Posted by Joshua C. Doyle, M.Ed. on Wed, Jul 28, 2010
For well over a decade I have seen adolescents able to consider post-secondary options that would have not been possible in the past. We are fortunate to have made great strides within the mental health world, although we still have a long way to go! With increased awareness of mental health issues (early intervention, pharmacology, and counseling) paths and doors are now open for many students who would never have been able to succeed in this direction before. While in high school, under the watchful eye of their parents, many adolescents seem to be able to handle the academic and emotional rigors of college. Some parents, worried that cutting the umbilical cord will cause the child to fail, become codependent rather than instilling the confidence and engaging the support of others at the college to do what they perceived as their job.
The constant level of communication between parents and their children with cell phones, texting and emails was baffling to me in my last position in college admissions. In various workshops and conferences I attended, I was stunned how despite the increasing selective admissions process at colleges, more and more students were not able to function independently. In many cases, there were students who did not disclose to the colleges their history of depression, substance abuse or anxiety. Many parents were fearful their son or daughter would not be accepted if they disclosed these struggles. Even more shocking was how many students and their parents had somehow convinced themselves that the start of college was a new beginning and the struggles of the past would somehow disappear. Unfortunately, this wishful thinking rarely worked out in the end. More often than not the inability of the students to handle college was an enormous setback for the entire family and the letter, typically arriving around Christmas, would ask the student to pack up before the next semester began.
When I was working in higher education I was never privy to what these students did after their sudden and premature departure from college. It wasn’t until I became an educational consultant that I found myself once again working with these troubled young adults but in very different circumstances, many of them living at home with their parents with absolutely zero prospects for the future.
The sad truth of the matter is that many of these young adults were set up to fail. The idea that a college will relieve the emotional and temperamental setbacks these young adults have had in the past is wildly unrealistic. If anything college can exacerbate these issues and I can’t help wonder how much pain they would have been spared if they had been set on a more realistic path from the beginning.
Many colleges now have support systems in place to help students with a variety of struggles. Families need to take to take advantage of these opportunities in the selection process. It is imperative that a school know if the students have any special needs (academically and/or therapeutically). Knowing this will only help the school help the student stay afloat. The idea of not disclosing this information during admission process will only hurt the young adult in the end.
Posted by Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP on Tue, Feb 23, 2010
We have always heard stories about kids saying unkind things to others. Remember reciting "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me"? Never did I imagine I would become nostalgic for that.
Unfortunately as media and technology have become more sophisticated so have those who hurl insults at others. In times past, bullies simply spread rumors person to person. Then they went virtual, moving insults to email messages and texting. Now they're leveraging the Social Mediasphere (Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc.) and the hurtful content is out there for all to see.
It seems that nothing can or will be held back by the kids who are out to belittle another student. Fabricated stories are published online, photos are shared with the world, no matter how personal, hateful, or illicit they may seem. Hardly a month goes by that we don't hear about the child who took his or her own life as a direct result of such harassment.
What can parents do? Nearly every child has a cell phone or computer. It is our job as parents to oversee what kinds of messages are being sent and received. This is not a matter of being nosy or invading our children's privacy; it is simply a way to know if they are involved in either cyber-bullying or sexting. (sending inappropriate pictures by text on one's cell phone, which can then be distributed online).
Talk openly with your children. Let them know that you are current in your understanding of these issues. That way, you establish credibility as a savvy parent. The more your children, especially adolescents, know you can relate, the more likely they are to share thoughts, opinions, and concerns with you.
Get involved. Recent cases of suicide due to cyber-bullying covered in the media have opened a lot of eyes. As a result, parents, community leaders, school officials, and clergy have jumped into the mix to urgently address the issue.
Finally, keep on top of the issue. As quickly as bullying jumped into cyberspace, it is likely that it will continue to morph into new formats over time.
What will that look like in future years? Share your thoughts and any predictions...
