:16:00 +0000

Click here to read about our finalists in the Discover Your Passion 2015 Competition!

Congratulatons, Sue!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 17:08:00 +0000

CFO of the Year

On behalf of all of us at The School Choice Group, we are delighted that our own Sue Bartow has been named CFO of the Year at an event sponsored by Westfair Communications Inc., a business publisher in the region. A panel of three judges — Marissa Brett, former president of the Westchester County Association; Robert J. Chersi, former CFO of Fidelity Investments; and Francis Petit, associate dean at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Lincoln Center, chose Sue from amongst 9 very impressive candidates.

We are very happy that Sue has received the recognition she so richly deserves for her professionalism and dedication to School Choice. We all benefit by being part of an organization publicly recognized as well-run with a top-notch CFO. Bravo, Sue!

Ten Things High School Seniors Can Do to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 14:56:00 +0000

Tip #10: Be Nice to Yourself Too

Your senior year can be a lot of fun but the college process can be stressful for some students. In the remaining weeks of the summer, save some time to kick back and relax. Go for a hike, visit the beach, read a good book, or do whatever helps you de-stress and clear your head. Remember, the best is yet to come.

Ten Things High School Seniors Can Do to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:19:00 +0000

Tip #9: Do Something Good for Others

Perhaps you are already have a long list of community service activities that you have performed in recent years. If not, find a way to help others over the summer and into your senior year. Not only will you make a difference for a few people who really need you, you will be surprised at how good it will make you feel. It might even be another source of creative ideas for that college essay with which you may be struggling. College people love to know that their high school applicants are committed to helping others. They hope that you will continue those activities on their campuses and in their surrounding communities. It leads to what they like to call good "town-gown" relations.

Ten Things High School Seniors Can Do to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 15:42:00 +0000

Tip #8: Choose Two Teachers to Write College Recommendations

If you have not already spoken to two teachers and asked them to write for you in the fall, decide on them now. Make it a point to talk with them as soon as school opens. If they are receptive to email messages over the summer, send a message to each of them now, making your request.

Choosing a school “by the numbers?”

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 21:35:00 +0000

Choosing a school “by the numbers?”

Another new rating of public schools has just been released. StartClass has compiled results among individual schools to reveal “best school district” for each state. The ratings are primarily based off student math and reading proficiency on state assessment tests, with a few other institutional factors considered as well (i.e. student-teacher ratio, student discipline, etc.)

School placement is a high stakes decision, often made in the absence of complete information. Especially when a family is contemplating a move or job transfer, parents have zero knowledge of best schools options. Anecdotal information is biased. And website commentary seems to capture remarks from parents who had either the most extraordinary or most disappointing experiences. Difficult to understand where reality lies.

So naturally parents may seek unbiased, by-the-numbers information. They want to know, “How does the school rank?” They scrutinize academic performance. But is selecting a school “by the numbers,” a sure way to make best school decision?

While this may be one useful and solid data point, school rankings alone should not determine school choice. There are actually many more, nuanced factors to consider. In addition to solid academic results, think about your child’s learner profile. Does she thrive amidst the hubbub of an experiential learning classroom or is served better in a more teacher-lead environment? Is your family seeking diversity, like-minded families, exposure to world languages, fine arts or sports culture? Is the condition of the facility a make or break consideration? What about the overall size of the student body?

Finally, what DO the statistics really mean? Some schools have lower overall scores because they house a self-contained special needs student cohort. Or perhaps several classrooms of second language learners. While overall scores may be lower, your child’s classroom experience would not be impacted. Or conversely, are the scores artificially high because there is a gifted student program at the school? What is the scholastic experience like for students in the “regular” classrooms? Maybe the school district just started implementing new high stakes tests for math. This may explain a sudden drop in math achievement. Take a look at testing results over several years and find out cause of trends or sudden changes.

The bottom line is that rankings are useful, but actually the school selection decision is complex. One cannot reduce it to a number. Let the numbers offer guidance. But also ask thoughtful questions, know your student as a learner, assess your family’s values and above all, trust your instincts as a parent when choosing the best school for your child.

Sara R. Schmidt
Director of Operations

Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 15:52:00 +0000

Tip #7: Complete the Common Application

If you are not already familiar with the Common Application, you soon will be. Using the Common App, you can apply to any of more than 900 colleges and universities with one application form. Given the number of institutions that are on the Common App, it is likely that at least a few of your schools of interest will be on it. In fact, it may be the only way to apply to those institutions if they are "Common App Exclusive." You can begin filling it out the Common Application now. You will find it online at www.commonapp.org. You don't have to complete it all in one sitting. All of your entries will be saved whenever you decide to take a break.

For more information on our college admissions counseling,

please see our websites

schoolchoiceintl.com and schoolsearchsolutions.com

or call (914) 328 - 3000.

