So I texted my nephew on Sunday to see if he wanted to come over for breakfast…I was making French Toast, one of my specialties. Ryan said he couldn’t, and proudly announced that he was at NACAC’s Long Island National College Fair at Suffolk Community College, Brentwood, NY. Like any loving aunt who has written a book about the college selection and application processes (College Apps: Selecting, Applying to, and Paying for the Right College for You), I told him to make sure to get his barcode scanned! Continue Reading
higher education
College Applications: Your Guidance Counselor & Resources
Welcome to Alyson Ryan for Sayville BOE!
My name is Trish Portnoy and I am here to help you apply to college. Luckily, I am an expert. I have helped over 1,000 high school students go through this process, and you, too, will be totally prepared to pick the right college for you…with a little help from your friends…you parents and guidance counselor! Continue Reading
College Applications: Letters of Recommendation
Welcome to Alyson Ryan for Sayville BOE!
My name is Trish Portnoy and I am here to help you apply to college. Luckily, I am an expert. I have helped over 1,000 high school students go through this process, and you, too, will be totally prepared to pick the right college for you…with a little help from your friends…you parents and guidance counselor! Continue Reading
College Applications: SAT & ACT Exams
Welcome to Alyson Ryan for Sayville BOE!
My name is Trish Portnoy and I am here to help you apply to college. Luckily, I am an expert. I have helped over 1,000 high school students go through this process, and you, too, will be totally prepared to pick the right college for you…with a little help from your friends…you parents and guidance counselor! Continue Reading
Congratulations, Arne Duncan! But Before You Go, Can You Please Answer My Question?
Congratulations, Arne Duncan, on your upcoming resignation as US Secretary of Education! We’re happy to hear that you plan to continue your professional journey as a change-agent for education in your hometown of Chicago. But please pardon my persistence, Arne, you still haven’t responded to my question and suggestions about programs to help high school seniors mindfully navigate the college research, application and selection processes. #AskArne Continue Reading
Thank You POTUS for the #CollegeScorecard…but was it really necessary? Students and families need more guidance, more structure, but no more data, please!
Last week President Obama introduced the College Scorecard, an online tool for students and parents researching and selecting colleges. Reviews of the site and its data have been mixed, as discussed in Jordan Weissmann’s post “The Government Just Made it Much Easier to Tell Which Colleges Are a Waste of Money” where he appreciates the information on the earning power of schools’ graduates. His view directly contrasts with J. Randall O’Brien’s Huffington Post article “President Obama’s New College Scorecard Receives an “F” where the university president criticizes salary information as an indicator of a college’s worth as it may discourage liberal arts or service majors by focusing on the lower earning power of these graduates. Continue Reading
6 Relevant Internet Sites for College-Bound Students (and their parents)
- Naviance
Naviance is a multi-faceted education planning, application management, web-based platform used by guidance counselors, teachers, students and parents. To log in you must follow the link from your school district’s website and register with the code provided by your counselor. Continue Reading
Senior Year: Top 5 Questions You Should Be Asking Yourself
- Am I really doing enough?
Spend less time watching Netflix, especially during daylight hours, and put more effort into helping others, networking with adults, and engaging in new experiences. You’ll never know how these outreach activities could enhance your life…by building self-esteem, meeting people who can help you in achieving your goals or getting exposure to a potential career or field of study. Ask your #BusinessTeacher if there are available opportunities for work-study, internships or community service. Continue Reading
Colleges Accept Students Who Are Active Participants In Life, Not Couch Potatoes!
Ideally, this guidance, as well as all other college planning advice, must be given to students before they step foot into high school. Currently, most of these teaching moments occur during junior year, right before students take SAT or ACT tests, or during the fall of twelfth grade. Slight problem… by then, some requirements of college applications cannot be changed, except with the wave of a magic wand. Continue Reading
The College Essay in 650 Words or Less
You should be jumping with joy for this opportunity to differentiate yourself, articulate your own personal style, and bring life to a college application full of grades, scores and facts. Instead, most students deliberately procrastinate and resent that they have to write a personal essay which, in reality, is less than three pages typed, double-spaced! Continue Reading