Posted by Hannah Cleveland on Mon, Feb 15, 2010
Educational consulting is not a science in the literal sense of the word. There are a myriad of factors to consider when placing a client; therefore the more tools we have, the better equipped we are to ensure that we provide families with the most viable options.
One such tool is the Goldberg Educational Placement Inventory (GEPI)TM. The GEPITM is a proprietary assessment tool developed by Adam Goldberg, M.Ed. in conjunction with Boston-area neuropsychologists and special education administrators for use by professionals consulting on school and special needs program placement.
This particular tool can be useful even before a family has engaged our services. The GEPITM results provide insight into the general types of programs which would benefit the student, for example: Public or Private? Traditional or Non-traditional? Day or Boarding? LD or Therapeutic? This basic information can be extremely useful in laying the groundwork for the direction of the initial conversation between family and consultant. In most cases this would allow them to start off on the same page and at least have a solid basis for discussion.
If you think the GEPITM could be of use to a student you know, click here. If you complete the form and return it to me I would be happy to score it and share the results with you.
Posted by Karen Plescia, M.S. on Thu, Feb 04, 2010
College is scary. For parents. For high school students applying. For students already enrolled.
It seems that every time I hear a news story about "college" lately, the undertone is fear. This was especially the case as I watched our local news one morning recently. The headline stories included: the stabbing of a student at a well-regarded local university and a murder in which a man shot his daughter to death, critically wounded his wife, and then killed himself. The reason for the latter has been alleged to be financial strain - including upcoming college tuition bills; his daughter was a high school senior heading to college next year.
In international news, compliments of NPR, I read about the New Zealand 19-year-old who auctioned her virginity online claiming she "was desperate for money to pay university fees." Prostitution is legal in New Zealand, and she fetched $32,000.
Less extreme, perhaps, but ever present at this time of year are stories of high school seniors receiving admissions rejection letters and disappointment over financial aid packages and the frantic appeals that each trigger.
In the midst of all of this, college counselors - both school-based and private - are supposed to get high school juniors and their families excited about the idea of going through this apparently frightening - sometimes even life-threatening - rite of passage. Something doesn't jive.
I'm left with such a sense of bewilderment that I don't know where to begin teasing apart the madness. My egalitarian heart still holds on to my conviction that every capable young person should be able to pursue higher education. No matter how scary it may seem socially, emotionally, or financially, they should have the opportunity to give it a shot. On the other hand, my practical mind reminds me that there are many paths to higher education and that taking a path that is well-suited to the individual can, and should, make the whole process of applying to, paying for, and completing college less scary.
My heart and head aside, experience has taught me that college is not "one-size-fits-all." Unfortunately, our collective societal mentally has pushed students and families to believe that a 4-year, top tier college experience is the measure of success. Success is measured by what one does with the opportunities presented to him - not by where those opportunities occur.
As someone who counsels families through the college process, I want to stop the madness and take the "scary" out of the application process. And somehow my colleagues who still work at higher education institutions, parents, and the students themselves will have to figure out how to take the scary out of being in college.
Are you scared? How so? Let us know...
Posted by Karen Plescia, M.S. on Tue, Dec 22, 2009
I would like to humbly recommend that college and university admission offices everywhere make a decision when a student applies to their institutions. Do away with deferrals. Say "yes" or say "no." Apply this policy to candidates who apply under any one of the half dozen or so decision options available to them: early admission, early decision, early decision II, early action, rolling admission, rolling early action, restricted early action, rolling admission, or good-old-fashioned regular decision.
Particularly with early decision, students are required by colleges and universities, essentially, to make a decision as they apply that they will attend that institution if given the opportunity. If the applicants wish to defer making that decision, they do not apply under the early decision option. (In most cases) It's simple. Yes or no.