Ensuring School Success for Repatriating Children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:35:00 +0000

Please enjoy this article from our founder, Liz Perelstein!

Ensuring School Success for Repatriating Children

How The U.S. Is Neglecting Its Smartest Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:43:00 +0000

Due out in September, a new book by Chester E. Finn and Brandon L Wright, Failing our Brightest Kids, raises the topic of the inability of our education systems to realize the potential of highly capable students. Some states identify gifted students, but are not compelled to serve them. Further, there is not much research demonstrating exactly what works best for gifted students. Acceleration? Enrichment? Extracurriculars? The author notes that highly capable students are actually a diverse group. There is no, one-size-fits-all strategy that that is the educational solution for this entire cohort.

The current debate in the field centers around gifted children vs gifted education. Should efforts focus on learning strategies that will help gifted kids realize their potential? Or is identification of gifted students more important.? Considering the latter, there is no, unique definition of “gifted.” Definitions vary among states and certainly among countries.

When centering the discussion on gifted education, educational standards, quality, and methodology are the elements to take into account. Assuming adequate standards and high quality, what methodology is effective? Giftedness may be addressed in different ways. Typically schools form homogenous groups of gifted students in self-contained classrooms or pull-out programs. Heterogeneous classrooms use differentiated instruction to meet the needs of capable learners. It is important to note that offering simply an enriched curriculum is short sighted. In fact, the highly capable cohort is comprised of individual learners, each with a unique profile. Dr. Joyce Van Tassle-Baska called this out in her Myths About Gifted Students: “They have even profiles in respect to intellectual ability, academic aptitude, and social emotional development.” In fact, each gifted student is different and must be viewed as a unique learner.

Application of the principles of differentiated learning is no small task. This requires extensive teacher training, flexibility, collaboration, metrics analysis and agility. Assuming good implementation of this classroom strategy, the curriculum should offer appropriate challenges, strong content and exercises in higher order thinking, connection-making, meaningful product development and opportunities for acceleration. Current best practices in gifted education favor the most heterogeneous grouping with high quality differentiated curriculum.

Regarding gifted students moving among states or countries, it is important to review policies and definitions. Likely home and host countries/states will have different understandings of giftedness and gifted education. Policies will vary. There may be special identification processes. To assure goodness of fit, families may consider gifted schools and clarify how the student will be assessed and/or investigate best heterogeneous grouping school options.

Focusing the discussion on identifying gifted children may just label the child, overlooking the ultimate goal of getting the best out of each student. It is more important to label gifted programs than to label children as gifted. Giftedness should be seen as potential. This conveys a dynamic sense of possibility, far from a static labeling process. Gifted education must be preoccupied with responding to the students’ needs in order to develop their potential gifts and talents.

Sara Schmidt
Director, Operations

Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:23:00 +0000

Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

Tip #6: Write A First Draft of Your Common Application Essay

If there is any advice that returning college freshmen offer to their former schoolmates, it is to "get started on your college essays early!" Because it is very likely that you will apply to one or more colleges which are on the Common Application, it is a good place to start. Visit CommonApp.org to look at the five essay topics they offer. Choose one of them that would work the best for you and begin writing. Once you have a good, solid first draft, share it with your high school counselor and one of your English teachers and ask them to read it and offer suggestions. Don't be offended if they offer lots of suggestions. They are only trying to help and they often have years of experience with college essays from helping former students with theirs..

For more information on our college admissions counseling,

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Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:28:00 +0000

Tip #5: Register for Additional Tests

Hopefully, you have already sat for the SAT at least once in your junior year. Unless you scored the highest possible score of 800 (or close to it) on each section of your junior year SAT, you should take it again in the fall of your senior year. The best time to take it is in October, the first time the SAT is given in your senior year. The registration deadline will be early in September, so it will be best for you to register in August. Remember, the earlier you register for any admissions test the more likely you will be assigned to your first choice test center. If the October SAT test date is not possible for you, you should take it no later than the first Saturday in November. For more information or to register for the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, go to www.collegeboard.org.

An alternative to the SAT is a test called the ACT. Virtually all colleges and universities will accept either one. Some students feel that the ACT is more like the tests they take in school. If you are a student who does well in your academic classes but you have been disappointed with your SAT or PSAT scores in the past, the ACT might be the right test for you. If you excel in science, you may really like the ACT as, unlike the SAT, it has a separate section or subtest just for science. Just one tip...if you take the ACT, be sure to take the optional Essay section as well. It may be advertised as "optional," but nearly all colleges will require you to take it. Learn more and register at www.act.org.

Finally, if you need to make significant improvements in your SAT or ACT scores, consider doing some test preparation in the remaining days of the summer and the weeks leading up to your first admissions test as a senior. Test prep is something you can do on your own using one of the many test prep books or online resources available. You can also seek tutorial assistance from a test preparation service which will typically offer both group and individual formats.

