Parents of High School Students
My 11th grade child has a C-average. Will she/he have any chance of getting accepted into a college?
There are thousands of post-secondary schools and colleges in the United States. Many high school students who graduate with average grades are “late bloomers.” They blossom beautifully in the right college setting. The building blocks for college entrance and the college and career exploration process should begin in the freshmen year and continue through sophomore year. It is wise for juniors to be actively involved in the college selection process leaving senior year for completing applications and attending to the financial aid forms. Certainly, young people may change their minds along the way. Establishing a solid groundwork makes for a less stressful year for seniors and their parents.
Does it make a difference if you have a high school diploma or a GED when applying to colleges?
That depends on the college, as well as the specific circumstances that may have led to an individual earning a GED rather than a high school diploma. The Entrance Requirement section on the websites of the colleges that you are interested in will tell you exactly what is needed to enter that school.
A friend told me I’d never get into college because I did not take any foreign languages. Is this true?
No, two-year colleges customarily do not require a foreign language. FOUR-YEAR colleges, on the other hand, want a minimum of two years of the same language. You are strongly encouraged to research colleges you want to apply to before deciding against taking another year of a language. Search for Entrance Requirements. Read what is required for foreign language and then make your decision. If you have no idea where you will want to apply but you are sure you want a four-year college, I strongly recommend the third year as a way to keep more college doors open.
Math is my son’s least strong subject. What is the absolute minimum amount of math he can take and still have colleges be interested in him?
This answer is similar to the one for foreign language. The requirement does vary from college to college. The minimum is generally Algebra I and Geometry, possibly Algebra II; with more competitive schools looking for more college preparatory math: Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus.
Again, it makes sense to contact colleges before making high school course selections. Even if you do not know which college but know the type of college and level of competitiveness that you want, you can visit websites of representative schools to get a sense. College admissions representatives/counselors are also usually happy to answer questions for prospective students.
I understand that you can get a college degree through the military, but what if my child is not selected for a military academy, what are their options?
ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Corps) is a great option. Most colleges offer ROTC. ROTC students attend college while participating with other ROTC students in specific program activities and training. When they graduate from college they have both a college degree and military officer status. There are also ROTC scholarships available. Please contact your local military recruiter for additional information on ROTC scholarships, as there is so much more to learn about the program. The following contains links to listings of ROTC locations and information on each.
November 25th, 2006 | Posted by Cheryl under Parents of High School Students | Permalink