Guest Post: Parent to Parent Advice about College Applications

Norman’s daughter will be starting her Freshman year at the University of Washington in Fall 2012.    He offers the following perspective, having just completing the college application process: _________________________ Applying for college is an exciting time for every family.  It represents all the hopes and dreams that your student has had since he or she…

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Before Choosing Transfer Admissions…

The Community College Transfer option to a 4 Year College, while seeming to save money in the short term, can include other costs.   Currently, community colleges in California are challenged to service their students, given the budget reductions from the state.    At the same time demand is rising for space in California community colleges–300,000 students…

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You Can Dish It. Can You Take It?

Opening up to outside review of one’s work, including college essays, can create a wincing-eyes-jaw-clenching-fidgeting reaction to the surely unfounded criticism anticipated to be unleashed.  While the ultimate reward of such perspective can be a sharper argument and greater understanding, the human tendency to prevent humiliation can get the best of us.  (Incidentally, as humans…

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Guest Post: “I Changed My Major Five Times”: Advice from a Harvard College Dean

Emelyn dela Pena, Ed. D. is the Assistant Dean of Harvard College for Student Life, where she is responsible for campus diversity programs, student leadership development and residential life training.  She generously offers the following advice to Creative Marbles: As eager freshman and nervous parents arrive at college this fall, I’m sure on the minds…

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Make Money from Doing Your Homework

“Hands on learning”–somehow these eduspeak words have invaded Seniors’ vocabulary to describe the classroom environment they desire in college. (Incidentally, their next sentence usually includes something to the effect, “You know, the opposite of high school.”) Well, how about taking “hands on learning” to another level and actually making money with the knowledge one gains…

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“A Spoonful of Hope Makes Move In Day Go Down…”

“The last step in parental love involves the release of the beloved.” -Lewis Mumford Easy words to read; difficult words to carry out in practice.  Parents all over the country are preparing for their offspring moves to colleges and residence halls.  Roommate assignments are arriving.  Shopping trips for new bedspreads, stacking crates, power strips, and…

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Grades Don’t Only Measure Learning

Grades are a complex mix of a student’s performance meeting the teacher’s grading standards, managing assignments so they’re completed & returned to the teacher on time, AS WELL AS actually learning the concepts in class.  Too often, the last part–the learning & understanding–is the only part that consumes students’, teachers’ and parents’ efforts, when a…

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