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5 Gift Ideas for High School Girls
December 14, 2011
In our previous post, we offered a Holiday Gift Guide for teenage boys. Now, here are our gift suggestions for your high school daughter:
(1) Clothes/favorite store gift card – Teenaged girls love keeping up with the trendy clothes worn by celebrities. Even if their (or your) budget does not allow for pricey outfits, many stores like H&M or Old Navy offer current fashions that don’t break the bank. The safest gift is a gift certificate to her favorite store, which allows the recipient to continue developing her own sense of style. If you’re sure you know what the teen will like, give her a nice new outfit – but don’t forget the gift receipt!
(2) Accessories – What girl (or woman) wouldn’t like to receive a cute piece of jewelry, nice perfume, trendy shoes or a gorgeous handbag? Surely the teenage girl on your list will appreciate the time you take to select such a gift. Before you go to the mall, make sure to look at her wardrobe so you know the colors and styles that she prefers. And ask for a gift receipt…
(3) Laptop accessories – Assuming she already has a laptop, your daughter may be looking for ways to personalize it. Head on over to www.snapfish.com and create a custom skin. Or, check out the many laptop cases on the market today. Not only will the gift earn you points for creativity, but it will also help her keep an eye on the computer!
(4) Picture frame – Most high school girls have a multitude of photos with their family and friends. Today, many are digital and stored on her phone or computer. What better way to display her pictures than with a digital frame? She can set it up to rotate through a slideshow that can be changed as new memories are created.
(5) Tickets to tween concert/movie – Is Justin Bieber coming to a stage near you? Is she on Team Edward or Team Jacob? Tickets to either a concert or a gift certificate to the movies will bring a smile to any high school girl’s face!
(Of course, the ideas for high school boys all apply to these young ladies as well!) We hope our suggestions help you find the “perfect” gift for the teenage girl on your list.
5 Gift Ideas for High School Guys
December 12, 2011
Having trouble figuring out a good holiday gift for your high school son? Need a gift idea for a high school guy? How about these cool ideas:
(1) Money or a gift card – Cold, hard cash is a perennial favorite among teenage boys. They can combine it with other savings to purchase a big ticket item, or spend it at their favorite store. The bonus? Teaches cash management skills!
(2) Laptop, tablet, iPod, Kindle or other electronics – Depending upon your budget, a new laptop (or even a tablet such as an iPad) or iPod/MP3 player or other electronic gifts are always a favorite among the high school set. If the recipient is a high school senior, a new laptop certainly will be used in college! As more books and textbooks become available in electronic formats, a Kindle/Nook will be easier to carry than a backpack.
(3) Stock, CD or other investment complete with book written for teens – While the stock market may be wreaking havoc with parents’ 401(k)s, teens are finding it invigorating. Fuel your high schooler’s interest in high finance with an investing guide written just for him, such as The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens.
(4) Favorite team paraphernalia – Is your gift recipient a die-hard Lakers fan? Love the Giants or the Patriots? Must see every UFC fight? Indulge him with a team jersey, signed ball or photo, or tickets to a game. What a way to make a memory!
(5) Sports equipment – Does your son ski, snowboard or skateboard? Does he play a sport? Is he into computer games and the Wii? Think about what he enjoys and give him a gift that reflects his personality and interests.
Look for our gift guide for high school girls shortly!
Ear on Careers – Feuza Reis, Photographer
December 9, 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In this episode of “Ear on Careers,” we are pleased to welcome Feuza Reis, who is a professional wedding and lifestyle photographer.
Feuza Reis, Photographer
Feuza will capture you with her enthusiasm and energy, describing herself “Brazilian Born, Jersey Raised.” She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies and Portuguese (highest honors). Prior to opening Feuza Reis Photography, Feuza worked for various companies in marketing, sales and management.
Listen as Feuza describes what she does as a professional photographer, noting that her time is devoted between her craft and the business of developing her business especially with social media. She offers our listeners a glimpse into a “typical” day as a photographer. Feuza also shares her favorite stories, gives insights into what surprises her the most in the field and offers wonderful tips for those listeners who want to become an entrepreneur in photography.
