As junior year comes to a close, high school students tend to feel overwhelmed by the college planning process. To utilize their time wisely over this coming summer, juniors should try to get ahead on research and prepare their next steps for the break. Come senior year, they will be thanking themselves for starting early. 1. Prepare a challenging schedule for senior year. Your junior should meet with their counselor to determine what classes they’ll…
One of the biggest flaws with traditional school transportation, says Todd Ely, director of the Center for Local Government Research and Training at the University of Colorado Denver, is that 66-passenger buses must make several stops along an indirect path. That design translates to long swaths of time with energetic children managed in triage fashion. Buses are also expensive to operate, which means most of the more than 25 million children in the U.S. who…
We recommend that students take the ISEE more than once. Ideally, students take the test once during the course of test preparation with a tutor, and then again at the end of test preparation. This gives students time to learn from their mistakes and practice time-management and test-taking strategies. It also gives tutors the opportunity to use the student’s test as an additional formal assessment with which to guide their instruction over the remainder of…
Would you like a more challenging educational environment for your student? If your child is in third through fifth grade, you may want to consider the Advanced Work Class (AWC). It is a full-time program in the Boston Public Schools that “provides an accelerated academic curriculum for students in grades 4-6. This program includes subjects studied in greater depth, more schoolwork, and more home study than the traditional curriculum.” Enrolling in the Advanced Work Class…
This time of year, a lot of excitement is in the air for high school seniors. However, it is possible that your child may not be accepted to every school they applied to, especially when it comes to “reach schools.” The Admissions Office does not know your child personally, and a rejection letter is not an attack against who they are. Making admissions decisions is a complicated science, and if your child was not accepted…
Everyone — from businesses to classrooms to sporting organizations — is on a quest to crack the code to perfect teamwork. Google spent years studying their working teamwork systems and determined that success wasn’t based on “who” was on a team, but on the culture created by the team — for example, a group that takes turns talking vs. one in which members speak over one another would have better teamwork. Educators are also looking…
If your child was waitlisted, the SSAT has an Open Seat Listing Feature. Read more on how to apply for private school after traditional deadlines below: “Whether you didn’t receive an offer of admission from your top choice school, didn’t get the financial aid package you needed, or are coming to the process after the admission season, there are many reasons why you may still be seeking the perfect independent school fit for you. There…
If your child is interested in attending a Boston Exam School, they will need to take the Boston Latin Exam in order to apply. We have the information you need on what not to do on this test. Don’t take it before you’re ready. It would be a lie to say that this test is easy. Practice and preparation are essential for success. If you’re a Boston Globe subscriber, you can try out a few…
If your child will be applying for college next academic year, make sure you are up-to-date on testing requirements. Many colleges do require students to take the SAT subject tests, or at least recommend it. SAT Subject Tests are college admission exams on specific subjects. These are the only national admission tests where you choose the tests that best showcase your strengths and interests. There are 20 SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English,…
Katie Hurley’s office is filled with young girls who struggle with courage, confidence and friendship skills. Hurley, a child and adolescent psychotherapist and author of the recently published “No More Mean Girls,” has noticed an escalating trend: Girls right now are overwhelmed with adult-directed activities. The trouble is that parents are not helping girls find their voices effectively enough. “Girls no longer have time to partake in girlhood on their own,” said Hurley. This overly…