It is a fairly significant statement if a 17- or 18-year-old puts themselves out there by applying early decision. They are reticent to make a public statement of commitment without knowing if the sentiment is mutual. No one likes to take the risk of being rejected by someone (or someplace) they "love." Adolescents avoid this rejection like the plague. Most of the high school seniors with whom I work opt, instead, for the (in their minds) "safer" early action option to fulfill the current social obligation of knowing where they will go to college by Christmas.
So when they do make public their love for a particular college by applying under an early decision option, it seems only fair that the college respect that risk by replying with a definitive response. Instead, year after year, my colleagues - both independent and school-based counselors - and I try to explain to bewildered and heart-broken students and their families why an institution is asking them to hang on a while longer for an actual decision.
After commiserating with them over their disappointment, the conversation usually goes something like this:
ME: "Your credentials weren't as competitive within the early decision applicant pool as they would have liked."
STUDENT: "So then why didn't they just reject me?"
ME: "Because there are so many wonderful things about you that they still feel there may be a place in their class for you."
STUDENT: "So then why didn't they just admit me?"
ME: "They admit the very best of the best applicants under early decision and because it's so competitive, you may have just fallen a little short."
STUDENT: "So after all of this, they could still say ‘no' if the regular decision application pool is competitive, too?"
ME: "Yes, that's correct. But they could also say ‘yes'"
‘Round and ‘round I go with the student a few more times and the parents twice as often. The conversation usually ends with no less angst on the part of the student and the family despite my efforts to convince this young person that life itself has not yet ended. The student mutters that "it" would be so much easier if he just knew if one way or the other. I can't help but agree. It's supposed to be an early decision. Not an early wait-and-see. If they don't quite measure up, cut the cord and let these poor kids move on to plan B. Otherwise, throw your arms open, be excited they loved your institution enough to take a risk, and start cultivating that engaged student and eventual happy alum.
Let us know what you think...
Posted by Karen Plescia, M.S. on Fri, Nov 20, 2009
Last week I spent the better part of the week visiting colleges in North Carolina. I found myself on a whirlwind tour of 7 campuses in just over two days, and I would have kept going if I could have. Every time I visit college campuses, I walk away wishing I were a student again.
For those of you out there who, like me, applied to college 15, 20, or more years ago (I'll leave you guessing on my age), let me tell you that the college experience is not what it used to be. Do not try to advise your high schools seniors or juniors based on the knowledge you gained when you went through it. It's a whole new world. Literally and figuratively.
Everything is "global" and "experiential" and "connected" and "passionate" now. I don't think any of these adjectives could have been used to describe the just-over16 years of life I had experienced when I sat down at my typewriter (hey, it was electric!) and completed my college applications. Nor, with the exception of an internship and one semester-long research project with a professor, do they describe the experience I had while I was in college.
College students now are offered an abundance of opportunities to study and work abroad in countries all over the world. More and more, the cost for these experiences is built right into their tuition and fees. Overseas properties in exotic locations are hot commodities. London? Spain? Italy? *Yawn* We're talking about Ecuador and Copenhagen and Kenya now.
But students are not only going to far off places, they are also engaged in the communities in which their colleges reside. Courses in all disciplines and subjects incorporate community-based learning to give students an immediate outlet to apply what they have learned in the classroom while at the same time learning to become conscientious citizens.
Interns don't just do the filing, shadow the employees, and gripe about doing grunt work anymore. They are given projects to dig into and made team-members and asked to analyze data in ways that impact decisions - experiences that were previously reserved for entry-level employees. On campus, students have access to real-time trading and are given university money with which to do it - and they don't lose it all! They usually break even or make money.
This trend is long overdue. Most people learn better when they are allowed to do something rather than just hear it or see it. The world is not divided into subjects and colleges; it is interdisciplinary. Employers don't have the luxuries of time and money to train new hires if they wish to remain competitive in a global economy. It makes sense, of course, to incorporate "real-life" skills and experiences into the education of bright young minds because graduates need to be able to hit the ground running to have even a chance of landing a job in today's work places.
