Monday, March 13, 2006
Special Report: March isn't the End of the School Year!
Dear Readers,
I'm taking a break from the usual advice today to talk to all of you who are having a hard time focusing on school work...you know who you are!!
Here in Connecticut the weather is beautiful. Not sunny today, but when it's 65 degrees in March, we don't sweat the details too much. Could be that the weather is distracting for you too.
But that's only part of the story, isn't it? The big thing - especially for you 12th graders - is that you're getting "senioritis" already.
I know you are. I've seen it for the past couple of weeks. "Homework? What homework?" For many of you it's showing up now in midterm progress reports. For the first time kids who were always good students are seeing C's and worse.
Think this gets better? Wait until the flowers start coming up!
Here's the deal...for most of you this is going to be the most fun period of your life. Once you figure out what your plans are for next year, all that stress is gone. And for a few glorious months, all is right with the world.
Enjoy it. It's a magical time.
NOW...for some of you (you know who you are), you somehow thought teachers stopped checking homework and giving tests in March. And if they do, it just doesn't count. Right?
Let's get real here for a minute. There are lots of ways to enjoy the end of senior year without falling off the academic cliff. And there are a few good reasons for staying focused.
Let's start with the bad news first, then we'll get to the good stuff!
1. Colleges really do want to know how you did in the second half of your senior year. They ask for a final transcript from your school to make sure you graduated. But they also want to know you haven't forgotten how to be a student.
Check those acceptance letters closely. They say you're accepted as long as your performance continues to be up to high standards.
Translation: if you stop working, they can change their minds about letting you in. I've seen it happen lots of times before. They aren't bluffing!
2. If you forget how to study now, what will happen in your first semester of college? Now I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Too many kids get "soft" and forget how to be students. September comes, the work gets much harder in college and they get hammered. I know, that happened to me quite a few years ago.
Keep the momentum going. Keep working. If you've stopped, pick it back up!
Now, the good stuff...
1. Seniors who keep working through the end of high school have less stress than their non-working classmates. Yeah, it looks like the slackers have it easy. Believe me, they're worried (or they will be).
2. Seniors who keep working have better chances at scholarships, which are coming out now by the hundreds. They stay current with applications and deadlines. Many times they beat out more qualified students, simply because they're paying attention.
3. Seniors who do decide to take it easy over the last couple of weeks in school are in better shape because their grades are stronger from working through most of the last semester. They can afford to goof off a bit more. And their teachers are usually more forgiving of them than of the students who disappeared in March.
And for all of you non-seniors, the same information is true for you. If you stay consistent and focused, you wind up in much better shape than your friends who aren't taking care of business. It's the old "play now, pay later" deal. But it really is true!
FREE OFFER!
Anyone interested in a FREE Guidance Guy College Admissions Road Map? It's included in two of my books, but I'm running a special!
First 10 people who email and request the Road Map pick it up for free! All I ask is your name, age (unless you're the parent) and valid email address.
Better hurry! Once these go, I'm closing up shop!
Have a great week,
Larry Hochman
The Guidance Guy
I'm taking a break from the usual advice today to talk to all of you who are having a hard time focusing on school work...you know who you are!!
Here in Connecticut the weather is beautiful. Not sunny today, but when it's 65 degrees in March, we don't sweat the details too much. Could be that the weather is distracting for you too.
But that's only part of the story, isn't it? The big thing - especially for you 12th graders - is that you're getting "senioritis" already.
I know you are. I've seen it for the past couple of weeks. "Homework? What homework?" For many of you it's showing up now in midterm progress reports. For the first time kids who were always good students are seeing C's and worse.
Think this gets better? Wait until the flowers start coming up!
Here's the deal...for most of you this is going to be the most fun period of your life. Once you figure out what your plans are for next year, all that stress is gone. And for a few glorious months, all is right with the world.
Enjoy it. It's a magical time.
NOW...for some of you (you know who you are), you somehow thought teachers stopped checking homework and giving tests in March. And if they do, it just doesn't count. Right?
Let's get real here for a minute. There are lots of ways to enjoy the end of senior year without falling off the academic cliff. And there are a few good reasons for staying focused.
Let's start with the bad news first, then we'll get to the good stuff!
1. Colleges really do want to know how you did in the second half of your senior year. They ask for a final transcript from your school to make sure you graduated. But they also want to know you haven't forgotten how to be a student.
Check those acceptance letters closely. They say you're accepted as long as your performance continues to be up to high standards.
Translation: if you stop working, they can change their minds about letting you in. I've seen it happen lots of times before. They aren't bluffing!
2. If you forget how to study now, what will happen in your first semester of college? Now I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Too many kids get "soft" and forget how to be students. September comes, the work gets much harder in college and they get hammered. I know, that happened to me quite a few years ago.
Keep the momentum going. Keep working. If you've stopped, pick it back up!
Now, the good stuff...
1. Seniors who keep working through the end of high school have less stress than their non-working classmates. Yeah, it looks like the slackers have it easy. Believe me, they're worried (or they will be).
2. Seniors who keep working have better chances at scholarships, which are coming out now by the hundreds. They stay current with applications and deadlines. Many times they beat out more qualified students, simply because they're paying attention.
3. Seniors who do decide to take it easy over the last couple of weeks in school are in better shape because their grades are stronger from working through most of the last semester. They can afford to goof off a bit more. And their teachers are usually more forgiving of them than of the students who disappeared in March.
And for all of you non-seniors, the same information is true for you. If you stay consistent and focused, you wind up in much better shape than your friends who aren't taking care of business. It's the old "play now, pay later" deal. But it really is true!
FREE OFFER!
Anyone interested in a FREE Guidance Guy College Admissions Road Map? It's included in two of my books, but I'm running a special!
First 10 people who email and request the Road Map pick it up for free! All I ask is your name, age (unless you're the parent) and valid email address.
Better hurry! Once these go, I'm closing up shop!
Have a great week,
Larry Hochman
The Guidance Guy
