Giving dynamic and inspiring presentations is one of our most favorite pastimes here at Guru. We have the wonderful privilege of giving a presentation tonight to an LISD high school for the lower grades, and we know there are lots of parents who won't be there tonight who would love this information, too! The information below is the handout that goes with this presentation. Happy learning and thinking! 

9th Grade: 
1. Support your student in choosing challenging but appropriate classes. 

• A student’s performance in his/her core classes (English, math, history, science, foreign language) every year is the most important data point in a college admissions decision.
• Draft a four-year course plan to chart out his/her classes. Consider looking at the classes required by some colleges to help you plan.Encourage your student to try out lots of clubs and activities. Try everything! Be sure to include some volunteering experiences.

2. Begin a resume draft.

• College resumes are different than job resumes.
• You can find a template your student can copy and use here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TWICCAn7FFAIyeV8iEtk9gHFBrSedJ65gp-A4EFGHbc/edit?usp=sharing

10th Grade:
1. Settle in to 2-3 activities. Encourage quality and being really invested in a  few clubs/activities instead of having a minor role in many activities.

• Aim for a community service activity. Encourage volunteering with the same organization on a regular basis.
• Get involved with at least one activity through the school. Colleges value evidence of students’ abilities to contribute to their academic communities.

2. Start exploring aptitudes and interests

• Try the Myers Briggs test at www.16personalities.com (free!)
• Consider aptitude testing at www.youscience.com ($29)
• Use the UT Wayfinder tool at https://wayfinder.utexas.edu (free!)

3. Update the resume
4. Take the PSAT in October. Use is as a benchmark, and don’t stress too much about the results. Colleges do not see the PSAT scores – they are just a tool to help your student begin to familiarize himself/herself with standardized testing and understand strengths and weaknesses in content knowledge.
5. Consider an academic summer program.

• Look for free ones – there are so many!
  • Engineering: UT MITE (http://www.engr.utexas.edu/eoe/recruitment/mite)
  • Engineering (girls): Create@UT (http://www.engr.utexas.edu/wep/k12/createatut)
  • Leadership: Caminos al Future at George Washington University (https://summer.gwu.edu/caminos)
  • Math: Texas A&M SMaRT Camp (https://www.math.tamu.edu/outreach/SMaRT/)
  • Business: University of Houston Explore Business (https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/prospective-students/high-school/summer-camps.php)
  • Computer Science: Code Longhorn at UT (https://apps.cs.utexas.edu/camp/code-longhorn)
  • Pre-Med: Camp Med Academy (http://txaheceast.org/dfw/about/campmed/) 

College has many purposes, not the least of which is training students to be experts in a certain field such that they can go out, spread their wings, and find gainful employment (with healthcare!). 

But college's most important role? Teaching our kids to think. Turning our "kids" into socially aware citizens capable of making a difference in the world. This, I challenge you to consider, is far more important than any pay check they will ever earn (but let's be real: that's pretty gosh darn important too, especially when you get that bill for teen-driver auto insurance, right?) 

In the wake of the Great Recession, I've seen a flood of parents concerned with getting their children into schools with good engineering departments, or strong business programs, or the best medical school acceptance statistics. These worries have replaced or overshadowed the desire for their children to gain independence, explore new ideas, and find the school where they will grow the most. 

There's a hyper intense focus on getting students to peg down a career while still in high school, and it forces the college search to revolve around that end, so much so that it often eclipses the discussion of school fit. Certainly, part of fit is finding a school that offers a major suited to the student's interests, but this should rarely be the driving factor in undergraduate studies (graduate school is very different, mind you). 

This change in educational tides concerns me because I know college is the place where students truly learn to think, and I worry this wonderful pursuit of intellectual curiosity will be stunted when a student's four year focus is consumed by the task of getting an internship in the most prestigious an engineering firm instead of trying their hand at the campus poetry slam, or listening to a debate on human rights, or even playing inner tube water polo. In other words, students may lose the love of learning for learning's sake, one of the most fulfilling pursuits we can expose them to. 

"But don't students learn to think in high school? My kid took 11 APs!" To answer is a sweeping generality, no. High school, despite the best efforts of The Common Core, STEM, Bloom's Taxonomy, etc., is about getting the work done to make the grade. The college admissions process is largely to blame for this: there is so much weight placed on high school grades and rigor of curriculum. Students don't take Advanced Placement World History to learn more about the Roman Empire, they take it because it looks good on their transcript, and they only want that transcript to get into college, and they are being told that college is about getting a job... see where this leads? 

The irony of this all is that most employers value critical thinking and the ability to synthesize beyond subject expertise. Consider this report released last April by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. They found "while policy leaders have been focused intensely on what college students are choosing as their majors and what salaries they are being paid shortly after they graduate, business leaders who actually hire college graduates are urging us to prioritize the cross-cutting capacities a college education should develop in every student, in every major." In other words, let college be about learning, growing, thinking and not job prospecting. 

So parents, I know you have the best of intentions when you push your child to search for colleges through the lens of majors, departments, and job placement. But remember that what's equally important is helping them to find a place where they will not only acquire expertise, but also a love of learning that will last them a lifetime (cue rainbows and fireworks). 