I cannot help but wonder, though, how much of it "sinks in" for these kids - because in many ways - and now more than ever, I believe (that's a topic for another blog) - they are still "kids." How may 17 to 21 year-olds are developmentally ready and able to achieve the levels of focus and introspection that would make these "passionate", "global" experiences truly rich and life-directing? Come to think of it, how many people of any age are sufficiently introspective to make the most of the experiences life has to offer?
And so I humbly submit, that I would like a "re-do" of my college years. I'm sure I can find my passion and my focus somewhere in Australia.
What would you do differently if given the chance for a college "re-do?" Leave a comment below...
Posted by Hannah Cleveland on Tue, Aug 04, 2009
While examining the anatomy of our educational consulting intake calls, I have noticed two disturbing trends in the therapeutic placement domain.
First off, the average age of the potential client is on the rise. We are hearing from an increasing number of families seeking help for kids who are 17 and older. Laws as they are, there is a very small window of opportunity to get struggling students the help they need. Parents are often referring to this as their last chance, yet it is the first time they have sought a therapeutic placement.
The other alarming educational consulting trend is an added layer of alcohol and substance abuse on top of the mental health issues we often see in our intakes... and it appears that hard drug use is becoming more of an issue.
What factors are contributing to these educational consulting trends? While the state of the economy is causing many people to hesitate, those who are approaching the age 18 threshold with children are driven to finally act.
Why the hard drugs in these dual-diagnosis cases? One can only surmise. On one hand, upwardly skewed ages could be yielding greater access to these tougher drugs. Perhaps tough economic times drive experimentation of the ‘street drugs.' Or maybe, once again, we're just seeing those cases that have culminated to a point beyond where they normally would in better economic times.
If you are a practicing professional, we would love to know if you are seeing similar trends, and if you have any thoughts on the matter...
Posted by Joshua C. Doyle, M.Ed. on Wed, Jul 15, 2009
"What about my summer!?!?!?!?"
How often do we hear teenagers say that they need..., they must have... they deserve to have a fun summer, free from stress and responsibility. They argue that a job, summerschool, chores, and accountability during the summer constitute cruel and unusual punishment. They must have a "summer off." I am still waiting for a convincing argument as to what teenagers are taking the "summer off" from.
What is scary is that many parents actually fall for it!!!! They often succumb to their child convincing them that a "summer off" is imperative for their well being and if they don't have this one summer to themselves the consequences will be irreparable. How else are they going to get ready for the rigors of the fall?
As parents... we like to see our kids happy. However, what a teenager may define as happiness can often result in unhealthy choices, made without the maturity to realize the consequences of actions. Having a significant amount of unstructured time can lead to risky behaviors that can start an adolescent on a downward spiral very, very quickly.
I have seen a number of times where there has been a moderate to significant amount of regression in adolescents who are "taking the summer off." The expression "too much free time on your hands" is NOT a healthy thing, especially for an adolescent.
I have also seen many instances where teenagers have had structured, busy, and productive summers that provided them with a much needed boost of confidence, accomplishment, and pride. Adolescents who stay busy by going to summer schools, participating in outdoor summer programs, getting jobs, or even engaging in service initiatives are generally the ones who hit the ground running in the fall while others are often playing catch-up thanks to short-sighted choices.
Ask yourself as parents if you are really serving your child's best interest in allowing them to have their "summer fun." Why not consider providing your child with an amazing opportunity to learn the importance of hard work and integrity. Those are things that they will take with them wherever they go.
Don't regret putting your children's learning on hold so they can wander into the wrong crowd, experiment with or start using drugs and alcohol, or even make poor choices that can, in fact, be... irreparable...
Posted by Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed. on Tue, Jun 09, 2009
Some readers of this blog are familiar with EnCompass Education, our venture that brings educational consulting into companies as an employee benefit program. Very few, however, are aware that we have just launched its new web platform: www.encompasseducation.com, which is designed to both assist human resources with decision-making on the front-end and meet the varied education needs of corporate employees on the back-end.
