Archive for June, 2010

How To Best Stay in Touch with College-Age Kids

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished suggests healthy ways for parents to stay in touch with their college-bound child.

Do: Schedule a weekly phone call and stick to it.
Don’t: Rely on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you find the phone call the best way to stay in touch? How do you keep in touch with your college-age child?

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June 29th, 2010
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college counseling
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How to Prevent The Summer Brain Slide

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished explains how to stay mentally sharp during the summer.

Do: Stay active during the summer, mentally and physically. Find fun and engaging ways to learn.
Don’t: Watch TV all day and isolate yourself.
Do: Read every day.
Do: Put yourself in social situations so you can practice getting along with others.

What do you do to stay mentally sharp during the summer?

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June 21st, 2010
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tutoring
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Middle School Parenting Tips

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished discusses middle school parenting tips.

1. Get the inside scoop by asking detailed questions.
2. Make respect a priority.
3. Engage in thoughtful conversation.

Do you agree with this advice? Do you have other parenting tips to offer?

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June 17th, 2010
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tutoring
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Vocabulary Memorization Shortcuts for the SAT Test

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished discusses vocabulary memorization shortcuts for the SAT test.

First: Complete the vocabulary quizzes and tests in Word Smart and Word Smart 2 Books by The Princeton Review.
Second: Transfer words you don’t know onto a list.
Third: Make vocabulary flashcards from this list.
Fourth: Memorize the vocabulary flashcard stack.
Fifth: Come back to the vocabulary flashcard stack a few days later to make sure the words stick.

Did you find this vocab memorization technique helpful? Do you suggest others?

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June 15th, 2010
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Posted in
SAT, SAT Boston, SAT Essay, SAT Tutor
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What Parents Should Know When Choosing a Private School

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished offers tips on how to choose the right private school.

Tip 1: Make sure your student visits each school.
Tip 2: Make sure you agree with the school’s philosophy.
Tip 3: Make sure the school has a low student to teacher ratio.
Tip 4: Get a list of the high schools and colleges kids attend once they graduate.

Attending private school? Which tips did you find most helpful?

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June 10th, 2010
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test prep, tutoring
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Five Tips That Make a Good College Portfolio

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished offers five tips that make a good college portfolio.

Tip 1: Write a well-written college application essay that speaks to you as a person.
Tip 2: Participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, and stick with them.
Tip 3: Have volunteer experiences to show that you care about giving back.
Tip 4: Have a strong ACT/SAT score or both.
Tip 5: Get good grades and take challenging courses.

Which of the five tips do you think is most important for a good college portfolio? Do you have other tips to share?

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June 7th, 2010
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college counseling
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SAT Subject Tests, The Inside Scoop

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished offers advice about taking the SAT Subject Tests.

Take the SAT Subject Tests to demonstrate subject mastery and strengthen your college portfolio.

Take SAT Subject Tests at the end of the school year.

Are you getting ready for the SAT Subject Tests? Did you find this advice helpful?

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June 3rd, 2010
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SAT, SAT Boston, SAT Tutor
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Play It Again, SAT Test

Alexis Avila Founder/President of Prepped & Polished discusses taking the SAT test multiple times.

Take the SAT test multiple times because students often improve their score over multiple tests.

Take the SAT test multiple times because colleges often look at your highest SAT sitting, or take your best SAT sections over multiple sittings.

Did you find this SAT advice helpful? How many times do you suggest one takes the SAT test?

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June 1st, 2010
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Posted in
SAT, SAT Boston, SAT Essay, SAT Tutor, strategies, test prep
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