Read More: 
Wanted: More U.S. College Grads with Critical Thinking Skills

I'd love to hear your opinions on this, too! Comment below or send me an email: erika@guruacademicadvising.com

Full disclosure, I attended a liberal arts college for my undergraduate studies. Read on to get my take on getting a liberal arts education. 

When I talk with families about adding a liberal arts college to their list of considerations, I am met with a variety of reactions:
     1. A blank stare -- what the heck is liberal arts?
     2. A polite smile -- the kind you give the fifth boy scout in a 
         week to knock on your door and ask you to       
         buy popcorn. This smile is also known as the "thanks but 
         no thanks" smile. 
     3. Shock. Horror. Aghast-ness. How dare I suggest such a 
         thing! This is my child's EDUCATION we are 
         talking about here. 
     4. Concern -- Client: "We don't really do things with the 
         word "liberal" in them. This is Texas." 
         (Just kidding with this one; I couldn't help myself.)

All levity aside, liberal arts colleges can be great options for some, but not all, students. Keep reading to learn more. 

What it is: The Association of American Colleges and Universities defines a liberal arts college as 
"A particular type of institution—often small, often residential—that facilitates close interaction between faculty and students, and whose curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts disciplines." A liberal arts education offers students the opportunity to earn a degree while taking a wide variety of courses. Students usually have expansive general education requirements in addition to those courses required for their major. Speaking of majors, liberal arts colleges offer plenty of majors that usually align with the classic disciplines. Check out this list of majors from Swarthmore College.  

What it isn't: Liberal arts colleges do not offer "fluff" degrees, they do not require you to go on to graduate school in order to have a career of which to speak, nor are they only for students who haven't yet found their "passion." That B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) really isn't any less than a B.S. (Bachelor of Science), but that's a whole other post for another time. 

Why it's cool: A liberal arts education creates a more holistically educated student. A liberal arts student will know how to write well even though he majors in biology; he will know how to run a t-test even if he majors in philosophy. You don't have to sacrifice depth for breadth with a liberal arts degree either -- you will accrue depth in your chosen field of study (i.e. your major), and you will pursue breadth through your general education course requirements (of which there are a greater number than at non-liberal arts schools). You could be taking a class on existentialism at 9am, then buzz off to physics at noon, and end the day with a class on Piaget's theories of child development, all while pursing a degree in cognitive psychology. You're going to spend more time developing good skills such as writing and learning to be a good communicator -- skills employers are most interested in. 

Who it's for: Liberal arts colleges are great for students who want to go on to graduate school, this is true. But they are also great for students who want to go into business, or finance, or politics, or engineering, or the nonprofit world. If a student knows she wants to be a nurse or a teacher or enter a trade where a certification is required through schooling, liberal arts may not be the best option -- there are quicker routes to getting your degree and starting your career in these instances. For students who aren't yet sure what career path is best for them, liberal arts schools are tremendous laboratories for learning, growth, and development as they allow a student the chance to explore innumerable areas of interest before deciding on one in which to major. And remember, more than half of students change their major after they declare, something you CAN do at a liberal arts school without adding on years to the time it takes to complete your degree. 

What's your take on the value of a liberal arts education? Comment below to keep the discussion going!

Read more: 
US News and World Report's Liberal Arts College Rankings
CBS News "5 Reasons to Attend a Liberal Arts College"
And for good measure, an opposing view: The Atlantic "How Liberal Arts Colleges are Failing America" 

Questions? Email us! erika@guruacademicadvising.com

Congratulations! You have just been accepted in college and received your welcome packet. You fill out the questionnaire about your rooming preferences (hope you don't get somebody smelly!), and you chose your meal plan option. Leafing through the papers you see another page asking you about your future major... eeeeeeek! You mean I have to choose what I'm going to do for the rest of my life RIGHT NOW?!

Before you start totally freaking out, hear this: you can always change your major. However, not all majors are created equal, so choosing IS a big decision. The selection of your college major is a decision that warrants personal reflection and research. It amounts to a delicate balance between pursuing that which you are passionate about, but also that which you can make money with. We all want to move out of mom's basement eventually right? I know mom wants you to...

So how do you decide? You are young and surely have great hopes for not only your own future and success but also the way you personally can positively impact the world. You want to do your part to help humanity, sure, but it's also important you pay the bills.

Here's my advice: start with your interests - what do you think you will be happiest doing the rest of your life? Then do some research: what job opportunities are available to people graduating with that major? How much do people in those jobs make? Are you going to be satisfied making that salary? Is there room to grow? A great website to do this research is salary.com.

If you find you are not happy with the job outlook for individuals in your field, then it may be time to consider a different major. Even though something seems like your heart's desire right now, keep in mind you are young, and making money is important as well.

If you want to read more about choosing a college major, try these websites for different perspectives:
Does the College Major Matter - New York Times
5 Ways to Pick the Right College Major - US News and World Report
Why You Should Choose a Major You Love - US News and World Report
How to Pick Your Major - Chegg Blog