While the back-end content management system is only available to our corporate clients' employees, the front end is accessible to all.
I am happy to report that our programming is highly utilized (substantially more than EAPs and other comparable work-life initiatives), highly praised, and is helping companies engage employees like never before.
If you have an interest, or even curiosity, in how the need to engage employees is changing the way companies invest in education, check out our new EnCompass Education digs and feel free to weigh in on the new work. life. learn. blog! as well.
As always, thanks for stopping in...
Posted by Karen Plescia, M.S. on Fri, May 22, 2009
Having spent well over a third of my life (40%, to be exact) on college campuses, I am prone to sentimentality during two very distinct times of year: opening weekend and commencement. Given that I am no longer working or living on a college campus but do live in an area saturated with them and still work with college-bound students, these "distinct" times of year, for me, have morphed into several weeks in late August/Early September and mid-May.
‘Tis the season for college commencements. Leaders and celebrities grace stages all over the country to express their expectations, dreams, and concerns for newly-christened "adults" and to share with them sage advice about how to be a better person, improve the world, or otherwise become "successful."
I am not in a position to have any expectations or dreams for students leaving college today. I certainly have plenty of concerns for them, though. Forget about "sage advice" as they venture from the warm womb of academia into the cold world. I opted to retreat back into that womb for a dozen more years after my own graduation.
I feel much more equipped to counsel (as I do) college-bound students who are getting ready to graduate from high school. And so here is my advice to them:
As much as you want to - and should - enjoy this summer following your senior year of high school spend some of it preparing yourself for the transition to college. Yes, it is a transition, and if you want to get through it with minimal pain you will need to put in some effort on the front end. Based on my experience, that means a few things, but most importantly, it means understanding how to organize yourself and manage your time. This looks like something different for every person. For me, as an undergraduate, it meant a planner (a good old fashioned week-view calendar) and colored pens. For today's high school graduates, it probably involves a mobile electronic device and typing with thumbs, but the intent is the same.
As a college administrator I was always most concerned about the students who walked into my office without a pen and piece of paper or without some way of keeping track of their schedules. Conversations with these advisees sounded something like this:
Me: "When is that assignment due?"
Student: "Hang on while I try to find my syllabus in this mess of a backpack and then locate that exact assignment on the schedule (because I haven't actually looked at the syllabus since it was handed to me), and then.....oops....it was due yesterday."
You get the point.
Practice scheduling your time, keeping appointments, making "to do" lists, etc. this summer. I know that sounds like a drag in the summer, but it doesn't have to be. Put into your calendar (phone/iPod/whatever) your mani's and pedi's, your beach time, pick-up games, rounds of golf. If you have a job, put your work hours in the calendar each week. Now you can schedule your fun around them. Make a "to do" list of things you need to buy for your dorm room or of people you want to be sure to see before you head off to school. You'll feel so good when you get to cross off or delete things as you accomplish them!
This is just practice; it doesn't have to be "serious" stuff. Just get in the habit of thinking about what you need - or want - to do and when it needs to be done. And make it part of your morning routine to look at your calendar or "to do" list every day. Inputting it or writing it down won't help if you never look at it again.
The best advice that I received as a high school senior actually came from a professor at the university I ended up attending. He told the audience of my peers (I'm paraphrasing after the first sentence), "Treat college like a 9-to-5 job. Whether you need to be at class or not, you're up and ready to work at 9AM. You don't go back to your room to watch TV or sleep between classes because you're still ‘at work'. Go to the library and study. At 5:00 you can close your books, go to dinner, and enjoy the rest of your evening. If you do this, if you truly work diligently from 9 to 5 every Monday through Friday, you will not fall behind; you will not have to do tons of reading at night." He was talking about managing our time, setting priorities. I didn't know that then, but I sure wish I had listened to him.
Please share your insights...