For more information on our college admissions consulting,

please see our websites

schoolchoiceintl.com and schoolsearchsolutions.com

or call (914) 328 - 3000.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 21:46:00 +0000

Please join us for this informative session!

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Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 21:14:00 +0000

Tip #4: Talk with three to five older students (friends, relatives, or former school mates) who are just finishing their freshman year in college.

There is nothing like benefitting from the experiences of others. Students who have just completed their freshman year in college have so much valuable information to share with the students who will soon follow in their footsteps. Give a few of them a call or send them a text. Tell them where you are in your college planning process and ask them if they would be willing to share their experiences with you. Most of them will be delighted to be asked.

For more information on our college admissions consulting,

please see our websites

schoolchoiceintl.com and schoolsearchsolutions.com

or call (914) 328 - 3000

Single-sex vs co-ed classrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:18:00 +0000

One of the main purported advantages of a single-sex classroom is that the differences between boys and girls can be exploited to the benefit of both. The assumption is that boys and girls learn differently. So teachers can specialize in learning strategies that are gender-specific. One example is the notion that boys favor competition. So learning activities should build in opportunities to compete. Or alternatively, girls are hardwired for collaboration. The savvy teacher uses collaboration as a teaching strategy in an all-girls classroom.

However, examining all the research, the distinctions do not seem profound. Even some of the so-called “differences,” may not be innate, but the result of cultural imprinting. Boys may be "risk-takers" because parents encourage it. Girls may be more cautious because parents are nervous on their behalf.

Best educational outcomes are directly related to good teaching, independent of classroom gender. The fact is that every child learns differently. Smaller classes, more resources, better-trained teachers and a variety of teaching methods will carry the day whether or not the classroom is all-girls, all-boys or mixed gender.

Sara Schmidt

Director of Operations

School Choice International

sara.schmidt@schoolchoiceintl.com

Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 19:14:00 +0000

Tip #3: Prepare a College Application Résumé

If you have not already done so, prepare a college application résumé. College admissions officers do not require résumés but most do read them. You may be thinking, "Why do I need to create a résumé when my school already lists my activities on my transcript?" That's just it, you school will "list" them, but they probably will not elaborate on them. Designing a great résumé and sharing it with college admissions officers is a way of putting your best foot forward and telling the full story of how you have made a difference in your school and community. It you are an athlete, you can include statistics about your performance such as your batting average, shooting percentage, or yards gained. If you excel in the arts, you can list the parts you have played in musicals or the awards you have won for painting or sculpture. You want college people to see you as a real person, not just a GPA and a set of test scores. A great résumé will do all that and more. It will make it so much easier for you when filling out college and scholarship applications. When everyone else is trying to remember all of their awards, activities, part-time jobs, and summer experiences, yours will be right at your fingertips. Besides, when you apply for your first campus job, internship, or co-op experience in college, you will probably need a résumé. Won't you look smart when all you have to do is open up that résumé you did in high school and just update it a bit for this new opportunity? Finally, creating that résumé may also remind you of your special passions which may be useful in writing those college application essays.

For more information on our college admissions consulting,

please see our websites

schoolchoiceintl.com and schoolsearchsolutions.com

or call (914) 328 - 3000.

Ten Things Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 21:04:00 +0000

Tip#2: Conduct Online Research on Colleges and Universities of Interest!

If you were too busy to research college opportunities in your junior year, you need to find time to do it soon. What better time that in the remaining weeks of the summer before your senior year? There are many websites where you can find valuable information about colleges and where you can search for colleges that might be just right for you. Start with College Board at collegeboard.org and try out their "Big Futures" page. It offers a college search engine where you can enter the characteristics of your dream college and generate a list of colleges and universities that can meet your needs and help you achieve your aspirations.

One Tip Rising High School Seniors Can Do this Summer to Prepare for the College Admissions Process

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 17:58:00 +0000

Visit College Campuses!

If you have yet to visit even one college or university, start now. Rising seniors and their parents will often say, "This college list is too long! What can we do to narrow the list down?" The best way to narrow that list is to plan a road trip and begin visiting as many campuses you can in the waning weeks of the summer and early fall. Soon after you set foot on campus you are likely to say something like, "Wow, I love this place, how do I apply" or "When are we done here? I am ready to look at a different kind of college." Don't be turned off too quickly if the atmosphere on campus in the summer is not what you expected. College campuses can be very quiet in the summer months compared to the excitement you might find in the spring, fall, or even winter. Other campuses, where undergraduates rule during the regular school year, may be populated by graduate students (older students pursuing masters and doctorate degrees) and/or secondary school students attending short-term sports camps or pre-college academic programs during the summer months. Try to picture it as it might look when the undergrads come back in September.