Our friends at Behavioral Psych Studio have an amazing blog where they share their wisdom on navigating many issues relating to children and teenagers. Laura Miller, LMSW recently penned this spot-on open letter to parents navigating the college application process and we want to share it with you. Students applying to college absolutely need support, but it should be aimed at making them independent and truer versions of themselves. “Remember, proofreading and grammar checking is okay, but colleges want to hear your child’s unique student perspective, not yours.“ Exactly!
New Offerings: Fall 2020
College Application Critique
Have a member of our college application team review your completed application, providing written feedback on everything from essays to resumes to the common app preview, before pressing submit. With three different offerings available, this service is ideal for a student who is almost at the finish line but wants an expert to ensure they're putting their best foot forward. Critiques start at $240.
Small-Group Test Prep Courses
Whether you join a class or bring your own pod, our small-group test prep courses consist of only 5-8 students to allow for focused group study and individual instructor attention. Held remotely or in-person (outside, weather permitting), our courses are geared towards beginners looking to take the Spring or Summer 2021 SAT or ACT. Students will complete a basic assessment prior to the start of class so that classwork and homework can be tailored to student needs. Homework will be provided online in the form of pdf files and online assessments. Assignments will include realistic test questions and eight full-length authentic tests.
Classes will meet for 90 minutes, twice a week, for 24 weeks. Price: $3,800
Payments plans available as well as discounts if you bring your pod to us. Need to prep for another test? We can put together classes for ISEE, SHSAT, SSAT, and more. Just let us know.
Remote Education Managers
Unlike traditional subject tutors, our remote educator managers (REMs) focus solely on time management and executive functioning support—two of the major obstacles families face when it comes to remote learning. REMs will oversee your student’s daily time management, assignment tracking, teacher communication, and technological assistance needs. They’ll check-in strategically throughout the day or week to ensure learning stays efficient and on track while allowing you to focus on your own work. Contact for pricing.
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To discuss any of these offerings, please contact Annie Sullivan at (347) 334-2751 or click here to email.
Supporting Your Child When the School Day Looks Different
Most are finding that the back-to-school season feels different this year than in years past. Whether your child is attending school remotely, doing a hybrid model, participating in pod learning, or learning in any other format, the following tips are designed to help you support your child in having successful school days in the weeks and months ahead.
Create routines (and enforce them!). Children thrive when their lives feel consistent. At the same time, some struggle when being told what to do. Rather than telling your child what their routine is going to be, create one collaboratively. Decide together whether your child will get dressed “for school” in the morning, where in your home your child will learn, and how they can reach you if they need you throughout the day. Depending on your child’s age, it may be worthwhile to create a schedule that is visual and easily understandable so that your child can reference it throughout the day. Redirect your child back to the routines (and reiterate that you established them together) when they get off track.
Distinguish the school day from afterschool time. Brainstorm ways to separate the school day from afterschool time (for example, a 1 hour screen break or a walk down the street) so that your child feels a separation between school and the rest of their life. While there may be afternoon and evening requirements — such as activities, homework time, or family dinners — you can still find small ways for your child to make decisions around how time is spent, such as having your child choose the dinner conversation or picking a game to play before bed. Finally, remember to schedule in “unstructured time” so that your child can flex their creative muscles and feel in control of how they spend their free time.
Set up rewards to mark the passage of time. Landmarks — such as bells that indicate that it’s time to switch classes and classroom decorations that change with the season — help kids conceptualize the passage of time, which can increase their motivation to be productive. Consider ways to show your kids that time is still moving forward, such as having dinner in the park every Friday or planning a movie night for the last day of the month. Make the countdown to these events visual so that your child is reminded daily of what they’re working toward.
Acknowledge that your child’s day-to-day struggles may change. All children face challenges in school, however those challenges may look different now than they did a year ago. Many kids are feeling isolated, adjusting to learning via video platforms, and managing uncertainty about what the rest of the school year will look like. Give yourself permission to be unsure of what is so challenging about this school year for your child. Sometimes observing and acknowledging that there is a challenge at all is enough.
