Signet Education

03/21/2024

😲College decisions are coming back.
😲Students are scrambling to prepare for the digital SAT.
😲It's time to prepare for AP exams and finals.
😲And many colleges (like Brown, Dartmouth, Yale, & UT Austin) are changing their test optional policies to test required.

You're going to hear a lot of propaganda about these changes -

That testing is GOOD for everyone! (it's not.)
That students PREFER the digital format! (not all of them.) 

How do you navigate between the good advice and what's a sales pitch?

No matter who your kid is, what your goals are, here is your new framework for moving through this calmly and rationally:

1. You get the facts.
2. You center your kid.
3. You make a plan.

For Example: Here's how to navigate testing while centering your kid:

1. Have them do a practice SAT and ACT so you have some data to look at.

2. Check out the data from the colleges you plan to apply to - what are their average scores? Which schools are test optional?

3. Center your kid:

📌What is a realistic score improvement for them?
📌Will that score help them achieve their college goals?
📌Does your kid have the time and motivation to close the gap between where they are now and the score goal they’ve set?
📌What specific help is needed to get them there?

I share more in our once-monthly, straight-talk newsletter releasing tomorrow! Join thousands of families that learn from our level-headed college admissions experts: https://signeteducation.com/

(Can we laugh about the romaine?)

03/18/2024

On a platform that prioritizes soundbites, no one likes the details, the complexity, or the inherent challenges.

Case in point, the NY Times has been publishing a series of very clearly pro-SAT articles. Today, it's try your hand at five sample questions.

Yesterday, someone with a large following repeated (and celebrated!) the sales pitch that the College Board has been pushing through these articles. I had to comment and burst the bubble a little bit.

This week on the podcast, I get into the details on building the college list. It's not simple, and it takes a lot of work. But if you can be intentional about it, building the right college list for your kid will unlock the rest of the process.

Tune in to the podcast for more. And if you're already overwhelmed, consider my College List Building Lab for your kid. See the links in the comments!

03/14/2024

Many kids set their sights on a college that looked cool on TkTok.

And even great high schools don’t give proper guidance around building a college list.

If your kid is not motivated to start the college process, we can help them get excited and motivated to take the reins.

In our new College List-Building Lab, Sheila Akbar, PhD will guide a curated, non-competitive group of just 12 students through a proven framework for building an authentic college list and winning admissions strategy.

📌 First cohort starts March 21st.
📢 You'll have a college list in hand by mid-April.

Over the last 15 years as test prep experts and admissions consultants, we’ve helped hundreds of students get into their top choice schools with a success rate of 90%.

We meet four Thursdays at 6pm ET kicking off March 28!

Building a strategic college list is the single most important thing kids can do to avoid disappointment.

Show your kid this website: mypathtocollege.com
We’ve designed it just for them.

You'll get through this!

03/06/2024

Parents often come to me worried that their kids have little or no motivation. They aren't "applying" themselves.

My response is often something they don't want to hear. Drive is not something anyone can just pour into your kid's heart and mind.

To adapt a line from Talia Kovacs: it's something that can't be taught, but it can be learned.

Ned Johnson's work on this is a must-read for parents.

The solution? Give them a sense of control. Research shows it's good for everything from academic success, to career success, to mental health, to physical health, to longevity.

Check out my conversation with Ned in the comments, and read his books
"The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives" and "What Do You Say?: How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home"!

03/01/2024

If you haven't figured out your Sophomore or Junior's summer plans, you’re not too late - but it's time to quickly start!

If you're ready to make the most of how your teen invests their summer,

And strategically choose the right activities for them,

Let's move past the scary what-if's, and on to the right path with a plan that fits your family.

Summer decisions aren't easy: the costs of different program options, whether they will fit your teen (and your schedule), if you are planning well for the college where you wish to apply.

I’m Sheila Akbar, PhD, and I’ll walk you through these must-know topics and more in my new Ultimate Guide to Summer Planning course:

✅ How summer can actually impact college candidacy in realistic terms!

