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Must-Ask Questions for High School Back-to-School Nights

By U.S. News & World Report

California mom Myoung Kang is very familiar with back-to-school nights as the parent of a high school student and two adult children.

“The only time you will get to meet your child’s teacher is back-to-school night,” says Kang, president of the Parent Teacher Student Association at Cupertino High School, where her daughter Hilary, 17, is a senior.

Teens are more independent: Parents don’t usually volunteer in the classroom when their kids are in high school as they might have in elementary school and students can drive themselves to school as they get older.

[Find out three reasons why high school parents should attend teacher conferences.]

“It’s important that parents go to establish that relationship with teachers,” says Susie Adams, who teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History at Muriel Battle High School in Columbia, Missouri. “It’s good to put a face and a name together.”

But parents of high schoolers should ask about different topics than what they may have inquired about when their children were in elementary or middle school at back-to-school night, including the following.

1. What topics will be covered during the year? Kang likes to get class syllabuses and information on the grading system, and says that lets her know what’s going to be covered and how quickly. It’s helpful to know important dates for planning family events.

“Especially with the Lit class, I like to get a schedule of the books that are going to be discussed,” she says. Usually she’s read the books, but if she hasn’t she will because it gives her something to talk about at dinner with her kids — sometimes tricky with teens.

“When you talk about books with your children it also gives you an insight into their view of the world, which is also interesting,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot about my kids’ personalities and their opinions about the world through talking about books.”

Twitter users suggest parents ask questions about technology and whether courses are the right fit for teens.

@alipannoni @usnews what role will the school and teachers play in personalizing learning for my son/daughter?

— Alan Tenreiro (@AlanTenreiro) September 1, 2016

@alipannoni @usnews how will tech be used to deepen learning?

— Alan Tenreiro (@AlanTenreiro) September 1, 2016

@alipannoni @usnews I have asked “is this class the right fit for my student?” and gotten very honest & helpful responses in return

— Ryan Bowers (@ryanbow) September 1, 2016

2. How do Advanced Placement classes work? Adams says a lot of parents don’t understand the ins and outs of how AP classes work so she encourages them to ask questions about the program.

“I didn’t take any AP classes in high school,” she says, so when her first son was in the class she didn’t know what to expect.

Teachers can explain to parents what AP tests are like, the fees that may be involved and class expectations.

Parents asked about AP classes at one back-to-school night, says one Twitter user.

@alipannoni questions they asked at our BTSN: how much sleep should my child get? How many APs should they take?

— LEAP Loudoun (@LeapLoudoun) September 1, 2016

3. What are the school’s and teachers’ policies? Attendance policies are a little different in high school and credit does matter — if students fail a class they will likely need to take it again — so parents should get a general understanding, says Chris Ming, assistant principal and athletics director at Marine City High School in Michigan.

Parents could also ask about policies regarding makeup tests and missing school for college visits, suggest some Twitter users.

@alipannoni @usnews @USNewsEducation what’s your policy on makeup tests?

— Steve Ulrich (@commish82) September 1, 2016

@alipannoni @usnews what is the school’s policy on excused absences for #college visits?

— Kiersten Murphy (@collegeadvisors) September 1, 2016

@alipannoni @USNewsEducation @usnews how can we work together to make sure my child is successful?

— Polo Perez (@Perezpolojr) September 1, 2016

Kang, the California mom, likes to ask teachers when they are available for outside help, how they handle group projects and the method of communication they prefer.

“With high school, you are going to try to encourage your child to interact with their teacher more,” she says. “The best thing is to just find out about availability and method of communication.”

[Discover three ways high school counselors can help students and parents.]

That way when teens do have a problem parents can steer them in the right direction: to resolve the issue themselves with their teacher.

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com.

More from U.S. News

3 Tips for Parents to Teach Teens to Take Academic Responsibility

4 Must-Do Back-to-School Tasks for High School Juniors

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Must-Ask Questions for High School Back-to-School Nights originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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