Top Tips for Parents

• Tip #1: Encourage your child to take challenging classes and encourage pleasure reading beyond school assignments.
• Tip #2: Know the benchmarks from 9th-12th grade for preparing for post-secondary education.
• Tip #3: Encourage your child’s involvement in school and community activities or part-time employment to explore career interests.

Benefits

• Reading for pleasure improves students’ vocabulary. Reading skills help boost scores in critical reading and writing sections of college admission standardized tests.
• Challenging classes help students meet most college admission requirements and help students better prepare for post-secondary courses.
• Participation in school, community activities or part-time employment teaches students about responsibility and balancing school, community and job requirements. It may help with scholarship eligibility.

Simple Things You Can Do To Encourage Your Teen’s Learning

• Make them aware of the connection between the more they read and write, the easier their transition to college classes.
• Remind your teen that school counselors are their best source for information about requirements for post-secondary educational institutions.
• Check often with your teen to find out about their need for support in finding work, community service opportunities, finishing a project, completing applications, etc.
• Teach your teen how to save their money for college and how to administer a budget.

To Apply For Most Colleges, Students Should Have the Following Credits By Graduation

4 years of English
3-4 years of Social Studies (History, Civics, Geography, Economics)
3-4 years of Science
3-4 years Math
2-3 years of a foreign language

Important Benchmarks in Preparation for Post-Secondary Education

9th grade

Parents: Help your child enroll in courses that are preparing them to meet college requirements.
Student: Learn about Advanced Placement (AP) courses availability and requirements for enrollment.
Student: Learn about earning college credits through Central Wyoming College while in High School.
Student: Participate in summer enrichment programs or camps, programs for university experience (e.g. GEAR up, Upward Bound).
Student: Join groups or clubs to learn about community service.

10th grade

Parents: Learn about the standardized tests your child will take in the 10th- 12th grade.
Student and Parents: Find out about and attend college nights or financial aid nights at the
High School.
Student: Register for and take a practice PSAT Test.
Student: Balance school work with other school or community activities or part-time employment.

11th grade

Student: In the fall register for and take the PSAT Test, which is important to qualify for scholarships and programs, specifically for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Parents: Check testing requirements for postsecondary institutions that interest your child.
Student: Enroll in Advanced Placement or college credit courses through Central Wyoming College that you qualify for.
Student and Parents: Begin working on finding scholarships. Some deadlines are as early as the summer between 11th and 12th grades.
Student and Parents: Attend college fairs and if possible, visit college campuses.
Student and Parents: Learn about options for post-secondary education depending on career goals: technical schools, vocational institutes, community colleges, or universities.
Student: Find out what college admission test preparation programs are available at your school and in the community.
Student: In the spring register and take the SAT and ACT.

12th grade

Parents: Complete income tax forms early. This will help with submitting financial aid applications.
Student and Parents: Work to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Student and Parents: Ask your employer, church, or community groups, if they offer scholarships to people involved with their group.
Student and Parents: Develop a calendar of deadlines for college exams, college applications, scholarship and financial aid deadlines. Work together on all these applications. Find help through schools, library and friends.
Student and Parents: Brainstorm about whom to ask for letters of recommendation. Guide student in the right way to do it.
Student: Enroll in Advanced Placement classes or college credit courses through Central Wyoming College or University of Wyoming.
Student: Complete High School credits with best possible grades.

Web Resources for Academic Support

Brainfuse: http://wyld.state.wy.us/dbloginform.html
(Have your library card and PIN number handy!) Online resource available through the Teton County Library. Provides live tutoring in English and Spanish in subject areas; offers practice type exams for SAT/ACT; offers tests in areas including Reading, Writing, Math, Science. Students get immediate feedback. Includes live tutoring for students learning Spanish. Offers essay review for student papers and college admission essays within 24 hours.

Internet Public Library: http://ipl.org/div/teen/
Homework help for teens.

Khan Academy:  www.khanacademy.org
Free instructional videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance and history.  Includes 125 free practice exercises to sharpen math and science skills.

Web Resources for Career and Personal Guidance

Career Cruising: http://www.careercruising.com
Career guidance, course planner and college admission test preparation.

Career Zone: http://www.nycareerzone.org
Students can explore careers related to their strengths, skills and talent on this interactive site, featuring a career quiz designed to target their interests.

PBS Kids “It’s My Life”: http://www.pbskids.org/itsmylife
Testimonial videos and resources on issues and difficulties that teens deal with every day.

Web Resources for ACT and SAT Standardized Tests

ACT Test: http://www.act.org/path/parent
A guide for college preparation with information for parents and students. ACT test registration and practice materials.

College Board: http://www.collegeboard.com
Information for parents and students about college preparation, SAT test registration, deadlines and practice tests.

Learning Express Library: http://www.learnatest.com/LEL/index.cfm
College admission standardized practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, and information.

Web Resources for Financial Aid

Free Application for Federal Student Aid: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
Guidance for applying for Federal Student Aid and online application.

Student Aid: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
Extensive information about different sources of Federal Student Aid and the application process for them.

Federal Student Aid: http://www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov
Tools and information about grants, student loans and scholarships.