✅ What counts as a summer activity, and how to choose between them?

✅ When do you start planning?

✅ How do you find or create these opportunities?

✅ How to integrate how your child spends their summer into their extracurricular portfolio and whole college profile.

I’ve successfully guided hundreds of families through the high school journey to college admissions, and care deeply about what’s right for your student.

You've got this. Let's get started.

P.S. This introductory pricing of is at a fraction of my hourly rate - dive in today!

Explore The Ultimate Guide to Summer Planning Course space in How to Get Into College

02/29/2024

We hear it often from moms - the little bit of time you get with your child in the last few years before they’re off to college is a depleting, argumentative experience for you both.

As a parent, what you want most is to see your child happy, and your relationship not ruined by the college admissions process.

We can help.

We work as a trusted partner to be the truth-teller in the college admissions journey and communicate the tougher deadlines, ensuring things are managed in this complex process.

You get to be mom.

Your student gets to grow in all aspects of their being, so they can ultimately build a life of meaning and purpose.

Reach out - we’re trusted by families across the U.S. and internationally. You don’t have to go it alone.

https://signeteducation.com/contact-us/

02/27/2024

Join Sheila Akbar, PhD this Wednesday to talk about the new Digital SAT: What it will look like, how your students can prepare themself for it, and how to tell whether the effort to prepare for it is worth it for your student and their goals.

We will also talk about deciding between the ACT and SAT, how to know if you should submit your scores with your college applications (ie, test optional), and when and how to start the process of planning.

⏰ Wednesday, Feb 28 at 5pm ET

Register: https://how-to-get-into-college.circle.so/c/live-learning-events/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-the-digital-sat

We will record this session, so please RSVP so we can share it with you after!

02/27/2024

FACT: Most students who are admitted to their DREAM SCHOOLS spend their summers in fairly ordinary ways. YES, really.

… They volunteer at local animal shelters.
… They babysit siblings and neighbors.
… They read books from the library.

Colleges want to know:
What you think.
Where you’ve been.
Who you want to become.

Read more about How to Turn Your SUMMER into a Personal Statement [https://how-to-get-into-college.circle.so/c/college-admissions/how-to-turn-your-summer-into-a-personal-statement]

Stay tuned - our Ultimate Summer Planning Course is releasing SOON!

02/26/2024

Will poor time management keep you from getting into your dream college?

If you’re the parent of a high schooler, this time management lesson is the hardest for your kid --

IT DOESN’T MATTER if you have nothing DUE tomorrow - they still have something TO DO tonight.

If your kid is always “discovering” the night before a huge paper is due, totally stressed - this is where physical and mental health - even ER visits with high blood pressure in teens!

So here’s one tip that will help -

Breaking down a large assignment like a research paper into manageable, daily chunks is what time management in college is all about.

They aren’t born with this skill set.

And no one is failing here.

But it’s still not working for you to coach them, our high school executive function coaches see transformative results with kids who learn to take the reins!

DM us now and share what’s going on with your teen. We’ll point you in the right direction fast.

02/23/2024

A huge part of why I started helping students and their families with the college process is because I was SO CONFUSED as a student trying to navigate the complexities of getting into an American college.

My brother and I both struggled to figure it all out on our own. (We did - enjoy the picture of me and my folks at my Harvard graduation!)

So when I had the chance, I knew helping others like me make their college aspirations a reality was exactly what I wanted to be doing.

I think, in America, most people take it for granted that it all works the same in other countries, but there are some drastically different elements that can really confuse students and parents from other countries who haven’t been preparing for it early on. 🌍

Understanding these nuances and helping students find their path in the midst of it all is easily one of my favorite things I get to do.

If you're curious about what makes the American college admissions experience stand out, and how it contrasts with other countries, I've shared some insights in my recent blog post.

Read more about applying to US colleges as an international student or a child of recent immigrants here: https://signeteducation.com/resources/what-you-didnt-know-about-international-college-admissions/

So tell me…have any of you personally experienced the difference between American and non-American college admissions? Tell me about it in the comments. 👇