That being said, cope ahead for potential challenges. Think in advance about how you’ll handle the more predictable challenges when they arise by asking yourself “What can I say?” and “What can I do?” Consider the following example:
Challenge: I see my child texting during a remote class.
What I can say: “I noticed that you were texting during class. It made me concerned that you might not be having a hard time focusing. I can imagine it’s really hard to focus when school looks so different.”
What I can do: Ask my child to brainstorm solutions with me. Set a limit about phone use during school hours. Think of rewards I can offer my child if they go a week without phone use during school hours.
Validate loneliness and find creative ways to socialize. One of the simplest ways you can help your child navigate missing being in person with their peers and teachers is by validating. Rather than saying, “Why don’t you just call a friend if you’re feeling lonely?” or “We’re all lonely right now. That’s just how it is,” use an “It makes sense” statement to communicate to your child that their feelings — whatever they are — are okay. Allow the validation (“It makes sense that you’re feeling lonely and missing your friends. I can see that this is so hard for you”) to sink in before moving into problem solving, such as suggesting your child do homework while on a muted phone call with a friend or plan a socially distant playdate.
Keep in mind that every challenging school day that passes by this year is an opportunity for your child to practice invaluable skills — in tolerating uncertainty and coping with anxiety, among others — that will come in handy down the line. And remember that your support is an invaluable part of this learning process!
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Brooke Schwartz is a Social Worker and Psychotherapist located in Los Angeles, California. She specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based treatment which focuses on increasing emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Websites:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstschwartz/
Embracing Science Fiction in Lockdown
Last spring, like everyone else, the rhythm of my day-to-day came to a grinding halt. With the swiftness of all historical cataclysm, what I thought I knew I suddenly didn’t, and what had previously worked was now woefully inadequate. I say “like everyone else,” because of the universalizing import of a pandemic. Whether one takes it seriously or not — and we have seen so many distinct and frustrating shades of disbelief already — it is there, shaping our world.
When the first wave hit I was in upstate New York, teaching a university-level literature class on James Baldwin — a class that, like the rest of our daily lives, took place in person. I had to scramble. My lectures were suddenly on Zoom, assignments were emailed and shared on various clouds, class discussion took on the stilted rhythm of a group still not-quite-acclimated to life on the screen. It all had the eerie foreboding of something out of science fiction.
Read moreJargon U: A College Application Glossary
The college application process is daunting in its breadth and challenging in its specificities. While working through the process with personalized help is ideal, there’s a certain amount of clarity that can help long before you sit down to brainstorm essay topics. Some of the most basic things to learn before you even search “how to apply to college” online is the terminology surrounding the process. If you learn the language, you’ll be better equipped to study and master the subject.
Acceptance/Admission Rate: The rate at which applicants are accepted relative to the total number of applicants that applied.
Admissions Tests: Also known as college entrance exams, these are standardized tests designed to measure students’ academic aptitude and give colleges guidance on their readiness for university. They are widely required by many, but not all, universities. The most common tests are the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT.
Application: The materials collected and created in order to submit to college. Most applications include a section by section breakdown of what information the school needs from you. Other materials include: high school transcript, recommendation letters, admissions test scores, AP test scores, personal statement, and any auditions/portfolios (if applicable for your program). There is typically a cost to submit your application, between $35 and $70. There may also be supplemental essays and if you are applying for financial aid, you’ll need to submit a completed FAFSA.
Application Deadline: The date by which your application is due. There are different deadlines depending on whether you’re applying regular decision (RD), early action (EA/EAII), early decision (ED/EDII), and/or rolling admissions (RA). All of these are defined in our glossary.
Campus Interview: Less like a job interview and more of a one-on-one information gathering session between an applicant and a representative from the school, like an admissions officer, alumnus, or faculty member. These are rarely required, but often helpful for determining best fit.
Read more