The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Early decision - may secure your first choice school. Do you have a high school senior? Are they in the middle of applying to colleges? Do they have a favorite - first choice? Have they considered early decision or early action? Many parents are not aware of the early decision option if your teen has a strong desire for a specific college and believe they are a perfect candidate for them. What is early decision and early action ?  There are slight differences you and your teen need to understand. You should understand the differences between early decision and early action before sending in your applications. Keep in mind that the rules may vary somewhat by college. Check with your counselor to make sure you understand your rights and obligations. Below are some important facts about the types of early-application plan. Early decision plans are binding. You agree to attend the college if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. Alth...

It is that time of year again when many High School teens seniors are applying to colleges. Are you running behind? Struggling to get through the application process? Here are some last minute college application tips from Peterson's Guide . Applications are highly evolved documents, based on numerous admission deans asking themselves if they're asking you the right questions. For that reason, how you fill out an application is almost as important as the information you include. In other words, follow directions! Review the requirements Applying to college typically involves a fair amount of paperwork. So before you hit the post office or hit send, take a long last look at your application. If you're applying electronically, did you type carefully and check your spelling? If you're applying on paper, was your application filled out neatly? Did you take shortcuts? A partially completed application is a clear signal that you are not an eager applicant. Did you send too mu...

When I read this article it got me thinking, how often are our kids actually handwriting? Will this hinder them in the future, or is it the future? Years ago many of us hand wrote our essays and reports, today it is all about the keyboard. I think back to taking typing classes, never realizing how important that class would be. Did I mention that was in High School? Today it starts much earlier. Source: Connect with Kids Is Penmanship Extinct? “If your handwriting is barely legible, it makes them think that you are not really an organized person.” – Adam, 17 years old Many tech-savvy teens use a keyboard far more often than a pencil with the result that their handwriting is virtually illegible. In fact, some argue that handwriting is becoming obsolete. Maybe one day it will be but, in the meantime, there are finals, midterms, and essays on college entrance exams. Many tech-savvy teens say they use a keyboard far more often than a pencil – sending text messages, typing essays and taking...