3 Common Back-to-School Issuesand How to Address Them

3 Common Back-to-School Issuesâ€"and How to Address Them For many elementary school students, the start of the school year is an exciting time to reconnect with friends and teachers, and to resume learning. Yet, after a long summer off, the exciting return to school is also a time when many classroom issues emerge. If you dont address these challenges early on, its possible theyll become more challenging to your student as time goes on. So its helpful to help them as soon as you can. If your elementary school student is having a hard time getting into the swing of a new year, read on. Here are three common back-to-school issues and advice on how to address them. Back-to-school issue #1: Forming few friendships The classroom is a wonderful place to make friends. However, for some students, making friends can be tricky. Students who are shy or who have just moved to a new school district might struggle to make friends in what can sometimes seem like a sea of strangers. If your student is struggling to make friends, you might notice that he or she doesnt ask to visit other childrens homes or to bring other children over. Your students teacher may mention to you that they notice your student doesnt interact much with his or her classmates, or you may observe as much when you pick your student up from school or the bus. Encouragebut dont forceyour student to form friendships. You can encourage healthy friendships by being a good model for friendly social behavior and reinforcing when your child takes interest in his or her peers. You can also set up playdates with parents you know. [RELATED: Tips for Helping Children Change Schools] Back-to-school issue #2: Struggling with academics Some grade jumps in elementary school seem larger than others. For example, an elementary student can expect more homework in fifth grade than in fourth grade. Academics slowly grow more rigorous over the elementary school years, and it becomes increasingly common for some students to fall behind. Your elementary school student might be struggling with academics if he or she tries to avoid doing homework, or comes home with poor grades. Chances are, your students teacher will notify you when he or she notices your child has fallen behind. To help your student keep up, positively reinforce studying for quizzes and tests, and doing homework. Praise your student when he or she gets good grades, and encourage him or her to continue working to improve if his or her grades are not where they should be. If your student is having a hard time keeping up, talk to your students teacher. He or she may recommend a screening for a learning difference, or recommend a private tutor. [RELATED: 3 Benefits of Tutoring for Students With Learning Differences] Back-to-school issue #3: Displaying boredom While some students struggle to keep up in the classroom, others are so far ahead that they become easily bored and under-stimulated by classroom activities. When students become bored, their effort levels may drop. They may even become distracting in the classroom by acting out. You may notice your student is bored if he or she only talks negatively about school. Your childs teacher may also tell you that he or she is distracting other students. If your student is breezing through his or her academic work, you may want to chat with his or her teacher to see if your child can be given advanced work. Adding extracurricular activities can also make school seem less boring, and can give your student new skills and the chance to make new friends. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Senior Year College Application Calendar

Senior Year College Application Calendar Do you have a senior in high school who plans to go to college next year? Although your teen may have put in quite a bit of effort toward the college application process already, senior year is no time to slack, saysCo-Founder and CEO Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center. These last nine months of high school are when teens really need to stay on track to ensure they do not miss any important deadlines as they make this important life decision, says Huntington. Heres a senior year college application calendar that your teen should keep on hand: September Make a list of top college choices and their application and financial aid due dates. Make a list of all scholarships to which you plan to apply and their due dates. Put all due dates on the calendarand keep in mind that many scholarship deadlines are between October and March. Get familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid website (https://fafsa.ed.gov/) and requirements for submitting yours as soon as possible after October 1. Request recommendation letters to give teachers/counselors plenty of notice, as they will receive requests from other students as well. Register to retake the ACT on October 27 if needed (registration deadline is September 28). October If applying early decision/early action, begin working on applications. Many colleges have early admissions application deadlines as soon as November 1. Begin drafting any application essays. Register to retake the SAT on November 3 if needed (registration deadline is October 5). November Register to retake the SAT on December 1 if you want one more chance to raise your score (registration deadline is November 2). Register to retake the ACT on December 8 if you want one more chance to raise your score (registration deadline is November 2). Request that the guidance counselor send first-semester transcripts to all colleges to which you are applying. December Submit any college applications due in early 2019. If you submitted your FAFSA in the fall, keep an eye out for the Student Aid Report, which colleges use to put together your college financial aid package. Make sure to review this report carefully to check that everything is correct. If you applied for early decision, keep an eye out for admissions letters. You should hear something in mid-December. January and February Continue working hard in school to maintain a high GPA. Colleges often want to see spring semester grades. After winter break, touch base with the guidance counselor to make sure theres nothing youve overlooked. Relax! The hardest part is behind you, and now you wait to hear from colleges. Review your scholarship list. Have you submitted applications on time? Remember that the more you apply, the greater your chances are of receiving some scholarship money. Every dollar counts. March and April If you applied for regular decision, keep an eye out for admissions letters. You should expect to hear something within six to eight weeksso if you sent your application in mid-January, a notification by mid-April is likely. Once you do hear from all colleges, review your acceptance letters and compare financial aid offers. Contact each colleges financial aid office with any questions. Make your college decision and let all colleges know. Many colleges request that you notify them of your plans by May 1. May Request that the guidance counselor send final transcripts to the college youre attending. Celebrate! Senior year is an exciting time for teens and their parents, but its essential to pay attention to any and all deadlines, says Huntington. For questions about preparing for the SAT or ACT, how to give your teens college application package a boost or the college admissions process in general, contact Huntington Learning Center at 1-800-CAN-LEARN. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.