Blue Stars Admissions Consulting’s Post

This leap year, during Family Life Education Month, we have an extra day to hear from Zachary Fedor and what choosing the #MizzouHDFS Family & Lifespan Development emphasis has meant to him and his experiences while completing his practicum and internship. If you're also interested in exploring development and relationships across the lifespan, learn more here: https://mizzou.us/hdfs_fld University of Missouri College of Education & Human Development #FamilyLifeEd #OnlineEducation #HumanDevelopment #FamilyScience #ScienceofBeingHuman #ImprovingTheLivesOfIndividualsAndFamilies

…such a substantive conversation today with TWC President Kimberly Churches, aimed at amplifying the connection and collaboration between Miami Dade College (MDC) and The Washington Center (TWC). For over a decade, The Honors College at Miami Dade College students and other scholars, with the mentorship of our world class professors, have travelled to the Capitol to participate in the immersive Inside Washington convening of engaged learners, faculty, and public/private sector officials. We’re laser focused on expanding opportunities for MDC students to engage first hand in peer interactions, internships, and other career-connected environments. #BeMDC #StudentsFirst #studentsuccess #careerconnections #publicpolicy

Did you know that today, September 17, 2024 is National Voter Registration Day? Our leaders have been conversations with other leaders to learn more how we can engage to inform, educate and provide resources for our PCT (Parent Connection Team) and Collegiates. Being informed with policies that IMPACT access to STEM education, resources and internships is vital to advancing all economics. Please click the link to learn and check on your #votedregistration status. https://lnkd.in/g_3vePg #SGSFIsAResource #SGSFIMPACT #BreakingBarriers #closinggaps #SUPERGirlsInSTEM

This week’s #AlumniThenAndNow, we are highlighting Nogosa Atekha a graduate from the Berkshire School’s class of 2021! Currently, Nogosa is an intern at William Blair! 💙What was DMSF’s impact on you? 💛 Receiving the DMSF scholarship changed my life in ways I can't even describe. The overall knowledge from experiencing an entirely different racial environment, and socioeconomic environment was extremely insightful. The opportunity to live on my own was beneficial, and the opportunity to play competitive sports in a prep league was also beneficial, as I am now an NCAA collegiate Track & Field athlete. The skills I learned in the summer bridge program for overall interaction with adults and sending emails are skills I still use to this day. The biggest benefit from the DMSF scholarship has been the alumni network with networking and connection opportunities. DMSF does a great job with putting alums in good networking environments, as Mr. Nick Cross provides us with webinars for internship opportunities at firms with strong DMSF representation. Finally, DMSF has a multitude of resources if needed in order to improve your overall health and happiness. 💙For you, what does it mean to be a Murphy Scholar? 💛Being a Murphy Scholar means to not only be a leader, but to be an academic weapon and to build good connections with those within and outside of your comfort zones. 💙What advice do you have for current Murphy Scholars? 💛 I would advise to connect with people outside of your comfort zone more. Networking and connections hold more weight than I had ever thought. Thanks for sharing and encouraging us to step out of our comfort zone, Nogosa! #35YearsOfMurphyScholars #AlumniThen&Now #HighSchoolScholarship #EducationAccess

With a majority of our summer #collegetours complete, my hope was that my son would have narrowed his search by half or maybe just over half. Nope. Not even close. So now what? By September, we will complete the remaining tours (5 left to go). We are working to finalize details, but we plan to visit a handful of institutions again during the school year - maybe during the open houses if the dates align. There are specific things we want him to see/do (and he very much agrees): 1. See the campus in full action to develop an understanding of what a 25,000 student campus really feels like, compared to a 15,000 or a 5,000 student campus. 2. Feel a true New England winter. (One particular school proudly shared they had not closed for a snow day in decades.) 3. Try the food around campus, as well as the town surrounding campus. 4. See academic spaces, and understand the curricular structure more clearly. Beyond the additional visits, we are considering options for him to better investigate and confirm his academic interest. There are student groups at his high school, internships for high school students, and academic-based summer camps (next summer). This week, I am getting back in to the emails and other print communications we've received this summer to take a closer look at what has been sent. To date, I have been invited (as a parent) to only one institution's parent portal. I was surprised more have not begun communicating with us about this. I don't yet know if the other institutions have not invested in this, or typically wait until the fall for the invites to go out. I am too close to #highered to know how I would feel about the one institution that has invited me this far ahead of others. I will be assessing that parent-focused content in the coming weeks as well. More to come. #admissions #emchat #enrollmentmarketing #hemarketing #campusvisit

Valuable insight to consider as you embark on the college process. Colleges care about what you are doing OUTSIDE the classroom as well!

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the information coming out about colleges? As a rising senior, there are so many questions to consider. What's happening with the SAT/ACT? Do essays matter? How many APs should your child take? What about extracurricular activities and grades? Would an internship be valuable? The earlier you start forming a list of where you want to go to college and begin looking online and making visits, the better. But don't stress, I can help! My consultations are free, and references are available. Plus, if you book before May 1, you can save $500. Let me help you and your child navigate this exciting but daunting process. #collegesearch #collegebound #collegeadmissions

Let’s rethink summer school. Are we really giving our kids a break, or just shifting the classroom? 6am to 5pm in lessons, plus extra tutoring on weekends? That’s not a holiday - it’s a recipe for burnout. For teens, consider internships. Real-world experience beats textbook learning any day. Remember, education isn’t just about academics. It’s about raising well-rounded individuals ready to tackle life’s challenges. This summer, let’s prioritize growth, not just grades. Your kids will thank you for it. What are your plans for your children this summer? Share below and let’s inspire each other with creative ideas! #parents #parentslife #school #education #educational #educationmatters #teachers #teachersupportteachers #teachersforteachers #teachershelpteachers #teachersinspireteachers #learning #learninganddevelopment #educationfirst #educationispower #parentsupport

Paid skills-based internships and early college pathways do help underrepresented students earn both 2 and 4-year college degrees. Kymani Scott Pathways in Technology Early College High School had a skills-based paid internship and co-op IBM experience and earned the 2-year The City University of New York City Tech, CUNY and 4-year Brooklyn College degree. #weareptech #skillsfirst #skills2030 #skillsbuild PTECH Brooklyn HS Alumni Network NYC Department of Education The State University of New York New York State Education Department www.ptech.org MDRC P-TECH 9-14 Evaluation "By the end of the first year of postsecondary education, 2.6 percent of female and 1.8 percent of male P-TECH 9-14 students had earned degrees, compared with virtually no students from the comparison group, of either gender. These impacts for both genders are statistically significant". "Male students who had the chance to attend P-TECH 9-14 schools were more likely to attain college degrees than male students assigned to other kinds of schools".

As this UVA student notes, middle-class students are stuck between earning too much to qualify for grants and not earning enough to pay for college costs. https://buff.ly/4du7W5U Families can explore options to lower costs like earning credits in HS (AP, dual enrollment), community college pathways, co-ops & paid internships, private scholarships, and careful college selection.