Advice for HIGH SCHOOL senior (sticky situation)

Still BLUTANG · #1 08-31-2006, 10:00 AM

Hey all, i need suggestions on how to advise a high-school student. Here's the situation:

our office assistant's son is a high school senior and just recently decided he wants to go to college. last week i told the co-worker that i would sit down with him and discuss anything that's on his mind (selecting a college, thinking about a major, filling out the applications/completing essays, and most importantly SCHOLARSHIPS and financial aid).

this week i find out homeboy's grades aren't that strong... AND that he needs to go to saturday school to graduate on time.

i can't in good consience recommend this child spend his time and his mother's MONEY applying to colleges that he probably won't get into. i also feel like his mother is gassing him up to just be let down. i don't want to be in a position where it's akward in the workplace, but i don't want to be dishonest either.

how should i talk to the assistant... and what education/career advice can i give to the son besides "get your grades up."

does anyone have any suggestions?

AlphaFrog · #2 08-31-2006, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

does anyone have any suggestions?

COMMUNITY COLLEGE. He can get a start on college classes, without having to pay application fees, AND he can work on bringing his grades up.

Still BLUTANG · #3 08-31-2006, 10:21 AM

i don't think he'd do too well in our local community college, he'll be around ALL the same people, doing the same thing.

sadly, a majority of the community college students at THIS PARTICULAR school are playing catch-up. they graduate high school but they still need more math, science, or english courses to be admitted to a 4-year school... so they use CC as an excuse to extend their high school experience, not focusing on working hard there so they can get somewhere else.

AlphaFrog · #4 08-31-2006, 10:26 AM

Does he have family he could stay with and go to a community college in another location?? Or, would the mom be will to pay/help pay for an apartment for him to go to community college in another location? From what you've described, this boy is not yet 4-year institution material yet.

Drolefille · #5 08-31-2006, 10:28 AM

I'd recommend then that he attend a community college in the town of a good four year university. Around here, if you can't get into the U of Illinois, you go to Parkland CC in champaign. This way he's out of town and working towards school.

33girl · #6 08-31-2006, 10:31 AM

SB:

My school had the EOP program, which basically gives students who need it a little extra support. They go to a 6 week precollege program the summer before their freshman year. Here's a link, maybe you can see if the colleges he wants to go to have anything similar.

http://www.clarion.edu/admin/academicsupport/eop/

jubilance1922 · #7 08-31-2006, 11:24 AM

Ditto what everyone else has said, he needs to be at a community college in another location.

Can he attend a junior college that has housing for students?

Also, some colleges have a way for students who aren't as "prepared" as other students to still enter and get up to speed, and then transfer to their major within the school. At Univ. of Minnesota, this was called General College, and it allowed entrance for people who might have otherwise been rejected). Minnesota just phased this college out, but I'm sure other schools have similar arrangements.

Still BLUTANG · #8 08-31-2006, 11:53 AM

thank you guys, these are REALLY good suggestions.

i think i'm going to sit down with the assistant and just give her some straight talk. She has 3 younger children so there is still time to prevent the mistakes THIS kid has made. i'll show her the admission criteria for a few schools (different types) and then SHE can sit down with the son to discuss his options.

i personally am worried about finding a school that not only admits him but works with him so he can remain in good standing and GRADUATE.

thanks for your suggestions!

adpiucf · #9 08-31-2006, 12:14 PM

Straight talk is key. It will be up to him and his mom to take the good info you give to him and make something of it. The USNews web site is a good place to begin. For only $15 you can access their colleges report. He can see for himself the grades and scores he would need to get into certain schools, and also look at different geographic locations, and programs he hasn't considered.

I'd also look online and make him take the Myers-Briggs test so he can gague what kinds of jobs he might enjoy-- to give him a direction to pursue in college.

I agree that if he can't get into a 4-year school, a community college in another location far away from the temptations of his "home boys" is a good way to begin. In Florida, successfully completing an AA guarantees you admission to any 4 year public school in the state to finish up your BA/BS. So, for example, let's say he moves to Orlando and attends Valencia Community College. After getting his AA, he could move on to UCF, USF, FAU, UF, etc., to get his 4-year degree.

Sounds like the boy could use a change of scenery and a heart-to-heart with some straight up facts -- maybe a get together with his guidance counselor, too.

ETA: It's possible to go to college without scholarships or a trust fund. Although I had very good grades in HS in everything except for math, I was shut out of the high yield scholarships b/c of my poor math scores. I got by with student loans. Merit scholarships came later when I was in college. It is possible to make it all happen, and college debt, while debt, is a good kind of debt-- he will have greater earning potential with a college degree.

ETA: Another ETA... Is he a racial minority? I hate to sound un-PC, but coming from a diverse background, or being an under-represented minority can win you some scholarships and college acceptances. Use every advantage you've got.

alum · #10 09-01-2006, 08:59 PM

I would suggest one of the "lesser" 4 year public schools in this student's state of residence as opposed to a cc.

$10 and you get the hard copy issue of US News college rankings

FREE talk.collegeconfidential.com

The kid's gc or career college counselor should be able to give accurate advice. They know where the 4.0's, the 2.0 s and everything in between matriculate from their hs.

Munchkin03 · #11 09-03-2006, 09:32 AM

There was an article in the NYTimes a few days ago about a study that said that although many students start CC with the intention to move on to a 4-year college, that it rarely ever happens. Even if a CC graduate does move on to get a 4-year degree, his/her earning potential is not as high as those who started at a 4-year college, even if the CC kid has better grades.

PhoenixAzul · #12 09-03-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

There was an article in the NYTimes a few days ago about a study that said that although many students start CC with the intention to move on to a 4-year college, that it rarely ever happens. Even if a CC graduate does move on to get a 4-year degree, his/her earning potential is not as high as those who started at a 4-year college, even if the CC kid has better grades.

This has been my experience. Many people I graduated with took the CC option, and for one reason or another, never made the jump to 4 year degrees. Not to say that they aren't successful, my best friend is making scads of money as a medical technician, but their intention to get a 4 yr degree was never realized.

carnation · #13 09-03-2006, 10:57 AM

There are many community colleges that have dorms for the out of town kids. This might be an option!

SouthernSweet · #14 09-03-2006, 01:25 PM

AlphaFrog is right, but there are many 4-year universities whom you would be suprised who they take. It's nowhere near as competitive as the colleges themselves make it out to be, as long as you aren't applying to the top-state school...I'm talking more like of the nearest 4 year that most people probably haven't heard of where sports isn't the biggest thing on campus.

However, if you are convinced that this guy won't pass, then I would probably (and professionally) advise his mother..."Based on his performance here and his SAT scores...I would highly recommend_____________ and I don't think _____________would be the best choice for your son because of his current performance, and I am concerned about financial resources going wasted".

SAT's tend to be astonishingly accurate in predicting success in college.

Then sit back and allow them to make the decision. If she wants to throw her money away, she will.

SouthernSweet · #15 09-03-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

This has been my experience. Many people I graduated with took the CC option, and for one reason or another, never made the jump to 4 year degrees. Not to say that they aren't successful, my best friend is making scads of money as a medical technician, but their intention to get a 4 yr degree was never realized.

Some professions, such as nursing, don't pay any differently for new grads for an ASN vs BSN...the difference will be in a few years when they are looking for promotion, and the BSN's for example, will almost always get hired or will be first choice for more complex areas of the hospital.

Med Techs are the same way....in 5 to 10 years, AS's don't make anywhere near as much as those with a BS.