We hope this podcast gives you a wide-angle glimpse inside the lens of a professional photographer!
Top-Tier Tutoring is very excited to bring you the web’s premiere “career day” podcast series – what we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more.
We welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
5 Tips to Get High School Juniors Ready For College
November 30, 2011
Even though you are not yet through the first half of your junior year in high school, college will be here before you know it! Ask your Senior friends who already have, or are finishing, applying to schools at this very moment. Bet they can’t believe they only have a few months left in high school!
NOW is the time to take stock and start preparing for college. As a Junior, here are 5 tips to help pave the way for your college application process:
(1) Take your SAT, SAT 2’s and/or ACT tests. Plan to have all of these tests completed by the end of this year. Start your prep course (online, in-person, or simply by yourself) this month, or no later than January. This way, you will have ample time to take your first SAT or ACT in the spring, and retake your better test (i.e., the one you scored higher on) in May or June. Your goal is not to have to spend any time in your Senior year taking these tests, as waiting for your results will only slow you down. For more information about the difference between the ACT and SAT, check out our podcast; for even more info about all of the tests, listen to this podcast; and for help comparing your SAT and ACT scores, read this post.
(2) Start working on your college list. In order to develop a college list, you will need to know your GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores, your academic interests, the geographic location you want, and so much more. Even if you don’t have all this information at your fingertips right now, you can create a list of colleges that offer majors you are interested in, in locations of interest. Take the time now to start exploring college websites. Write down the colleges that interest you, and make arrangements to visit the campuses (if possible). Many families will high school Juniors will set aside Spring Break to tour the various schools of interest. In this competitive environment, it is more important than ever to take the time to visit campuses, so start planning now. For great info about how to create a college list, listen to our podcast.
(3) Keep your grades up. With college on your mind, now is the time to shine academically in high school. If your grades haven’t been stellar to date, apply yourself now and then write your personal statement about how you realized school is important and you rededicated yourself to your studies! Your goal is to put your best foot forward and show college admissions officers that you have what it takes to do well at their school. Also, all college applications require letters of recommendation, and doing well in a class is a sure way to be noticed by your teachers – who will remember you when they write your stellar recommendation letter!
(4) Make sure you are involved. One thing that college admissions officers love to see are extracurricular activities. Not a lot of them, just a few to which you are deeply committed. They don’t have to be offered by your high school either, as volunteer work or activities outside your school also are viewed very favorably. What isn’t smiled upon as much? Activities that all of a start in your senior year, as they obviously are being joined for application purposes! So, participate now and reap the benefits! For more tips about activities to join, listen to our podcast.
(5) Create an academic resume. In addition to your application, personal statement and other documents required for college admissions, we strongly urge our college counseling students to prepare an academic resume. This is like an employment resume, but lists your achievements in high school (or even prior). Time to toot your own horn! This document also will be handy to provide to your guidance counselor and teachers who will be providing you with letters of recommendation. To learn more about creating an academic resume, listen to our podcast.
What do you think about these tips? Have any others you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
Top 10 Questions To Ask College Freshmen
November 22, 2011
With Thanksgiving just days away, many college freshmen are returning home for the first time since they started college. As a high school junior or senior, this is your chance to ask the questions that don’t seem to be answered in any college brochure or websites!
Here is a Top 10 List of questions you might want to answer your newly-minted college friends and family:
(10) How is college different from high school?
(9) Do you find your professors to be accessible during and after class?
(8) What surprises you most about college?
(7) Why did you apply to the college you are attending? Do you think that was a good reason?
(6) What is dorm life like?
(5) How is the food?
(4) What do you miss the most about home and/or high school?
(3) Was it difficult making new friends?
(2) What activities are you involved in at college?
And the #1 Question to ask college freshmen: What advice do you have for me as I start creating a college list and applying to colleges?
We hope this list gets you started in a conversation with your college friends and relatives that will enable you to apply to colleges with more confidence!
