In the News…

Law Day Video Contest

October 27, 2011

This annual contest, sponsored by American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division provides a wonderful opportunity to learn about the legal system, get creative, and win an educational trip to Washington, DC. The 2012 theme is “No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom.” Visit the website to see the winning video from 2011.

What: 2nd Annual Law Day Video Contest

How: Submit a 3-minute video

Who: All students grades 9 – 12

When: Deadline is February 15, 2012

Visit Facebook Page…

Visit website…

Opportunities for High School Dropouts

October 25, 2011

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program

The National Guard Youth Foundation (NGYF) supports the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program by providing scholarships, training, and workforce transition assistance to graduates of the ChalleNGe Program.

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program provides opportunities to young people who have dropped out of school or who are at risk of dropping out of school. Founded in 1993, the program gives troubled youth the opportunity to turn their lives around. Sixteen- to18-year-old male and female high school dropouts are eligible to apply for the 17-month program, which includes a five-month residential phase followed by a 12-month mentoring phase.

“On Wednesday, May 18, 2011, one of Charles Wilson’s dreams became a reality.

A former high school dropout, Cadet First Class Wilson walked across the stage at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy last week to receive his diploma and shook hands with the President of the United States.” Read more…

The ChalleNGe Program operates in 27 states and one territory. A few states without programs arrange to send students to bordering state programs. For example, students from DC can attend the Maryland ChalleNGe Program and students from Nevada can attend in Arizona.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • 16 – 18 years of age and enter the program prior to the 19th birthday
  • A high school dropout/expellee
  • A citizen or legal resident of the United States and resident of the state in which the program is conducted
  • Unemployed
  • Not currently on parole or probation for anything other than juvenile status offenses. Not serving time or awaiting sentencing, not under indictment or charged, not convicted of a felony or capital offense.
  • Drug free

See the states offering programs…

The Job Corps

The Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible young people at least 16 years of age that qualify as low income, Job Corps provides the all-around skills need to succeed in a career and in life.

Go to the Job Corps website…

Go to the follow website to find a Job Corps center near you…

 

Learning-challenged Students’ College Opportunities

October 18, 2011

For parents of students currently diagnosed with a learning-disability or who are currently enrolled in elementary, middle, or high school special education classes, please reading the October 18, 2011 USA Today article, “Learning-disabled students get a firmer grip on college” by Mary Beth Marklein. Ms. Marklein highlights some of the challenges confronting students as well as the increased college opportunities available to such students. Nearly nine out of ten of the country’s two-year and four-year colleges enroll students with disabilities. And, while 86 percent of such schools enroll students with learning disabilities, only 26 percent provide sufficient support mechanisms in place. Nearly 11 percent of college students have some sort of disability. Students with attention-deficit or related disorders have increased to 19 percent. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, all colleges are required to provide accommodations to college students. However, unlike elementary, middle, and high schools, which are required by law to identify, evaluate and help students with disabilities, colleges do not have to do anything unless a student asks for help.

Landmark College in Putney, Vermont hosts summer boot camps to assist students in developing strategies to prepare for a successful transition into their first year of college. Students learn how to cope with academics, speak to instructors, and advocate for their rights such as extra time on tests, access to a professor’s notes, or a distraction-free place to study. The program stresses the importance of students learning how to advocate for themselves. Most most students had parents advocating for them throughout their K – 12 schooling and teachers who failed to effectively prepare students for college.

One of the greatest challenges facing such students is the lack of postsecondary preparation that they received in their K – 12 schooling. Many students were not taught note-taking, test preparation, or public speaking skills or how to maximize their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. Few Special Education classes engaged students in the type of critical-thinking discussions they would be expected to engage in at the college level. In essence, the disabilities that they entered school with were oftentimes worsten during their K – 12 schooling. To fully understand what I mean, visit the Special Education classrooms one of your local schools and observe how little expectations teachers have of student performance. Then visit one of the athletic fields or gymnasiums and observe the stark contrast in the expectations that coaches have of their athletes (who also special education students). This is the best example of mainstreaming special education students. If you are truly interested in preparing your children or students for college, adopt a coaches’ mentality–expect more and they will give you more!

What you should do if you have learning challenges and you are planning to attend college:

  • Research scholarships for students with learning challenges
  • Thoroughly research colleges to identify those that offer the best support programs
  • Research colleges that offer special degree programs for students with learning challenges (e.g., Sage and Excelsior colleges in Troy and Albany New York, University of Alabama, University of Arizona)
  • Be honest and upfront, tell colleges what your challenges are and ask how they can support you in being successful

College Research Sheet

September 27, 2011

It is highly advisable that students research and visit potential colleges. The completed College Research Sheet illustrated here provides a quick glimpse of the differences between Ivy League, HBCU, public, military, and highly-selective liberal arts colleges. There are huge differences in acceptance rates, graduation rates, number of students, costs of attendance, and diversity. Students should identify a group of colleges they are interested in applying to, thoroughly research the schools, schedule an on-campus visit, and carefully discuss their options with parents, counselors, coaches, and students who have attended the college or university.

Download a blank College Research Sheet

 

Your Senior Year

September 19, 2011

Senior year is a can be a very stressful time in the lives of students and their families—preparing the senior yearbook ad, preparing for the prom, taking the SAT and/or ACT (again!), researching colleges, visiting colleges and perusing viewbooks, brochures, and costs, not to mention preparing college application packages, writing scholarship essays, staying on top of your grades, participating in clubs and activities, and working as hard as you can to make yourself a competitive candidate for admissions into your top colleges.

Following are some quick points of things that you should keep in mind as you begin your senior year of high school.

SAT/ACT

Be sure to take the SAT or ACT in time for colleges to receive your scores before their application deadlines, because many colleges will not accept scores received after the deadline. Scores must be sent to the colleges directly from the SAT (CollegeBoard) or the ACT. Scores are sent to as many as four colleges at no charge. There is an additional fee to send scores to more colleges.

Application Fee Waivers

There are several ways to receive an application fee waiver:

  • Students on free or reduced lunch may request SAT and ACT fee waivers from their counselor and request college application fee waivers from the colleges that they are interested in applying to
  • College representatives will often give application fee waivers to prospective students at college fairs and when visiting their local high schools
  • Colleges that invite students to apply, to attend diversity weekends, or to admissions presentations will often offer application fee waivers to prospective students
  • Nonprofit organizations that assist students with applying to college like Quest Bridge (www.questbridge.org) arrange application fee waivers with a wide range of colleges

Submitting your application

Many colleges accept, if not prefer, applications submitted through the common application program (commonapp.org). Other colleges prefer that applications be submitted online through their website.

Official School Transcripts

Know the cost and the process to request an official copy of your high school transcript at your high school.

Teacher and Counselor Evaluations/Recommendations

Talk to your teachers and counselors so that you know how much in advance they will need to receive your request for them to write an evaluation/recommendation

Scholarships

Scholarship application deadlines occur throughout your senior year, with many deadlines occurring in October, November, and December.

Colleges will have their own deadlines, with many occurring as early as September and October for institutional scholarships and Honors scholarships.

FAFSA

Colleges may not award you federal student aid, and in many cases, any financial aid whatsoever before you have fully completed your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You may complete your application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov (which is free) NOT fafsa.com (which will cost you money!).

Research

If you do not enter your senior year with a list of colleges that you have thoroughly researched, then you are far behind! Get your research done.

Click here to download a college research form

 

 

Georgia Black Law Students Retreat

September 8, 2011

4th Annual Black Law Students Retreat (2011)
“Succeeding in Law School and Beyond”

Schedule of Events

Friday, September 16, 2011
Social Networking Reception
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Remarks by:  Georgia Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton
Fulton County State Court Chief Judge Patsy Porter

Saturday, September 17, 2011
Tailored programming to include: Business Etiquette and Professionalism,
Interviewing, Bar Fitness, Test Taking, Branding, and Mentoring
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Hosted by
King & Spalding, LLP
1180 Peachtree Street, N.E.
16th Floor
Atlanta, GA  30309

Law Students: Business attire required for all retreat events.
Students attending Georgia law schools are invited to participate.
See your BLSA Representatives for registration packets.

For questions and further details: Contact BLSR Committee Chair
Dawn Jones at DJones@kslaw.com or (404) 572-3559


Applying to College

September 1, 2011

High school students have a variety of ways of submitting their college applications, i.e., by mail, in person (either at a college fair or by walking your application into the college’s office of admissions), or online.

I am not aware of any colleges and universities that accept applications directly from prospective students online, however, following are three online options that allow students to submit their application to member schools Online:

Some colleges and universities may require a supplement in addition to the online application. Supplements usually contain additional, institution-specific questions and, in some cases, additional essay questions. However, even when a college or university does not require a supplement, you may consider including extra materials if you believe that they will enhance your application, give the school a better understanding of your unique gifts and talents, and thereby increase your changes of being accepted.

If you are planning to apply to multiple schools, completing the online applications will save time and likely reduce errors, e.g., misspellings, missing documents, etc. With all of the normal anxiety of applying to college, you will at least eliminate the anxiety associated with wondering if the college received your application or if it was lost in the mail.